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Agni is called Deva Mukha and is the central deity for yagña. Oblations (havis) are offered in the fire and āgni is said to carry those to the Devatas. Offering and the carrier of offerings are inseparable and the former is stated to be the consort of the latter (āgni). There are two contexts of offering, the para (pertaining to Devatas) and apara (pertaining to Pitris). The presiding deities of these two kinds of offerings are Sv āha and Swatha respectively. These are the two consorts of āgni. The offerings to Devatas and Pitris are made through these two.
There are three types of Agni, grouped as "tretāgni. •
•
•
Gārhapatya (literally belonging to the gṛ ha ha pati or the owner of the house) Dakṣiṇa Āhavan y ī ā
Gārhapatya is the origin of the other two, and all the three are worshiped regularly. Besides, Aupāsana is performed by gṛ hasthas. hasthas. Agni is also classified into two types: •
•
Viharaṇī yā (those that can be moved) Upastheya (those that are fixed/deposited at a place).
Each of these two has eight sub-categories and are positioned in different places in the premises where sacrifice is performed. The Viharaṇī yā Agnis are: 1. Vibhūrasi Pravāhā, positioned near the Āgn ī dhra’s dhra’s (one of the ṛ utviks) utviks) place 2. Vahnirasi Havyavāhana, positioned near the Hota’s abode 3. Śvātrosi Praceta, at the place of Maitra Varu ṇa (the place where these Devatas are invoked) 4. Tuthosi Viswaveda, invoked at the place of the ṛ utvik utvik designated as Brāhmaṇāccha 1
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5. Uśi Gasi Kavi, positioned near ṛ utvik utvik designed Potru 6. Anghāri rasi jambhār ī , near the ṛ utvik utvik designated Neṣṭṛ u 7. Avasyurasi Duvasvān, near the ṛ utvik utvik called Acchāvāk ī ī 8. Śundhyūrasi Mārjāl ya, near the ṛ utvik utvik called Mārjāla (the one who does mārjana or purification and consecration)
The Upastheyas are: 1. Samrādasi Kṛ uśānū, positioned at the secondary altar in the north. This is ī ā Agni. the Āhavan y 2. Pariṣadyosi Pavamāna, positioned at Dhruva sthali 3. Pratakvāsi nabhasvān, positioned at the C ātvāla sthāna 4. Asamṛṣtosi Havyasūda, positioned at śamitra (the place of pa śu) 5. Ṛ tadh tadhāmāsi Suvarjyoti, positioned at Audumbara (the ṛ tvija tvija who chants the Sāma Veda). 6. Brahmajyotirasi suvardhāma, positioned with the Brahma (chief ṛ utvik) utvik) of the sacrifice 7. Ajosyekapāt, positioned at the sukha śāla. This is the G ārhapatya. 8. Ahirasi budhniya, positioned with the Yajam āni. (The above 16 type of agni are used in Maha Nyasa as Shodas ānga Raudrēkarana, in ascertaining certain places in body with Rudra, the causal force behind agni)
Yajñas can be classified in different ways. One of them is periodicity. Apart ū ya, from the Panca Maha Yajñas (Aswamédha, V japéya, ājapéya, Paundarēka, R jas ājas ya, Sóma), Aupāsana and Agnihotra are performed every day. Any other yajña is occasional – performed fortnightly, monthly, yearly or even once in a life time. Agnihotra is the homa done thrice a day. Dar śa and Pūrṇamasa are done on new moon and full moon days. Parvani sraddha is done once a month. Most of the other Yajñas can be done once a year or even in a lifetime. Another classification is the scale of the rite. The ones like Agnihotra are done in the house while the sacrifices like soma yāga or v japeya ājapeya need to be undertaken at a much bigger scale involving priests. The rites undertaken at a household level are called gṛ hya hya rites. The ones performed at a collective level are called śrauta rites. 2
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ā
Samskāra is a rite that involves mantra. There are forty samskāras or rites performed in one’s lifetime: •
