Antecedents: Vishnu – Brahma – Angiras- Brihaspati – Agni.

Birth: The scriptures talk of various origins of Agni, some of which are contradictory. The above lineage is as per Bhagavata and Mahabharata. According to Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 65, padya 10, Angiras was one of the six manasaputras of Brahma. As per Bhagavata, skandas 34, 35, Angiras and his wife Shradha had six children – 4 girls (Sineevali, Kahu, Raka, Anumati) and 2 boys (Utadhya and Brihaspati). Though Ezhuthachan’s Bhagavata claims a third son Samvarta, the original source does not support it) But as per Mahabharata Aranyaparva Chapter 29, verses 1-4, Brihaspati and Chandramasi had six children, the eldest being Shamyu. Agni was the son of Shamyu and his wife, Satya.

According to Devibhagavata, Skanda 8, Agni was one of the ashtadigpalakas. East – Indra, South East – Agni, South – Yama, South West – Nirrti, West – Varuna, North West – Vayu, North – Kuber, North East – Shiva, these are the guardians of the directions. Agni’s city is known as Tejovati.

Agni is one of the five elements, along with earth, wind, sky and water.

During their exile, Rama and Lakshmana built an ashram by the sea and lived there for a while. At that time, Agni visited them in the form of a brahmin and told Rama, “You have been born to kill Ravana. Sita is only a reason. The time of Ravana’s death is nearing. He will soon steal Sita away from you. You can hand over Sita to me now and I will keep her safe. I will also leave you a fake Sita. After the death of Ravana, when you make Sita go through the Agnipariksha, I will give her back to you.” Rama was happy on hearing this. Agni used his powers to create an exact replica of Sita and handed her over to Rama. Rama kept this incident secret even from Lakshmana. The events unfolded just as Agni had stated, and during the agnipariksha, the original Sita was returned to Rama.As per the advice of Agni and Rama, the fake Sita proceeded to Pushkar and meditated there for more than 3 lakh days, after which she was transformed into Swargalakshmi. It was this Swargalakshmi, who, eons later, was born in the agnikunda of the Panchala king, and in due course became the wife of the Pandavas. As per Devibhagavata Namaskanda, since she was born as Devati, the daughter of Kashadhwaja in the Kritayuga, as Sita, the daughter of Janaka, in the Tretayuga and as Panchali, the daughter of Drupada in the Dwaparayuga, she is also called Trihayani.

There lived a valorous king called Shwetaki, who conducted various kinds of yajnas. Many sages left because of the yajna smoke. He then started a yaga that would last twelve years, which no sage would attend. They even chided him and told him to get shudras to conduct his yajna. An incensed Shwetaki went to Kailash and started praying to Shiva. Shiva appeared and asked Durvasa to conduct the yaga for Shwetaki. As per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 235, Durvasa conducted the yaga for twelve years, after which Agni was so satiated with the offerings that he suffered from indigestion and a lack of interest in food.

After suffering for a while, Agni prayed to Brahma to cure him. Brahma blessed him and said that if he consumed the Khandava forest, which was infested with enemies of the devas, Agni would be cured. Accordingly, Agni started consuming the forest.But its residents put the fire out. Agni again approached Brahma, who said that Agni would have to wait a while, until the Naranarayanas came together to help him. During that time, the Pandavas were staying in Indraprastha, with Krishna. It was the peak of the summer, and Arjuna and Krishna set out for the Yamuna river. Krishna and Arjuna were incarnations of the Naranarayanas, and on hearing about their arrival, Agni was pleased. He approached them as a brahmin, and told them, “You must help me consume the Khandava forest. Indra’s friend Thakshaka lives in this forest and so whenever I begin consuming it, it starts raining.” To help them in the effort, Agni gave Arjuna a quiver that would never run out of arrows, a chariot with a flag having a monkey as the emblem, four white horses, and the Gandiva bow. To Krishna, he gave the divine chakra. (These were all gifted to Agni by Varuna) Krishna and Arjuna prepared themselves for the battle. As per the Mahabharata, Adiparva, Chapters 233-239, Agni began consuming the forest, but it started raining. Arjuna built a covering for the forest with arrows, and thus Agni was cured.

