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adding content from Agnihotra page
The Yajna is classified into three types viz. ‘Nitya’(Daily), ‘Naimittika’ (Occasional) and ‘Kamya’ (Optional) based on the practice. ‘Nitya’ is that which is performed daily, ‘Naimittika’ is attended to on particular occasion and ‘Kamya’ is that which is performed to attain some special object.
The Yajna is classified into three types viz. ‘Nitya’(Daily), ‘Naimittika’ (Occasional) and ‘Kamya’ (Optional) based on the practice. ‘Nitya’ is that which is performed daily, ‘Naimittika’ is attended to on particular occasion and ‘Kamya’ is that which is performed to attain some special object.
== Yagna Vidhis in Kalpa ==
‘Vedanga Kalpa’ mainly deals with Vedic rituals. The very name itself means ‘Kalpyate Samarthyate Yaga Prayogo Atra’ which means “The practice of Vedic ritual traditions are explained here”. Kalpa Vedanga deals with four types of sutras namely,
* Sulvasutras : Practical manuals with mathematical measurements necessary for construction of yagna vedi (sacrificial altar).
* Srautasutras : Contain rules for the conduct of great sacrifices lasting for many days.
* Dharmasutras : Contain spiritual and worldly laws
* Grhyasutras : Lays down rules for the ceremonies and yagnas involved in everyday life.
The ‘Sulvasutras’ and ‘Srautasutras’ directly deal with the performance of Vedic rituals. These texts provide guidance for the performance of Vedic sacrifices. The performance of Vedic rituals is being continued even to modern period especially in South India.
Srauta, as the name suggest, refers to the texts which have been derived from the Sruti or the Vedas. Although they are memorial texts (Smriti), their source is Sruti. They also serve as the source of Kalpa. The Srauta rituals cover a whole gamut of rituals from the simplest to the most complicated. Most of them are no more practiced, but their study is useful for historical reasons.
According to Prof Radhakrishna Bhat,<blockquote>"Most of the ‘Haviryajnas’, ‘Agnihotra’, ‘Darsapurnamasa’ and ‘Caturmasya’ sacrifices, the basic ‘Somayajnas’, ‘Agnistomas’ and its varieties, and some culturally and historically important sacrifices like ‘Vajapeya’, “Asvamedha’, ‘Sarvamedha’ etc are found in ‘Yajurveda’ (Adhvaryuveda). Later in ‘Puranas’ the references to Vedic rituals and practices are found. In classical Sanskrit literature some references to Vedic rituals and practices are mentioned. This shows that the Vedic ritual tradition is continued to modern period too without any interruption". <ref name=":022">Radhakrishna Bhat, N. ''[http://ignca.nic.in/vedic_heritage/Vedic_tradition_karnataka.pdf Vedic Ritual Tradition of Karnataka]'', Vedic Heritage Portal.</ref></blockquote>
== Classification of Yagnas ==
A ‘Yaga’ is made up of several rituals which has its own principal part (Pradhana). Those that form subsidiary or supplement to this are called ‘Angas’. Some of the rituals may be common to several ‘Yagas’.<ref name=":0222">Radhakrishna Bhat, N. ''[http://ignca.nic.in/vedic_heritage/Vedic_tradition_karnataka.pdf Vedic Ritual Tradition of Karnataka]'', Vedic Heritage Portal.</ref>
The different modes of classifications of Yagnas are
1. ‘Prakrti’ (Model) and ‘Vikrti’ (Modified)
2. ‘Pradhana (Principal) and ‘Anga’ (Auxiliary)
3. ‘Isti’, ‘Pasubandha’ and ‘Saumika’
4. ‘Nitya’, ‘Naimittika’ and ‘Kamya’
As per tradition, the Srauta Shastras identify the following six types of sacrifices (yajnas).
==== Paaka yagnas ====
They involve cooking of food (paka) for offering to gods. They go by different names such as aṣtaka, sthālipāka, parvana, srāvaṇi, āgrahayani, etc.
==== Soma yagnas ====
These sacrifices involved the extraction of Soma and its offering to Soma, Indra and their companion gods. Examples of Soma sacrifices are Agnistoma, atyagnistoma, uktya, shodasi, vājapeya etc.
==== Havir yagnas ====
In these sacrifices, the priests poured oblations of milk, vegetable oil, sesame oil, clarified butter, honey and other liquid offerings. Agniyādhāna, Agnihotra, Darśa-Pūrṇamāsa, Agrayana, Cāturmāsya, Sautrāmaṇi are a few important Havir yajnas
==== Panchamahayagnas ====
They are performed daily by the householders.
==== Vedavratas ====
These were meant to mark the progress of a student’s education under a teacher and his success in attaining the knowledge of the Vedas, while keeping his vows of celibacy and secrecy until his graduation as a Snataka (one who has bathed and was ready for the life of a householder or an apprentice).
==== Shodasa Samskaras ====
They are performed at different times in the life of an individual.
=== Spiritual sense ===
All activities in the limitless expansion of the universe are said to have generated from a grand eternal यज्ञ || Yagya.
All activities in the limitless expansion of the universe are said to have generated from a grand eternal यज्ञ || Yagya.