Agni

praaNaagni

(Self-revealing Universal Consciousness)

(This is an expanded version of the previous publication)

The words in italics are the Sanskrit words. These words can be read in the
Sanskrit English dictionary by Sir Monier Williams, available in Internet at
<http://www.sanskrit-lexicon.uni-koeln.de/monier/> The Sanskrit words in italics are in
Itrans.
{This is written from the teachings received from the seers Shri. Bijoykrishna
Chattopadhaya (1875-1945), and his principle disciple Shri Tridibnath
Bandopadhaya(1923-1994) ------(you may reply about this article to
debkumar.lahiri@gmail.com)

Debkumar Lahiri}

The word ''Agni'' (agni) in Sanskrit means fire or more precisely the life burning. You are
alive means life is burning you. You are warm, dynamic, communicating. In fact the
applications of this word in Vedas vividly express all the aspects of fire, light and
electricity, communication and also kinetics. An Upanishad called "Prashnopanishad'' on

praaNa has mentioned praaNa as praanagnayo ( praaNa , the fires). praaNa means life
or the Consciousness flowing as life in every one, flowing as activities in any thing.

praaNa, (also called mukhya praaNa) is the Consciousness who is the origin of the
creation and of all the activities in Creation.
Agni, fire is self-expressing. He is self-illuminant. That is praaNa, Consciousness expresses
HIM/HER as creation by HIMSELF/HERSELF.

agni also means agram (in the front) nayati (brings)--that is, who brings forth everything or
forward everything--because praaNa is there beyond any expression, so praaNa is

agni. Everything you know is the expression of your consciousness, nothing is known or
expressed without praaNa, agni, consciousness.
When we say Soul or immutable Soul (aatman), there Consciousness, energy is at rest.
Everything is in the ONE absolutely; everything is in an absolute Oneness there. When

aatman becomes active, that active aspect is praaNa. The differentiation or duality starts
as aatman becomes praaNa. What we feel as Time is the praaNa. In us praaNa is
life, praaNa is expressing HIM/HER as our activities and as activities HE/SHE is ruling
over us.
In the Vedas, in the rituals, wherever agni is mentioned, agni stands for praaNa. It is for
this reason we cremate a dead body, because we know that our origin and termination
both are in praaNa. Upanishads have cited that we have originated from agni and that we
are annihilated in agni. It is strange to note that the words ''animation'' and ''annihilation''
in English has the component ''an'' which is also the component ''an(a)'' of the word

praaNa(=pra +an(a)). pr =Principal, First; an(a)=animation. praana, agni is one whose

animation has made us animated. He is the ''first animation'', ''first expression'' of the

aatman- absolute ONE. The word "pra" in Sanskrit conveys the meaning 'prathama' which
means 'first'. The first mantra (Rik) of Rik-veda says 'agnim iirey purohitam..... "we hail

agni, the purohita (priest)''. The word purohita (commonly meaning priest), means puro (in
front) + hita (exists, placed). agni is there before any expression, any revelation, any
creation, any activity.
In the Chandyogya Upanishad, where the tale of Upokoshal (disciple of Sattyakama) has
been narrated, three aspects of agni has been described: gRihapati agni, dakShiNaagni,

aahavanIya agni. gRihapati= gRiha (House) + pati(lord).The word gRiha means the house
or the body. It is related to the word grahaNa meaning the act of receiving. The body,
mind, instincts all those which we have received are our identities by which we live.

gRihapati is the agni, praaNa, Fire, who is dominating on this aspect of ours and running
our daily show. gRihapati is also known as the Father, because from ''Father'' (plane of

ancestry) we owe our instincts. The Fire, the drive, agni, praaNa, who is beyond our dear
life running through its routine course every day is gRihapati !
We remain as seed in father. We get our separate, distinct entity after we enter into
mothers domain. Each of us is made of instincts. These instincts are like seeds. These
instincts characterize us. In every birth, some of our instincts are activated and those
make us in that birth. This activation of instincts happens by the Mother, but this state of
remaining in seed forms is in fathers domain. As per the activated instincts we are
formed, our characters are made and our households are run. This is gRihapati agni or
Father.
The next Fire, agni is dakShiNaagni,=dakShiNa +agni. dakShiNa means south(also right)
and also connected with the word 'dakSha' meaning skilled. dakShiNa, south(right) is that
direction or inclination of praaNa, agni, by which we extend or spread ourselves as
activities, work, karma. This is the realm of work, rituals. Our build is by this aspect of

