Agni in Vedavangmaya (अग्निः वेदवाङ्मये)

Agni (Samskrit: अग्निः) is the devata for fire, yagnas and divine knowledge. A large number of mantras and suktas are devoted to describing and praising Agni in various texts. Agni which generically refers to fire is used to refer to अग्निहोत्रः ॥ Agnihotra (fire of yagnas also called as sacrificial fire). He is associated with वैदिकयज्ञः (Yagnas or rituals prescribed in Vedas) through yagna (sacrificial fires) he carries the offerings (oblations) of men to the devatas in other world, who thereby pleased ensure the continuance of conditions favorable to mankind.

अग्निः ॥ Agni, as a devata important next to Indra, occupies a notable place as होत्र || hotr (the carrier of offerings in a yagna) and is significantly revered in the Rig veda with many suktas rendered to propitiate Him. Further as we gradually progress towards the Upanishads, Agni is personified as the ज्ञानिः || Jnani (Knower of Brahman). The three Fires (गार्हपत्यः ॥ Gaarhapatya, आहवनीयः॥ Aahavaniya, and दक्षिणाग्निः ॥ Dakshinaagni) expound brahmavidya to Upakosala (the student of Satyakama Jabaali), in the Chandogya Upanishad.

Thus, starting with the sacred agnihotras tended by the householder, as the sacred bearer of offerings, to the feared Kravaaya form of Fire which is invoked to burn corpses, and finally to the inner subtle form of representation of Jnana , Agni is the crucial lifeline of a grihastha engaged in Bharateeya samskriti.

 Agni in Rig Veda

Rigveda starts with Agnisukta and thereafter many mandalas have suktas related to and in praise of Agni. The very first word, mantra and sukta of the oldest veda, Rig veda starts with Agni as revealed to Rishi Madhuchchandah Vaishvamitah in Gaayatri chandas.

Agni is the Rishi or mantra drasta of many suktas in the 9th Mandala. He figures prominently in as many as 200 suktas in the Rig veda. Along with Indra and Surya, Agni is a significant deity of Rig veda (Sukta 10.124). A brief compilation of different mantras of Rig veda are presented below

• Rig Veda mantras (1.77.1 to 5) describes the role of Agni as the Hota, who carries the yagna offerings of the mortals to the deities.

यो अध्वरेषु शन्तम रतावा होता तमू नमोभिरा कर्णुध्वम | अग्निर्यद वेर्मर्ताय देवान स चा बोधाति मनसायजाति || (Rig. Veda.1.77.2)

• Agni is described as the अग्निर्जातवेदाः Jataveda, meaning one who has the knowledge of vedas and is a learned by birth. Reference to Agni as Jataveda is made in many other places of Rig veda.

अभि तवा गोतमा गिरा जातवेदो विचर्षणे | दयुम्नैरभि पर णोनुमः || (Rig. Veda.1.78.1)

जातवेदसे सुनवा मसोममरातीयतो निदहाति वेदः | स नः पर्षदति दुर्गाणि विश्वा नावेव सिन्धुं दुरितात्यग्निः || (Rig. Veda. 1.99.1)

• Rig Veda mantras (1.95.1 to 11) describes the birth of Agni from the ten daughters of Tvashtra. This sukta describes the purifying form of agni.

दशेमं त्वष्टुर्जनयन्त गर्भमतन्द्रासो युवतयो (Rig. Veda.1.95.1)

• Rig Veda mantras (3.26.7 and 8) describe Agni as अग्निरात्मा Agni is Atma

अग्निरस्मि जन्मना जातवेदा घर्तं मे चक्षुरम्र्तं म आसन | अर्कस्त्रिधातू रजसो विमानो.अजस्रो घर्मो हविरस्मि नाम || (Rig. Veda.3.26.7)

तरिभिः पवित्रैरपुपोद धयर्कं हर्दा मतिं जयोतिरनु परजानन | वर्षिष्ठं रत्नमक्र्त सवधाभिरादिद दयावाप्र्थिवी पर्यपश्यत || (Rig. Veda.3.26.8)