•
•
•
•
•
Seven are paka Yajñas (aṣtaka, sthālipāka, parvana, srāvaṇi, āgrahayani, caitri ī and āsv yuji). They involve consecrating cooked items. Seven are Soma Yajñas (agnistoma, atyagnistoma, uktya, shodasi, v japeya, ājapeya, atirātra and aptoryama). The yāgā that involves the extraction, utility and consumption of Soma (in the general sense nectar, but extract of a particular tree specifically) is called a Soma Yajña. Others are usually referred to as haviryañnas. Seven are Havir Yajñas (agniyādhāna, agni hotra, Dar śa-Pūrṇamāsa, āgrayana, cāturmāsya, niruudha paśu bandha, sautrāmaṇi). They involve offering havis. Five are the pañca mah ā Yajñās. Four are Vedavratas, which are done during Vedic education. Remaining ten are one-time samsk āras that are done at different stages in life. They are garbhādhānā, pumsavana, s ī manta, manta, jātakarma, nāmakaraṇa, annaprāśana, caula, upanayana, snātaka and vivāha. These are specified by the gṛ hya hya sūtrās. The samskAras after vivāha are not popular today. As was noted earlier, the vivAha samskAra is the 14 th samskAra. There are 26 more samskAras which are highly ritualistic. The remaining 26 samskAras can be broadly classified in to four categories: • • • •
Panca Mahā yagñas Sapta Pāka yagñas Sapta Havir yagñas Sapta Soma yagñas -
5 7 7 7
Total 26 ñ ā mahā yagñas. yagñas.
: There is a nice sloka which gives all the five
i. Brahma Yagña - Learning in brahma-carya āsrama and teaching in grihastha – āsrama, to maintain the guru-Sishya parampar ā, is prescribed. If cannot teach, one should perform a ritual at least, known as brahmayagña, which is a nitya karma. 3
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ii. Pitr Yagña - Performance of tarpaNa during am āvāsya etc. occasions, to worship the ancestors. iii. Deva Yagña - Offering oblations to devatas like Indra, agni, varuNa etc in hom, to express our gratitude to the natural forces and seek their blessings. iv. Bhūta Yagña – or Vaisvadéva – to protect birds and animals. v. Manushya Yagña Respect for other humans in society. Pancamahā yagña yagña are very important for a grihastha. All these are fire-rituals and are very seldom done these days. Before discussing these twenty one rituals, it is useful to understand a few details. During the vivāha samskāra, a particular fire ritual known as vivāha homa is performed. That vivāha homa agni is supposed to be preserved till a person dies or takes to sannyāsa. āll the above mentioned 21 yagñas are to be performed in that agni alone. (āt the time of sanny āsa, the person renounces all karma and gives up all agnis, and so is called nirāgni.) The grihastha is supposed to perform a nitya karma known as aup āsana, twice a day, in that agni (This ritual can be considered as a replacement of samidh 1 ādhānam.). The same agni is used for all the later samsk āras of the children – upanayana, vivāha etc. – and other karmas, like Sr āddha etc. When the son gets married, the father’s vivāha agni goes to the son, and so, is supposed to be maintained eternally. Since these agni samskāras are connected with the well being of the family, it is called grihya agni. This will vary from family to family; for example, for Rigvedis, it is prescribed by the Aswal ā yana yana grihya sutras; for Yajurvedis, by the āpasthamba griya sutras; for Sāmavedis, by the gobila grihya sutras etc. These rituals are not given in Sruti (the Vedas), but prescribed by the Rishis in grihya sutras – from smritis. Since rituals prescribed in the smritis are performed in this agni, it is also called smārta agni, grihya agni, aup āsana agni etc. It is in this smārta agni, the first set of seven pāka yagñas are performed.