agni. We are transformed by work. dakShiNa agni is responsible for our constitution, build,
destination, destiny. Because of this some body likes sweet, some body dislikes. Our
travel to the other world and back to this world and our events in this world as well as in
the other worlds are all under the control of this agni. This agni belongs to the Mother,
because we get our build in Mother's domain. We start obtaining our features as we move
into Mother's womb from the Father. So, dakShiNaagni (dakShiNa agni) also determines
our assimilation. The way we assimilate is the way we feel and the way we get
constituted. This is why this aspect of agni is also popularly known in Upanishads as
''anvahaaryapachanagni= anu(accordingly, following) + aaharya (what is to be
eaten)+pachana(digestion)+agni (what all to be digested follow this agni).

The third agni

is aahavanIya agni. aahavanIya reveals as gRihapati and dakShiNaagni , as the Father

and the Mother, and is at the root. Father means where all the features, specialties,
remain as seeds, not active. By Mother, in Mother, the features get activated, degrees of
activation is decided by Mother. Both are the aspects of the One Consciousness, One

praaNa, called aahavanIya. The spread of the agni, the praaNa, the burning, revealing Life

God, has been described in the Upanishads to narrate how praaNa is there in every grain
of the creation and how every entity can identify them in agni in every aspect of its
existence and non-existence. The spread is called '''tanu'' meaning the ''body'' which is
from the root word called ''taan'' meaning to spread. Probably the word ''son'' has a
bearing with ''tan''. aahavanIya belongs to guru, aachaarya, the Preacher, who shows you
your root, takes you beyond the duality of creation, beyond the realm of Father and
Mother.
In '' aahavanIya, everything what we have had in the realm of dakShiNa and gRihapati is
seen in ONE, in the absolute ONE or Soul. Here every expression is "self expression'' or
''revelation of soul''. This is the true feature of the "divine fire''. The word '' aahavanIya ''
is from the root word "hu'' meaning to sacrifice or offer oblation in ''fire''. Every thing
ultimately gets in agni, sacrificed, find its root in agni, praaNa, Self-revealing
consciousness ("svayam prakaasha").
First hymn of Rik veda
First hymn of Rik veda----agnim Ire purohitam, yajnasya devam, Ritvijam, hotaram,
ratnadhatamam

1. agniagram nayati---who leads in the front. (Normal meaning of agni is

fire.)
2. agni is revealing aspect of Universal Consciousness. Universal
Consciousness is also called svayam prakaasha which means the One
who reveals Oneself by Oneself. As, Universal Consciousness is
everything, so we all are revealed by this revelation.

agni is in us as animation or warmth of life and leads us in all activities.

na nagnaagni-----not nakedwho does not keep us naked. Who always bestows a
body or a shape.
The word agni is connected to the root word ag meaning to move and more
precisely to initiate movement. Thus agni is the praaNa or active Universal
consciousness who is behind every event, action, movement (time).

(Probably the English word augment is also connected to ag).

3. purohita---pura (abode, body) + hita (benefit)-----who is in the abode or inside us for
our benefit. (Normal meaning of purohita is priest.)

purohita---punar (again and again, repeatedly) + rohita (red)----who reddens again

and again---who becomes everything by reddening himself or by radiating himself.
(Any static form is the result of formation by agni repeatedly i.e. any static shape is
actually made of repetition occurring with certain frequency.)
(agni is addressed as purohita or priest in the first hymn of Rik veda).

purohita---puro (ahead, in front) + hita (placed)-----who is ahead of everything or

every event.
4. Ir---to flow in and illuminate. The hymn says, agnim Ire----let agni, let streams of
Universal Consciousness flow in me. (Streams of Universal Consciousness are
always flowing in us resulting in our perception of the Universe and thus we are
living.)

agni or the Universal Consciousness is always flowing is us as the sound,

light, touch, taste, smell and illuminating us with life.

