Agni: The Fire of Self-Inquiry - 4

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Agni: The Fire of Self-Inquiry

 

by David Frawley

 

 

SELF-ENQUIRY AS A YAJNA OR FIRE SACRIFICE

 

The Self in the Vedas and Upanishads is often symbolized by fire (Agni).

The Rig Veda begins with the worship of Agni , who is the deity of the sacrifice.

But who is this Agni and what is the nature of the sacrifice to be offered to it ?

 

There are many forms of Agni in Vedic thought. Agni outwarldly as fire and light

and inwardly as life and consciousness pervades all things in the universe.

in the Vedic view , Agni has three main cosmic ( adhidaivic ) or

world forms as fire , lightning and the sun which are th eruling forces in the

three worlds of the earth , the atmosphere and heaven . These are the three

lights in the world of nature and the three manifestations of Paramatmam ,

the Supreme Self that is the Divine Light and the light of all the worlds.

 

In addition , Agni has three main internal ( adhyatmic ) forms as speech ( vak ) ,

prana and intelligence ( buddhi ) , which are the ruling forces in the three

aspects of our being as body , life and mind. They are the three lights of our

internal nature and the three manifestations of the Soul or Jivatman , the

consciousness or light principle within us.

 

.............. to be continued

 

from THE MOUNTAIN PATH , January-March 2003