Hindu mythology, Vedic and Purānic . t borne towards us in a golden chariot,Impelled by winds, and drawn by ruddy steeds,Marking thy cars destructive course with blackness. Various accounts are given of the origin of is said to be a son of Dyaus and Prithivi ; he iscalled the son of Brahma, and is then named Abhi-mani ; and he is reckoned amongst the children ofKasvpa and Aditi, and hence one of the the later writings he is described as a son of Angiras,king of the Pitris (fathers of mankind), and the author-ship of several hymns is ascribed to him. In pictureshe is represen
Hindu mythology, Vedic and Purānic . t borne towards us in a golden chariot,Impelled by winds, and drawn by ruddy steeds,Marking thy cars destructive course with blackness. Various accounts are given of the origin of is said to be a son of Dyaus and Prithivi ; he iscalled the son of Brahma, and is then named Abhi-mani ; and he is reckoned amongst the children ofKasvpa and Aditi, and hence one of the the later writings he is described as a son of Angiras,king of the Pitris (fathers of mankind), and the author-ship of several hymns is ascribed to him. In pictureshe is represented as a red man, having three legs and 21 22 THE VEDIC DEITIES. seven arms, dark eyes, eyebrows and hair. He rideson a ram, wears a poita (Brahmanical thread), and agarland of fruit. Flames of fire issue from his mouthand seven streams of glory radiate from his following passage, for every sentence of whichDr. Muir* quotes a text from the Vedas, gives a goodidea of the character and functions of this deity in theVedic Agni is an immortal who has taken up his abodewith mortals as their guest. He is the domestic prie>twho rises before the dawn, and who concentrates inhis own person and exercises in a higher sense all thevarious sacrificial offices which the Indian ritual as-signs to a number of different human functionaries. * Muir, O. S. T., v. 119, ff. AGNI. 23 He is a sage, the divinest among the sages, immediate-ly acquainted with all the forms of worship ; the wisedirector, the successful accomplisher, and the protectorof all ceremonies, who enables men to serve the godsin a correct and acceptable manner in cases where theycould not do this with their own unaided skill. He isa swift messenger, moving between heaven and earthcommissioned both by gods and men to maintaintheir mutual communication, to announce to the im-mortals the hymns, and to convey to them the obla-tions of their worshippers ; or to bring them (the im-mortals) down from the sky to the pl
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