Ir = I (to move) + ra (ra~nj----to colour); (I= flowing in; r= radiating, illuminating.)

5.

yaj~na ---ya+ j~na.

j~na = who is knowing.
ya = to control (like the word yamana means act of controlling). Any action or any
activity is yaj~na as any action (whether physical or mental) is an action of
Consciousness or more correctly action of Universal Consciousness. The normal
meaning of yaj~na is oblation.
So, if we see the knower (j~na) in any activity, in any work, then it becomes
yaj~na.
This is why the deity yama is founded in yaj~na (Vrihadaranyaka Upanishad).

6. deva---any personality which is the source of certain revelation, who shines and
reveals. The root word is div meaning to shine. Thus in absolute sense, agni is
the deva of all activities or yaj~na. The word deva actually implies an unending
source or personality that reveals a certain aspect or feature of the Universal
Consciousness in infinite ways.
7. Ritvik---who implements. It is from the word Rita meaning to flow (madhu
vaataa Ritayayte----sweetly the air flows). The end alphabet k or ka implies
karma or implementation.
8. hotaa (from the word hotRI) who calls , who summons. This universe is the call
of the Universal Consciousness. Thus everything has a name, every feeling is
associated with a word or description.
Everything, every event is a call of the Universal Consciousness or agni. agni is
calling everyone to merge with HIM.
9.

ratnadhaa who is holding the gem. Every creation or entity is a gem. It is the
manifestation of Immutable Universal Soul or Consciousness in that form or as that
entity. In that entity also, the Universal Soul remains as Immutable One. Thus
each One is the manifestation of Universal ONE and is called anu-aatman or
pratyak aatman in the text. This each entity is a gem and the Universal Soul or
Consciousness is holding each of them.

agni, who is praaNa or life force in us, also converts all the offered foods, eaten stuff,

perceived sensations to our nourishment, to our life. They become same (samaana) with
us. Thus the foods get converted into agni, life, fire and keeps us warm.

Upanishad has mentioned the praaNa called samaana as the one who takes all the

offered foods into Oneness (sameness)----hutam (offered) annam(foods) samam(sameness)

nayayti(leads)-----leads the offered food into sameness.

agnihotra also called praaNaagnihotra, is the aspect of agni/ praaNa by which agni calls
us to assimilate in Oneness.

agnihotra= agni + hu(hU) + tra (three; to rescuetraaNa); hu to offer; hUcall.

Whatever we eat, whatever we feel, it gets into us it builds us. This is assimilation.

There are five actions of agni or praaNa by which this happens. The word five (penta) is

pancha in Sanskrit and is connected to the root word pach meaning to digest and also
to cook. Thus five is qualifying the digestion or assimilation or cooking. Thus all of us
is doing agnihotra, offering all the time oblations to our praaNa, to the burning
Consciousness in us, to agni.

Chandogya Upanishad, chapter on Pranagnihotra-----agnihotra

Upanishad has cited that the food first arrives, (know that) it is for homa(oblation)---it is
for the eater to get assimilated with praaNa {atha(and) yat(what) bhaktam(food)

prathamam(at first) aagacchet(arrives) tat(that is) homIyam(for the sacrifice or oblation---that

is for getting merged).In fact with each gulp of food, with each perception, we in our

Consciousness as the perceiver or eater is going back to the source or praaNa. On one
end we eat or feel, but finally the food/ sense and the eater / perceiver rests in the
source from where all the activities of the consciousness is coming out.
Upanishad has further said that the very first take of food to be offered to praaNa. This

could be the first taking of the food, this could be the first feeling of existence or could be
the very first phase of every feeling at every moment.
Upansihad has further said: when praaNa is satisfied, the eye/vision is satisfied; when the
eye or vision is satisfied then aditya or the sun is satisfied; when the sun is satisfied the
divinity or dyU is satisfied.

Here by praaNa it means.pra (prathamafirst)+ana (animation). Nothing happens unless

praaNa is there. praaNa is before every event and will be before very event and was

before every event. praaNa is the most expected and desired one without whom nothing
happens. The word east is from the Sanskrit work IShTa meaning desired. The

direction where the first event happens is called the east. The direction in which we first
orient ourselves when an event happens is the east. This is why the direction in which

the sun (the praaNa revealed in the external sky as the source of life) is also called

east. We always orient ourselves to what we desire; we always look for what we desire.