• Rig Veda mantra 1.44.7 describes Agni as one who excites Buddhi (reason and intellect), the perceiving and the determining factor, and by illuminating the mind it makes one understand and comprehend the truth

होतारं विश्ववेदसं सं हि त्वा विश इन्धते । स आ वह पुरुहूत प्रचेतसो ऽग्ने देवाँ इह द्रवत् ॥ (Rig. Veda.1.44.7)

• Surya, Aditya, Prana and Agni stand for the Atman who reveals itself as knowledge by the all-illuminating bright rays of light and who reveals itself as objects cognized by the mind and described through speech (Rig Veda X.135.7).
• Rig Veda mantra (I.27.10), addresses Agni as similar to Rudra (having the fierce qualities of Rudra)

जराबोध तद्विविड्ढि विशेविशे यज्ञियाय | स्तोमं रुद्राय दृशिकम् || Meaning : Agni similar to Rudra, is one who makes the evil persons weep.

• Rig Veda mantra (2.1.6 II.i.6) – त्वमग्नेरुद्रो असुरो महो दिवस्त्वं शर्द्धो मारुतं पृक्ष ईशिषे | directly addresses Agni as Rudra.

Agni in Brahmanas

The role of Agni in Brahmanas highlight the use of fire as the chief carrier of the havishya with the chanting of mantras. The ritualistic part is always associated with the mantras and without which yagnas or ishtis are not possible.

Madhyandhina satapatabrahmanam (Shukla Yajurveda)

The 6th Kanda of Shatapatha Brahmana (SB 6.1.1.1) starts with the description of Agnichayana or building of the fire altar. This kanda describes the importance of Agni, the fire, who is identified with Prajapati, the Srustikarta, who is the source of life in this world. Prajapati as the Srustikarta creates all the celestial beings and heavenly bodies such as Aakasha and nakshtras. He also creates Agni as the sacrificial fire.

अथ यो गर्भोऽन्तरासीत् - सोऽग्निरसृज्यत | स यदस्य सर्वस्याग्रमसृज्यत - तस्मादग्निः | अग्निर्हवै तमग्निरित्याचक्षते परोऽक्षम् | परोऽक्षकामा हि देवाः |

ततः यः जातगर्भः, सः अग्निः असृज्यत तस्मात् सर्वस्य स्थूलप्रपञ्चस्य अग्रम् आदौ सृष्टत्वात् अग्निरित्युच्यते

Add the material collected from Shatapatabrahmana 6.1.1. (vedamu.org)

Kanvasatpathabrahmanam (SB.IV.i.iv.11) calls Agni "wisdom". The Adhvara (4th) kanda has 9 adhyayas each of which contains 4 brahmanas further divided into varying kaandikas describe the Agnistoma yagna wherein detailed procedures involving many "isthis" (sub parts of a yagna) including the construction of the yagasala and invocation of Agni are given. Add material collected from Kanva SB Vol 3 page 21 16/11/2017 [1]

Agni in Upanishads

Isavasyopanishad

In this Upanishad, the last two mantras, as given below are a prayer to Agni who is the divine witness to the actions of every life form

"वा॒युरनि॑लम॒मृत॒मथे॒दं भस्मा॑न्त॒म् शरी॑रम् ।"

"ॐ क्रतो॒ स्मर॑ कृ॒तम् स्म॑र॒ क्रतो॒ स्मर॑ कृ॒तम् स्म॑र ॥१७॥ (Isav. Upan. 17)"

"अग्ने॒ नय॑ सु॒पथा॑ रा॒ये अ॒स्मान्विश्वा॑नि देव व॒युना॑नि वि॒द्वान् ।"

"यु॒यो॒ध्य॒स्मज्जु॑हुरा॒णमेनो॒ भूयि॑ष्ठां ते॒ नम॑ उ॒क्तिं विधेम ॥१८॥ (Isav. Upan. 18)"

Meaning : Let the breath merge with the Immortal being or Hiranyagarbha and let the body be reduced to ashes, remember your deeds. Let Agni lead us along the right path or the bright path of the Devas (Devayana path from where there is no return to mortality).

