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During the centuries of muslim domination no help from royalty could be expected and so the institution of Vedic Yajnas languished. In the last hundreds of years or so, solemn shrauta yajnas have been performed only rarely. But since many of the grhya ceremonies as set forth in the Grhya sutras, which closely imitate the shrauta yajnas, formed the first and foremost manifestation of the sentiments of faith and worship in Bharatavarsha.<ref name=":0" />  

During the centuries of muslim domination no help from royalty could be expected and so the institution of Vedic Yajnas languished. In the last hundreds of years or so, solemn shrauta yajnas have been performed only rarely. But since many of the grhya ceremonies as set forth in the Grhya sutras, which closely imitate the shrauta yajnas, formed the first and foremost manifestation of the sentiments of faith and worship in Bharatavarsha.<ref name=":0" />  

== श्रौतकर्माणि ॥ Srauta Karmas ==

== श्रौतकर्माणि ॥ Shrauta Karmas ==

Shrauta karmas include the elaborate activities related to Shrauta yajnas and yagas meant for the well-being of mankind. These karmas are so called because their procedures are directly based on the Srutis or instructions given in Vedas. The brahmanas contain the description of yajnas (which last for many days) and different aakhyayikas as part of the Srauta karmas (for example Haviyagnakandam of Kanvasatapatha brahmana contains the details of Haviryajnas). However, in Kalpas the rules are methodically compiled in Sutra format without the aakhyayika part.<ref name=":122222222">Purkayastha, Dipanjona (2014) Ph. D Thesis from Assam University : ''[http://hdl.handle.net/10603/41946 A Study of the Asvalayana srauta sutra with reference to the principal sacrifices]''</ref> Usually, Srauta karmas involve the Chaaturhotr - the four priests (Hota, Adhvaryu, Udgaata, Brahma).     

Shrauta karmas include the elaborate activities related to Shrauta yajnas and yagas meant for the well-being of mankind. These karmas are so called because their procedures are directly based on the Srutis or instructions given in Vedas. The brahmanas contain the description of yajnas (which last for many days) and different aakhyayikas as part of the Srauta karmas (for example Haviyagnakandam of Kanvasatapatha brahmana contains the details of Haviryajnas). However, in Kalpas the rules are methodically compiled in Sutra format without the aakhyayika part.<ref name=":122222222">Purkayastha, Dipanjona (2014) Ph. D Thesis from Assam University : ''[http://hdl.handle.net/10603/41946 A Study of the Asvalayana srauta sutra with reference to the principal sacrifices]''</ref> Usually, Srauta karmas involve the Chaaturhotr - the four priests (Hota, Adhvaryu, Udgaata, Brahma).     

== कल्पः ॥ Kalpa ==

== कल्पः ॥ Kalpa ==

In the Vedangas, Kalpas (कल्पः) mainly deal with explaining Vedic Yajna procedures. The very name itself means ‘Kalpyate Samarthyate Yaga Prayogo Atra’ which means “The practice of Vedic ritual traditions are explained here”.  

In the Vedangas, Kalpas (कल्पः) mainly deal with explaining Vedic Yajna procedures. 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,   

Kalpa Vedanga deals with four types of sutras namely,   

Shrauta, as the name suggest, refers to the texts which have been derived from the Shruti or the Vedas. The Shrauta sutras contain a very detailed, meticulously accurate and vivid description of the several sacrifices that were performed in ancient times. These works were manuals compiled for the practical purpose of giving directions to those who engaged in such sacrifices. They are based on ancient Brahmana texts, which they quote at every step.<ref name=":0" />   

Shrauta, as the name suggest, refers to the texts which have been derived from the Shruti or the Vedas. The Shrauta sutras contain a very detailed, meticulously accurate and vivid description of the several sacrifices that were performed in ancient times. These works were manuals compiled for the practical purpose of giving directions to those who engaged in such sacrifices. They are based on ancient Brahmana texts, which they quote at every step.<ref name=":0" />   

The Shrauta 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://vedicheritage.gov.in/pdf/Vedic_tradition_karnataka.pdf Vedic Ritual Tradition of Karnataka]'', Vedic Heritage Portal.</ref></blockquote>

The Shrauta 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://vedicheritage.gov.in/pdf/Vedic_tradition_karnataka.pdf Vedic Ritual Tradition of Karnataka]'', Vedic Heritage Portal.</ref></blockquote>Such procedures for Srauta karmas are compiled in Srauta Sutras as given in the Kalpa Vedanga. Some of them are as follows<ref name=":122222222" />

== Classsification of Yajnas ==

== Classsification of Yajnas ==