a study on the names of the god of fire in the rgveda

Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute

NAMES OF AGNI IN THE VEDIC RITUALAuthor(s): Frederick M. SmithSource: Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Vol. 66, No. 1/4 (1985), pp. 219-226Published by: Bhandarkar Oriental Research InstituteStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41693607 .

Accessed: 25/06/2014 06:08

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range ofcontent in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].

.

Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access toAnnals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute.

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 137.132.123.69 on Wed, 25 Jun 2014 06:08:26 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=bori

http://www.jstor.org/stable/41693607?origin=JSTOR-pdf

http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp


MISCELLANEA

NAMES OF AGNI IN THE VEDIC RITUAL

BY

FREDERICK M; SMITH

Jt is well-known that Agni is the central deity in the Vedic sacrificial ritual. As such, he is the intermediary between the ritualist / sacrificer and the remaining deities. Through the mediation of Agni, the gods receive oblations offered into the fires by the officiants and the sacrificer. Because of his proximity to the Vedic rsis and ritualists, Agni's personality was developed and expanded to an extent perhaps unmatched by that of any other deity. His reputed identification with certain other deities has been adequ* ately examined in the past. The most prominent among these deities are Apäm NapSt,1 Narãáamsa,2 Tanünapat,3 Vãyu,4 Soma,6 and Rudra.6 Besi- des these, Agni was casually identified with other major and minor deities as

1 For the most recent views see E. B. Findly, " Tne ' Child of Waters ' : a Revaluation of the Vedic Apãin Napät in Numeri 26. 2 ( 1979J) : 164-184; also R. N. Dandekar's important contribution, " Some Aspects of Agni Mythology in the Veda ", JOIB 11.4 ( 1962 ) : 347 ff., reprinted in the first volume of his collected writings, Vedic Mytho- logical Tracts , Delhi, 1979 : 278-311, in which he establishes, at least for the RVt the non-identity of Agni with Apäm Napät, p. 301 ff.

2 Cf. Dandekar, op cit.* p. 279 ff. 8 Cf. Dandekar, op cit., p. 291 ff.; m R V Tanunapãt is generally unaccompanied by the

name Agni, with whom he is later identified. * See N. J. Shende, " Agni in the Brähmanas of the Rgveda ' in A BOR I 46 ( 1965 )

: 1-28, p. 3. 6 See Fatah Singh, " Agni and Soma m Poona Orientalist 3. 3 (Oct. 1938 ) : 142-163,

4. 4 (Jan. 1940) 183-192, 5. 1 ( Apr. 1940 ) : 28-56. In spite of his preoccupation with B. O. Tilak's arctic theory, he includes all the necessary information. He pro- poses Mätari£van as the link between the two deities.

6 Of particular importance is SB 1. 7. 3. 8, 6. 3. 1. 10-18. See also K. Snnivasa Patracharya. "Rudra in the Krishnayajurveda in Book of Commemoratiön Presented to Sri Vaittamanidhi Mudumbai Gopalakrishnamacharya , Madras, 1942, p. 4. 46 ff. where he discusses esp. TS 1. 5. 1; and R. N. Dandekar, " Rudra in the Veda in JUPHS 1 ( 1953 ) : 94-148, rep. Vedic Mythological Tracts , p. 222 ff., where D denies the identity of Agni and Rudra (again, in the R V. ), considering the references there " purely conventional In the context of the SB this is certainly not the case, esp. in the sixth klinda where the Agnicayana is elaborated.



Ilo Annals BORI, LXVt ( 1985)

the situation required in the course of the composition of the Vedic texts.' However, what bas received scanty attention are Agni's attributes as mentioned in the Vedic ritual. These attributes are really names of Agni that have in most cases not assumed a more or less independent existence,8 as has happened in the exceptional case of Agni Vatévãnara. Like " Vaiévãnara "

these names characterize Agni and denote his aspects and qualities ( gunãh 9 ), parts of his body,10 and his functions or capacities.11 Taken together, these names or aspects of Agni comprise a personality inventory of Agni or present a composite image of Agni to an extent that is not otherwise possible.