This is the prayer for the dissolution of the individual prana into the infinite prana. Agni is prayed to as the chief priest of the sacrifice and the divine witness of all actions done by the individual, when the body is being being reduced to ashes. He is the principle intelligence which guides all thoughts and actions, a path to Universal Knowledge. Agni at the first step is like guide with a torch that illuminates the path of the soul.

Kena Upanishad, Agni reveals his identity as the heat energy and the ever-burning flame of the conscious force in matter, that makes up the entire world.The gods sent first Agni to find out the nature of Brahman, which means it is Agni that releases the energy which is latent in all beings. Moreover, the sage of the Kena Upanishad refers to the functional differentiation and specialization of body parts, on which account the life-stream progresses, when he speaks of Agni becoming the speech and entering the mouth, and Vayu becoming breath and entering the nostrils.

Add from http://ignca.nic.in/vedic_heritage_Upanishads_kenopanisad.htm

Katha Upanishad tells how Yama taught Nachiketa the secrets of the fire that leads to heaven and what bricks were required to build the altar.

http://ignca.nic.in/vedic_portal_yajurveda_Krishna_Kathopanisad01.htm

Kaushitaki Upanishad

स एतं देवयानं पन्थानमापद्याग्निलोकमागच्छतिस वायुलोकं स आदित्यलोकं (Kaushitaki Upanishad I.3)

http://cincinnatitemple.com/downloads/KaushitakiUpanishad.pdf

Chandogya Upanishad (Chap 5 and 6) describe the Panchagnividya, the meditation on the five fires (symbolic). Panchagnividya, however, is not actually fires in the physical sense, or an outward sacrificial activity, nor a penance or tapas but deals with the knowledge or meditation to know the inner meaning of the common phenomenon of birth and death. It is a method of meditation wherein evolution and the cycle of samsara-chakra is understood such that a householder frees himself from the bondage of the samsara-chakra. This all inclusiveness and comprehension of various aspects of the world and their relationship to the Universe is the secret of the meditation that is Panchagnividya. It explains the interconnectivity of everything that exists, with creation as a kind of sacrifice. Each manifestation, the microcosm, is a manifestation of Prakrti, the macrocosm.

The Dialogue of the Three Fires with Upakosala, the student of Satyakama Jabali reveals Agni's knowledge of the Brahman.

मनो ब्रह्मेत्युपासीत "mind is to be meditated upon as Brahman", Chandogya Upanishad III.xviii.1

The vyahiritis to be performed if the sacrificial fires are injured are mentioned very beautifully in this Upanishad.

Mundaka Upanishad (1.2.1-5) describes the role of Agni in Karmakanda before a householder rises up in the Jnanamarga. The procedure to light the Agnihotra and the consequences of not conducting the Agnihotra is explained in detail in this Mundaka.

यदा लेलायते हृार्चि: समिद्धे हव्यवाहने |

तदाज्यभागावन्तरेणाहुती: प्रतिपादयेत् || (Mund. Upan. 1.2.2)

Meaning : When the flames of the bearer of the sacrificial offerings (fire) are bright and high, let the offerings (of sacrificial ghee) be given, with faith, between the two (tongues) flares of the fire.

यस्याग्निहोत्रमदर्शमपौर्णमासमचातुर्मास्यमनाग्रयणमतिथिवर्जितं च |

अहुतमवैश्वदेवमविधिना हुतमाससप्तमां स्तस्य लोकान्हिनस्ति || (Mund. Upan. 1.2.3)

One (householder) whose Agnihotra is devoid of the Darsa, Paurnamaasa Chaaturmasya (four autumnal observances) sacrifices, is not attended by the Atithi (uninvited guest), is without Vaisvedeva (offerings to the animals and birds) or is not performed without proper procedures or not performed at all (that Agnihotra) will destroy the seven worlds (of the householder).

