“Agni Meele Purohitam”

HMV Company had once published a pamphlet outlining the history of gramophone record, which makes fascinating reading. The gramophone was invented by Thomas Alva Edison in the 19th century. Edison, who also invented numerous other gadgets such as the electric light bulb and the motion picture camera.

After inventing the gramophone record, Edison for sake of posterity, wanted the first recording to be that of an eminent scholar. Impressed by the scholar  Prof. Max Muller* of Germany, Edison requested for an appointment to travel to Europe to make the recording.

 Max Muller an admirer of Edison's work suggested that Edison make the recording and demonstration at a conference to be held shortly in England where many of Europe's finest scientific minds would be present.

Soon thereafter Edison voyaged to England. At the conference, after a grand welcome and introduction, Edison invited Prof Max Mueller onto the stage and to speak into the instrument. After making the recording Edison rushed to his laboratory and returned with a gramophone disc which he duly played on his instrument.

The audience was enthralled and after several rounds of ensuing applause and congratulations to Thomas Alva Edison, Max Muller addressed the august gathering. He asked "You heard my voice, did any of you understand what I said in the morning or what you heard on the recording of this afternoon?"

There was pin-drop silence in the huge hall as none of the scholars had understood until it was revealed to them that Max Mueller had spoken in the ancient yet highly scientific language of Sanskrit.

Max Mueller a renown Indologist explained that  the the words "Agni Meele Purohitam", was the  first shloka* of the first verse of  the 'Rig Veda', and he chose this because  "Vedas are the oldest text of the human race.  In the most primordial time, when the people did not know how even to cover their bodies and lived by hunting and housed in caves, Indians had attained high civilization and they gave the world universal philosophies in the form of the Vedas.”

When “Agni Meele Purohitam” was replayed the entire audience stood up in silence as a mark of respect. This verse means; "Oh Agni***, You who gleam in the darkness, to You we come day by day, with devotion and bearing homage. So be of easy access to us, Agni, as a father to his son, abide with us for our well being." *   Prof. Max Mueller was an Indologist & a great scolar of Indian sacred books. ** Shloka - literally means song.  *** Agni - means fire and a manifestation of God who is immortal and the source of all energy and life.

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I am grateful to my noble friend, Capt. Niteesh Krisnhamurti for this wonderful and informative insight.