Story of Agni

Genealogy.

Agni was descended from Viṣṇu in this order: Viṣṇu-Brahmā-Aṅgiras-Bṛhaspati-Agni.

Birth.

We come across several contradictory statements in the Purāṇas regarding the birth of Agni. There is some real difficulty, therefore, in tracing correctly the true genealogy of Agni. The one given above is based on statements in Bhāgavata and Mahābhārata. Aṅgiras is one of the six mind-born sons of Brahmā.* Aṅgiras married Śraddhā and got four daughters and two sons. Bṛhaspati was one of the sons and Utatthya was the other. The daughters were Sinīvālī, Kuhū, Rākā and Anumati. (There is a mention of a third son named Saṃvarta in the Bhāgavata by Eluthassan though the original quoted below does not say so)

"śraddhā tu aṅgirasaḥ patnī catasro' sutakanyakāḥ sinīvālī kuhū rākā caturthya' anumatistathā tatputrāvaparāvāstām khyātau svārocise'ntare utatthyo bhagavān sākṣāt brahmiṣṭhaśca bṛhaspatiḥ." Bṛhaspati married Cāndramasī and got six divine sons.

Of these Saṃyu, the eldest, married Satyā and Agni was born to Saṃyu of Satyā. (Ślokas 1 to 4, Chapter 219, Āraṇya Kāṇḍa of Malayālam Mahābhārata).

Agni—One of the Aṣṭa-dik-pālakas.

(Aṣṭa=eight, dik=zone, pālaka=guardian). The Devī Bhāgavata states in its eighth chapter that Agni is one of the eight guards posted at the eight different zones to protect the universe. Indra guards the east; Agni, the southeast; Yama the south; Nirṛti, the south-west; Varuṇa, the west; Vāyu, the north-west; Kubera, the North and Śiva, the north-east. The place where Agni sits on guard is known as tejovatī.

Agni—One of the five elements.

The universe is believed to be composed of five elements of which Agni is one. The other four are Water, Earth, Ether and Air.

The story of how Agni gave a Māyā Sītā (Phantom Sītā) to Śrī Rāma.

During their exile in the forests Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa were for some time living in an āśrama built on the shores of the ocean. One day Agni disguised as a Brāhmin approached them and said "O, Śrī Rāma, thou art born to kill the demon Rāvaṇa and save the world from his atrocities. Sītā is going to be a cause for that. Time is not far for you to finish this duty of yours. Rāvaṇa is soon to come and kidnap your wife, Sītā. You must, therefore, allow me to play a trick on Rāvaṇa. Entrust Sītā with me and I shall keep her safe. In her place here you can keep a Māyā Sītā. (Phantom Sītā) which will be a live replica of your real wife. In the end when you take back Sītā after killing Rāvaṇa you will be compelled to throw your wife into the fire to test her chastity. At that time I will take back the replica and give you back your real wife". Śrī Rāma was very much pleased to hear this. Agni then, by his yogic powers created a Phantom Sītā and gave her to him. Rāma kept this as a secret even from Lakṣmaṇa. In the great Rāma-Rāvaṇa battle Rāvaṇa was killed and Śrī Rāma took back Sītā to his kingdom. Then respecting public opinion and wishing to establish in public the purity of his queen King Śrī Rāma put her into the fire. At that moment Agni took back the replica and gave back the real Sītā to Śrī Rāma. Sītā thus came out from the fire unscathed. Later, on the advice of Rāma and Agni, the Phantom Sītā went to the sacred place Puṣkara and started doing tapas (penance) there. After doing tapas for a long period of three lakhs of divine years this Phantom Sītā became known as Svargalakṣmī. It was this Svargalakṣmī that later on in the Dvāpara yuga came out from the yajña kuṇḍa of King Pāñcāla as Pāñcālī and became the consort of the Pāṇḍavas. Vedavatī, daughter of Kuśadhvaja in Kṛtayuga, Sītā, daughter of Janaka in the Treta yuga, and Pāñcālī, daughter of Drupada in Dvāpara yuga are one and the same person. On account of this she is known as trihāyanī also. (Chapter 9 of Devī Bhāgavata).

The story of how Agni got indigestion.