As a prelude to Yudhishtira’s Rajasuya yajna in Indraprastha, Arjuna, Bhima, Nakula and Sahadeva journeyed in the four directions. Sahadeva, traveling south, conquered Dantavaktra, Bhishmaka and reached Mahishmatipura. There he battled a king called Nila. Just as the battle began, Sahadeva’s tent caught fire. He immediately prayed to Agni, and that was when he found out the relationship between Nila and Agni. Nila had a beautiful daughter named Sudarshana. Once, when she entered the agnihotra, Agni became infatuated with her, and it came to such a state that he would provide the flames only if she blew into them. As a result, Agni got married to Sudarshana. From then on, Agni served as a protector to Nila. According to Mahabharata Sabhaparva Chapter 31, that was when Sahadeva had reached the place. As a result of Sahadeva’s prayers, Agni understood that it was important for Yudhishtira to complete the  Rajasuya. He advised Nila to surrender and pay tribute.

Once Indra and Agni decided to test the emperor Shibi’s generosity. Indra took the form of an eagle, and Agni, a dove. The dove fell into the lap of Shibi, as he was conducting a yajna. The eagle followed him, and began a debate with Shibi.

“You call yourself generous, and you take away my food?”

‘The dove has sought refuge in me. It is my duty to save it. If it is food you require, I will provide it.”, Shibi replied.

But though he promised his entire kingdom to the eagle, it wouldn’t agree. Finally, it said it would accept on condition that an equal amount of flesh (to the dove’s weight) was given from Shibi’s body. Shibi immediately cut some flesh and placed it on the scales. But it couldn’t match the dove’s weight. Shibi kept on adding flesh, but the result was the same. Finally he himself stood on the scales. As per Mahabharata Vanaparva Chapter 131,  on seeing this, Indra and Agni reverted to their original form, blessed the emperor and took him along with them, to the heavens.

Vishwamitra had taken Rama and Lakshmana into the forests to protect his yajna. They came to the spot where Gautama had cursed Ahalya. The sage began telling them the story of how Ahalya had been cursed into becoming a statue. This is the ashram where Gautama once stayed with his wife Ahalya, he said. Once Indra fooled Ahalya into sleeping with him. Gautama cursed her into becoming a statue, and Indra into losing his masculinity. As per Valmiki Ramayana Balakanda verses 48, 49, the other devas such as  Agni consoled Indra and provided him a goat’s organ to replace his loss.

Puloma was the wife of the sage Bhrigu. Once, when she was pregnant, Bhrigu left Puloma at the ashram, while he went for a bath, and asked Agni to guard her. Meanwhile, there was a rakshasa, also by name Puloma, who had earlier been infatuated with the sage’s wife. After Bhrigu married her, the rakshasa had been searching for her. He finally found her in the ashram, guarded by Agni. He said,

“Agnideva, please give an unbiased answer to my question. I married Puloma first, after which her father gave her to Bhrigu. Which one of us does she rightfully belong to?”

Though Agni was afraid of Bhrigu, he replied thus, “Bhrigu has indeed marreid her, but the marriage was not done rightfully with mantras”

On hearing this, the rakshasa took the form of a pig and carried Puloma away. On the way, Puloma’s child fell from the womb. Since the child was born due to movement (chayavanam), he was called Chyavana. (who later became a renowned sage) The rakshasa saw the radiant child and ran away. Puloma returned to the ashram with the child, weeping. From her tears sprang the river Vadhusara. At the ashram, an angry Bhrigu asked her who had told the rakshasa that she was his wife. Puloma told him all that had happened. Bhrigu was furious at Agni and cursed him to become all-consuming. An overheated Agni fled and hid himself away. Yajnas stopped happening and all the three worlds were affected. As per the Mahabharata Adiparva Chapters 5-7, the devas approached Brahma for a solution. Brahma called Agni, consoled him, and blessed him thus, “Everything you touch will be purified”

