CHAPTER-III the STATUS of AGNI in VEDIC RELIGION The

55 CHAPTER-III THE STATUS OF AGNI IN VEDIC RELIGION The Vedic god Agni is most closely connected with the Āprī-hymns, being the actual god of glorification in these hymns. Therefore, the status of Agni in Vedic religion has been dealt with in the third chapter. In Vedic religion the term agni denotes the god of fire as well as physical fire. Fire is a natural phenomenon which has become indispensable for human beings since its discovery. Fire, however, in its first appearance, whether through lightning or through the friction of tree-branches or through sparks of flint-stones, was not considered as permanent or eternal as other phenomena of nature. This was because, unlike the sky, earth or the water, the fire just appeared and vanished. It had to be tended to keep it burning. Early men saw its destructive aspect too. Fire, therefore, must have created fear and curiosity in the minds of the primeval people. In course of time fire became their protector in winter and at night. Most importantly, fire took human beings a step forward into a civilized way of life, with the skill of cooking food with it.1 The primeval people began worshipping fire out of fear and gratitude, but in all likelihood without entertaining the idea of fire as a god. Nevertheless, the worship of fire as a god goes back to great antiquity. The origin of the word agni, denoting fire, dates back to the undivided Indo-European period. The Sanskrit word for fire, i.e. agni is found in Latin as ignis, in Lithuanian as ugnis and in Slavonic as ogni. According to Macdonell, 1. cf., MaxMüller, F., PHYSICAL RELIGION, New Delhi, First Asian Reprint 1979, p. 121. 56 although agni is an Indo-European word, the worship of fire under this designation is truly Indian.2 The Indo-European people made efforts to keep fire burning continuously in their hearths. And there is great possibility that this continuous preservation of hearth-fire was accompanied with certain customary rites. It is certain that a custom of offering gifts to the gods in fire was in vogue among the Indo-European clans, such as the Greeks, Italians, Iranians and the Indians.3 Macdonell considers the sacrificial fire as an institution of more or less Indo-European period4 whereas, Oldenberg is doubtful about the Indo-European origin of the sacrificial fire.5 In an early period like the undivided Indo-European era the sacrificial aspect of fire does not seem to become too developed to have a clear personification. The fire in that period was more an element of nature, creating mystery by its benevolent and malevolent nature. Of course, the value of fire as a facilitator of domestic life gave it importance in that period also. This status of the domestic fire was inherited by the Indo-Iranians from the Indo- Europeans. In the Indo-Iranian period fire gained a further importance in the life of the people when fire became indispensable in the ritualistic religion of the people. For, Indo-Iranian religion centered round the sacrificial fire. The ritual was officiated by the priestly class and the fire became personified and worshipped as a great god, endowed with strength, purity and wisdom. The Indo- Iranian fire-god became the bestower of food, cattle, progeny, fame, livelihood, 2. cf., Macdonell, A.A., THE VEDIC MYTHOLOGY, Varanasi, 1963, p. 99. 3. cf., Oldenberg, H., The Religion of The Veda, Delhi, First Edition 1988, Reprint 2004, p. 61. Also see Macdonell, A.A., loc. cit. 4. cf., Macdonell, A.A., ibid. 5. cf., Oldenberg, H., loc. cit. 57 wellbeing and spiritual power upon his worshipper and his family, and at the same time he became the destroyer of enemies. When the Iranians and the Vedic Indians separated and the Vedic people entered the Indus region of ancient India, they brought with them the custom of fire-worship. Agni, as a separate god of fire has occupied a far more prominent place in Vedic religion than in the religion of the Iranians. It may be noted here that the Avestan fire-god is known as Ātar, and it is supposed that the word ātar exists in the name Athar-van, denoting the Vedic fire-priest,6 which is sometimes found as a designation of Agni himself.7 In the Avestā, Ātar or fire is the son of Ahura-mazdā and the water is said to be Ātar‟s mother,8 just as in the Veda Agni is described as the son of the sky and the waters.9 In the Vedic period Agni has become the chief terrestrial deity, the presiding god of the earth. Coming to the etymology of the name of Agni it can be said that this name (Agni) bears great significance in relation to the Vedic religion, because it depicts the religious status of the fire-god. Thus, the Vājasaneyī Saṁhitā, as quoted by Sāyaṇa, states that Agni is named so because he was born before the gods were.10 The foremost position or existence of Agni is proved by the following words of the Ṛgveda -- agniṁ devāso agriyam.11 The Taittirīya-Saṁhitā also connotes the same by saying – agniravamo devatānām.12 And as the fire-god 6. cf., MaxMüller, F., op. cit., p. 227. In the Avestā, the name of the fire-priest is Athravan. 