Like the life flagrant in the sun, our feelings are flagrant in the eye, in our vision. Both the
sun and the eye are the source of vision and time. Both are the same; eye is the micro
form and sun is the macro
form. (Modern science also in a way addresses the relation between the eye and time.
Some references in the internet are the followings:
http://www.nigms.nih.gov/Education/Pages/Factsheet_CircadianRhythms.aspx
http://www.everydayhealth.com/sleep/insomnia/resetting-your-clock.aspx)
Nothing happens without revelation, without the sun, without the vision. So, this is first. So,
with the first gulp of food, with the first touch of feeling, praaNa is satisfied and so is

satisfied the eye, so the sun and so the divinity ( dyU). The praaNa and eye make one
pair. praaNa is the active personality of Universal Consciousness in us and eye is the

center of revelation or activities of praaNa. (As we have explained above, eye means

where all the feelings are active, where all the feelings are kindled.) Similar is the sun
(aditya) and the divinity or dyU. aditya is the active center of dyU. dyU means the

revealing Consciousness. aditya means who is eating , assimilating everyone in Oneness.

It is from the root word ad meaning to eat and also from the word a+ dvi meaning

without duality. It is the centre of regale of Universal Consciousness where, the bliss is

from feeling the entire universe in oneness, embracing all the dualities in Oneness. This is
the bliss at the core of divinity or dyU. The external suns, the stars are the physical

revelation of such centres. Thus the one who is the king of heaven is called indra and

also indha (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad). indra means who is seeing. (dra = to see). indha
means who is flagrant. Looking at something means taking that inside, in the self! It is
revelation or expression as well as taking back.
The next or the second offer or oblation is to the aspect of agni or praaNa called vyaana.

vyaana is vi (different )+ ana(animation, praaNa). vyaana controls the directions and thus
the spread in different directions.

Upansihad has said: When vyaana is satisfied, ears are satisfied, when ears are satisfied
directions are satisfied, when directions are satisfied the moon is satisfied.

vyaana is that aspect by which praaNa is controlling the directions and spreads.

Everything remains connected and communicated by vyaana. As it connects everyone, so

it is the source of direction. There is no direction and so no destination without vyaana.

The personality is vyaana and the center of action or place where vyaana resides, is the
ear. The modern science has found that the inner ear controls our sense of direction.
Consciousness has a basic binary aspect; to express or to speak, to listen or to feel
(what is expressed). We determine our directions after listening, after knowing.
When we get something in, whether a sense or a food, it is directed in certain ways in us
and that determine our interaction with it. Say , when we eat, how the food will be liked

by us, how it will be assimilated and what effect it will produce, how much it will nourish
our body, what effect it will produce in our mind and so on are all the parts of the

directive. When we eat, our entire body, our entirety responds to it, reacts with satisfaction
or whatever. This percolation inside, spread inside, absorption, filtration and ultimate

assimilation happen under the direction of vyaana. This makes the inner shine when one
eats. The multiple colours illuminate our inner sky as the food (anna) returns through us
to the soul; as the food is processed and assimilated in us. This is also known as the

colours of the hitaa naadi as mentioned in the Upanishads. Though the above has been

described with respect to food, it is true for every perception or feeling. This is the innershine or moon, characterized by the reflected rays, rays absorbed, rays filtered. Moon or
the lunar plane is that aspect of Consciousness who controls our build, our joys and
sorrow, our phases, our evolution, our to and fro journey from life and death.
The third offer is to apaana. apaana controls the realization or act of materializing.
Upansiasd has cited:

When apaana is satisfied, vaak is satisfied, when vaak is satisfied the earth (pRithivI) is
satisfied, when earth is satisfied, the fire (agni).

Anything created in Consciousness, is placed in an orbit and gets a life span or stability.