ā
These involve the offering of cooked grains in the form of gruel, and are done at different times, and frequencies: 1. Sthālē pākam – twice a month 2. PārvaNam - once a month 3. Ashtakā – once a year 1
Herbs and bark of specific trees used in Yag ña 4
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4. Caitrē, - once a year ( During the lunar month of Caitra) 5. Āsvayuji – once a year ( during the lunar month of Āsvayuja) 6. Srāvani - 4 months in an year – ( āugust to November). 7. Āgrahā yani yani - conclusion of SrāvaNI once a year. Immediately after and along with vivāha, the first of the seven pākayagñas are initiated. Vivāha agni is also known as smārta agni. This agni is maintained in a circular kunda. A portion of this agni is taken to perform vedic rituals – srauta karmas – and is called srauta agni. The fourteen yagñas, namely the sapta-havir-yagñas and sapta-soma-yagñas, which are prescribed in the Vedas, are performed in the srauta agni, which should be preserved all the time. Elaborate procedures are given regarding the use of this agni for the performance of the 14 rituals. The yāga sāla is also known as a “deva s āla”. Kalpa sutras contain a description of it, not omitting minute details. There are altars called “çayanas” to be built with bricks. (There are no çayanas for havir and pāka yagnas. ) Several kinds of ladles are used in making offerings in the fire, “darvi”, “sruk” and “sruva” etc. The srauta agni is like the master of the griha – the grihapati - is supposed to protect from all calamities etc. and so is called the g ārhapatya agni This is divided in to three, before the ritual. On the eastern side, a square kuNDa is established and a portion of the gārhapatya agni is transferred. There are prescriptions regarding the size of the kuNDa, the size of the bricks etc. This agni is called āhavaneeya agni. On the southern side of the g ārhapatya agni another kuNDa – semicircular in shape – is established. ānother portion of fire from the gārhapatya agni is transferred to this kuNDā and is called dākshiNāgni:
Srauta Agni
Āhavaneeya
Gārhapatya
Dākshina
agni
agni
agni
Since the smārta agni is never divided, it is also called ekāgni, and, since the srauta agni is divided in to three, it is also called tret āgni. Most of the srauta rituals are done in the Āhavaneeya agni. No ritual is actually done in the 5
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gārhapatya agni and is only a witness. Āfter the performance of the ritual, the āhavaneeya agni and dākshiNāgni are joined back in to g ārhapatya agni. When a person dies, his cremation is performed using the srauta agni. The smārta agni is preserved for the wife. When the husband dies first, he will use up the srauta agni, and the smarta agni will be used to cremate the wife, which is supposed to give her svarga loka. If the wife dies first as a sumangali, part of the srauta agni will be used for her, which is believed to give her brahma loka. One should remember that these rituals are prescribed according to the Dharma and in the karma kānda manuals viz., Dharma Sindhu, Nirnaya Sindhu, Vedokta Agni Krityam etc.,
Thses are supposed to be performed in the are:
āhavaneeya
agni. The seven yagñas
1. Agni ādhānam - Division in to three; this division itself is a ritual; done only once. It has to be maintained. If it goes off, pr ā yascittam yascittam is to be done. 2. Agnihótra – a daily ritual 3. Darsa Pūrna Māsa performed twice a month – on Amāvāsya 2 and Pūrnimā days 4. Āgrayana – once a year. The above 4 rituals are small rituals, done, mostly, within the house. 5. Cāturmāsya – different from what sanny āsēs observe. This ritual is performed three times in an year, once every four months. 6. Nirūdha-pasubandha –The 6th and 7th rituals are done in a very big scale, generally, once an year, outside the house. 7. Sautrāmani - once a year. The last three haviryagñas - cāturmasya, nirudha pasubandha and sautrāmani - are performed in a y āgasāla.
