Apris
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Apri (āprī) in Sanskrit means "conciliation, propitiation" and refers to special invocations spoken previous to the offering of oblations. RV 1.13 is known as the Apri-hymn of the Kanvas, and Sayana in the context of this hymn enumerates twelve Apris propitiating twelve deities, also known as Apris. These are deified objects belonging to the fire sacrifice of Vedic religion, the fuel, the sacred grass, the enclosure, etc. The Apris are all regarded as different manifestations of Agni.
[edit] The Aprisuktas
The Ṛgveda consists ten Āprīsūktas of ten ṛṣis. Among these Āprīsūktas, while I-13 and I-142 invoke both Narāśaṁsa and Tanūnapāt manifestations of Agni, I-188, III-4, IX-5 and X-110 invoke only Tanūnapāt manifestation and II-3, V-5, VII-2 and X-70 invoke only Narāśaṁsa manifestation.
| Āprīsūkta | Ṛṣi | Gotra |
|---|---|---|
| I-13 | Medhātithi Kāṇva | Kāṇva |
| I-142 | Dīrghatamā Aucathya | Āngirasa |
| I-188 | Agastya MaitrāvaruṇI | Agastya |
| II-3 | Gṛtsamada Śaunahotra | Śaunaka |
| III-4 | Viśvāmitra Gāthina | Kauśika |
| V-5 | Vasuśruta Ātreya | Ātreya |
| VII-2 | Vasiṣṭha MaitrāvaruṇI | Vāsiṣṭha |
| VIII-5 | Asita or Devala Kāśypa | Kāśypa |
| X-70 | Sumitra Vādhryaśva | Bharata |
| X-110 | Rāma Jāmadagnya or Jamadagni | Bhārgava |
