Agni 1554 224991045 2008-07-11T10:16:54Z Redtigerxyz 2970597 /* Agni in other faiths and religions */ MOS {{Refimprove|date=July 2007}} {{otheruses}} {{Hdeity infobox| <!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Hindu mythology--> Image = Agni god of fire.jpg | Caption = | Name = Agni | Devanagari = {{lang|sa|अग्नि}} | Sanskrit_Transliteration = Agni | Pali_Transliteration = | Tamil_script = | Affiliation = [[Deva (Hinduism)|Deva]] | God_of = [[fire]]<!--eg. god of death--> | Abode = | Mantra = | Weapon = | Consort = [[Svaha]] | Mount = [[Ram (animal)|Ram]] | Planet = }} {{Classic element}} '''Agni''' is a [[Hindu]] and [[Rigvedic deities|Vedic deity]]. The word ''agni'' is [[Sanskrit]] for "fire" (noun), cognate with [[Latin]] ''ignis'' (the root of English ''ignite''), Russian ''ogon'' (fire), pronounced ''agon'', and ''ogni'', pronounced ''agni'' (fires). Lithuanian - ''ugnis'' (fire). Agni has three forms: fire, lightning and the sun. <ref>http://www.hinduwebsite.com/hinduism/concepts/agni.asp</ref> Agni is one of the most important of the Vedic gods. He is the god of fire<ref>Mythology, An Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Principal Myths and Religions of the World, by [[Richard Cavendish]] ISBN 1-84056-070-3, 1998</ref> and the acceptor of sacrifices. The sacrifices made to Agni go to the [[deity|deities]] because Agni is a messenger from and to the other gods. He is ever-young, because the fire is re-lit every day, yet he is also immortal. His cult survived the change of the ancient Vedic [[fire worship]] into modern [[Hinduism]]. The sacred fire-drill (''agnimathana'') for procuring the temple-fire by friction – symbolic of Agni's daily miraculous birth – is still used.{{Fact|date=April 2007}} ==Depictions== In Hindu art, Agni is depicted with two or seven hands, two heads and three legs. He has seven fiery tongues with which he licks sacrificial butter. He rides a ram or in a chariot harnessed by fiery horses. His attributes are an axe, torch, prayer beads and a flaming spear.<ref name=Jansen>The Book of Hindu Imagery: Gods, Manifestations and Their Meaning By Eva Rudy Jansen p. 64 </ref> Agni is represented as [[red]] and two-faced, suggesting both his destructive and beneficent qualities, and with [[black]] [[eye]]s and [[hair]], three [[Human leg|legs]] and seven arms. He rides a [[ram (sheep)|ram]], or a chariot pulled by goats or, more rarely, parrots. [[Seven rays]] of light emanate from his body. One of his names is ''Saptajihva'', "having seven tongues".<ref name=Jansen/> ==In other faiths and religions== In Indo-Tibetan [[Buddhism]], he is a [[Guardians of the directions#Lokapālas|lokapāla]] guarding the Southeast. ''Jigten lugs kyi bstan bcos:'' which translates, "Make your hearth in the southeast corner of the house, which is the quarter of Agni". He also plays a central role in most Buddhist ''homa'' fire-[[puja]] rites. A typical praise to Agni starts "Son of Brahma, Lord of the World, King of fire gods empowered by Takki, Whose supreme wisdom burns all delusion [...]" <ref>A Manual of Ritual Fire offerings p20, Sharpa Tulku / Michael Perrott LTWA, 1987 ISBN 81-85102-66-X</ref> ==See also== * [[Hindu deities]] * [[Apris]] * [[Atar]] ([[Zoroastrian]] [[yazata]] of fire) ==References== [[Image:Musée Guimet 897 05.jpg|thumb|left|Sculpture of Agni from [[Musée Guimet]]]] {{Reflist}} {{Rigveda}} {{Hindu Deities and Texts}} [[Category:Fire gods]] [[Category:Hindu gods]] [[Category:Rigvedic deities]] [[Category:Solar gods]] [[Category:Classical elements]] [[Category:Guardians of the directions]] [[Category:Sanskrit words and phrases]] [[ar:آجني]] [[bg:Агни]] [[ca:Agni]] [[cy:Agni]] [[de:Agni]] [[es:Agni]] [[eo:Agni]] [[fr:Agni (dieu)]] [[hi:अग्नि]] [[id:Agni]] [[it:Agni]] [[jv:Agni]] [[lv:Agni]] [[lt:Agnis]] [[nl:Agni]] [[ja:アグニ]] [[nn:Agni]] [[pl:Agni]] [[pt:Agni]] [[ru:Агни]] [[sa:अग्नि]] [[sk:Agni]] [[sl:Agni]] [[fi:Agni]] [[sv:Agni]] [[ta:அக்னி தேவன்]] [[th:พระอัคนี]] [[tr:Agni]] [[uk:Агні]] [[zh:阿耆尼]]