In these yagñas, soma juice is offered with the chanting of s āma veda in high pitch. Āll are very big yagñas and are done outside the house, for the benefit of the entire country. The seven yagñas are:
2
Darsa is the specific time when the lunar 15 th tithi, Amāvāsya is present at the time of sunrise. Am āvāsya is divided into 3 parts Kuh ū, Siniv āli and Darsa. Siniv āli is the 1 st part when Amāvāsya begins, also called, Am ā Gaja Sparsa, Kuhū is the 2nd part and specifically that part which is present during 3 rd and 4th prahara of midnight. (12 am – 4 am) and the 3 rd part is the Darsa. 6
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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Agnishtoma or jyotishtoma Atyagnishtoma Uktyam Shodasi Vā japeya japeya Atirātra Āptoryāma
It is generally observed that one does aupāsana and agnihotra daily, and the rest, at least once in a life time. During vivāha, the first smārta yagña, namely, sthāli pāka, and the first srauta yagña, agni ādhāna are initiated. āmong the 21 yagñas, the seven p āka yagñas are done in smārta agni and the remaining 14 are done in srauta agni, till death or till becoming a sanny āsi Ās
already mentioned, the daksināgni and the āhavaniyaagni are made from the gārhapatyāgni. When srauta rites for the fathers have been performed in the dakhsināgni and other srauta rites in the āhavaniyāgni, the two fires no longer have the exalted name of “srautāgni” and are just like any other ordinary fire and they have to be extinguished. Only the gārhapatya and aupāsana fires are to be kept burning throughout.
On every prathama (first day of the lunar fortnight), a p ākayagña and a haviryagña have to be performed in the grhyāgni and srautagni respectively. The first is called sthālipāka. “Sthali” is the pot in which rice is cooked and it must be placed on the aupasana fire and the rice called “caru” cooked in it must be offered in the same fire. The rite that is the basis of many others (the archetype or model) is called “prakrti”. Those performed after it, but with some changes, are known as “vikrti”. For the sarpabali called sravani and the pākayagña called agrahayani, sthālipaka is the prakrti. The haviryagña performed on every prathama is “darsa-purna-ishti”, “darsa” meaning the new moon and “purna” the full moon. So the “ishtis” or sacrifices conducted on the day following the new moon and the full moon (the two prathamas) are together given the name of darsa-purnaishti. The two rituals are also referred to merely as “ishti”. This is the prakrti for haviryagñas. For soma sacrifices “agnistoma” is the prakrti, the word “stoma” also meaning a sacrifice. One who performs an elaborate sacrifice like a somayagña is called a “yajva”, “eeikshita” or “makhin” ānd one who conducts the greatest of the somayagñas, vaajapeya, is known as a “vaajapeyin”. Sacrifices are called variously “kratu”, “makha”, “ishti”, “stoma”, “samsta”. 7
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There are some differences between these. The person who performs the yagña is called the yajamana and those who perform the sacrifice for him are called rtviks (priests) who consist of the hota (Rg veda priest), adhvaryu (yajurveda priest) udgāta (sāma veda priest) and brahmā (atharva veda priest). In pākayagñas there are no rtviks; the householder (as the yajamāna) performs the rites with his wife. In haviryagñas there are four rtviks and the yajamāna. But the udgāta’s place is taken by the agnidhra. The udgāta is the one who sings the s āman. It is only in somayagñas that there is sāmagāna, not in haviryagñas. In cāturmasya and pasubandha there are more than the usual number of priests of priests - the hota, the adhvaryu, the udgāta and the brahm ā. Each priest is assisted by three others. So in all there are sixteen priests in a somayagña. agnistoma which is the first of the seven somayagñas is the prakrti (archetype) and the other six are its vikrti. These six are: atyagnistoma, uktya, sodasi, vaajapeya, atiraatra and āptoryāma. In the old days a Brahmin used all his wealth in performing the somayagña. Much of this was spent in dakshina to the priests and the rest for materials used in the sacrifice. There was also a time when even poor Brahmins performed this sacrifice every spring ( “vasante vasante”) by begging! ā Brahmin who conducted the sacrifice every year was thus called “prativasantasomayā jin. jin.