Many important events happened during Agni’s self imposed exile. Parvati cursing the devas, the asuras deeating the devas, the creation of Subramanya for defeating the asuras, all happened during this time. Brahma told the devas that only Agni had the energy to create a being that could defeat the asuras, because Agni was in hiding when Parvati cursed all the devas. So they started searching for him. Agni was hiding deep in the ocean then. A frog, which was much troubled by the heat, told the devas about Agni. A furious Agni cursed the frog that he would henceforth lack the ability to experience anything. But the devas blessed the frog to have vision at night. After that, Agni hid himself in a huge banyan tree. An elephant then pointed him out to the devas. Agni cursed the elephant and said that its tongue would go inwards. But the devas blessed the elephant that though its tongue would be inwards, it would still be able to eat. Then, Agni hid himself in the hollow of a Shamivriksha. This time, a bird revealed it to the devas. Agni cursed the bird too to have its tongue go inwards, but again, the devas blessed that it would still produce melodious sounds. The devas finally caught Agni. Since then, the Shamivriksha is a holy place for all rituals and is known to be the origin place of Agni. As per Mahabharata Anushasanaparva Chapter 85, the devas asked Agni to produce a child that could defeat the asuras.

According to Kathasaritasagara, Lavanakalambaka, Taranga 6, there is another story on why Agni hid himself in the ocean. Since Kama had been burned by Shiva’s third eye, Parvati found it difficult to become pregnant with Shiva’s child. Finally, Brahma told Shiva that without Kama, the procreation processes in the world had come to a standstill. Shiva announced that henceforth, kama would play on the minds of all living things. That included Shiva too, and accordingly, Parvati started copulating with him soon. It lasted for over a hundred years, and such was the energy that it threatened to destroy the worlds. The devas decided that Agni should be sent to distract Shiva. Fearing a curse from Shiva, Agni hid himself in the ocean.

During that time, Varuna conducted a yajna. Shiva, and all the other digpalakas attended it. There, seeing the beautiful wives of the sages, Shiva ejaculated. Indra gathered it and gave it to Agni, who in turn, gave it to Ganga, and asked her to carry it in her womb. Though she was reluctant at first, she finally agreed, and gave birth to a boy. As per Mahabharata Anushasanaparva Chapter 85, this child was Subramanya.

When Nala was on his way to Damayanti’s swayamvar, he was approached by Indra, Agni, Yama and Varuna. They asked him to advise Damayanti to marry one of them. But she was steadfast that she would only marry Nala. At the swayamwar, all four of them took the form of Nala. She prayed to them to show them the true Nala. They not only did that, but also gave Nala a blessing each. Agni blessed him that he would serve Nala whenever he was called for. As per Mahabharata Vanaparva Chapter 57, that is why Nala is known as a great cook.

There was once a demon king called Danu. He had two sons – Rambha and Karambha, who were childless. They went to the land of the five rivers to pray for children. Rambha meditated in the middle of a fire ring and Karambha, in water. Indra, fearing the tapas energy they generated, took the form of a crocodile, dragged Karambha deeper and killed him. Rambha was distressed and got ready to jump into the fire. At that time Agni appeared and told him to ask for a boon. Rambha asked for a child who would conquer the three worlds. Agni agreed. As Rambha was on his way back, he saw a she-buffalo and was at once enamored of her. He married her, but was soon killed by a buffalo who was jealous of their marital bliss. Rambha’s wife Mahishi was anguished and jumped into her husband’s pyre. As per Devibhagavata Panchamaskanda, a child emerged from the pyre and that was Mahishasura.

