Worship of fire

God is all pervasive, and the five elements are also seen as

the embodiment of God. In Tiruvannamalai, Lord Siva is worshipped  as fire. The huge lamp lit on the hill there is worshipped as a manifestation of Lord Siva.

In Her Tiruppavai, Andal says worship of Lord Krishna results in our sins being destroyed like objects cast into a fire. Since our lives are governed by the elements,

Tiruvalluvar used the elements as examples to give us

important messages, R. Narayanan  said in a discourse.

Weddings are solemnised  with fire as witness, and the couple circum-ambulate fire. Thus whether it is in spiritual or temporal matters, fire is an important element in worship. Agni, the Lord of fire, is eulogised in the Vedas. The worship of Agni is said to bring prosperity. When

sacrifices are performed and oblations are offered, Agni is believed to carry the offerings we make to the Gods concerned.

Tiruvalluvar compares unkind words to a fire and says that

even a fire does not cause such a permanent damage as harsh words do. A wound caused by a fire may leave a scar, but it heals. However, the feelings hurt by harsh words never go away and keep festering in the heart of the

one who was spoken harshly.

Anger is also compared to a scorching fire. Anger can alienate everyone, even kin. It is dangerous to get very

close to those who are in power. In winter, people light fires to keep warm. Yet, they do not get so close to the fire as to be burned by it. Similarly, while people in power may be able to help us because of the power they wield, we should keep our distance from them, for if we get too close to them, we will be courting trouble.

Life must be lived with care and caution. The life of a man,

who does not plan for the future and who does not safeguard against making mistakes, will be destroyed like a haystack near a fire. One’s conscience is also akin

to a fire. If a man knowingly utters a lie, his conscience will torment him like fire. It will make him miserable and destroy his peace of mind. Thus fire is not only worshipped,

but its heat is often used in similes by poets to drive

home the message that we should live pure lives.