Meaning of Agnee MeeLE (अग्नी मीळे)

Meaning of Agnee MeeLE (अग्नी मीळे)

The very first mantra in Rig Veda is
अग्नी मीळे पुरोहितं यज्ञस्य देवमृत्विजम्।  होतारं रत्नधातम्॥ (ऋग्वेदम् १॰१॰१)
Agnee MeeLE Purohitham Yajnasya Devamruthyujam.
Hothaaram Rathnadhaathamam. (Rig Veda 1.1.1)

Vedas, which is also called as Amnyaaya (आम्नायाः), are in Samhitha संहिता (collection) form. Meaning of Amnyaaya (आम्नायाः) can said to be more or less the same. Vedas, which are in Samhitha संहिता (collection) form, should be divided to Mantras, which help us understand the meanings. This process of division should go and reach to minute details like Sookthas सूक्ताः (collection of mantras describing ideas), Sookthees सूक्ती (mantras conveying devotion), words पदाः, roots धातु, etc. From roots धातु, we have to reach gradually to finer levels, which is finite and as instructed by the ancient scholar-saints (Maneeshi मनीषि) and gain capability and capacity to understand the real meanings. The concept originated by this, for the alphabets or words, can be called Samjnaartha संज्ञार्थः (meaning of Samjnas संज्ञ - symbols). Here onwards Samjna संज्ञ (symbols) is created. It is said in Ashwameda Prakarana अश्वमेधप्रकरण that Shamithas शमिताः say “Samjnaptha संज्ञप्तः”, after preparing and readying Thoopara Pashu तूपरपशु (animal, mostly cow, used in Yagas only to touch and chant) for taking Vapa वप. Similarly, the Shamithas शमिताः who are knowledge-hungry (Jijnaasu जिज्ञासु) should make Word-Animal (Pada-pashu पदपशु) as Samjnaptha संज्ञप्तः, in order to get the meanings of Vedic symbols (Vaidika Samjna वैदिक संज्ञ) in the form of Vapa वप (same as in Yagas). This is the process of understanding Vedic meaning (Vedaartha Kriya वेदार्ध क्रिय). Thus, the one who is knowledge-hungry (Jijnaasu जिज्ञासु) can contemplate on the Vedic meaning (Vedaartha Medham वेदार्धमेधम्) with the symbols (Samjna संज्ञ), which are made Samjnaptha संज्ञप्तः; according to his intellectual capacity. This is the meaning of the saying that Vedic meaning (Vedaartha वेदार्धम्) cannot be made Samitha समितः.

In order to elaborate this aspect, let us take two symbols (Samjna संज्ञ) – Agnim अग्निम् and Elee ईळे. These are the very first two words of the total eight words from the above Mantra. All these 8 words are closely interconnected in many complex ways. Let us not go in detail about this, for the time being. Let us take only Agnim अग्निम् and Elee ईळे. Let us see what we can extract from these two words. Agni is noun and Elee is verb. Vaiyyaakarana (the Grammatical authority) says Agnim Elee means “I pray to Agni”. He doesn’t have answer for the question “from where Agni coming”. It is available with Kalpakaara (specialist in Yajnas & other rituals) only, who says by the friction of fire stones (Arani). The answer to the question “How the friction of fire stones (Arani) happens” is “by Will Power (Ichaa Shakthi)”. We may not get easily, the answers to the questions “whose Will Power (Ichaa Shakthi)” and “for whom”. For which we have to plunge into the philosophies of Sankhya and Vaisheshika. The Will (Ichaa) to get light and heat by souls (Jeevaathma) are embedded in fire stones (Arani). We should be able to see Agni (fire) as the achievement extended by the friction. Shamita (the processor) exclaims that “fire is lit, excellently”. Thus four alphabets are made, exceptionally, as a prayer – AgneeMeele.

According to Vaiyyaakarana (the grammatical authority), burning of fire is a way of going/path (Gathi). Whether embedded in wood or exit from fire stones, it is going/path (Gathi). Therefore, the instruction of Vaiyyaakarana (the grammatical authority) that Ag means going/path (Gathi), is quite acceptable. With a bit of knowledge of grammar, it can be easily understood that when Ag is joined with Nee, it becomes Agni, which means the thing which guides the path. So, Agni can be interpreted as light also. It can also be meant as we pray to Agni which leads us from darkness to light. We can make multiple meanings for this word Agni. It could be the fire (power) of machines (Yanthraagni), fire for cooking (Pachakaagni), power of sun (Sooryaagni), street light, teacher (Guru), father, hunger (Jadharaagni), funeral fire (Chitaangi), molten metal (Agni Draavaka), Fire of God (Sarveshwaraagni), etc. We could get many in-depth meanings of six other words of the Mantra – from Purohitham to Rathnadhaathamam by contemplation.

(A humble and approximate translation/interpretation from November 2011 Arshanadam, the only Vedic-Philosophical magazine in Malayalam, founded in 1970 by Acharya Narendra Bhooshan – the greatest Vedic scholar of recent times. All Vedic scholars, forgive me for all errors which are fully mine and all credit goes to Acharyaji, Vedaprakash and all gurus.)