A complete study of every name would require a major volume. Thus, what I shall present here, in lieu of that volume, is the basic material required for that volume.12 Most of the names of Agni have been listed in the indexes of Šrautakoša Vol. I, Sanskrit and English sections, and by Caland, in the index of his study of kämyestis entitled Altindische Zauberei i Darstellunug der altindischen " Wunschopfer " ( 1908 ). Most of the names arç of deities who receive offerings in kämyestis or prayašcitta and other nah mittìka if tis»

A total of 84 names are listed,13 out of which 69 are found in either the Sanskrit or English sections of Volume 1 of Šrautakoša ,14 and 34 in

T For example, in the Aprì hymns wheie Barhis, Samidh, Ila, Vanaspati, etc. are deified and equated with Agni ( e. g. AB 2. 4, Nirukta 8. 4-22 ). See also Shěnde, op. cit . fora reliable accounting from AB and SãàkhB.

$ Although Dandekar, op cit. p. 279, calls them " different Agnis". M. Haug in the notes to his translation of AB (in 1864), p. 81 ff., notes the ambiguity between an epithet and an attribute.

6 Cf. Trik andam andana by Bhäskara Misra, 3. 38-41b; Ph. D. Diss, by the present author: The Vedic Sacrifice in Transition*. A Translation aud Study of the Trikãndamandana of Bhäskara Misra ( 1984, University of Pennsylvania, Phila- delphia ), p. 714 ff.

10 Cf. Smith, op cit., p. 714 ff. for a study of Agni's body with reference to the agnitanu mantras (KS 7. 13, MS 1. 6. 2, particularly the names Pavamãna, Pãvaka, and Suci in the present list ).

M £. B. Findly writes with respect to Agni that " sub-specializatton was necessary ... this was nowhere more evident than in the case of Agni, the god of the ritual fire, whose main functions were particularized in epithets such as Jãtavedas " ( *' Jãtavedas in the Rgveda : the God of Generations ZDMG 131. 2 [ 1981 ] : 349 ). I am currently preparing compre hensivé notes for that volume.

4® Many more are possible. For example, the Apri deities could arguably be included in much the same way that Vptrahan (no. 67 in the list ) was. But the case of the Aprts is much more ambiguous. While they must be included in a final study of the personality of Agni, their true identity as aspects of Agni is not at all straight- forward. The best study of the Ãprís is by K. R. Potdar, " Ãprí Hymn? in the Rgveda JUBombay XIV ( NS ) ( 1945 ) : 26-43, XV ( NS ) ( 1946 ) : 29-57.

it As compared with 47 for Indm,



SMITH : Names af Agni in the Vedic Ritual 2¿1

Caland's " Wunschopfer. " Many of (be names are clearly variations of each other, e. g. Viprc and Viprci, Agnimant and Agnîvant, Bhagin and Bhãgin. Nevertheless for the purposes of this list they are noted separately. A few names which occur outside of the ritual texts proper are included. For example, we find Agni Sauclka, who is mentioned in the Rgveda anúkramanikã as the rsi and devota of a few Rgvedic süktas, as well as Agni Ähavanlya, who is mentioned in the same text as a devota in a Rgvedic sükta. Because of the interest such names may generate they are included though they occur only in the anúkramanikã. It may thus be noted that while it has been pointed out that in the RV the sacrificial fires were never raised to the level of deities15 this did occur later, albeit probably only "by convention. " This serves as a good illustration of the deification process so prominent in Indian religion.

The paragraph numbers in Caland's " Wunschopfer " are given, along with the names of the kämyestis in which the deity in question is given offerings. In a few cases the deities and kämyestis are not noted by Caland, and in a few other cases kãmyapaíu sacrifices are intended. In all cases this information is supplied. In all cases representative passages in the Saiâhitãs Brãhmanas and /or Srautasütras are noted. Because this is not intended to be a complete koša, an exhaustive list of sources is not included. Similarly I have not culled the Grhyasutras for additional names.16 The page numbers in árautakoša are not given, as that would be redundant for a text readily available. In many cases a minimum of additional information is supplied, particularly the name of the šrauta sacrifice in which an offering is made to the respective deity as präyaicitta. In spite of my efforts, this list is probably incomplete, in which case I would welcome additional data from colleagues. 1. Amhomuc- TS 2. 4. 2. 1, MS 2. 2. 10, Baudh 28. 1; ( ŠKE ), ( ŠKE ),