In olden times there was a bold and mighty King called Śvetaki. He conducted several different types of yajña. Afflicted by the unending dense smoke in the yajña hall all the ascetics left the place and went their way. Undaunted by this, Śvetaki started another twelve-year sacrifice in which not a single sage took part. The sages rebuked him and said if he wanted to conduct a sacrifice again he could invite śūdras to help him. (Śūdras belong to the lowest caste among Hindus and are not allowed to participate in sacrifices generally.) Enraged by this insult Śvetaki went to Kailāsa and did fierce penance. Lord Śiva appeared before him and gave him Durvāsas as a priest for his yajña. For twelve years sage Durvāsas performed the yajña pouring into the mouth of Agni through the sacrificial pit unlimited materials of food. Agni was overfed and he got indigestion. He lost all appetite for food, became weak and the brilliance of his face faded. (Chapter 235, Ādi Parva, Mahābhārata).

The story of how Agni burnt the big forest, Khāṇḍava.

When the indigestion continued without abate for some time Agni approached Brahmā and asked for a cure. Brahmā declared that his indigestion would be cured if Agni could burn the huge forest, Khāṇḍava, the abode of the enemies of the Devas. Agni immediately started consuming the forest. But the inhabitants of the forest soon quenched the fire. Disappointed Agni went to Brahmā again and the latter advised him to wait for some time till the advent of Nara-Nārāyaṇas to that forest. They would then help Agni to burn the forest. Agni waited for the time to come. At that time the Pāṇḍavas were living in Indraprastha with Śrī Kṛṣṇa. When the heat became unbearable there Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa came to the banks of river Yamunā. Hearing about the arrival of Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna who were none but the incarnations of Nārāyaṇa and Nara, Agni disguised as a brahmin approached them and requested them to help him to burn the Khāṇḍava forest. Agni added that any attempt of his to burn the forest was always foiled by Indra who would send a heavy downpour of rain to quench the fire because Takṣaka, an intimate friend of Indra, was living there.

To gain his end Agni gave Arjuna an arrow-case which would never be empty, a chariot bearing a monkey flag, four white horses adorned with gold chains and also the famous Gāṇḍīva bow. To Śrī Kṛṣṇa he gave the cakrāyudha or the divine wheel-weapon. (All these military equipments were once given to Agni by Varuṇa.) When all these were given to them Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna got ready to help Agni to burn the forest. Agni started burning the forest, Indra at once sent a heavy downpour of rain and Arjuna created a canopy of arrows above the forest preventing the rains from falling on the forest. Agni carried on his work undisturbed, the forest was burnt and Agni was cured of his indigestion. (Ślokas 233 to 239, Ādi Parva, Mahābhārata).

Agni falls in love.

As an inaugural procedure to the great Rājasūya which Dharmaputra performed at Indraprastha his four brothers Bhīma, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva conducted a victory march to the four different sides of the kingdom. Sahadeva who turned south conquered many kings including Dantavaktra and Bhīṣmaka and reached a country called Māhiṣmatīpura. There he had to encounter a powerful king called Nīla. Before long there broke a fire in his camp. Disheartened, Sahadeva prayed to the God, Agni, for help. It was then that Sahadeva came to know about the ties between Agni and Nīla.

King Nīla had a beautiful daughter named Sudarśanā. Once when she was talking to her father after having entered the Agni-hotra Agni fell in love with her. From that day onwards Agni became dreamy about the beautiful lips of Sudarśanā. It reached a stage when Agni would burn only if it was blown by the lips of Sudarśanā. This ended in Agni marrying Sudarśanā. After the marriage Agni lived in the palace of his father-in-law, King Nīla, as a useful ally. It was at this time that Sahadeva came to conquer Nīla. But Agni knew that for the proper conduct of the Rājasūya of Dharmaputra his father-in-law had to surrender to Sahadeva and so advised his father-in-law to do so. What appeared to be a difficult problem was thus easily solved. (Chapter 31, Sabhā Parva, Mahābhārata).

How Emperor Śibi was tested by Agni.

