Agni is the god of fire. He witnesses the alliance of Rama and Sugriva, shields Hanuman when his tail is set alight, and after Sita's ordeal rises from the flames with her unharmed, declaring her pure.
Who was Agni?
Fire is the witness of oaths in the Ramayana: Rama and Sugriva swear friendship by circling a sacred fire. Agni is also the father of Nila, commander of the vanara army, and in the Bala Kanda he carries Shiva's seed to the Ganga before Kartikeya's birth.
In Lanka, Sita prays to Agni to be cool to Hanuman, and the burning tail does not harm him. After the war, when Sita enters the pyre, Agni rises from it holding her in his arms and testifies to her purity before Rama and the gods.
In the Valmiki Ramayana
Agni appears in 7 sargas across 4 Kandas.
First appearsBala Kanda · Sarga 16: The Divine Payasam
1.16The Divine PayasamBala Kanda · Sarga 16 · दिव्य पायस1.17The Vanaras Are BornBala Kanda · Sarga 17 · वानरों का जन्म1.36Parvati's CurseBala Kanda · Sarga 36 · पार्वती का शाप5.53The Burning TailSundara Kanda · Sarga 53 · जलती पूँछ6.121Agni Returns SitaYuddha Kanda · Sarga 121 · अग्नि द्वारा सीता को लौटाना7.70The City of MadhuraUttara Kanda · Sarga 70 · मधुरा नगरी
Agni's family
Often seen with Agni
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