काली कराली च मनोजवा च सुलोहिता या च सुधूम्रवर्णा |  

स्फुलिङ्गिनीं विश्वरुची च देवी लेलायमाना इति सप्त जिह्वा: || (Mund. Upan. 1.2.4) 

Meaning : That Agni, devours with his seven tongues or flames namely Kālī (black), Karālī (terrible),Manojava (speedy as the mind), Sulohita (very red), Sudhumravarna (coloured like thick smoke'), Sphulingini (emitting sparks) and Vishwaruchi (having the fuel as the Sun)

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (I.ii.5)

http://www.astrojyoti.com/pdfs/DevanagariFiles/BrihadaranyakaUpanishat.pdf

Agni In Shrimad Bhagavadgita

In Shrimad Bhagavad Gita (Sloka 15.14) it is said: ":अहं वैश्वानरो भूत्वा प्राणिनां देहमाश्रितः

Mantras/Verses and Meanings

अग्निसूक्त - ९ मधुच्छन्दा वैश्वामित्रः ऋषिः । अग्निः देवता।  गायत्री छन्दः। प्रथमं मण्डलम्।

"अ॒ग्निमी॑ळे पु॒रोहि॑तं य॒ज्ञस्य॑ दे॒वमृ॒त्विज॑म् । होता॑रं रत्न॒धात॑मम् ॥१"

"अ॒ग्निः पूर्वे॑भि॒र्ऋषि॑भि॒रीड्यो॒ नूत॑नैरु॒त । स दे॒वाँ एह व॑क्षति ॥२"

"अ॒ग्निना॑ र॒यिम॑श्नव॒त् पोष॑मे॒व दि॒वेदि॑वे । य॒शसं॑ वी॒रव॑त्तमम् ॥३"

"अग्ने॒ यं य॒ज्ञम॑ध्व॒रं वि॒श्वत॑: परि॒भूरसि॑ । स इद् दे॒वेषु॑ गच्छति ॥४"

"अ॒ग्निर्होता॑ क॒विक्र॑तुः स॒त्यश्चि॒त्रश्र॑वस्तमः । दे॒वो दे॒वेभि॒रा ग॑मत् ॥५"

"यद॒ङ्ग दा॒शुषे॒ त्वमग्ने॑ भ॒द्रं क॑रि॒ष्यसि॑ । तवेत् तत् स॒त्यम॑ङ्गिरः ॥६"

"उप॑ त्वाग्ने दि॒वेदि॑वे॒ दोषा॑वस्तर्धि॒या व॒यम् । नमो॒ भर॑न्त॒ एम॑सि ॥७"

"राज॑न्तमध्व॒राणां॑ गो॒पामृ॒तस्य॒ दीदि॑विम् । वर्ध॑मानं॒ स्वे दमे॑ ॥८"

"स न॑: पि॒तेव॑ सू॒नवे ऽग्ने॑ सूपाय॒नो भ॑व । सच॑स्वा नः स्व॒स्तये॑ ॥९ (Rig. Veda. 1.1.1)

Summary : Agni, the chosen one as the minister of yagnas (sacrifice), is worthy to be praised for he brings along other deities with him (He is the bearer of sacrificial offerings from the Yajamani or the Performer of the Yagna). Agni bestows his worshiper with boundless riches and wealth. Indeed greatly revered is Agni, the dispeller of darkness.

References

1. http://ignca.nic.in/Vedic_portal_rigveda_shakala_Samhita_m01.htm Agni Sukta as given in Vedic heritage portal with pronunciation.
2. https://www.swami-krishnananda.org/essay/essay_1.html
3. http://ignca.nic.in/vedic_portal_yajurveda_shukla_kanva_isavasyopanisad01.htm
4. Swami Sharvananda, Isavasyopanishad (1943), Madras, Sri Ramakrishna Math (For Isavasyopanishad)
5. Ganganatha, Jha. (1923). The Chandogya Upanishad and Sri Sankara's Commentary, Fourth Volume, Madras: The India Printing Works
6. https://archive.org/details/Mahabharata04SanskritHindiPanditRamnarayanGitaPress