The primary constituents of a Yajña are the inspiration or urge of the doer (bhāvana), learning (svādhy ya), āya), rites involved (karma), offerings (tyāga), devata and the results (phala).
There are two types of rites in a sacrifice, principal (artha karma) and subsidiary (guṇa karma). Guṇa karmas are the constituent accessory rites associated with a principal rite. In artha karma, the rite is primary and material is subsidiary to the rite. Material is treated as accessory. In guṇa karma, material is primary and rite secondary to it. ā
ārtha
karmas are three types.
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మ�ే్ నమః •
•
•
Nitya karma, done regularly. Example of nitya karma is thrice a day).
āgni
hotra (the homa done
Naimittika karma, done occasionally. These are rites involving specific occasions. Those like pitru tarpana are naimittika rites. Nitya and naimittika rites are mandatory. There are specific Vedic injunctions that make the t he rites mandatory. Kāmya karma, done optionally. Optional rites are performed when a specific purpose is intended to be served through a sacrifice. The sacrifices like soma y āga and v japeya ājapeya are examples of optional rites. These are in turn three types based on the results they give. The rites that give results in the present life are called aihika. The ones whose results are enjoyed after the present life (such as heaven, prosperity in the next life or breaking the cycle of life itself) are called āmuṣmika. The rites that give both kinds of results are called aihika- āmuṣmika. ṇ
Guṇa karmas, which are subsidiary and form components of artha karmas, are intended for purification (samskāra). They are four types: •
•
•
•
utpatti (origination – for instance creating fire for the sacrifice) āpti (obtaining/attaining – for instance learning required to perform the rite) vikṛti (modification – for instance husking or cooking rice for sacrifice) samskṛti (consecration/purification – for instance purifying the material by sprinkling water and/or through mantra).
Subsidiary rites are in general meant for purification. This is again of two types, disposal (pratipatti) and purification. Pr ya āyaścitta or expiation rites are also part of the subsidiary rites/gu ṇa karmas. ā
Bhāvana is the urge, inspiration to perform yajña. This is caused by the desire for its result. Thus from the perspective of yajña, desire is seen as an inspiration to performing karma. Need and desire are the two inspirations for beings to perform karma that run the activity of phenomenal world. Bhāvana has three aspects: • •
•
what is desired what is the means what is the method.
From the injunctions of Śruti, these are learned. For instance, from injunctions such as “one who desires cattle should perform Citra”
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In pravṛ tti tti mārga, one performs karma with a desired result. Following the injunctions of the scriptures and being righteous, one can fulfill these. However in the advanced stages in karma mārga, sacrifice alone remains the purpose. All that is desired is also desired for the sake of performing sacrifice, making yajña the ultimate purpose. The Camaka of Sri Rudram starts with praying for a variety of material gains, fulfilment of desires, grace of devatas, asking for devatas themselves, the various ingredients involved in sacrifice, the different rites of a sacrifice, and then towards towar ds conclusion, makes all these along with the life, mind, speech, soul and the whole sacrifice, a part of the sacrifice itself. This explains how desire is positively treated, and then sublimated in karma mārga.
Svadhyaya means learning one’s Veda (the branch of Veda one is ordained to pursue) along with the Vedangas. It is through learning that one gains the knowledge of the rites he should perform as his duty, the rites he can perform for various other desired purposes, how to perform those, and what his conduct should be to gain the desired results (these could be material or heavenly or liberation). Svadhyaya is the primary duty during brahmacarya, and forms the basis for performing all the rites of subsequent ashramas. ā
Tyāga is associated with offering. There are three kinds of offerings: •
•
•
yāga (sacrifice) dāna (giving) homa (offering)
Of these, the word yāga refers to principal rite and the other two are associated with subsidiary rites. Dāna is transferring one’s right over what is given, to the one who is taking. This does not involve any expectation of result (though it has an invisible result, and it ensues only when the result is not desired for). Homa is offering of havis in āgni. This involves ty āga of what is being with the mention “na mama”, meaning what is being offered is no more belongs to the Devata (or the pitri as the case may be) to whom the is being made. There is no expectation of result in the homa itself, result will become part of the result of the entire sacrifice.