This getting fixed in an orbit or form is implemented by apaana. This is felt as gravity or
gravitation. Thus Upanishad has said------ prihivyaM (in the earth) yaa (who) devataa (is
the deity or divine personality) sa(she) aeShaa(this) puruShasya(creatures or units)

apaanam(apaan) avShTbhya(held)-----the deity who is in the earth is holding the apaana in

this creature---or the divine apaana (personality in the earth) is holding the

apaana(physicality or body) in every creature. (Prashnopanishad). In Upansishad, no

distinction is made between the earth and the body of a creature.

For every creature its body is its earth. The materialization is the realization of word or
expression of Consciousness. Consciousness or the faculty of Consciousness who is

behind every expression is called vaak. Toward the creation, Consciousness is called

praaNa and the consort or faculty (shakti ) of Consciousness is called vaak. The way the
vaak expresses, the same the Consciousness ( praaNa) becomes. Both vaak and praaNa
are aspects of Consciousness and are the conjugal pair at the root of creation. In a
materialized state, praaNa is termed as apaana. What is our materialized state, the

same is the earth in the macro scale. Thus when vaak is satisfied, pRithivI or the earth
is satisfied. (pRithivI is from the root word pRith and also connected to the word

pRithak and implies the personality of Consciousness who supports separate existence.

More it is separated and differentiated in the creation, the more it is materialized or inert
in that form of creation. The creation is never completed without materialization. It is like
an electrical circuit which is never completed without ground or earth. As, apaaNa and

vaak make a pair, similarly the earth/pRithivi and fire/agni make a pair. Within the earth

there is fire as within our body the praaNa is flagrant. It is that fire which casts or forges
to make a shape, like a blacksmith creates a shaped body.
The fourth offer is to samaana.
When samaana is satisfied, manas/mind is satisfied; when mind is satisfied parjanya is
satisfied; when parjanya is satisfied, electricity (vidyut) is satisfied.

samaana is that aspect of praaNa or agni who maintains sameness or who brings

everything into sameness, equilibrium. It is sama + ana. ana = praaNa or animation.

sama = same, at par. Upansihad has mentioned about samaana as hutam (offered)

annam (food) samam (sameness) nayati (leads or carries)---- who carries the offered

foods to sameness. We assimilate by samaana. In us it (samaana) is the mind. Whatever

we eat, we perceive, it gets accommodated in the mind. The subtle part of the food goes

to the mind. There it is held in the sameness. Everything is there in the mind, but there is
no dimensional separation! It is from the mind the organs / actions sprout, elongate into

physicality, the senses take different courses of actions. This mind charged with everything

but not exhibiting any specialty is like cloud charged with electricity and ready to rain. The
word parjanya generally means the cloud capable of raining. The word vidyuat is

commonly meant electricity and etymologically it means which detonates or splits in

pieces. It is from the word vidonate in Sanskrit meaning detonates, splits. It also

meansvid (existence) +ut (supreme), i.e. supreme state of existence. In the inner plane

(inner sky), first it is radiation (teja) or the initiation to split----this is vidyut (electricity); then
it condenses, the Consciousness condenses and we feel this inside as the emotions or

the emotive state (this is parjanya, cloud carrying the water of rain); then it becomes more
crystallized, we determine what to do or not, how to act----this is the state of mind----then
it translates into physicality (earth). This is happening in every expression of
Consciousness, in every expression of word.
The fifth offer is to udaana. udaana is that aspect of praaNa or agni who takes us up.

udaana= ut(up) + ana (animation; praaNa). It is for this reason we change, we evolve to
higher being and go back to our origin. This is why we are never stagnant. We keep

moving. Thus we say that time is fleeting, moments are passing. Actually we are moving.
Every sense comes and goes, replaced by the next one. Where it goes? There where it
goes, lies the answer (uttara). The word uttara is also from the word ut meaning

answer and also north. Whatever is past, it also exists. Such existence is part of
divinity. Such existence is above (ut) mortality.

When udaana is satisfied, tvak (touch) is satisfied, when tvak is satisfied vaayu (air) is
satisfied, when air is satisfied aakaasha (sky) is satisfied.

