Agni
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/* Agni in other faiths and religions */ MOS
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{{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]]