Mrgãresçi. 2. Agnimant - TS 2. 2. 4, Baudh 13. 7; ŠKS, S»KE; AgPrãy. 3. Agnivant- Äp 6. 10. 11, Bhar 9. 14. 3; ŠKS, ŠKE; WO 93 : isfi if fire

has been removed fiom one's sacred fires; AgPrãy. 4. Anlkavant- TS 1. 8. 4. 1, BhãrPari 204; ŠK.S, ŠKE, Atipavitreçti; WO

72: Saògrãmesti.

18 Cf. Dandekar, " Some Aspects of Agni Mythology in the Veda op cit., p. 279. 18 Gobhilaputra's Grhyasamgrahaparisista, 1.2-12, ( ed. and trans, by M. Bloom field,

ZDMG 35 (1882): 533-587 ) presents 37 names or epithets of Agni relevant to Grhya rites. Many appear to be scholastic inventions that are not used in the rituals. Nevertheless, this obscure but interesting text deserves further attention.



Hl Annals BORÌ, LXVl ( 1P85 )

5. Annapati - Baudh 13. 6; ŠKS, ŠKE; WO 75 s Annakãmasyeçti. 6. Annavant - Baudh 13. 6; ŠKS, SKE; WO 75 : Annakãmasyesti ( diffe-

rent isti from no. 5 above ). 7. Annavant Annãda Annapati - MS 2. 1. 10, kõmyesti : ŠKS. 8. Annada- KS 10. 6, Baudh 13. 6; ŠKS, ŠKE; WO 75 i Annakãma-

masyes|i. 9. Annada Annapati- AVPräy 5. 4; ŠKS, ŠKE; AgPray.

10. Apsumant - Kãty 25. 4. 33, Äp 5. 26. 4, 9. 3. 22; AB 7.7; ŠKS, ŠKE; Utsargesti; AgPray.

11. Smadaro- TS 1.1.7. 1; DPM. 12. Ãyusmant- TS 2. 2. 3, Baudh 13. 5; ŠKS, ŠKE; WO 83 ! Ayuçka-

masyeçti. 13. Ãhavaníya - RVA : devatã of RV 1. 12. 6. 14. Indumant - Kãty 4. 11. 12; ŠKE; Punarãdhãna. 15. Kavyavãt - TS 1. 1. 7. 1; DPM

16. Kavyavãhana - TB 3. 3. 10, Aáv2. 6. 13, Ap 19.3.11, Bhãr 9.15.3; ŠKS, ŠKE; isti for deceased Ãhitãgni, Pindapitfyajña, Cãtur- mãsyas ( Sãkamedba parvan ).

17. KavyavShana Svístakrt - Bhãr 1. 8. 3, DPM.

18. Kãma - TS 2. 2. 3, Baud ha 23 1 : kãmyesfi if one's desires are unful- filled, Baudh Pitr 2. 7 : Ãyuskãmisti, Kãfhaka ŠSu fragment ( ŠKE 1. 2 : 639 ) : Svargakãmesti; ŠKS.

19. K?amavant - KS 7. IQ; ŠKS; kõmyesti for offspring. 20. Ksãrnavant - AB 7. 6, TS 2. 2. 2, Kãty 25. 4. 36; ŠKS, ŠKE; AgPray,

DPMPräy; WO 79, 80 : Sangrämest, Grhadãhe§{i.

21. Gãyâtra Trivft Rãthantara Vãsanta - TS 7. 5. 1. 4, Sarvaprçtheçfi, ŠKS.

22. Grhapati - MS 2.6.6, Ãp 4. 1.10, 6. 26.1, often : ŠKS, ŠKE; DPM, AgPrãy.

23. Cãkçusa - RVA : rsi ofRV 9. 106. 1-3, 10-14.

24. Jatavedas - MS 2. 1. 3, Baudh 13. 5, frequent; ŠKS, ŠKE; WO 25, 84 J Sarvavedasina i§ti, Bhütikämasye^i; RVA : devatã of RV 10. 188.

