Chapters 44-95 - Germanic Mythology

mothers are mentioned - the two pieces of wood rubbed together are meant (8: 49, 15). 43
In a more real sense he is said to have three places of nativity: one in the atmospheric sea,
one in heaven, and one in the waters (1: 95, 3), 44 and that his "great, wise, divine nature
proceeded from the laps of many active mothers" (1: 95, 4), 45 such as the waters, the
stones, the trees, the herbs (2: 1, 1). 46 In Rigveda (10: 45, 2) nine maternal wombs or
births are indicated; his "triple powers were sown in triplets in heaven, among us, and in
the waters." In Rigveda (1: 141, 2)* three places of nativity and three births are ascribed
to him, and in such a way that he had seven mothers in his second birth. In Rigveda (10:
20, 7) 47 he is called the son of the rock.
It scarcely needs to be pointed out that all that is here told about Agni corresponds
point by point with the Germanic myth about Heimdall. Here, as in many other instances,
we find a similarity between the Germanic and the Indo-European-Asiatic myths, which
is surprising, when we consider that the difference between the Rigveda and Zend
languages on the one hand, and the oldest Germanic linguistic monuments on the other,
appear in connection with other circumstances to indicate that the old Indo-European
unity of language and religion lies ages back in antiquity. Agni's birth "beyond the
atmosphere," his journey across the sea to original man in the savage state, his vocation
as the sower of the blessings of culture among men, his appearance as the teacher of
wisdom and "the sciences," his visit to the farms established by him, where he becomes
"the husband of wives," father of human sons, and the founder of "the races" (the classes
among the Teutons), -- all this we rediscover completely in the Heimdall myth, as if it
were a copy of the Indo-European-Asiatic saga concerning the divine founder of culture;
a copy fresh from the master's brush without the effects of time, and without any
retouchings. The very names of the ancient Indo-European patriarchs, Bhrigu and Manu
are recognizable in the Germanic patriarch names Berchter and Mann (Mannus-Halfdan).
In the case of Manu and Mann no explanation is necessary. Here the identity of sound
agrees with the identity of origin. The descendants of Bhrigu and of his contemporary
Bhriguians, are called Bhargavans, which corroborates the conclusion that Bhrigu is
derived from bharg "to shine," whence is derived the ancient Germanic berhta, "bright,"
"clear," "light," the Old Saxon berht, the Anglo-Saxon beorht, which reoccurs in the
Germanic patriarch Berchter, which again is actually (not linguistically) identical with
the Norse Borgarr. 48 By Bhrigu's side stands Manu, just as Mann (Halfdan) is co-ordinate
with Borgar.
43 8: 49, 15 "Thou liest in the wood, from both thy mothers' mortals kindle thee."
44 1: 95, 3 "Three several places of his birth they honor, in mid-air, in the heaven, and in the waters."
45 1: 95, 4 "Who of you knows this secret one? The infant by his own nature hath brought forth his mothers.
The germ of many, from the waters' bosom he goes, wise and great, of Godlike nature."
46 2: 1,1 "Thou Agni, shining in thy glory through the days, art brought to life from out of the waters, from
the stone; From out the forest trees and herbs that grow on ground, thou soveriegn Lord of men art
generated pure."
47 Here Griffith translates "Son of Cloud"
48 This etymology may no longer be sound. Watkin's lists the *PIE bhâ- "to shine" with the Germanic
cognates *baukna- beacon, signal OE bêac(e)n, beacon, OE denominative bêcnan, bîcnan, to make a sign,
beckon. He also lists "bheig- to shine, an uncertain but plausible root." American Hertitage Dictionary of
Indo-European Roots (1985).