Agni Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Agni
God of Fire
Agni upon his mount, with flames leaping upwards from his crown
Other names	Mātariśvan
Affiliation	Deva, Dikpāla
Abode	Agniloka
Mantra	Om Agni Vidmahe
Weapon	Āgneyāstra
Mount	Urial
Personal information
Consort	Svāhā
Children	Pāvaka, Pāvamāna, Śuchi, Nīla, Agneya
Parents	Brahma
Equivalents
Greek equivalent	Hephaestus
Roman equivalent	Vulcan

Agni (Sanskrit: अग्नि) is the Hindu god of fire. In the Vedic pantheon, he occupies, after Indra, the most important position.

Agni has three forms, namely fire, lightning, and the Sun. For that reason he is often depicted as having three heads or three legs. He is sometimes shown wearing a garland of fruits or flowers. Agni is typically found in southeast corners of Hindu temples.

Agni is also the natural element fire. Together with sky (Ākāśa), water (Ap), air (Vāyu) and earth (Pṛthvī), it forms all other things (Prakṛti).

As a symbol of fire, Agni is used to refer to fire in the stomach, the cooking fire in a home, the sacrificial fire in an altar, the fire of cremation, and the fire of rebirth, among others.

The Hindus believe that there are three kinds of Agni inside every human being, the krodha-agni or "fire of anger", the kama-agni or "fire of passion and desire", and the udara-agni or "fire of digestion".

Origin
Wife and children
Ancient medicine and food
Iconography
Significance
Images for kids
See also

Origin

A pre-3rd century CE, Kushan Empire era red-stone Agni statue. Art of Mathura.

The earliest Vedic texts state that the universe began with nothing, neither night nor day existed, what existed was just Prajāpati (also referred to as Brahman). Agni originated from the forehead of Prajāpati. With the creation of Agni came light, and with that were created day and night. Agni is the same as the Brahman, the eye of the manifested universe.

Agni was one of the three major gods. His twin brother Indra ruled the atmosphere as the god of storm, rain and war, Sūrya ruled the sky and heavens, and Agni ruled the earth.

Wife and children

The goddess Svāhā is Agni's wife. Her name is pronounced with offerings such as butter and seeds poured into the fire during ceremonies. Agni and Svāhā had a son, Skanda – the god of war.

Ancient medicine and food

Agni was Agni was viewed as the life force in a healthy body, the power to digest foods, and innate in food. In Ayurveda, the amount of Agni determines the state of health.

Agni is an important entity in Ayurveda. It was mentioned in Hindu texts of ancient medicine. There, Agni is the fire needed to digest food and rid the body of waste and toxins. It also helps to transform physical matter into energy the body needs.

Iconography

The icons for Agni show wide regional variations. Left: Agni on ram, Right: Agni with goddess Svaha.

The depiction of Agni varies by region. He is usually shown with one to three heads and two to four arms. He is often depicted standing next to or riding a ram, with a characteristic dramatic halo of flames leaping upwards from his crown. He is shown as a strong looking man, sometimes bearded, with a large belly because he eats everything offered into his flames, with golden brown hair, eyes and mustache to match the color of fire.

Agni holds a rosary in one hand to symbolize his prayer-related role, and a sphere in another hand in eastern states of India. In other regions, his four arms hold an ax, torch, spoon (or fan) and a flaming spear (or rosary).

Significance

Vedic rituals involve Agni. He is a part of many Hindu rites-of-passage ceremonies such as celebrating a birth (lighting a lamp), prayers (aarti lamp), at weddings (the yajna where the bride and groom circle the fire seven times) and at death (cremation). According to Atharvaveda, it is Agni that conveys the soul of the dead from the pyre to be reborn in the next world or life.

Images for kids

Agni (fire) is a part of major rites-of-passage rituals such as weddings and cremation in Indian religions.
Agni with an aura of flames, seated on ram.
Saptapadi, a Hindu wedding ritual, around Agni in progress.
Agni is a part of the ritual grammar in many Hindu festivals. Above Holika for Holi, includes Agni.
Agni god in southeast corner of the 11th-century Rajarani Temple in Bhubaneshwar Odisha. The ram is carved below him.
Agni seated on a ram, 14th–15th century Indonesia.
Agni (right) with his son Skanda (Karttikeya), about 1st-century CE.
The Buddhist Fire God "Katen" (火天) in Japanese art. Dated 1127 CE, Kyoto National Museum.

Agni facts for kids

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