Agni: Hindu God of Fire and Protector of Humanity

Painting of Agni riding a goat (artist unknown), public domain

In Hindu mythology, Agni is the God of Fire and the Protector of Humanity. He's present in the Vedic epics and is easily identifiable because of his appearance: He has red skin and two faces (one kind and one cruel), three or seven tongues, seven arms, three legs, and fiery hair. He's often depicted as riding on the back of a goat or being accompanied by a ram.

Agni is associated with all forms of fire, including lightning, the sun, funeral pyres, and fires of the hearth. It's said that when sacrificial fires are made, Agni delivers worshippers' offerings to the gods - a very important job, indeed. And although Agni isn't as prominent as he was during the Vedic era, he's still fairly relevant to Hindus today; he's part of many prayers, weddings, and festivals.

One story with Agni that I quite enjoy is the one where Bhrigu, a sage and a mind-son of Brahma, curses him. In the story, Bhrigu has to leave his pregnant wife, Puloma, alone in their home. While Bhrigu is gone, a Rakshasa sees her and grows suspicious that she's the woman he was once supposed to marry... the woman whose father gave her to Bhrigu instead.

As Agni's flames crackle in Puloma's hearth, the Rakshasa confronts the God of Fire and demands to know whether Puloma is Bhrigu's wife. Agni confirms that yes, she is, and the Rakshasa transforms into a boar and tries to kidnap her.

However, the Rakshasa isn't successful in his attempted kidnapping of Puloma. Remember how she's pregnant? Well, as he's carrying her away, she gives birth. And the baby boy - who's eventually named Cyavana - shines so brightly that the Rakshasa is burned up, reduced to ashes, and Puloma, understandably distressed at what's occurred, cries so much that her tears make a river.

When Bhrigu gets home, he asks Puloma why she's so upset, and she tells him everything. Bhrigu then curses Agni for giving away his wife's identity, making Agni omnivorous. Outraged by this curse, Agni goes into hiding, and because he's fire in all its forms and carries offerings from worshippers to the gods, the curse and his disappearance hurts everyone.

Finally, Brahma intervenes and changes Agni's curse. Yes, Agni will devour everything, but everything he consumes will be purified. He'll also receive a portion of all sacrifices made to the gods.

I hope you enjoyed November 2021's Myth of the Month!