Vedic Mythology c5.s3.t2.28

c5.s3.t2.28

The triple nature of Agni gave rise to the notion of three brothers (1, 164¹); while the multiplicity of sacrificial fires may have suggested the idea of Agni's elder brothers who are spoken of in the plural (10, 51⁶). The number of these is later stated to be three (TS. 2, 6, 6¹). The same are probably meant by the four Hotṛs of the gods, of whom the first three died (Kāṭh. 25, 7)³¹. Varuṇa is once spoken of as Agni's brother (4, 1²). Elsewhere Indra is said to be his twin brother (6, 59²)³². Indra is indeed oftener associated with Agni than with any other god and is, with two slight exceptions, the only god with whom Agni forms a dual divinity (§ 44). It is doubtless owing to this association that Agni is described as bursting the rock with heat (8, 46¹⁶) and vanquishing the unbelieving Paṇis (7, 6³). In one entire hymn (1, 93) Agni is also coupled with Soma (§ 44).