Once Agni and Indra thought of testing how strong and deep was the sense of charity in Emperor Śibi. Indra took the shape of a hawk and Agni that of a dove and the dove flew and dropped down into the lap of the Emperor who was at that time doing a yāga. The hungry hawk came chasing its prey and finding the dove in the lap of the Emperor said: "O King, is it proper on your part to withhold my food from me, and keep it in your lap?" Hearing this Śibi replied: "This dove has sought refuge in me. It is my duty to give it protection. If it is only food you want I shall give you food." Śibi then offered many things including his kingdom to the hawk in return for the dove. But the hawk refused them all and finally agreed to accept an equal weight of flesh from the body of the Emperor. Śibi without any hesitation cut a portion of his thigh and weighed it against the dove in a scale. The dove weighed more and the Emperor started putting more and more flesh from his body to make the weight equal. But the dove always weighed more and at last the Emperor said he would weigh himself against the dove. As the weak and fleshless Emperor was about to get into the pan of the scale Agni and Indra emerged from the bodies of the dove and hawk and appeared before the Emperor. They blessed him and immediately took him to heaven. (Chapter 131, Vana Parva, Mahābhārata).

Agni and the testicles of a goat.

The occasion is when sage Viśvāmitra is taking Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa to the forests to give protection to the sages against the demons. They reached the place where Ahalyā lay as a stone cursed by Gautama. Viśvāmitra told them the story: "It was here that the great sage, Gautama, lived with his beautiful consort, Ahalyā. Once Indra had an intercourse with her privately and Gautama coming to know of the misdeed cursed her and turned her into stone. By the curse of the same sage Indra lost his testicles. Greatly aggrieved by this loss Indra prayed to god Agni for help and on the advice of Agni the devas removed the deformity by placing a goat’s testicles instead." (Ślokas 48 & 49, Bāla Kāṇḍa, Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa).

How sage Bhṛgu cursed Agni.

Sage Bhṛgu was living with his wife Pulomā in his āśrama. Pulomā became pregnant. One day when Bhṛgu wanted to go out for a bath in the river he asked Agni to keep a watch over his pregnant wife. There was a demon by name Puloma who was once in love with Pulomā. On this particular day Puloma entered the āśrama to see his former love. When he entered the āśrama Puloma saw Agni there burning with a brilliant flame in the fire-pit. Puloma said: "O God of fire, if I ask you a question you must give me an impartial reply. I was in love with this Pulomā and I had accepted her as my wife spiritually. But, then, her father gave her to Bhṛgu. Who, then, is the true owner of Pulomā?" Agni was afraid of Bhṛgu. Yet he explained the position honestly. "It is true that Pulomā has married Bhṛgu. But he has not married her according to Hindu rites." Hearing this the demon changed himself into the shape of a swine and carried away Pulomā. On the way Pulomā delivered a male babe and it fell on the ground. The boy was named Cyavana. It was this boy that became later on the famous Cyavana Maharṣi. Even at birth the boy was brilliant as the Sun to look at and Puloma, the demon, noticing the unusual brilliance of the child left the mother and child on the way and fled frightened. Pulomā returned to the āśrama carrying the child weeping profusely all the way and creating a lanchrymal river called Vadhūsaras. As soon as she entered the āśrama the angry sage asked "Who told Puloma that you are my wife?" Pulomā then told her husband all that happened there and Bhṛgu called Agni and cursed him thus: "May you be a consumer of all things on this Earth". Greatly aggrieved Agni went away and hid himself. The absence of Agni created chaos in all the three worlds; Heaven, Earth and the Nether-world. A deputation of all the afflicted people waited upon Brahmā and Brahmā modified the curse and declared that all that Agni touched would become pure. Agni was consoled and he started his work as usual.

How Agni cursed frogs, birds and elephants.

