Agnihotra (अग्निहोत्रम्)

Agnihotra (Samskrit : अग्निहोत्रम्) refers to the process of invocation of Agni, whereby a grihastha makes daily offerings of ghee or milk in it while reciting the mantras. Sanatana Dharma is founded on the principle that the primary responsibility of perpetually maintaining Agni at home, called as Agnihotra, is vested with a grihastha. Apart from grihastha many other events like homas, yagnas, yagas, isthis, involve the kindling of fire as evident from ancient Rig Vedic Agni sukta.

In present days, very rarely, grihasthas are maintaining Agni at homes nor are conducting regular Agnihotra rituals as prescribed by sastras. However, Agni is invoked in every occasion (auspicious and inauspicious) of dharmic life, from lighting lamps in nityapuja for devatas, in temples, in events like prayers during festivals, housewarming, grahashanti homas, birth, upanayana and other samskara celebrations, at weddings (the yajna where the bride and groom circle the fire seven times) and lastly for cremation. Elaborately conducted yaagas such as Aswamedha yaagas are not performed, while Varuna yaagam and Kareeresti for propitiating Varuna devata to obtain rains is performed at regular intervals.  

Agnichayana, Agnistoma, Jyotistoma,  

Garhapatyam :  

Agnikarya : by brahmacharya  

Aupasana Agni : one agni by grihasta but is not participate in yagna.  

Somayagi : one who uses three agnis, tretagni.  

Panchayagna - done by all, no agni.  

Yagna - all satkarmas see below  

Adhiyagnam katham 8 .2 bhagavadgeeta  

Karma brahmo 3.15 bhagavadgeeta  

Yagnanardhat karmano yatra 3.9 Bhagavadgeeta  

9.15 Jnana yagne, 9.16  

Yagam - of tretagni is present in all yagas except satra.  

Homa : After Mantrajapam anga is called homa. Chandi Homa.  

परिचय || Introduction

The history of Vedic rituals is quite ancient and can be traced to the period of Vedic Samhithas. 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. 

‘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”. This Vedanga has four parts namely, ‘Sulvasutras’, ‘Srautasutras’, ‘Dharmasutras’ and ‘Grhyasutras’. 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. There has been a tradition of ‘Ahitagnis’ and ‘Srauta priests’ in South India and have continued to perform Vedic rituals as and when possible. These priests inherited the tradition of Vedic ritual practices from their ancestors and perform Vedic rituals even today. Some ‘Srauta priests’, ‘Agnihotris’ keep ‘Agni’ in their houses and protect it even today. The ‘Agni’ usually transferred from father to son and the tradition is continued without any break. The rituals are conducted in the same ancient procedures with some modifications according to the convenience for the modern society and availability of required materials.

Characteristics of Yajna (Vedic Rituals):

‘Yajna’ (Vedic Rituals) is the most important feature of Vedic literature. It occupies very important cultural position in the literature and life as well. The word ‘Yajna’ is derived from the root ‘Yaj’ – to Worship or offering an oblation to a deity and paying one’s respect to it. Its meaning is further drawn signifying devotion in different ways. The materials offered to ‘Yajna’ are called ‘Havis’. The performance of offering, the dedicated ‘Havis’ into the principal of universal fire is ‘Homa’. ‘Adhvara’, ‘Kratu’, ‘Makha’, ‘Yaga’ and ‘Medha’ are other words used as synonyms for the term ‘Yajna’ in general sense though there are many features which differ among themselves. These play a great role in shaping our civilization order and peace.

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.

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’. The different modes of classifications of Sacrifices are

1. ‘Prakrti’ (Model) and ‘Vikrti’ (Modified)

2. ‘Pradhana (Principal) and ‘Anga’ (Auxiliary)

3. ‘Isti’, ‘Pasubandha’ and ‘Saumika’

4. ‘Nitya’, ‘Naimittika’ and ‘Kamya’

Each sacrifice involved an intention (sankalpa), an altar (yajnakunda), a host (yajamana), sacrificial offerings of various kinds (kratuvu, bali), utensils, sacred fire (yagagni), one or more officiating priests (purohita), gifts (dakshina) for the priests and guests, expiation ceremony (prayaschitta) and other concluding rituals. They were performed in open or in a house, temple, palace or a temporary structure (yajnavatika) built for the purpose.

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 or God. 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. As per tradition, the Srauta Shastras identify the following six types of sacrifices (yajnas).

Pakayajnas or food sacrifices: They involve cooking of food (paka) for offering to gods. They go by different names such as aṣtaka, sthālipāka, parvana, srāvaṇi, āgrahayani, etc.

Soma sacrifices: 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.

Oblationary sacrifices or Havir Yajna: 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

The five daily sacrifices or mahayajnas: They are performed daily by the householders. They will be explained later.

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).

The Shodasa Yajnas or Samskaras: They were performed at different times in the life of an individual. They will be explained later.

External and internal rituals

We may also classify Vedic sacrifices into external and internal rituals, depending upon how they are performed. External rituals are physical, in which offerings are externally made to gods. Internal rituals are mental or spiritual, in which the mind and the senses were withdrawn and engaged in contemplative or meditative practices, which culminated in self-absorption. In the internal rituals, the sacrificial model is internalized. The mind and the body become the field or the sacrificial pit, breath becomes fire, whatever that is offered to the body such as food or pleasure becomes the offering. 

The sage of the Atharvaveda (Sukta 19.55.3) prays to the fire for happiness and peace, for a happy temperament, resolve and good health, for strength and mental contentment, and as the ladder to spirituality. The sage also states that Agnihotra destroys enemies.^{[note 5]}

Shatapatha Brahmana (SB 3.1.3.18) tells us that Agnihotra should be performed by the performer knowing that he will gain the strength and victories gained by Agni who conquered the earth, Vayu, the air and Surya, the sky, with whom he shares the world; and the same text further tells us that the Agnihotra, doubtless, is the Sun.^[38]

Contemporary fire ritual === Hindus consider it as the duty of a man to perform Agnihotra. The main offering is milk, and at the end, the sacrificer offers four water oblations, to the gods, to father and the fathers, to the seven seers and to Agni on earth.^[39] The priest invokes Agni through Agni in his sacrificial form; the sacrificial form of Agni is the Sun which shining brightly appears to all men. The priest also invokes Vayu which is Agni’s own greatness. Therefore, Agni as the deity is treated differently from Agni, the messenger who carries oblations to the gods. The sacrificial form of Agni is Aditya and Vayu.

Discussion

Ritual versus knowledge === Shankara in his commentary on the Brahma Sutras states that the rightful observance of the agnihotra and other rites are meant for those desirous of attaining Heaven and other enjoyments, and the understanding of the rightful doctrine of the Soul is meant for those desirous of emancipation.^[41]