Praying to Agni to Manifest Himself in His Evil-Torturing Aspect
We are looking at the meaning of a sukta from the Atharva Veda in which Agni is prayed to, that:
Please stop and destroy evil powers even when they have not started acting.
We have already seen the first four mantras. Now, the remaining three mantras of this sukta:
पश्याम ते वीर्यं जातवेदः प्र णो ब्रूहि यातुधानान् नृचक्षः ।
त्वया सर्वे परितप्ताः पुरस्तात्त आ यन्तु प्रब्रुवाणा उपेदम् ॥५॥
Agni has two aspects: light and heat.
As he is the ultimate source of light, he is also the ultimate source of knowledge.
Those who worship Agni, they gain knowledge about everything.
Even in advanced yogic practices, you see, you are told to focus on a flame — Agni.
The meaning of his name Jataveda is that he knows everything about everything that is created.
The heat aspect of Agni is about energy — energy behind everything, energy that can manifest anything and everything.
That is why when you pray to him for wealth, he can manifest wealth for you.
When you pray to him for a child, he can manifest a child for you.
His veerya is his energy.
We are seeing this — pashayama.
When you say this, you are also logging into his infinite knowledge and energy.
He is being addressed as nrichaksha.
Just as we are recognizing his infinite power,
he is also watching us — what we are doing, how we are aligned with him.
You are already torturing the evil forces; even their leader has come here and surrendered.
You please order them, command them, that they should stop troubling us again and again.
Once for all, the evil forces should stay away from us.
They are all so scared of you. They will listen to you.
The next mantra:
आ रभस्व जातवेदोऽस्माकार्थाय जज्ञिषे ।
दूतो नो अग्ने भूत्वा यातुधानान् वि लापय ॥६॥
Agni is being prayed to.
That aspect of yours as the killer of demons —
that particular aspect is what we are invoking you here for now.
The aspect which can protect us from evil forces.
We are not praying to you for anything else now.
Please manifest yourself in that particular aspect and protect us now.
Torture the evil forces.
Duta term is there. Duta is a representative, a messenger.
Agni is nobody’s messenger.
What power do we have to order Agni around?
But he is so kind —
he will reprimand the evil forces on our behalf.
That’s why duto bhutva — become like our messenger and reprimand them.
From his omniscient and omnipotent power, reduce yourself and do just this one small thing for us.
Like how we do prana pratishta in a small village temple —
that temple is meant for the people of that village.
We are limiting Bhagavan’s power to that small area.
He will oblige. He will do even that.
Because he is so kind.
त्वमग्ने यातुधानान् उपबद्धामिहा वह ।
अथैषामिन्द्रो वज्रेणापि शीर्षाणि वृश्चतु ॥७॥
Once again, reminding Agni Deva what is the exact prayer, the exact thing he has to do.
Tie up the evil forces, bring them here, torture them.
Indra Deva also will cut their heads with his weapon, which is vajrayudha, the thunderbolt.
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