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In the
ancient and
ageless
Vedic tradition,
Agni is
the twin-brother of
Indra. Both
intertwine
within each other’s personality, with
Indra
serving as divine warrior and
Agni taking on
the role of divine priest.
Agni is also
known as the 'god of the sky and storm'.
As he brings fire and hence
Life, the
bountiful deity is widely named as the ‘quickener
of seeds’.
Indra gave
the gift of Life to men, whilst
Agni
symbolized the divine and
vital spark, the
principle of Oneness, the
Universal Soul.
Agni’s spirit is made
manifest throughout
Nature;
lightning,
air,
Celestial sun
flames, sacred blazes from the
resplendent
altar and homely hearths
of Divinity.
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“O Agni,
overcome our enemies and our calamities;
drive away all disease and the Rakshasas,
send
down abundance of waters from the ocean of
the sky”
- Rigveda, x,
98. 12. |
Within the
sacred Vedic myths there is one hymn which
refers to Agni as a
child, whose birth was
kept a secret; his mother, the queen,
concealed him from his father and he was
born in full vigour as a youth. He was
witnessed sharpening his weapons whilst away
from his home, which he had forsaken.
He is known
to have devoured his parents at birth; this
signifies that he consumed the
fire sticks
from which the divine and
holy fire of the
Gods was produced, bringing
flow and
motion
by friction, which enables the
wonderful expression
of momentum.
Agni was
given ten mothers who were “twice five
sisters” with Dawn and
starry Night as his
sisters, who rejoice in celebration of his
three births, one in the
sea, one in the
sky
and one in the waters of the
brilliant and
eternal stream of the
subconscious.
Serving as a
messenger for the Gods,
Agni travelled the
path between heaven and
earth, delivering
the song of the Celestials;
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“Agni,
accept this log, conqueror of horses,
thou who lovest songs and delightest in riches,
thou dost go wisely between these two creations
like a friendly messenger between two
hamlets.” |
Agni
interceded with the Gods on
behalf of
mankind and conducted the
bright Celestials
to the sacrifice, thus he is known as the
'accepter of sacrifices'.
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“Agni, the
divine ministrant of the sacrifice, the
greatest bestower of treasures; may one
obtain through Agni wealth and welfare day
by day, which may bring glory and high bliss
of valiant off-spring.
Agni,
whatever sacrifice and worship thou
encompassest on every side, that indeed goes
to the gods. Thou art king of all worship
.... conduct the gods hither in an
easy-moving chariot.” |
Heimdall (left) by Sophia Kelly Shultz
Agni bears
great resemblance to
Heimdall, the
sentinel-god of the
Norse, who has
nine
mothers, the daughters of
sea-dwelling
Rán,
and hence is also known as ‘son of the
waters’ who is clad in
silver armour and
wears a burnished helmet with
ram’s horns.
There is
great satisfaction in holding the
fire of
Agni within oneself; The
Spirit of our
divinty shares in the
breath of Universal
Truth and Nobility. This is the
grace and
honour which
Agni manifests through our
Being. Hold the
divine fire
close to your Heart and
walk the path of the
adventurer, with passion,
integrity and
above all else, a warm inviting treasure in
your deepest Soul.
Reference:
Indian myth and Legend
(Donald A. Mackenzie)
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