Angiras | |
|---|---|
 An 18th-century painting of Angiras | |
| Personal life | |
| Spouse | Surūpa, Smriti |
| Children | Utathya,Brihaspati and other children[1] |
| Parent(s) | Brahma orAgni (father; as perPuranic scriptures) |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Hinduism |
Angiras (Sanskrit:अङ्गिरस् (stem),IAST:Aṅgiras,Sanskrit pronunciation:['ɐŋɡirɐs], nominative singularSanskrit:अङ्गिराः,IAST:Aṅgirāḥ,Sanskrit pronunciation:['ɐŋɡirɐ:h], renderedAngirā in Hindi) was a Vedicrishi (sage) ofHinduism. He is described in theRigveda as a teacher of divine knowledge, a mediator between men and gods, as well as stated in other hymns to be the first ofAgni-devas (fire gods).[1][2] In some texts, he is considered to be one of the seven great sages orSaptarishis, but in others he is mentioned but not counted in the list of seven great sages.[3] In some manuscripts ofAtharvaveda, the text is attributed to "Atharvangirasah", which is a compound ofsageAtharvan and Angira.[4][5] The student family of Angira are called "Angira",[1][6] and they are credited to be the authors of some hymns in the first, second, fifth, eighth, ninth, and tenth books of theRigveda.[7] By the time of the composition of the Rigveda, the Angirases were an oldRishi clan, and were stated to have participated in several events.[8]
Many hymns of theRigveda credit the Angirases as their authors,[7] mainly in Mandalas I and VIII.[8] Various Angirasa sub-clans, including the Śunahotras, the Gautamas, and the Bhāradvājas composed Mandalas II, IV, and VI respectively.[8][9]
Other than crediting authorship, the Vedic texts mention sage Angiras in various roles such as a fire priest or a singer. For example, the allegorical hymn 3.31 of theRigveda calls him a singer:
The most inspired one came, assuming a friendly attitude,
The rock made ripe (its) fruit for the one who performs the kind deed,
The young hero attained (his aim) with the youths, assuming a warlike attitude,
And here right away, the singing Angiras appeared.
— Rigveda 3.31.7, Translator: Tatyana J. Elizarenkova[10]
According toMax Muller—a professor of Sanskrit and Indology at theOxford University—the sage Angiras in Vedic literature is different from the plural termAngirasa, and these terms refer to different people. TheAngiras rishi is different from the group of sorcerers inAtharvaveda also namedAngirasa, and according to Muller, the Vedic rishi is also different from a class of divine beings who too are calledAngirasa in the Vedic texts and described as "sprung from coals (angara)".[11]
In Buddhist Pali canonical texts such asDigha Nikaya, Tevijja Sutta describes a discussion between the Buddha and Vedic scholars of his time. TheBuddha names tenrishis, calls them "early sages" and makers of ancient verses that have been collected and chanted in his era, and among those ten rishis is Angiras.[12][note 1]
The name Angirasas is applied generically to several Puranic individuals. Further, the Vedic sage Angiras appears in medieval Hindu texts with contradictory roles as well as many different versions of his birth, marriage and biography.[2] In some, he is described to be the son ofBrahma, in others he is one of manyPrajapatis. Depending on the legend, he has one, two or four wives.[2] In one myth, his wife is stated to beSurūpa and his sons are Utathya, Samvartana and Brahaspati.[13] Other accounts say that he married Smriti (memory), the daughter of Daksha and later married Svadha (oblation).[6] Yet other Puranic accounts state, he marriedShubha and they had seven daughters named after aspects of "fire" and a son namedBrihaspati.[1] In some legends, sage Brihaspati is his son.[2]
According to one legend, Angirasa turned his senses inwards and meditated onPara Brahman, the creator of the creator, for several years. The great Tejas he got by birth had multiplied infinitely by his penance. He attained many divine qualities, powers, and riches, and control over many worlds. But he was oblivious of all the worldly attainments and did not stop his penance. Due to this penance he became one with the Para-Brahman and thus attained the state of “Brahmarishi”. He had visions of many Vedic Mantras and brought them to this earthly world. He is credited as being the source of great number of Vedic Hymns and mantras and also believed to have introduced fire-worship along with sageBhrigu.[6]
He is one of Saptarishis in thePuranas.[14]
Ghora of the Angiras family is identified by some scholars asNeminatha, the twenty-secondtirthankara inJainism.[15]
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