Many important events took place while Agni was underground cursed by Bhṛgu. It was during that time that Pārvatī cursed all the Devas and the Devas were defeated by the asuras (demons). The necessity of a warrior capable of defeating the asuras arose then. The idea of creating Lord Subrahmaṇya came up and Brahmā said that only Agni could help them in this matter since Agni was the only one who escaped from the curse of Pārvatī, being underground at the time of the curse. The Devas started a vigilant search but Agni was not to be found. Agni was then hiding inside the ocean. The ocean was getting hot and the animals living there found their life unbearable. Frogs went to the devas and told them where Agni was hiding. Enraged at this Agni cursed the frogs saying that they would never be able to find the taste of anything. Frogs went weeping to the devas who in turn blessed the frogs saying that they would acquire the ability to move about easily in any darkness. Agni changed his place of hiding and went and hid in a big banyan tree. An elephant going by that way found him out and informed the devas; knowing this Agni cursed the elephants saying that its tongue would go deep inside. But the devas blessed the elephants saying that the position of the tongue would never be a hindrance to free eating and that elephants would be able to eat anything and everything. Agni left the banyan tree and hid himself in the hollow of a Śamī tree. A little bird living in that tree gave information to the devas and the devas found him out before he got time to leave the place. Agni cursed the bird saying that its tongue would always be curved inside and the devas blessed it saying that the curvature would help it to sing beautiful songs. Since Agni was found out from Śamī tree this tree became sacred. Since this finding out of Agni after a long absence is like a re-birth of Agni the Purāṇas mention that Agni was born from the Śamī tree. The Devas then requested Agni to help them to create a son capable of conquering the demons.** (Chapter 85, Anuśāsana Parva, Mahābhārata).

Birth of Subrahmaṇya.

At that time Varuṇa performed a yāga. All the dikpālakas (zone guardians of the universe) including Śiva participated in the yāga. Seeing the beautiful wives of the sages Śiva had emission. Taking the semen in his hand he put it into the fire. Agni carried it to Gaṅgā and requested her to take it for conception. Though she at first refused she took it, became pregnant and finally delivered a male child whom she threw into the forest Śaravaṇa. It was this child who became known as Kārttikeya or Subrahmaṇya later on. (Chapter 85, Anuśāsana Parva, Mahābhārata).

How Agni blessed Nala.

While Nala was going to the wedding of Damayantī Indra, Agni, Varuṇa and Kāla accosted him on his way and asked him to go as a messenger of theirs and advise Damayantī to marry one of them. Nala did so but Damayantī was adamant and said she would marry none other than Nala. So all the four gods appeared as Nala in the wedding hall. Damayantī who was confused prayed that she should be shown the real Nala. The gods then changed into their original forms and blessed Nala. Agni said he would come and help him the moment he wanted him. Thus Nala became a good cook and Nala Pācakaṃ (Pācakaṃ=cooking) became famous. Even now it is a synonym for good cooking. (Chapter 57, Vana Parva, M.B)

Agni and Raṃbhā.

There was once a dānava called Danu. He had two sons named Raṃbha and Karaṃbha. They had no children and tormented by this they went to Pañcanada and started doing penance. Raṃbha sat in the centre of Pañcāgni (five fires) and Karaṃbha in water to do penance. Indra afraid of the severe and powerful tapas of the two took the form of a crocodile and killed Karaṃbha who was doing penance in water by dragging him down to the water. Bereaved Raṃbha started to commit suicide by jumping into the fire. God Agni appeared before him then and asked him what he wanted. Raṃbha then said that he should get a son who would be famous as a warrior in all the three worlds. Agni agreed. Raṃbha on his way back saw a voluptuous she-buffalo and married her at yakṣa kavāṭa. They lived a happy married life and one day a he-buffalo envious of their life attacked Raṃbha and killed him. Grief-stricken Raṃbha’s wife jumped into the funeral pyre and committed suicide. Then from the fire arose a demon named Mahiṣāsura (Mahiṣa=Buffalo. Asura=Demon). This buffalodemon became a terror to all in the three worlds later on. (Chapter 5, Devī Bhāgavata).

Difference of opinion between Agni and Aṅgiras.

Bhagavān Aṅgiras did penance in his own āśrama and became more brilliant than Agni. The whole world was submerged in his brilliance. Agni felt a bit depressed at this. Agni argued that it was not proper on the part of Brahmā to give anybody else more brilliance than himself. So as a protest against this Agni disappeared from the world. Even Aṅgiras was annoyed at Agni’s disappearance and so he went and consoled Agni and took him to Brahmā. Brahmā declared that henceforth the world world recognize Agni as the father and Aṅgiras as his son. Thus Agni got the first place in effulgence. This is a story told by sage Mārkaṇḍeya to Dharmaputra. (Chapter 217, Vana Parva, Mahābhārata).

