' The First Mantra of Rig Veda '

The First Mantra of Rig Veda '

      - P.Natarajan

Gramophone was invented by Thomas Alva Edison which could record the human voice for posterity. Edison wanted to record the voice of an eminent scholar on his first piece. His obvious choice was Max Muller, a great Sanskrit Scholar of the 19th century. Edison was advised by Max Muller to record his voice when he would address a Scholars' meet in the near future. Edison went to England and recorded Max Muller's voice when he addressed the Scholars. Edison played the recorded voice in the afternoon when Max Muller was also present. Max Muller inquired the learned audience whether they understood what he spoke in the morning which had been recorded by Edison and replayed. The audience were silent and Max Muller explained why they could not follow the language he spoke. He said he recited the first MANTRA of Rig Veda in Sanskrit. Before he repeated the Mantra, he observed that in the most primordial time there was no civilization in the West whereas at the same time India was highly civilized . The sages of India gave the world the Universal Philosophies. The learned audience were thrilled when Max Muller pointed out :-

"The Vedas are the oldest literature of human race. Rig Veda is the oldest among the 4 Vedas. Rig Veda is the most ancient , most profound, most sacred and most hallowed scripture. Max Muller Recited the first mantra of Rig Veda once again:-

अग्निमीळे पुरोहितं यज्ञस्य देवमृत्विजम् । होतारं रत्नधातमम् ( १)

The Mantra in praise of Agni , conveys that Agni is the priest ( purohit ) of the Yajna or Sacrifice as well as the Ritvij who is performing the Sacrifice at the proper time. The yajna is directed towards the Devas. Hotaram - the priest invoking the Gods and bestowing ' Ratna Dhatamum' rewarding the wealth of physical, mental and spiritual plane.

Yajna is the spiritual journey. Agni is the Guide, Guru and the God. Agni or Fire is first of the cosmic Gods to be invoked. Fire is aspiration. No progress can be made without aspiration. Thus Agni is the most important God for the seekers of infinite Truth. The Hindu scriptures also start with Agni and not Indra.

' A '  is the first letter of alphabet in English. In Hebrew also it is ‘a’ that is Alphe. In Greek it is Alpha. ' A ' is the first letter in Agni also. In many other languages the first letter is 'a'. The first sound of the human conscience is 'a'. " aaa " is the first sound arose.

Agni and Indra are twin brothers. Agni performs spiritual duties most successfully. They move simultaneously. While Agni goes up carrying the 'havis'  ( cooked rice) upward to the respective Gods, Indra brings down from the Heaven the riches. When two sticks are rubbed together Agni comes into existence. Agni devours the imperfection, ignorance, non-divine things around the earth when he is born. Agni dispels the darkness (' घनान्तकारेषु इव दीप दर्सनं ') Agni has 7 arms in the form of swastika. The symbol of Theosophical Society is also Swastika which signifies inner satisfaction, inner fulfillment and inner achievement. What is aspiration ? When we advance with age, we can only aspire as desires can not fulfill the old. For a child he has desires but he has no words to express his desire. Unconsciously the child and consciously the aged want to have something. The ultimate end comes through CONSCIOUS ASPIRATION. The child owing to his ignorance does not use the means of fulfillment in a divine way where as the adult applies aspiration in a proper way in order to reach the highest Truth.

Agni Deva is in all beings. All beings are in Him.

! सर्व भूतेषु अग्नि तिष्टति !   तस्मिन ते सर्वे प्रतिष्टितम  !

All gods reside in Agni. Agni existed before the birth of humans. Agni is Gruhapati meaning the Lord of the house. We pray to Agni to kindle the flame of aspiration. Agni is never old. He can come into existence any time (new born). At the same time Agni is the first mantra of the Rig Veda. Sama Veda also begins with Agni as below:-

अग्न॒ आया॑हि वी॒तयॆ॑ गृणा॒नॊ ह॒व्यदा॑तयॆ ।  

निहॊता॑ सत्सि ब॒र्हिषि॑ ॥

Agni brings in the aspiration and arouses the desires of the devotees to bestow oblations. Agni Deva binds us with desires to the variegated sense activities.  

Agni is human aspiration and divine inspiration all at once. I may suggest before I conclude " to repeat the word Agni early in the morning. You are bound to feel the climbing flame of aspiration within you. Pl.repeat the process most soulfully, most devotedly and with faith. You will feel the bumper crop of divine REALIZATION within you.

pn