We are engulfed in the air (whom we know by touch) and we are embodied or encased
in the envelope of the skin. Like the water evaporates in the air and remains in subtle

form in the sky, similarly all that we know or feel, all that we live, get connected to the
divinity or go back to our divine aspect through the channel of touch to air to sky or

aakaasha.

aakaasha= aa(spreading all over) +kasha (to shine)---shining and spreading everywhere.
Touch is the sense when the duality is first felt. There cannot be touch unless there is a
duality. The core of the sense touch is like, one going to be two. aakaasha is above
touch and is of more oneness; there is no flow or air there; duality is there but held in

ONE and capable of becoming two. This capable of becoming two is the radiance or

kaash of aakaasha. aakaasha is the One with shine, expressing that the One is capable
of becoming many.

While describing the satisfaction of eating, satisfaction of receiving the oblation for
everyone, Upanishad has cited that when any one of the five praaNa

is satisfied along

with the praaNa, everyone else who are the subjects of praaNa, who are originated from

praaNa, they are all satisfied..tasya (his) anutriptim(satisfaction) tripyate (satisfies)

pashubhir (animals),

prajaya (satisfies who are his descendants), bhrama (who is growing

forever) varchasena(by luster) annadena(by foods)----satisfaction of praaNa satisfies the

animals, satisfies those who are created; they are satisfied by the radiance of the growing

praaNa, by the nourishment. (Animal / pashu means the one who is under care or

surveillance; word pashu is from the root word pash meaning (i) to tame, (ii) to see.)

Thus, when we know praaNa, when we knowingly offer our foods and senses to praaNa

while eating or perceiving, our senses cross the mortality and limitation. The vision crosses
the boundary and merges with the vision of the universal consciousness called the sun.

The sense of hearing crosses the boundary and merges with directions. The mind crosses

the boundary and finds the entire divinity as its expression. The words cross the boundary
and find themselves as materialized as the formed universe. The touch crosses the

boundary and merges with the universal air who touches every one and who has kept
everything connected.
Thus Upanishad has further said:
yatheha(like) khudia(hungry) balah(child) mataram(to mother) paryupasade(solicits)
abeam (similarly) sarvani(all) bhutani (creatures) agnihotram upasate(performs agnihotra)

agnihotram upasate(performs agnihotra)---- All the creatures perform agnihotra (offers food
to praaNa) like a hungry child soliciting the mother for the food!
The three eaters.

praaNa, agni, is the burning and active Consciousness who is in us and who receives all

the foods we eat, whose satisfaction satisfies us, satisfies every cell of the body, satisfies
all the other creatures, higher beings and realms of the universe with whom we are
intimately connected.
This praaNa, agni is also known to have three mouths to relish the food: sthUlbhuk,
viviktabhuk, anandabhUk!

sthulbhUk: sthUla= physical or coarse; bhuKeater.

sthulbhuk---who is characterized by eating physically----whatever comes as food, or as a

sense, the eater or perceiver is taken over by it; this is a characteristic of Consciousness
by which physicality is formed; it is a characteristic of the time present or iha, meaning
to live in the present.

sthulbhuk is characterized by being always in the external. External means whatever is

separated from the self. It is a plane or state in Consciousness where one is

overwhelmed by the feeling of duality. Whatever we feel here, whatever we perceive

here, every this is different from us and has a separate entity.
This is our living in day light, I mean living in the state of wakefulness. This is the state
of us when we get up from the sleep and get attached to the external world.
The corresponding name of the Universal Consciousness who predominates on this state
is called gRihapati agni. gRihapati means, master of the house, or the one who is in
control of your daily chores.

viviktabhuk---vivikta=separated; bhukeater. A very appropriate example of eating or

sensing by separation is the state of dream, where we sense things without the external
world. Whatever we sense in the physical world, we sense the same things in dream.

Dream is the junction of state of wake and state of sleep. This is also called the plane
of radiance or illumination and in the text is mentioned as taijasa. Any physical thing

which we see, is made of light (because we see) and also has a weight or gravity. On

the other hand taijasa is like only made of light and sans physicality. In taijasa it is not
restricted by the rules of the earth. Everything can happen with things in taijasa state,
which cannot happen in the earth due to preset rules. In this plane, bhoktaa or bhoktrI

(the eater) and bhogya (what is eaten) are same. If we look into the physicality as well as
to this illuminated state, then we can see, that whatever we eat, the one part goes to the
physical, the balance goes to nonphysical, it goes to mind, praanNa and vaak.

vaak is the initial phase of revealing Consciousness. vaak is also called teja=tat (that) ejati
(vibrating). It is the initial state or the force or shakti for the Consciousness to reveal or
split.