Agni and Mahābali.

On their way to the forest sage Viśvāmitra took Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa to Siddhāśrama. The sage explained to the princes the importance of that āśrama. He said: "Mahāviṣṇu lived in this āśrama for a number of years. It was at that time that the Emperor of the asuras (demons), Mahābali, son of Virocana, was ruling the world conquering even the devas. After having conquered all the three worlds Mahābali decided to conduct a yāga. A deputation of the Devas headed by Agni then waited upon Mahāviṣṇu and Agni said: "O Lord, Mahābali has commenced a yāga and before it is finished you should go to him and do something for the benefit of the devas". It was at this request of Agni that Mahāviṣṇu took the form of Vāmana and sent Mahābali to the nether-world. (Chapter 29, Bālakāṇḍa, Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa).

Agni and Nahuṣa.

Repenting for his act of killing Vṛtra Indra unknown to anybody went and hid in a lotus in the Mānasa Saras (Lake Mānasa). Perplexed by the disappearance of their leader the devas brought Nahuṣa from the Earth and made him their leader. Nahuṣa became very proud and arrogant of his new position and tried to make Indrāṇī his wife. Indrāṇī went to Bṛhaspatī for help. Bṛhaspati commanded Agni to go and find out Indra. Agni searched for him in forests, rivers and oceans. At last he went to Mānasa Saras and searched among the lotuses. There he found Indra hiding in a lotus and Bṛhaspati was duly informed. Then Bṛhaspati gave Indrāṇī some clever directions to kill Nahuṣa and Nahuṣa was killed. (See Agastya). There is a story in Śānti Parva, Chapter 28, of how Agni took for himself a quarter of the sin which Indra acquired because of his killing Vṛtra, a brahmin by birth. (Chapter 14, Udyoga Parva, Mahābhārata).

Agni Deva and Kārttavīryārjuna.

After the great Kurukṣetra battle the Pāṇḍavas went again to Kurukṣetra along with Śrī Kṛṣṇa. On their way Kṛṣṇa showed them the Paraśurāmahradas and narrated to them several stories of Rāma. Reference to Agni comes when Kṛṣṇa explains the reason why Paraśurāma cut off the thousand hands of Kārttavīryārjuna. It was at the time when Kārttavīryārjuna was ruling the three worlds by his might that Agni went and asked for alms from him. Kārttavīrya gave Agni mountains and forests for his food which Agni burnt and ate. In one of the forests was the āśrama of sage Āpava and that also was burnt. Enraged at this the sage cursed Kārttavīrya saying that his thousand hands would be cut off by Paraśurāma. Though the curse was not seriously minded by the King then, it so happened that before long Kārttavīrya had to encounter Paraśurāma in a battle when the children of the King stole a sacrificial cow belonging to Jamadagni, father of Paraśurāma. In the battle all the thousand hands of Kārttavīryārjuna were cut off by Paraśurāma. (Chapter 43, Śānti Parva, Mahābhārata).

How Agni was duped.

Once the wives of the Saptaṛṣis (seven Saints) attended a yāga where Agni was also present. Agni fell in love with them but knowing it to be futile to make any attempt to fulfil his desire he went to the forests dejected. Svāhādevī, daughter of Dakṣa was for a long time craving to marry Agni and she decided to take advantage of the opportunity thus offered. Disguising herself as the wife of Aṅgiras, one of the seven saints, she approached Agni and said: "O Lord, I am Śivā, wife of Aṅgiras. We were all excited when you darted cupids' arrows against us and they have now selected me to come to you for fulfilling your desire". Agni believed her and took her as his consort. (Chapters 223 to 227 of Vana Parva, Mahābhārata).

How Agni became a doctor.

There was once a sage called Dattātreya who had a son called Nimi. Nimi had a son and he died after thousand years. The bereaved sage performed a Śrāddha which was attended by all devas. The feast was so sumptuous that the devas got indigestion after that. Consulting Brahmā Agni prescribed a remedy for their indigestion. He said: "whenever you take any food make me also a participant in that. If you do so you will never get indigestion". That is why a very small portion of any cooked food is first thrown into the fire before given for eating. This story is part of Bhīṣma’s oration to Dharmaputra on the origin of Śrāddha (The ceremony conducted on the anniversary of the death of a person by his son). (Chapter 92, Anuśāsana Parva, Mahābhārata).

