Rig Veda · 149 of 1027
Mandala 1: HYMN CXLIX. Agni.
1.HITHER he hastens to give, Lord of great riches, King of the mighty, to the place of treasure. The pressing-stones shall serve him speeding near us.
2.As Steer of men so Steer of earth and heaven by glory, he whose streams all life hath drunken, Who hasting forward rests upon the altar.
3.He who hath lighted up the joyous castle, wise Courser like the Steed of cloudy heaven, Bright like the Sun, with hundredfold existence.
4.He, doubly born, hath spread in his effulgence through the three luminous realms, through all the regions, Best sacrificing Priest where waters gather.
5.Priest doubly born, he through his love of glory hath in his keeping all things worth the choosing, The man who brings him gifts hath noble offspring.
Asked of Guide
Why is Agni called “doubly born” in this hymn?
The hymn calls Agni “doubly born” while tracing his movement from hearth to heaven and naming him both Priest and Steer of the world, which frames him as a mediator born in two realms: the earthly altar and the luminous skies. The phrase points to his dual origin and function — he is the sacrificial fire kindled at the human altar and the celestial flame that ‘spread in his effulgence through the three luminous realms.’
This chapter makes the same move as the later Upanishads that describe inner and outer fire: Agni’s double birth explains why he connects humans and gods, receives offerings and also carries them upward. If you want another text that treats the inner/outer fire pair, read the Chandogya Upanishad where fire becomes an inner principle linking ritual and vision.
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