Fire is an alluring and at the same time dangerous element. His flames are always rebellious, and a small spark can burn everything in its path. But how eye-catching is the sight of a fire 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 its help, dishes were prepared,
houses were warmed, the way in the darkness was illuminated. The aforementioned elements were treated reverently and respectfully. And since fire exists, its patrons must also exist. Almost every nation had its own gods that controlled one or another element. We are interested in the gods of fire, and we will focus 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 will recall the cults of these mythological deities.
Hephaestus
God the worker, the son of Hera and Zeus, was bornweak and sickly. His mother, seeing how frail he was, threw him out of heaven, leaving him forever lame. The boy was sheltered by the sea nymphs Thetis and Eurynome. The grown-up boy presented his rescuers with home-made items made of precious metals. Subsequently, his skill was to the liking of the gods of Olympus, and even Hera had mercy and accepted her son. Hephaestus was unhappy only in love. His wife, the beautiful Aphrodite, in his absence
made love with Ares. As a result, the god of fire punished the lovers. He built a trap on the bed, into which the couple fell. All the gods laughed at their torments and attempts to free themselves. In addition, Hephaestus, like the rest of the good gods of fire, was recognized as the patron of all hard-working people, especially blacksmiths.
Svarog
This Slavic god of fire personifies the earthly flame coming from the light of the sun. Svarog was credited with both beneficent qualities, because he supplied people with heat, light, and destructive forces, since it was in his power to send droughts and fires to people. In addition, like the rest of the fierce gods of fire, he was also revered as the patron of wars and the elements. Him
features such as observation, intelligence, rationality are inherent. The god of fire in Slavic mythology had truly golden hands, all the secrets of crafts were easily given to him. In order to achieve his location and patronage, various sacrifices were made to him. Svarog liked diligent people,acting with perseverance and perseverance, calm and prudent.
Agni
This mythological character, like other peace-loving gods of fire, appears in parallel as the keeper of the hearth and the sacrificial fire. In ancient India, Agni was considered the main of the earthly gods. Its main function was to mediate between other deities and people inhabiting 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 benefits and protected them from evil demons, deadly hunger and hopeless poverty. However, over time, Agni undergoes metamorphoses. As a result, he becomes one of the eight world-keeper gods.
