HV - Agni - Rigveda

Importance of Agni

Agni, establishes the vital spirit, is entrusted with worship of devas, to touch, distinguish and honour (them) (1.1.1).[1]

अग्निः पूर्वेभिर्ऋषिभिरीड्यो नूतनैरुत |  स देवाँ एह वक्षति || (1.001.2)[2]

Agni is the first to be invoked, conferring fearless power on rishi, removing delusions (पूर्वेभिर्ऋषिभिरीड्यो); this affirmation has been announced. With it, breathe in the divine, those desirous of strength (स देवाँ एह वक्षति).

Mingled with Agni (अग्निना)[3], in exchange for reverence, food is appetising and nourishing (रयिमष्णवत्पोषमेव) (1.1.3).[4] Agni is beautiful in heroic darkness (यशसं वीरवत्तमम्)(1.1.3).[5]

Agni supports (अग्ने यं). Yagna poisons noxious beings (यज्ञमध्वरं[6]) by surrounding with heat on all sides and binds (विश्वतः परिभूरसि) [7] (1.1.4).

Agni is the god whom man must resort to reach God (देवो देवेभिरा गमत्) (1.1.5).[8] With Agni or Yagna, even divine Vishnu can be approached (स इद्देवेषु गच्छति) (1.1.4).[9]

Agni is the bearer of the burden of death, binding the departed spirit to the way (भरन्त एमसि) (1.1.7).[10] It joyfully binds the pious (दाशुषे त्वमग्ने भद्रं करिष्यसि) (1.1.6).[11] This is ancient truth testified to by Angiras.[12]  For these reasons, Agni is called the director of the journey of death, bestower of knowledge (राजन्तमध्वराणां),[13] and Possessor of the secret of immortality (गोपामृतस्य) (1.1.8).[14]

Sage Vaishvamitra says that we daily meditate on Agni (दिवेदिवे दोषावस्तर्धिया) (1.1.7).[15]

Agni produces auspiciousness. Says the sage:

स नः पितेव सूनवेSग्ने सूपायनो भव |  सचस्वा नः स्वस्तये  || (1.001.9)[16]

Similar to Ganesa and his father, easily accessible Siva (भव), you produce auspiciousness Agni! Worshipper (benefits) soul, wealth and fortune.

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[1] अग्निमीळे पुरोहितं यज्ञस्य देवमृत्विजम् |  Agni establish vital spirit (अग्नि-मि-इड्/इळा) entrusted (पुरोहितं) worship (यज्ञस्य) deva-touch- distinguish-honour (देव-मृद्-विज्-अम्)

[2] अग्निः पूर्व - इभः – र – ऋषि – भ – ईर् – ईड्य - ओ नूत – नै - रुत |  स देव - अन् एह वक्ष - ति ||

Agni (अग्निः) first (पूर्व) fearless power (इभः) conferring  (र) rishi (ऋषि)  delusion (भः) to go (ईर्) to be invoked! (ईड्य-ओ) praised (नुत) affirmation (नि) sounded (रुत) together (स) divine (देव)  to breathe (अन्) desirous (एह) strength for (वक्ष-ति)

[3] अग्निन्य, अग्निन्यक्त

[4] food (रयि)– voracious eating (अश्न) –possessed of- (वत्) nourishment  (पोष) – in exchange (मे)– reverence (व)

[5] Beautiful allied (यश-सं) heroic darkness (वीरवत्-तमम्) ||

[6] yagna poison noxious beings (यज्ञ-मः-ध्वरस्).

[7] on all sides (विश्वतस् = विश्वतः) surround heat bind (परिभू-र-सि)

[8] god (देवो) god to reach man (देव-ए-भिरु = देवेभिरा) resort to obtain (गम्-अत् = गमत्)

[9] together  (स) even divine Visnu (इद्-देव-एष = इद्देवेषु) resort to (गच्छति)

[10] burden death (भर-अन्त) way bind (एम-सि)

[11] pious (दाशुषे) thou Agni (त्वम्-अग्ने = त्वमग्ने) joyfully (भद्रं) do bind (करिष्य-सि)

[12] Old quite accordingly Truth Angiras (तवस्-इत्-तत्-सत्यम्-अङ्गिरः = तवेत्तत्सत्यमङिरः) 1.1.6

[13] Directing death journey bestowing knowledge (राज्-अन्तम्-अध्वन्-रा-णः =राजन्तमध्वराणां)

[14] Hiding/secret immortality in possession of (गोपः-अमृत-अस् = गोपामृतस्य)

[15] daily (दिवेदिवे) illuminator of gloom meditate (दोषावस्तर्-धिया = दोषावस्तर्धिया)

[16] स नः पित - इव सून – वे - अग्ने सूपायनो भव |  सच - स्वा नः स्वस्तये  ||

Similar (स) ganesha (नः) father like (पिता-इव) produced auspiciousness (सून-वः = सूनवे) Agni (, अग्नि) easily accessible (सूपायन = सूपायनो) Siva (भव) | worshipper (सच) soul (स्व) wealth (नः) fortune (स्वस्ति = स्वस्तये)