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offered, mine, it offering but its
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Homa is central to any agni karya or sacrifice performed in āgni. It has become almost synonymous to the word yajña itself. However it should be understood that homa is a component of yajña. In some kinds of yajña which do not involve āgni karya, oblations are offered as dana instead of homa.
Devata is a constituent of sacrifice as well as its result. Devatas consume the havis offered in a sacrifice and give the result of sacrifice performed. ās a result of sacrifice, along with the desired result, the grace of devata remains. When sacrifice is performed without desiring a result, devata’s grace remains the result of sacrifice. Devata is mantra-baddha, meaning He is bound to give the result of a sacrifice/mantra when invoked. Thus the result of any form of worship is bound to come. Havis offered in a sacrifice is the food for Devatas. Devatas grow on havis and bring the well-being of men (through rains and so on). Thus Devatas grow on man’s offerings and man’s elevation is brought by the Devatas. Thus through mutual nourishment, men and Devatas bring about the well being of all. This is explained in the Karma Yoga of Bhagavad G ī ta: ta:
देवाभावयतानेन न ते देवा भावयत ु वः । परसपरं भावयतः शेयः परमवासयथ ॥३- ११॥ All
life is said to be a yajña. Every action, when made as an offering to the Īśvara, is a yajña. Worshipping, eating food, fighting war, creating wealth, contributing to human knowledge, running family, each of these is a yajña. Doing these as offerings to derive something greater, makes these actions yajñas. When these actions are not done for material gain but with a selfless motive, that is the highest form of yajña. Sacrifice brings transcendence. Transcendence through sacrifice is the meaning of life in the Vedic religion.
The result of a sacrifice ensues from the results of each of the subsidiary rites, combined with the result of the main rite. Each rite creates a unique result, in terms of visible or invisible effect. This is called apurva. The total of unique results of all the rites of a sacrifice cause the grand unique final result of the sacrifice, called Mahāpurva.
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Different schools hold different opinions on the results of nitya karmas. āccording to Prabhākara School it is said that there is no additional benefit or fruit of performing nitya karmas but there is a loss of merit or righteousness in not performing those. āccording to Kumārila Bhaṭṭa, there will be an additional merit even in the performance of nitya karmas. In case of k āmya rites, since they are optional, there is only an additional result in performing those. There are two kinds of results of a sacrifice – visible (pratyak ṣa) and invisible (ālaukika). Pratyakṣa is the visible gain that results from performing the sacrifice, material or otherwise. ālaukika result can be like begetting heaven in prav ṛ tti tti and mukti in niv ṛ tti tti (through karma niv ṛ tti). tti).
Literally prayoga means performance. It is the performance of sacrifice, the application of text to perform yajña. The injunctions to perform the sacrifice or vidhi are found in Brahmana portion of Veda. Kalpa Sūtrās explain the prayoga part further. There are different stages in performing a sacrifice. It begins with cleaning the place and building the altar. Then the dravya is acquired. Then the priest is invited to officiate. Following that the altar is decorated and āgni invoked. Then the purification of each of the dravya is done. Then the homas (in the fire) and danas (alms etc) are done. The sacrifice concludes with cleaning up the place and taking the fruit of sacrifice.