How Agni became a horse.

There was once a preceptor named Āveda. He got a disciple named Uttaṅga. One day Āveda left his āśrama for a distant place leaving his disciple in charge of the management of the āśrama. The preceptor was absent for a long time and his wife started making love to Uttaṅga. The dutiful disciple strongly objected to this. When Uttaṅga completed his course of study under Āveda he enquired what he should give to his preceptor. The preceptor directed him to his wife. The wife who bore a grudge against Uttaṅga resolved to tease him and said that he should go to King Pauṣya and beg of him the earrings worn by his wife. Uttaṅga started immediately and getting the earrings was coming back when on the way Takṣaka wrested the ornament from him and went and hid in the nether-world. Uttaṅga followed Takṣaka and there Agni in the form of a horse appeared before him and asked Uttaṅga what he wanted. He replied that he wanted to subdue all the serpents in the nether-world. Agni then advised him to blow thro' the nostrils of the horse. As he did so flames burst forth from all the openings of the horse making the netherworld hot and smoky. Takṣaka was frightened and he at once gave back the earrings to Uttaṅga. Uttaṅga was again worried for he had very little time to carry the earrings to the preceptor in time. Here again Agni helped him by carrying him swiftly on his back to the āśrama. When the preceptor and his wife found that Uttaṅga had carried out their wish they blessed him. (Chapter 3, Ādi Parva, Mahābhārata).

Agni becomes a messenger.

Once there arose a misunderstanding between Bṛhaspati and Saṃvarttaka, sons of Aṅgiras. Bṛhaspati went to devaloka as priest while the other remained in the world as a mad saint. At that time a King called Marutta invited Bṛhaspati to officiate as priest for a yajña of his. But Bṛhaspati refused to accept it. Nārada saw Marutta in despair and told him thus: "You go to Kāśī (Benares) and there at Puradvāra place a dead body and wait there. Saṃvarttaka, Bṛhaspati’s brother will come and reprimand you. Without minding his scoldings follow him and request him to become the chief priest for your yāga. He will then ask you who advised you to do like this. Tell him that Nārada did so and if he asks where he could find Nārada do tell him that Nārada is hiding inside Agni". Hearing this Marutta went to Kāśī and did all as directed. Saṃvartta agreed to become the priest but wanted Marutta to bring some gold from Kailāsa before that. Marutta brought that also and the yajña started. Bṛhaspati when he came to know of all these developments became sorry for his refusal first and decided to become the priest of Marutta for his yāga. It was Agni who carried this message of consent to King Marutta. Thus Marutta’s yajña was performed in a grand way. (Chapter 9, Aśvamedha Parva, Mahābhārata).

Agni takes back the Gāṇḍīva.

At the time of Khāṇḍava dahana (burning of Khāṇḍava forest) Agni gave Arjuna the famous Gāṇḍīva bow which Varuṇa had given him. After the great Mahābhārata battle Agni took back this bow from Arjuna. The Pāṇḍavas at the fag end of their life started on a pilgrimage to the south with their consort Pāñcālī. Marching along slowly they reached the shores of Aruṇa Samudra (Aruṇa Ocean). Arjuna had with him then the Gāṇḍīva and also the arrow-case which never becomes empty. When they reached the shores of the ocean Agni blocked their way standing before them in the form of a huge mountain and said, "O Arjuna I am god Agni. It was I who gave this famous Gāṇḍīva bow to you. The bow belongs to Varuṇa. So please throw it into the ocean and proceed on your way". On hearing this Arjuna threw both the bow and the arrow-case into the ocean and continued the march. (Ślokas 33 to 43, Chapter 1, Mahāprasthānika Parva, Mahābhārata).

Additional information about Agni, the God of fire.

1) Svāhādevī, wife of Agni, gave birth to three sons, named Dākṣiṇam, Gārhapatyam and Āhavanīyam. (Chapter 9, Devī Bhāgavata).

2) Agni, the God of fire, got three sons by his wife Svāhādevī named Pāvaka, Pavamāna and Śuci. These three sons had all together fortyfive sons. These fortyfive grandsons, three sons and Agni himself constitute the fortynine Fires mentioned in the purāṇas (Aṅgirasaṃ).