By praaNa, here in this context, is meant the middle stage after the split or revelation.

Like, before we do a thing, there is an initial urge which moves us to do the thing. Then

it takes further formation inside us and our feelings about that start coming to us. This is
the middle plane praaNa also called jala or aapa(water). It is also the plane of
acquirement (aqua), satisfaction.

The next stage is mind or manasa, where the feelings from middle plane, consolidate into
a determined action (saMkalpa). Here the interface with the physical world happens and
we do or act in the real world. Mind is also called anna (or food).

The above three are our three fundamental, subtle forms, and in the process of digestion
of food or assimilation of any perception, these three forms remain active. Whatever we
eat, the food goes to manas (mind), praaNa and vaak.

If we do something, it gets over after some time. But it still remains in us in subtler
forms. So, we can think about what has happened. The effects of eating a food or

sensing something last for long, much after the physical phenomena are over. During and

after we eat, our inner sky is radiated with many hues of inner colours, characterizing the
food and the assimilation. We get assimilated in the foods, the foods get assimilated in

us. Here, the scale of time is different from the scale in the physical world. Similarly the
time in dream is different from the time when we are awake.
aanandabhuk ---aananda= bliss, joy; bhuk=eater. aanandabhukwho only eats joy or who
only perceives joy.

The word aananda actually means bound or shrouded by negativity and characterized by
the same. We will explain this by the etymological meaning of the word as below:

aananda= aa (spread or characterization)+ nanda

The word nanda means joy and is from the root word nand.

nand= n (negative, none) + and (to bind)

There are two forms of negativity or aananda or joy in Consciousness. This has been

explained in Chandogya Upanishad, where the aspect bhUma of Consciousness has been
described.

One aspect of negativity is that there is no One else. So, anything else has merged into
Oneness. This is a kind of aananda or joy!

The other aspect of negativity is ONE is everything. So, there is everything, but ONE is
everything.
This is other kind of aananda or joy!
Thus where the Universal Consciousness is in this form, or where we are in this form,

there we or the Universal Consciousness is aanandabhuk. In us, this is the state of sleep
and this state is beyond dream. As we do not know our real self, so, after sleep we

feel that we come out of darkness or negativity, without remembering the state of bliss.
We will get the comfort of sleep.
Thus where all the foods, where all the perception are dissolving into Oneness in us,
beyond our feelings, there is the joy eater or aanandabhuk.
A few names of agni
1. jaatavedas (

) jaata (to generate, to be born) +vedas(knowledge).

jaatavedas means who creates or who takes forms and knows or feels what is
formed This is the speaking and listening. Whatever Consciousness speaks or
becomes, Consciousness simultaneously feels it or listens to it. This is why veda is
also called shruti (act of listening).
2. vEshvaanara (

---pronounced as vaishwaanara)--- (a) vEshva (universal)+ nara

(man)---One who is everything; (b) vEshva (universal)+ n(like) + ara (spoke or

radius of a wheel)---who

like the spokes of a wheel has pervaded everything in

space and time.

3. vahni (

---pronounced as vanhi)-. vahni is from the root word vah meaning to

carry. vahni means who communicates or carries or leads. There cannot be any
motion, any communication without agni. He is the carrier of sense, carrier of

anything to be obtained, he carries the oblations to the deities. He carries the

foods and perceptions in us.
4. hutashana (

)---- huta(offered)+ ashana (eat)(i) whatever is offered to agni,

agni eats it up or assimilates; (ii) anything which is offered to agni, is assimilated

by agni or gets converted into agni.(Like if a flammable object is put in the fire, it
is ignited and becomes part of the fire.); (iii) who calls ( hU) everyone to assimilate
or absorb in Oneness.(This is the property of Universal Consciousness whose call
is the kaala or time and along the flow of time or by the call, we are evolving and
gradually getting near to our origin or Universal Oneness.