āgni
karya forms the core of a sacrifice. It includes purification rites and the homas. The ingredients used in a yajña are called dravya. There are six ingradients involved in performing an āgni Karya. They are: •
•
•
Sruk and Sruva (ladles used for making offering in ffire) ire) Idhma (wooden pieces/sticks used as fuel in the sacrifice – also called samidhas) Pātras (bowls)
There are three kinds of pātras used: •
•
•
the prokṣiṇi (used for purification) ājya (to hold the clarified butter) jya pūrṇa pātra (literally “complete”, the one used for completion of the rite)
Based on the dravya used and rites performed, there are two major classes of prayoga – Catuṣpātra (using four ingredients) and Ṣaṭpātra (using six ingredients). Ṣaṭpātra involves the usage all the six dravyas mentioned above. Catuṣpātra 12
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does not involve idhma and p ūrṇa pātra. However, the regular rite that a brahmacari performs, does not mandatorily involve any p ātra (though usage is not prohibited). Most of the prayogas nitya or otherwise, involve Ṣaṭpātra prayoga. Some of the sacrifices are referred to variously as involving more than six primary ingredients. For instance marriage ritual in Āpastamba sāmprad ya āya is called dasa pātra (involving 10 ingredients). Major yāgas like Vajapeya use many more. However all of them come under Ṣaṭpātra only and the additional dravya is classified as one of the six - idhma or ajya for instance. In general, Catuṣpātra is sufficient for the regular homas to praj āpati, Indra āgni etc. In order to propitiate a specific deity, one has to perform Ṣaṭpātra. This involves additional dravya and homas. Dravya depends on the nature of rite. It could be rice, corn, specific samidhas, blades of grass, milk, curd etc. Fifty eight homas (to Prajāpati, Dikpālakas and Grahas Lokapālakas etc) inclusive of Cakṣur-homas (literally the homas of eyes - two homas with clarified butter poured in the fire circularly, as if they are the eyes of āgni) and done in the beginning of the sacrifice. Then oblations to the main deity of the sacrifice are offered. Jayādi homas (additional homas to propitiate various Devatas representative of faculties of consciousness, pr ya āyaścitta homas etc) follow that, and it is concluded with P ūrṇāhuti (literally the “completion” oblation or the conclusive one). These homas also include the pr ya āyaścitta rites (expiation rites), as applicable. However pr ya āyaścitta rites are common to Catu ṣpātra and Ṣaṭpātra. ā
The primary participant of a sacrifice is the one who performs it – the owner or the yajamāni. ā dvija performs regular rites himself. However any major yāga requires the yajamāni to be accompanied by his consort, she should offer the fire (Āpastamba Sūtras). In case of a k āmya prayoga, a ṛ tvija tvija (priest) is involved. In major yāgas, there are at least four rtviks involved. They are hota, adhvaryu, brahma and udgāta. Hota should be learned in Rig Veda, and chants the Ṛ ks. ks. Ādhvaryu is the one who performs the sacrifice (makes the yajam āni do it with instructions). He should be learned in Yajurveda. Udgāta sings the Sāma Veda. Brahma supervises the sacrifice. ā
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The regular rites are conducted in a designated place in the house. Major yāgas are performed in premises meant for them, called yāga śālās.
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Yāga sāla follows a specific architecture/layout. It has four entrances, representing the four Vedas. The four entrances have four gates, decorated with the leaves of four kinds of trees, or rather named after the four trees. They are nyagrodha, āswattha, āudumbara and plaksha. In the four directions altars are built in shapes specified against those positions (they could be circular, square or following any other geometry according to the Śrauta Śūtras). The eight Dikpālakas preside over the eight (four directions and four corners) positions of the yāga s āla. Homas are performed in those designated places to the corresponding devatas, according to the rites of the respective Vedas. There are positions designated for the yajamāni, each of the ṛ tvijas, tvijas, dravya and the audience. Besides there is a bali sthana, where the bali (sacrificial offering) is made.
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It would be huge task to list down the various practices and rituals involving involving fire, for it requires mastery in the compendium of the Vedas, Smritis and Puraanas, of which the author claims none what so ever. The above article is just a collation of few id eas and topics as available from various sources of knowledge and grouped in the above few lines. The above article is only meant to give an idea and an image of the structure and processes involved in Yagna and related rituals - Author
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