25. Jyoti§mapt - KS 11, 1, Ãp 9. 4. 5, Bhãr 9. 11. 13, 9. 13. 2, Baudh 23. 1; ŠKS, ŠKE; WO 94 : i${i for one who's Ag has not been offered; AgPray.

26. Tantumant - AB 7.9, Baudh 27. 7, 28. 12; ŠKS, ŠKE; AgPrSy. 27. Tapasvant Janadvant Pävakavant - MS 1. 8. 9, AB 7. 8, Bhär 9. 11. 10,

9. 12. 7; ŠKS, ŠKE; AgPrãy.



SMITH : Names of Agni in the Ve die Ritual 223

28. TSpasa - RVA j rsi of RV 10. 141 . 29. Tejasvant - TS2.2.3, Bhãr 13.16.1; ŠKS, ŠKE; WO 86: Tejas-

kämyesti, 30. Tejasvin - MS 2. 5. 11, KS 13. 13; ŠKS; kãmyapaSu : TejaskSma. 31. Datr - Kãty 25. 4. 40, Bh5r 9. 6. 2, DPMPRãy; TS 2. 3. 2, 2. 5. 5, Baudh

13. 25, WO 155, 170 : Abhyudayesti, Pašukamasyesti. 32. Dravinodas - RV 1.96. 1-8, Ãáv 5.20.6, Baudh 10.45, Agnicayana

( see J. Gonda, Dual Divinities in the Religion of the Veda, 1974, Amsterdam, p. 141; Nirukta 8. 1-2 ).

33. Dhämacchad - TS 2. 4. 10, Ãév 2. 13. 5, Äp 16. 35. 2, Baudh 13. 39, Mão 5. 2. 6. 15; ŠKS, ŠKE WO 180 : Vrstikamasya kärlristih .

34. Nirmathyah - RVA s devota of RV 1. 126. 35. Pathikrt - TS 2. 2. 2, Baudh 13. 3, 23. 1, 28. 12, Bhãr 9. 14. 16; ŠKS,

ŠKE; WO 66 : Pathikrdi§t¡h; AgPrSy, DPMPray. 36. Pavamãna - MS 1. 6. 2, KS 7. 13, TB 1. 1. 5. 10, Baudh 28. 12; ŠKS

ŠKE; WO 27, 89, 90 î Punaretyeçti ( = AbhišasyamSnesti ), Ãmayavina isti, Cak§uçkãmasyes(i ; AgPrãy, DPMPray, Agnya- dhãna, Punarãdhãna.

37. Pavitravant - AB 7. 9; ŠKS; AgPray, DPMPrãy. 38. Pavaka - MS 1. 6. 2, KS 7. 13, TB 1. 1. 5. 10, Baudh 28. 12; ŠKS, ŠKE;

WO 89, 90 : cf. above no. 36 for ritual applications. 39. Putravant - TS 2. 2. 4, Baudh 13. 7; WO 91 : Putrakãmasyesti ( on 8

kapalas); ŠKS, ŠKE.

40. Putrin - Baudh 13. 7; ŠKE; WO 91 Putrakãmasyesti (on 11 kapãlas). 41. PratJkavant - TS 2. 4.1, Baudh 13.35; ŠKS, ŠKE; WO 95: Bhrãtr-

vyatesti. 42. Pravant - TS 2. 4. 1, Baudh 13. 35; ŠKS, ŠKE; WO 95 : Bhratfvyate§t¡. 43. Balimant - ŠKE ( 1.2:639): Kãthaka ŠSu fragment, divahšyenl. 44. Bãrbaspatya - RVA ! rsi of R V 8. 102. 45. Budhanvant - Hir 3. 6, Bhär 5. 20. 6; ŠKE; Punarädhana.

