The Religion of the Veda: The Ancient Religion of India (from Rig-Veda to Upanishads) c9.35

c9.35

Agni officiates at the sacrifice and becomes the divine counterpart of the earthly priesthood: house-priest, serving-priest, and priest in general, as states the very first stanza of the Rig-Veda. As such he also inspires, or invents the brilliant speech and thought of prayer, and, what is very important, he frees from sin. For the sacrifice, of course, is the staple means of conciliating the gods when they are supposed to be angry. The idea of priesthood blends with that of seer and sage. He is so expert and well-travelled as to assume in a very pronounced sense the qualities of omniscience and omnipresence.¹