Rgveda-Darsana: The First Hymn to Agni (The Most Comprehensive Source for Understanding the Rig Veda)

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KALPATHARU RESEARCH ACADEMY (A DIVISION OF SRI SRINGERI SHARADA PEETHAM) BANGALORE

The Kalpatharu Research Academy, Bangalore is an Institution running with the benign blessings of His Holiness Jagadguru Shankaracharya, Sri Sri Bharathi Tigtha Mahaswamiji under the auspices of Dakshinamnaya Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham, established in 1981. Kalpatharu Research Academy has striped across the horizon of Indological Research and Publications with giant steps, and today stands as an Institution known for its unique quality’ of Research work. Kalpatharu Research Academy is dedicated to the cause of preservation of ancient heritage of India; it has encouraged Research in the fields of Agama, Veda, Tantra, Jyoutisha, Mantra—Sastra, Vastu, Yoga, Silpa, Ayurveda etc.

Among its prestigious publications (numbering more than Hundred till now), are Six Volumes of Pratima-Kosha, Twelve Volumes of Agama-Kosha, Three Volumes of the Art and Architecture of Indian Temples, Vastushilpa Kosha in three volumes and several Koshas like Ganesha-Kosha, Lalita-Kosha and Navagraha-Kosha, Oshadhi-Kosha, Salagrama-Kosha, Gita-Kosha, Hanumat- Kosha etc.

The Academy has plans of undertaking intensive Research in the field of Veda and Vedanga, and intends publishing "Bha1•atiya-Samskriti-Sarvasva-K0sha" an encyclopaedic work in several volumes dealing with all aspects of Indian Tradition and Culture. It seeks to promote Education, Culture, Science, Art and learning in all its branches. The approach will be broad-based and multi- disciplinary.

An extensive, comprehensive and specialist reference library has been built up to assist the Research Workers in the Indological disciplines. A valuable collection of Paln1—Leaf manuscripts relating to Veda, Vedanta, Vedanga and allied subjects has already been made; the collection work is continuing.

Dakshinamnaya Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham has been running a Guru-Kala type of Institution on traditional lines to impart Vedic Education at several places. Some of these Institutions are over 100 years old. It is the intention of Kalpatharu Research Academy to take an active part in continuing this age-old tradition and act as the Research & Publication wing for these Institutions.

Our ambition is to develop as a National Centre for higher learning in Veda, Vedanga and Shastras and facilitate the propagation of unique Sanskrit and Vedic Texts in the National and International arena.

This Publication is the 105th (One hundred and fifth) of its achievement in this field.

Vidyalankara Sastra-Chudamani, Sangita-Kalaratna, Professor Sãligrama Krishna Ramachandra A; well-known scholar who combines traditional learning with modern research. Well versed in Sanskrit, Pall Ardhamagadhi and several modern Indian languages and acquainted with Tibetan and some European languages. he has written extensively on Vedanta. Buddhism. Jainism, Indian Culture. Art and Literature.

In his professional career, however, he was a Professor of Psychology. He has headed the Department of Clinical in the National Institute of Mental Health and Bangalore, and the Department of Indian Culture in the Collision College Study Center of the University of the Pacific (U.S.A). At present, he is the Senior Associate of National Institute of Advanced Studies (Indian Institute of Science), Bangalore, and Guest Faculty, Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore and member of the Governing Council of TTD (SVCL Research Centre), Tirupati.

He has been Member of Karnataka State Lalitha Kala Academy and Sangita Nritya Academy: he has served on the Agama Board (Govt. of Karnataka). He is President of Silpa-Kala Pratishtana. The Govt. of Karnataka has honoured him with the 1986 Rajyotsava Award. He has received awards from Lalita-Kala Academi and Sangita Nritya Academi. He is the recipient of the Veda Sanman for the year 2000 by the Govt. of India (H.R.D. Ministry).

Kendriya Samskrita Vidya-peetha. Tirupati, (deemed university) has awarded him honoris causa degree ‘Vachaspati’ (2003).

He has written more than sixty books in Kannada a play in Sanskrit, and a Pail commentary on a Buddhist One of his books on Iconography in Kannada has tie State Sahitya Acaderni Award, as also another of his on the Tirupati Temple.

Among his numerous English Publications are three volumes of Encyclopaedia of Indian Medicine (Popular Prakasha, Mumbai, Tibetan Tantric Tradition and Tibetan Meditation (Arnold Heinemann, Delhi). Consciousness in Advaita. and a series of six books on Indian Temples (IBH Prakasha, Bangalore) and Origins of Indian Thought (Bangalore University: Kalpatharu Research Academy has published his Pratima-Kosha In six volumes. Agama-Kosha in Twelve volumes, Art and Architecture of Indian Temples in three volumes.

He is at present engaged in the 30-volume project Rgveda-Darsana (Thirteen volumes of which have appeared).

He is also musicologist, sculptor and painter, and has held some one man shows.

The Kalpatharu Research Academy, Bangalore, is proud and privileged to bring out the 13th volume in the series of research work on Rgveda-Darsana. This volume deals with the Agni-sukta that constitutes the opening hymn in 1tgveda-Samhita with elaborate introduction and notes. We are thankful to Prof. S.K. Ramachandra Rao for having prepared this volume in continuation of the previous volumes in the project, which have been well received by the world of scholars.

The Academy is indebted to the munificent blessings of its chief patron Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Swamiji, the Jagadguru of Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham and it is grateful to the chairman Sri V.R. Gowrishankar the Administrator of Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham for his keen interest in Academy’s research Programmes.

The Academy acknowledges the generous financial Assistance from the Ministry of Human Resources Development, Govt. of India, New Delhi and the Ministry of Education, Govt. of Karnataka for this noble task. Academy is indebted to Mis. Omkar Offset Printers, who have executed the printing, work of this volume efficiently and promptly.

This volume in the series Rgveda-Darsana focusses attention on the first hymn of Rgveda-Samhita, Agi-sukta seen by the sage- seer Madhuchchandasa. This hymn is dealt with here in accordance with the traditional view thai threefold the meaning of Vedic mantras: Adhi-yajna, Adhi-daiva, Adhyatma. For each of the nine mantras in the first sukta, these three view- points with explanations have been given.

I am indebted to the authorities of the Kalpatharu Research Academy for the opportunity given to me for preparing this significant volume on Rgveda; in particular to the Chief Editor and Director Sri Daivajna K.N. Somayaji, the Chief Patron Jagadguru of Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham, Sri Sri Sri Bharathitirtha Swamiji, and to the Academy’s Chairman and Administrator of Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham, Sri V.R. Gowrishankar.

I acknowledge the courtesy and cooperation of my friends Sri Venkatesh Babu and Sri Nagendra of Omkar Offset Printers during the production of this book.