46. Bhagin - MS 1. 4. 15, Äp 5. 23. 6, Bhãr 5. 15. 11; ŠKS, ŠKE; kSmyefti for prosperity, Anvarambhanïyesti. KS 13. 13

47. Bhagin - MS 2. 5. 11; ŠKS; kãmyapaSu : if one desires a share in everything ( sarvatrãpibhãgah syãm ).

48 Bhrajasvant - MS 2. 3. 6, KS 11. 1, Baudh 13. 30, Äp 19. 23. 3-5; WO 174 : Cakçuskãmasya räjanis|ih; ŠKS, ŠKE.

49, ř^arutvant - AB 7. 9; ŠKS; AgPräy ( on 13 Kapãlas ).



224 Annals BORI, LXVI ( 1985 )

50. Mûrdhanvant - Ãáv 2. 10. 10; ŠKE; kamyesti l Agneylsti. 51. Yaksmanãáana - AVA : devatã óf AV 1. 25. 52. Yavisfha - MS 2. 1. 11, KS 10. 7, TS 2. 2. 3, Baudh 13. 5; ŠKS, ŠKE;

WO 69, 70, 82 : Abhicãresti, Samftasomesti, Sajãtakãmasyesti. 53. Raksohan - MS 2. 1. 1 1, KS 10. 5, TS 2. 2. 2. 2-3, Baudh 13. 3, Ãp 19.

18.14 -17; ŠKS, ŠKE; WO 76 : Raksoghnesti. 54. Rasavant - TS 2. 2. 3. 4, Baudh 13. 6; ŠKS, ŠKE; WO 90 : Cäksuska-

masyesti. 55. Rukmant - TS 2. 2. 3. 3, Baudh 13. 5; ŠKS, ŠKE; WO 85 s RukkUma-

syeçfi. 56. Rudravant - MS 2. 1. 10, KS 10. 6, TS 2. 2. 2. 3, Baudh 13. 4; ŠKS,

ŠKE; WO 73 : Abhicãresti. 57. Varuna - AB 7. 9; ŠKS; AgPrãy. 58. Vasumant - MS 2. 2. 6, KS 10. 6, TS 2. 2. 4, 2. 2. 11, Baudh 13. 7, 13.

20; ŠKS, $KS; WO 77, 117: Vasukãmasyeçti, Samjñanísti. 59. Vãjasrt - MS 2. 1. 10, KS 10.5, TS 2. 4. 5-6; Baudh 13.7; ŠKS, ŠKE;

WO 71 : Saàgrãmesti. 60. Viprc - Ãp 9. 3. 19 ( Viprca, Vaikh 20. 8 ); ŠKE; AgPrãy. 61. Viprci - 15.1.66, AgPrãy. 62. Vibãdhavant - TS 2. 4. 1, Baudh 13. 35; ŠKS, ŠKE; WO 95 : Bhrätr-

vyatesti. 63. Vibhütimant - MS 92. 5. 1; ŠKS; kamyapašu : desire to manifest every-

where ( sarvatra vibhaveyam ). 64. Vibhuniant - KS 13. 13; ŠKS; = Vibhütimant. 65. Vivici - TB 3. 7. 3, Ãp 9. 3. 18, Kãty 25. 4. 31; ŠKS, ÓKE; AgPrãy. 66. Víti - AB 7. 6. Ãp 9. 3. 20, Ãáv 3. 13.6; ŠKS, ŠKE; AgPrãy. 67. Vjrtrahan - RV 1. 74. 3, 10. 69. 12 (other probable cases : 2. 1. 11, 3.

20. 4, see H. W. Magoun, " Agni Vrtrahan and Verethraghna, ''

in Studies in Honor of Maurice Bloomfield, by a group of his students, New Haven, 1920, pp. 197-210).

68. VaiSvSnara - MS 2. 1. 2, KS 10. 3, Baudh 14. 8, 28. 12, frequent ; ŠKS; WO 9-31 : 23 istis incl. e. g. Sarvakämasyesti ( 9 ), two Saň- grãmestis ( 15, 16) Vrstikãmasyesti ( 18), Grama- or Bhßti- or Brahmavarcasakämasyesti ( 21 ), Putresti ( 29 )

69. Vratapati - TB 3. 7. 3; Bhudh 28. 12, Ãp 9. 4. 15; ŠKS, ŠKE; WO 67 î Vratapatîsti ; general prayašcitta.

70. Vratabhrt - MS 2. 1. 10, Ãp 9. 4. 15-17, Kãty 25. 4. 28, AVPrãy 2. 8



SMITH : Names of Agni in the Vedic Ritual 225

(ŠKEI. 2: 1131, posthumous prayašcitta, on 9 kapãlas ); ŠKS, ŠKE; WO 68 : Ašrukaranesti ; AgPrãy, DPMPrãy.

