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AGNI - THE GOD OF FIRE WITH SEVEN TONGUES |
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AGNI ASTRIDE THE RAM
HIS VEHICLE
(AS PER THE AGNI PURANA) |
AGNI is the son of ANGIRAS and the grandson of SANDILA,
one of the seven great sages. In the Mahabharata comes an interesting episode. AGNI is there said to
have exhausted his vigor by devouring too many oblations and therefore desires
to consume the whole KHANDAV forest so as to regain its strength. Indra prevents
him but eventually with the help of Krishna, AGNI consumes the forest.
Vishnu Purana on the other hand says that AGNI is the eldest
son of Brahma. His
wife is SWAHA and through this marriage he has three sons, PAVAK, PAVMAN and
SUCHI and through them as forty-six grandsons. Thus AGNI has Forty-nine members
as his descendants. In Hari Vans AGNI is clothed in black and has smoke as his
standard and carries a flaming javelin. He has four hands and rides in a chariot
drawn by red horses.
AGNI himself recited the AGNI Purana to sage VASHISTA. It has portions on ritualistic
and mystic methods of worship, the art of wars, the laws of Hindus and glorification
of Shiva.
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