The Religion of the Veda: The Ancient Religion of India (from Rig-Veda to Upanishads) c9.15

c9.15

But there is one figure that looms far above all others in ancient Hindu religious history from Veda to Mahābhārata, as the classical illustration of how a phenomenon of nature may be itself and personal god at one and the same time. It is the god Agni "Fire," who is element and god at the beginning and remains so to the end. Richard Wagner adopts in the Nibelungen tetralogy the doubtful interpretation of the Norse god Loge (Loki) as fire; Wotan calls upon this red-haired, impish god to appear when he wishes to hedge with fire his erring child Brunhilde. This is interesting, because it shows how even the modern poetic fancy may get itself to bridge over, uncritically, as behooves the poet, the great gap that is between the reality of nature and the unstable speculation of myth-makers. Native Hindu theologians in their scholastic mood find time to worry over the fact that a god like Agni can be devouring element and intelligent god at one and the same time. Even the Epic poet in the Mahābhārata stops to wonder: "There is but *one* Agni, yet is he kindled manifold";¹ and Agni himself is made to say: "Because I can multiply myself by the power of mental concentration (*yoga*), therefore am I present in the bodies (of men, as vital fire)."²