71. Šuci - MS 1. 6. 2, KS 7. 13, Baudh 28. 12 ; ŠKS, ŠKE ; WO 89, 90; cf. no. 38 above (see J. Gonda, " Suci " in L. Sternbach Fel. Vol.» Lucknow 1979, pp. 119-127 ).

72. Samkusuka - Ãp 9. 3. 22, Bhär 9. 5. 12-14; ŠKE; AgPrãy. 73. Samvarga - AB 7. 7, Ãp 19. 25. 9, Katy 25. 4. 32; ŠKS, ŠKE; WO 78 J

Samvargesti. 74. Samsarga - Klty 25. 4. 30, AgPrãy. 75. Satyaujãh - AVA : devatã of AV 4. 36. 76. Sanimant - MS 2. 2. 13, Mãn 5. 1. 5. 33; ŠKS, ¿KE; WO 1156 : Pašu-

kãmasyesti ( Sanimant Samkusuka ). 77. Sãbantya - TS 2. 2. 3, Baudh 13. 5; ŠKS, ŠKE ; WO 87 : álkçamana-

syesti. 78. Surabhi - Ašv 3. 13. 11; ŠKE prayašcitta isti if false report of the

sacrificeos death during a journey. 79. Surabhimant - KS 10.6, Baudh 13.4, Sp 9. 11.17; ŠKS, ŠKE; WO

26, 74 : Abbiáasyamãnesti, Abhicãresti ; DPMPrãy. Pr8y ■= no. 77.

80. Söryavant - Kãty 25. 3. 19 ; ŠKE ; AgPrãy. 81. Saucîka - RVA : rsi of RV 10. 51. 2, 4, 6, 8 ; 10. 52 ; 10. 53. 4, 5 ; 10.

79 ; 10. 80 ; devatã of RV 10. 51. 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 ; 10. 53. 1-3, 6-11. 82. Svastimant - Ašv 2. 10. 5-7 ; SKE WO 88 : Svastyayanesti. 83. Svistakrt - TS 2. 6. 6, ŠB 1. 7. 3. 8, Ãp 2. 21. 6, frequent ; SKS, SKE ;

DPM and other istis ( see J. Gonda, Vedic Ritual, the Non- Solemn Rites, Leiden, 1980, p. 303 ).

84. Hiranyavant - AB 7. 9 ; ŠKS ; kãmya ( or naimittika ) isti if one has lost gold.

Abbreviations :

AB Aitareya Brãhmana Ag Agnihotra AgPrãy Agnihotra prayašcitta Ãp Ãpastamba Šrautasutra Ašv Ašvalayana Šrautas&tra AV Atharvaveda ( Šaunaka ) AVA Atharvaveda Anukramanikä

P [Annals BORI]



226 Armais BORI, LXVl ( 1985 )

AVPray Atharvaveda Prãyaácitta Baudh BaudhSyana Šrautasůtra Bhär Bhäradväja Šrautasůtra BhärPari Bhäradväja Pariáesasůtra DPM Darâapûrnamâsa DPMPrSy DaréapQrnamãsa prãyaícitta Kãty Kãtyãyana Šrautasůtra KS Käthaka Samhitä Män Manava Šrautasůtra MS Maitrãyani SamhitS Präy prãyaicitta RV Rgveda RVA Rgveda Anukramanikä ŠaňkhB ŠáňkhSyana Brähmana ŠB Šatapatha Brähmana ŠKE Šrautakoáa, English Section, part I ŠKS Šrautakoáa, Sanskrit Section, part I ŠSfi Šrautasůtra TB Taitdrlya Brähmana TS Taittirîya SamhitS WO " Wunschopfer " by Caland



a study on the names of the god of fire in the rgveda

Documents