chap3
chapter02.html
chapter03.html
chapter04.html
Vedic Roots of Hindu Iconography
R. Nagaswamy
CHAPTER-3
The Form of Agni
After this purification of the verbal hymns and seeking the divine approval, the performer now meditates on the form of Agni (dhyānam). As in the case of mūrti dhyāna in iconography of sculpture, this is the dhyana śloka of Agni in fire. (F.C. 1, 2 & 4)
“Agni has four horns, three legs, two heads and seven hands. Tied in three forms, this Great Fire god, Mahadeva, the Bull, roars (ṛṣabho roravīti) and enters the human beings (mahādevo martyān āviveśa). He is a self luminary and shines in all directions; he is the first born who enters the womb. He enters in diverse forms and is to be born as beings. He is looking inwards and looks outwards all around; Oh East facing Lord Agni be pleased to face me.”
This is indeed a great prayer “the face of Agni” called agni-mukha. The four Vedas are like the four summits (catvāri-śṛngas) of Fire, that are the flames on top of it, through which one can recognize his real form. He has three legs or stands (trayo asya pādās). According to the commentators the three legs are the morning sacrifice, (prātaḥ savana), the mid-day sacrifice (madhyāntina savana) and the evening sacrifice (tritīya savana). (It may even be the earth (pṛthvī), outer space (antarikṣam) and heaven (divam) or the three strides of the Sun morning, mid day and evening (sūrya-nārāyaṇa). He has two faces “dve śīrṣe” the inward and the outward faces; the inward representing the inward energy and outward representing consuming or illuminating outward objects. Seven are the seven colours or rays of the God.
Agni is bound by hymns
The invocation of the god is controlled (spoken of as bound (baddha)) by Mantra, Brahma, and Kalpa. The fire when fully lit roars like a Bull (Vṛṣabha). This God, a self luminary is adored by all the learned men (or is it that he entered all men as an illuminating entity.) He spreads in all directions (viśvato mukhas). As he exists already he is spoken of as the first born. It is the heat energy that enters the womb to be born and is born in different forms and will also be born in different forms in future. He is both inward looking (antar-mukha) and outward looking (bahir mukha). The prayer now is that this luminary should face the performer to receive the offerings.
Worship of Agni
Following this prayer Agni is decorated and saluted along with directional deities, the Yajamāna (performer), the Brāhmaṇas and all the people. Having adored the fire the bundle of twigs is taken in hand and with the approval of the Brahmā priest, is consigned to the fire. (F.C.4) The ghee is poured into the fire with the secondary ladle from the south western corner towards north east, invoking Indra. Then the ghee is offered in the centre of the fire invoking Agni and Soma. Finally another offering is made with the chant that it is an expiatory offering for any deficiency that might have occurred in the ritual during its performance from the beginning to the end. This offering is called “all expiatory rite” sarva prāyascitta.
“”
All the rituals done so far are called the initial rites. Any offering in the sacrificial fire is called “homa”. This is followed by the required specific homas like viccinna sandhānam (reestablishing broken thread), aupāsanam, (Fire worship), navagraha homa (Offerings to the nine planets) etc (F.C.7). There are different kinds of homas each meant for a particular prayer. After the specific homas are performed there is a concluding homa common to all that is performed. The concluding homa has three parts a) Offering of fruition (Jayādi homa); b) Offering of expiation (sarva prāyaścittam) and c) chants of blessings (Asirvāda). With this end the initiatory rites of Fire.