Fire is an alluring and at the same time dangerous element. Its flames are always rebellious, and a small spark can burn everything in its path. But how eye-catching is the view of a bonfire on a summer night or the image of a lit candle in a dark room! In ancient times, people worshiped fire, because this element was for them in many ways saving. With it, dishes were prepared,
homes were heated, the path was lit in darkness. The elements mentioned were treated with reverence and respect. And since there is fire, there must be its patrons. Almost every nation had its own gods, controlling this or that element. We are interested in the fire gods, and we will dwell on the most famous of them. So, in Ancient Greece, the famous Hephaestus was considered the patron of the flame, among the Slavs - Svarog and Semargl, in Indian mythology - Agni. In this article, we recall the cults of these mythological deities.
Hephaestus
The working God, the son of Hera and Zeus, was born weak and painful. His mother, seeing how frail he was, threw him out of heaven, leaving him forever lame. The boy was sheltered by the sea nymphs of Thetis and Eurynome. A grown-up boy presented his rescuers with home-made products from precious metals. Subsequently, his skill was liked by the gods of Olympus, and even Hera had mercy and adopted a son. Unhappy was Hephaestus only in love. His wife, the beautiful Aphrodite, in his absence
indulged in amorous pleasures with Ares. As a result, the fire god punished lovers. He set up a trap on the bed, into which a couple fell. All the gods made fun of their torment and attempts to free themselves. In addition, Hephaestus, like the other good gods of fire, was recognized as the patron saint of all working people, especially blacksmiths.
Svarog
This Slavic fire god personifies the earthly flame, descending from the light of the sun. Svarog was credited with both beneficial qualities, because he supplied people with heat, light, and destructive forces, since it was in his power to send people droughts and fires. In addition, like the other fierce gods of fire, he was revered as the patron saint of wars and natural elements. His
such features as observation, intelligence, rationality are inherent. The god of fire in
Slavic mythology had truly golden hands, he was easily given all the secrets of crafts. In order to achieve his favor and protection, various sacrifices were made to him. Svarog liked zealous people, acting with perseverance and tenacity, calm and prudent.
Agni
This mythological character, like other peace-loving fire gods, appears in parallel as the guardian of the hearth and sacrificial fire. In ancient India, Agni was considered the main of the earthly gods. Its main function was to mediate between other deities and the people who inhabit the earth. This immortal guest of mortals, as the ancient Indians called him, as well as other gods of fire, generously endowed people with various blessings and protected them from evil demons, murderous hunger and hopeless poverty. However, over time, Agni undergoes metamorphoses. As a result, he becomes one of the eight world-gods.