3) Nīla, the monkey, is born of Agni. (Sarga 41, Chapter Kiṣkindhā, Rāmāyaṇa).

4) Dhṛṣṭadyumna, the great archer, was born of Agni. (Śloka 126, Chapter 67, Ādi Parva, Mahābhārata).

5) Subrahmaṇya was born as the son of Agni. (Chapter 225, Vana Parva, Mahābhārata).

6) Agni, the God of fire, loved all prajāpatis like his sons. (Chapter 85, Anuśāsana Parva, Mahābhārata).

7) The sage, Bhṛgu, was born from Agni. (Śloka 8, Chapter 5, Ādi Parva, Mahābhārata).

8) All Devatās are Agni himself. (Śloka 109, Chapter 85, Anuśāsana Parva, Mahābhārata).

9) God Agni loved God Skanda more than anybody else. (Chapter 226, Vana Parva, Mahābhārata).

10) At the time when Śrī Rāma after killing Rāvaṇa was putting Sītā to a purity test by throwing her into the fire, Agni witnessed that Sītā had done no wrong and was pure and chaste as before. (Śloka 28, Chapter 201, Vana Parva, Mahābhārata).

11) In the beginning Brahmā created the universe. There was no death then and the Earth became overcrowded. Brahmā got worried and he sent fire from his body to burn all beings. The world was on the verge of extinction when Lord Śiva intervened and requested Brahmā to withdraw Agni and create the god of Death. (Chapter 52, Droṇa Parva. Mahābhārata).

12) Agni is one of the Aṣṭa Vasūs which are eight in number. The others are: Āpa, Dhruva, Soma, Dharma, Anila, Pratyuṣa and Prabhāsa. (Chapter 15, Viṣṇu Purāṇa).

13) Śuci, son of Agni, born of Svāhādevī is Baḍavāgni himself. (Chapter 20, Agni Purāṇa).

14) The God, Agni, uses a spear as his weapon and the vehicle he uses is a goat. (Chapter 51, Agni Purāṇa).

15) The sage, Agastya, converted the Viṣṇu idol at the Kuttālam temple into one of Śiva and when people around started an agitation Agastya sent forth flames of fire through his eyes. (Asura Kāṇḍa of Skānda Purāṇa).

16) Agni was born to Pururavas as a son named Jātavedas. (Chapter 14, Navama Skandha of Bhāgavata).

17) The Devas wanted help to clean their hands when oblated materials stuck to their hands and Agni created from water three sons named Ekata, Dvita and Trita for this purpose. Of these Trita fell into a well while drawing water. Seeing him fall the demons closed the well but Trita broke the top and came out. (Sūkta 52, Anuvāka 10, Maṇḍala 1 of Ṛgveda).

18) Once the earth looked like heaven because of the innumerable celestial beings who came to earth in search of Agni. (Sūkta 65, Anuvāka 12, Maṇḍala 1 of Ṛgveda).

19) The Sun hands over his effulgence to Agni in the evening and takes it back from him in the morning. (A fact from Śruti—Sūkta 71, Anuvāka 12, Maṇḍala 1 of Ṛgveda).

20) For making fire for the sacrificial ceremony the sages use two Araṇi sticks (These are two pieces of wood, one upper and another lower, and fire is produced by attrition). It is believed that the sages get the strength to produce fire from it through Vyāna, one of the forms of Vāyu (air). So Ṛgveda describes Agni as the son of Vāyu. (Sūkta 112, Anuvāka 16, Maṇḍala 1).

21) In the times of the Ṛgveda Agni was worshipped as a God. (Sūkta 1, Anuvāka 1, Maṇḍala 1, Ṛgveda).

22) Lord Śiva entered into an elaborate and long conjugal play for creating Subrahmaṇya. Hundred years went by and still the preliminaries never ended. The universe was on the verge of a collapse and so the devas decided to send Agni to put a stop to this libidinal play of Śiva. But Agni was afraid of Śiva and therefore absconded and hid himself in the ocean. The ocean became hot and the water-animals unable to bear the increasing heat went and informed the devas of Agni’s hiding place. Agni cursed them all saying that all of them would go dumb. He then went to the Mandara mountain in the shape of an owl and hid there. But the devas went there also and picked him up. Agni then by his terrible heat stimulated Śiva into action. Śiva threw his semen into Agni and Agni poured it into Gaṅgā and Gaṅgā delivered a child which later on became Subrahmaṇya. (Taraṅga 6, Lāvāṇakalaṃbaka of Kathāsaritsāgara).

