Agni, god of fire

Agni, god of fire

Agni, god of fire and god of sacrifice, is born anew each time a fire is lit. He is one of the principal Vedic gods (of ancient India), but his role was gradually diminished, with his attributes being assumed by Shiva or Skanda (born of Agni after a brief and agonizing pregnancy).

Purifying fire

While Shiva’s fire will be the one that devastates the world at the end of days, Agni’s fire will cleanse and purify the world’s filth and sins. That is the reason why cremation of the dead is practiced in Hinduism.

The purifying power of Agni’s fire was conceived by the sage Bhrigu.

Bhrigu abducted another man’s wife, and the offended husband asked Agni where he could find her, since Agni knew every household. Agni told him, but Bhrigu became so enraged that he cursed Agni to devour everything he encountered in his path, whether pure or impure. Agni replied that, being a god, he was bound to tell the truth, and so Bhrigu then granted him the power to purify everything he burned.

Agni has two heads, a body red with fire, and seven tongues that eagerly lap up the butter used during sacrifices.