Once Angiras blazed stronger than Agni because of his meditation. The world was lit by this energy and Agni was miffed that Brahma allowed another entity to shine more than him. Even Angiras was afraid that Agni would stop burning, and so he consoled Agni. Brahma decreed that from then on, the world would know that Agni was more important, and Angiras would be respected as his son. As per Mahabharata Vanaparva Chapter 22, this story was told to Yudhishtira by the sage Markandeya.

Once, while Vishwamitra was taking Rama and Lakshmana into the forests, they stopped at a hermitage. Vishwamitra told them that long ago, Vishnu had stayed in the ashram for quite a while. That was when Mahabali, the asura emperor and son of Virochana, had defeated even the devas. After conquering all three worlds, he was conducting a yajna. Agni approached Vishnu, with the other devas and said thus, “Mahabali has started a yajna. You must go there in the form of Vamana and do something that will benefit us devas.” As per Ramayana Balakanda sarga 29, this was how Vishnu took up the form of Vamana, asked Mahabali for three steps of land, and sent Mahabali to the netherworld.

After killing Vritra and getting cursed, Indra his in the Manasarovar inside a lotus. The devas chose Nahusha as a temporary Indra. Nahusha became arrogant in his new position and tried to marry Indrani. She asked Brihaspati for shelter. Brihaspati sent Agni to search for Indra. Agni searched everywhere and finally reached the lotuses in Manasarovar. He found Indra and conveyed this to Brihaspati. As per Mahabharata Udyogaparva Chapter 14, Brihaspati advised Indrani on a plan and finally Nahusha was defeated. (see Agastya for details) As per the Mahabharata Shantiparva Chapter 28, Agni took up a quarter of the curse that Indra had incurred for killing Vritra.

After the Mahabharata war, the Pandavas visited Kurukshetra with Krishna. On the way he told them stories of Parashurama and Rama. Agni’s story came up while he was narrating the story of Kartaviryarjuna, and why Parashurama had hacked off his thousand hands. Once, after Kartaviryarjuna had conquered the world with his strength, Agni came to him asking for alms. Kartaviryarjuna burned mountains and trees and fed Agni. During this, the ashram of a sage called Apava was also burned. Apava cursed Kataveeryarjuna for burning his ashram for no reason and said that his thousand arms would be cut by Parashurama. The king didn’t take the curse seriously, but according to the Mahabharata Shantiparva Chapter 48, the king’s sons later stole Parashurama’s father’s (Jamadagni) yajna cow and in the fight that followed, Parashurama hacked off Kartaviryarjuna’s thousand arms.

Once while the saptarshis were busy attending a yajna, Agni became infatuated with their wives. But he knew nothing would come out of it, so he went away to the forests depressed. Daksha’s daughter Swahadevi had been interested in Agni for quite a while. She decided to utilise this opportunity, and approached Agni in the form of Angiras’ wife. She told him thus, “I am Angiras’ wife Shiva. When you looked at us during the yajna, we were also equally smitten. They chose me to come to you.” As per Mahabharata Vanaparva Chapter 223-227, Agni believed this and gave vent to his desires.

There lived a sage called Dattatreya, who had a son Nimi. Nimi’s child died on the thousandth days of its birth. The sage conduced a huge yajna in the memory of this child. All the devas who attended the yajna began suffering from indigestion. After getting an approval from Brahma, Agni shared with the devas, the secret of how not to get an indigestion from yajnas. He told them that sacrifice offerings should be consumed only after including him. Since then, the first offering of rice is always given to Agni. As per Mahabharata, Anushasanaparva Chapter 92, this was told to Yudhishtira by Bhishma, while talking about the origin of shradh.

