There are five kinds of Fire principle (Agni): Udara-Agni, Manda-Agni, Kama-Agni, Soka-Agni and Badava-Agni. ‘Udara-Agni’ refers to the burning sensation caused by hunger (Fire in the stomach). ‘Manda-Agni’ refers to the burning feeling caused by excessive eating resulting in indigestion. ‘Kama-Agni’ is the burning agony in the mind caused by numerous desires and passions. ‘Soka-Agni’ does refer only to consuming grief caused by worldly disappointments and losses. It pertains also to the burning sorrow felt by one who is yearning for God, thirsting for experiencing oneness with the Divine.

The Bhagavad Gita is a scriptural text acceptable to people of all faiths. The very first canto in it is titled ‘Vishadayoga’ (the Yoga of Despondency). What is this ‘Vishada’? Does it relate ‘to any worldly concerns? Is it despondency about the fate of Kinsmen and friends? Can such a grief be described as a form of ‘Yoga’? Clearly this grief is not associated with worldly desires or human relationships? Arjuna’s grief arose from out of a concern for Dharma (Duty) and for God. He realised that in the war (that was about to be waged) many would die. As a consequence of their death, righteousness (Dharma) will suffer a mortal blow. There will be confusion of castes. It was because of his concern for Dharma and his faith in God that Arjuna was grief stricken, his grief turned into a form of yoga (quest for communion with the Divine). Likewise, this ‘Soka-Agni’ is not a consuming sorrow over the lack of worldly possessions. It is a grief felt for the sake of Dharma and God.

‘Badava-Agni’ is the burning feeling caused in a person by dire diseases and death. All these five types of ‘fire’ are related to physical conditions. They have no relation to the Atma (Spirit) which is different from the body. The Spirit is a witness to all the experiences resulting from these forms of fires. Utilising these five fires as experiences witnessed by the Spirit, the Upanishad revealed the truth underlying physical phenomena. (SSS Vol.24, pp. 84-85)