Conclusion.

Agni stands next to Indra in importance in the Vedas. Because Agnī was indispensable for yāgas the care of Agni became very important. According to the Ṛgveda the birth of Agni is different. Born of the clouds Agni reaches the earth as lightning. Then Agni forsakes its form and becomes invisible. It was Mātariśvā who gave form to Agni and gave him to the Bhṛgu family. From that day onwards it became possible to produce fire and the Ṛgveda describes how Agni is produced by sages by the use of Araṇi sticks. The main job of Agni is to receive the oblations from devas when they conduct yāgas.

Synonyms of Agni.

"agnirvaiśvānaro' vahniḥ vītihotro dhanañjayaḥ kṛpīṭayonir jvalano jātavedāstanūnapāt barhiśśūṣmā kṛṣṇavartmā śociṣkeśaḥ uṣarbhudhaḥ āśrayāśo bṛhadbhānuḥ kṛśānuḥ pāvako'nalaḥ rohitāśvo vāyusakhaḥ śikhāvānāśuśukṣaṇiḥ hiraṇyaretaḥ hutabhuk dahano havyavāhanaḥ śaptārcirdamunāḥ śukra-ścitrabhānurvibhāvasuḥ śucirappittamaurvastu bāḍavo baḍavānalaḥ vahnerdvayorjvālakīlā-varcirhetiḥ śikhā striyām triṣu sphuliṅgognikaṇaḥ kṣantāpaḥ sajvaraḥ samau ulkāsyānnirgata jvālā bhūtir bhasita bhasmanī kṣāro rakṣā ca dāvastu davo vanahutāśaṅaḥ. (amarakośa)"

The synonyms:

1) Agni, Vaiśvānaraḥ, Vahniḥ, Vītihotra, Dhanañjaya, Kṛpīṭayoni, Jvalana, Jātavedas, Tanūnapāt, Barhis, Śūṣmā, Kṛṣṇavartmā, Sociṣkeśa, Uṣarbhudha, Aśrayāśa, Bṛhadbhānu, Kṛśānu, Pāvaka, Anala, Rohitāśva, Vāyusakha, Sikhāvān, Āśuśukṣaṇi, Hiraṇyaretas, Hutabhuk, Dahana, Havyavāhana, Saptārcis, Damuna, Śukra, Citrabhānu, Vibhāvasu, Śuci, Appitta.

2) Baḍavāgni: Aurva, Bāḍava, Baḍavānala.

3) Agnijvālā: Jvalā, Kīla, Arcis, Heti, Sikhā. (Flame)

4) Sparks: Sphuliṅga, Agnikaṇa.

5) Heat: Santāpa, Sajvara.

6) Firebrand: Ulkā.

7) Ashes: Bhūti, Bhasita, Bhasma, Kṣāra, Rakṣa.

8) Wild-fire: Dāva, Dava, Vanahutāśana.

*) Manas=Mind. Putra=Son. Mānasa-putras are sons created from the mind of Brahmā, Śloka 10, Chapter 65, Ādi Parva, Mahābhārata

**) Kathāsaritsāgara gives another version of why Agni went and hid himself under the ocean. When Kāma, the God of Love, was burnt to death by Śiva, Pārvatī, Śivā’s wife, did not find a way to get a child for her from her husband. At last Brahmā approached Śiva and told him that the absence of Kāma was making creation difficult. Śiva then declared that thereafter Kāma would find a place in the minds of all living beings including himself. Pārvatī and Śiva immediately commenced a sexual life which went on incessantly for a hundred years without reaching the climax. The world was agitated and the universe stood on the verge of ruin. The Devas decided to send Agni to intervene But Agni was afraid of Śiva and so went and bid himself under the ocean. (Chapter 6, Lāvāṇakalambaka of Kathāsaritsāgara).