Once there was a guru named Aveda, who found a perfect disciple in Uttanga. Once, when the guru had to leave the ashram for a few days, he left all the responsibilities to Uttanga. Before the guru came back, his wife had the desire for a child. She advised Uttanga not to waste her desire, but he did not agree. Later, after he finished his education, he asked the guru what he would like as a gurudakshina. The guru asked Uttanga to give him whatever his wife desired. The wife decided to use this opportunity to take revenge for the slight. She asked him to go to the king Paushia, and ask for his wife’s earrings as alms. Uttanga followed her instructions and got the earrings from the king, but on his way back, Thakshaka attacked him, stole the earrings and escaped to the netherworld. Uttanga followed him. At that time, Agni appeared in front of him as a horse and asked him what he wanted. Uttanga told him that he wanted to control the nagas. The horse asked him to blow into its anus. As soon as Uttanga did that, fire began to come out of all the horse’ orifices. Soon the abode of the nagas was filled with smoke. THakshaka was frightened and gave the earrings to Uttanga. By then, the time that the guru’s wife had given for the task was getting over. The horse helped Uttanga reach on time. As per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 3, Uttanga was blessed by the guru and his wife for completing the task.

Once there was a dispute among Angiras’ two sons – Brihaspati and Samvarta. Finally Brihaspati became the guru of devaloka and Samvarta became a crazed mendicant among humans. At that time, a king called Marutta wanted to conduct a yajna and approached Brihaspati, who refused. A dejected Marutta conveyed this to Narada, who told him thus, “Go to Kashi. At the puradwara, place a dead body. Then Brihaspati’s brother Samvarta will come and chide you. Ask him to conduct your yajna. If he asks who gave you this idea, mention my name. If he further asks where I am, tell him I am hidden in Agni.” Marutta followed Narada’s instructions. Samvarta agreed to conduct the yajna, but asked Marutta to get a huge amount of gold from mount Kailash. Marutta did that too, and the yajna started. Indra and Brihaspati were agitated when they heard all of this. Brihaspati then agreed to be part of the yajna and this message was taken by Agni to Marutta. As per Mahabharata Ashwamedhaparva, the yajna was thus succesfully conducted in the presence of Indra, Brihaspati etc.

During the burning of the Khandava forest, Agni had taken the Gandiva bow from Varuna and gifted it to Arjuna. After the Mahabharata war, when the Pandavas were leaving the earthly abode for the heavens, Agni took the bow back from Arjuna. The Pandavas with Draupadi started their journey in the eastern direction. When they reached the sea, Agni revealed himself in front of them in the form of a mountain and asked Arjuna to leave the bow in the sea. According to Mahabharata Mahaprasthanikaparva Chapter 1, verse 33-43, as per Agni’s instructions, Arjuna left the Gandiva, the quiver of arrows that was famous for replenishing itself, and moved on.

Other Details

As per the Devibhagavata Navamaskanda Agni and Swahadevi had 3 sons – Daakshina, Garhapatya, and Ahavaneeya.

As per Aangirasa, Agni and Swahadevi had 3 sons named Pavaka, Pavamana, and Shuchi, who then had 45 children between themselves. As per Agnipurana Chapter 20, Shuchi was a Badavagni. Agni, with these 3 sons and the 45 grandsons together are known as the 49 Agnis.

Nila, the vanara was born out of Agni’s energy, as per Ramayana Kishkindakanda Sarga 41.

According to Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 67 verse 127, Dhrishtadyumna was born of Agni’s ansh.

As per Mahabharata Vanaparva Chapter 225, Subramanya is also known as Agni’s son.

According to Mahabharata Anushasanaparva Chapter 85, Agni treated all the prajapatis as his own children.

As per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 5, verse 8, Bhrigu was also born to Agni.

As per the Mahabharata Anushasanaparva Chapter 85, verse 109, all the gods are manifestations of Agni.

According to Mahabharata Vanaparva Chapter 226, Agni liked Skanda most.

As per Mahabharata Vanaparva hapter 201, verse 28, during Sita’s agnipariksha, Agni testified that Sita was indeed pure.