7. cf., MaxMüller, F., ibid. Also see RV., I.83.5; VIII.9.7, and Sāyaṇa. 8. cf., MaxMüller, F., ibid., p. 228. 9. cf., RV., III.29.4; IV.15.6; VI.49.2; X.45.8; I.143.2; VI.8.2; X.45.1; VIII.91.5; III.1.12; 13; AV., XIII.1.50; etc. 10. cf., sa vā eso’gre devatānāmajāyata tasmādagnirnāmā, Sāyaṇa on RV., I.1.1. 11. RV., VI.16.48. Also see, agniragre prathamo devatānām , TB., 2.4.3.3. 12. TS., V.5.1.4. 58 was born or produced earlier than the other gods, he becomes agriḥ, i.e. foremost and from this word he is named as Agni (agriḥ ˂ agniḥ), states the Śatapatha- Brāhmaṇa.13 Taking into account the nature and the different functions of the fire-god, Yāska has given the etymology of the term agni in the Nirukta.14 According to this etymology, Agni is named so because he is the foremost leader (agraṇīḥ);15 he is carried to the foremost position in sacrifices; he makes everything to which he comes in contact a part of himself. Sāyaṇa, while interpreting the very first verse of the Ṛksaṁhitā, quotes the etymology of the word agni given by Yāska and presents its meaning.16 In his view the fire-god is called so because he is agraṇīḥ, i.e. he himself leads the army of gods; he is led towards the foremost (agra), i.e. place towards the āhavanīya-fire situated in the east direction from the gārhapatya-zone in the places of sacrifices like agnihotra, iṣṭi, paśu, soma, etc.; he himself being humble stimulates his own body in burning the sacred-woods and in cooking the oblations for sacrificial purpose. The same meaning comes out when Śaunaka in his Bṛahaddevatā (II.24) states that the god of fire is praised by sages under the designation Agni, because he was born at the beginning (agre) of beings, and because he is the leader (agraṇī) at the sacrifice, or because he unites 13. cf., tadvā enametadagre devānām ajanayata tasmādagriḥ agrirha vai nāmaitad yadagniriti , ŚB., 2.2.4.2; sa yadasya sarvasyāgramasrjyata tasmādagriḥ , agrirha vai tamagnirityācakṣate parokṣam , ibid., 6.1.1.11. 14. cf., agniḥ kasmāt agraṇīr havati agraṁ yajñeṣu praṇīyate aṅgaṁ nayati sannamamānaḥ , Nir., 7.14. 15. cf., Śaṅkara on VedS., 1.2.7.28. 16. cf., devasenāmagre svayaṁ nayatītyagraṇīḥ yajñeṣvagnihotreṣṭipaśusomarūpeṣvagraṁ pūrvadigvartyāhavanīyadeśaṁ prati gārhapatyāt praṇīyate iti sannamamānaḥ samyak svayameva prahvī havannaṅgaṁ svakīyaṁ śarīraṁ nayati kāṣṭhadāhe haviṣpāke ca prepayati , Sāya ṇa on RV., I.1.1. 59 his body (aṅgaṁ saṁ-nī)17 with everything whatever comes in his way. Yāska has also quoted in his work the interpretations of the term agni as presented by two of his predecessors, viz. Sthaulāṣṭhīvi and Śākapūṇi. According to Sthaulāṣṭhīvi,18 Agni is named so because he is a drying agent, he does not make objects wet or moist. Sāyaṇa here adds a point by saying that instead of moistening, Agni roughens woods and the like.19 Śākapūṇi has derived the word agni from three roots, i, añj or dah and nī which are expressive of the acts of going, shinning or burning, and leading. Thus, taking the letter a from the root i (to go), the letter g from the root añj (to shine) or dah (to burn), ending with the root nī (to lead), the word agni is formed. 20 In the Śa dakalpadruma, the meaning of the word agni which is in masculine gender is given as „a kind of object with heat or light or energy.‟21 Again, inaccessibility or dreadfulness, light, heat, cooking or burning, illuminating, affliction, anger or affection, agility, sharpness, constantly shining upwards – all these qualities and functions are attributed to Agni. Agni is known by different names in different activities. The Śa dakalpadruma has cited the specific names of Agni in different gṛhya and śrauta rituals as collected by the son of Gobhila.22 Accordingly, Agni is named Pāvaka in rituals or customs of entering a new house, etc., Sūrya in godāna-ceremony, Sāhasa in pākayajña, Mṛḍa in pūrṇāhuti, and so on. 17. cf., jāto yadagre hūtānām agraṇīradhvare ca yat nāmnā saṁnayate vāṅgaṁ stuto’gniriti sūri hiḥ , BD., II.24.

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