In the initial days of creation, Brahma had made all creatures immortal. As their population increased, the weight of the world became unbearable. An enraged Brahma channeled his wrath in the form of Agni and living beings started burning to death. Finally Shiva asked Brahma to consume Agni, and as per Mahabharata Dronaparva Chapter 52, that was how Mrityu was created.

Agni is among the ashtavasus. As per Vishnupurana Ansh 1 Chapter 15, the others are Apa, Dhruva, Soma, Dharma, Anila, pratyusha and Prabhasa.

According to Agnipurana Chapter 51, Agni’s weapon is a spear and his vehicle, a goat.

It was Agni who changed the Vishnu idol in kuttalam into a Shivalinga. When the devotees began attacking Agastya, Agni appeared out of Agastya’s eyes and scared them away, as per Skandapurana Asurakanda.

According to Bhagavata Namaskanda Chapter 14, Agni was born as Jataveda, the son of Pururava.

While the devas cleaned their hands off the offerings from the sacrificial fire, three beings were formed – Ekata, Dwivata, Trita. Of these, Trita accidentally fell into a well, and the asuras covered it with a lid. As per Rigveda Mandala 1 Anuvaka 10, Sukta 52, he tore opened the lid and came out.

When the devas began searching earth for Agni, it became akin to heaven, according to Rigveda Mandala 1 Anuvaka 12, Sukta 65.

Surya deposits his energy with Agni at the end of the day and Agni returns it the next morning, as per Rigveda Mandala 1 Anuvaka 12, Sukta 71.

The rishis generated Agni by rubbing two arani sticks. The energy they required was given by a vayu named Vyana. Therefore, as per Rigveda Mandala 1 Anuvaka 16, Sukta 112, Agni is also known as a son of Vayu.

According to Rigveda Mandala 1 Anuvaka 1, Sukta 1, Agni was worshipped during the times of the Rig Veda.

As stated earlier, Parvati started copulating with Shiva to give birth to Subramanya. It lasted for over a hundred years, and such was the energy that it threatened to destroy the worlds. The devas decided that Agni should be sent to distract Shiva. Fearing a curse from Shiva, Agni hid himself in the ocean. Agni cursed all the animals who showed him out to the devas, who had begun hunting for him. Agni took the form of an owl and hid in the Mandara mountains. The devas reached there too. Finally Agni distracted Shiva with his heat. As per Kathasaritasagara Lavanakalambaka Taranga 6, Shiva gave his seed to Agni, who gave it to Ganga, and thus was born Subramanya.

In the vedas, Agni is second only to Indra. The Rigveda describes Agni’s birth differently. Agni was born in the clouds and reached the earth via lightning. He then hid himself, and was transformed for the Bhrigu clan’s use by Matarishva. From then on, it became possible to create Agni on earth. The Rigveda also states that arani sticks were used to generate Agni. Agni’s role is to accept the yajna offerings on behalf of the devas.

Agni’s synonyms:

Agni: Vaishvanara, Vahni, Veetihotra, Dhananjaya, Krippedayoni, Jwalana, Jataveda, Anunapata, Barhis, Shushma, Krishnavartma, Shochishkesha, Usharbudha, Ashrayasha, Brihadbhanu, Krishanu, Pavaka, Anala, Rohitashva, Vayusakha, Shikhavan, Ashushukshani, Hiranyaratas, Hutabhuk, Dahana, Havyavahana, Saptarchis, Damunas, Shukra, Chitrabhanu, Vibhavasu, Shuchi, Appitam

Khandavagni: Ourva, Badava, Banavanala

Flame: Jwala, Kila, Archis, Heti, Shikha

Spark: Sphalinga, Agnikana

Heat: Santhapa, Sajwara

Matchstick: Ulka

Ash: Bhuti, Bhasita, Bhasma, Kshaara, Raksha

Wildfire: Daava, Dava, Vanahutashana