Shrauta Yajnas (श्रौतयज्ञाः)

 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 Shrauta 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. Usually, Srauta karmas involve the Chaaturhotr - the four priests (Hota, Adhvaryu, Udgaata, Brahma).

कल्पः ॥ Kalpa

Kalpas (कल्पः) mainly deal with elaborating the Vedic Yajna procedures and is classified under Shad Vedangas. 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,

• Sulbasutras : Practical manuals with mathematical measurements necessary for construction of yajna vedi (sacrificial altar).
• Shrautasutras : Contain procedures for performing great Yajnas (sacrifices) lasting for many days.
• Dharmasutras : Contain spiritual and worldly laws.
• Grhyasutras : Lay down rules for the ceremonies and yajnas involved in everyday life.

The ‘Sulbasutras’ 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 in the modern period especially in South India.

श्रौतसूत्राणि ॥ Shrauta Sutras

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, many individual sutras being couched in the very language of the Brahmanas.

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,

"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".

The procedures for Shrauta karmas are compiled in Shrauta Sutras as given in the Kalpa Vedanga. Some of the Shrauta Sutras associated with particular vedas are as follows

Vedas	Srautasutras
Rig Veda	Avalayana, Sankhyayana
Krishna Yajurveda : Taittriya	Baudhayana, Bharadvaja, Apastamba, Hiranyakeshi, Vaikhanasa, Vadula, Kathaka
Krishna Yajurveda : Maitrayani	Manava and Varaha
Shukla Yajurveda	Katyanana
Samaveda	Arsheyakalpa, Kshudrasutra, Jaiminiya, Latyayana and Drahyayana
Atharvaveda	Vaitana

Besides these above mentioned Srautasutras, there are many others but their texts are not available at present.

The present article is based on the references of Shrauta sutras of Asvalayana, Apastamba, Katyayana, Baudhayana with occasional references to Samhitas and Brahmanas.  

Srauta Yajnas Classification

Srauta Yajnas are 14 in number. They are divided into two main groups of seven each : Haviryajnas and Somayajnas. Gautama Dharmasutras also mention these yajnas (8.18).

Gopatha Brahmana (1.5.23) describes the Haviryajnas and Somayajnas as follows

अग्न्याधेयम् अग्निहोत्रं पौर्णमास्यमावास्ये । नवेष्टिश् चातुर्मास्यानि पशुबन्धो ऽत्र सप्तमः ॥ इत्य् एते हविर्यज्ञाः

अग्निष्टोमो ऽत्यग्निष्टोम उक्थ्यः षोडशिमांस् ततः । वाजपेयो ऽतिरात्रश् चाप्तोर्यामात्र सप्तमः ॥ इत्य् एते सुत्याः

Agnyadheyam and Navesti are given Gopatha Brahmana as one of the Haviryajnas, whereas according to Shabdakalpadruma the following are given summarized in the tables

तत्र श्रौताग्निकृत्य- हविर्यज्ञाः सप्त । यथा । आग्न्याधानं तदेवाग्निहोत्रम् १ दर्शपौर्णमासौ २ पिण्डपितृ-यज्ञः ३ आग्रयणम् ४ चातुर्म्मास्यः ५ निरूढ-पशुबन्धः ६ सौत्रामणिः ७ ।

श्रौताग्निसप्तसंस्थाः । यथा । सोमयागः स एवाग्निष्टोमः १ अत्यग्निष्टोमः २ उक्थ्यः ३ षोडशी ४ वाजपेयः ५ स द्बिविधः संस्था कुरुश्च । अतिरात्रः ६ अप्तूर्य्यामः ७ ।

Srauta Yajnas

Haviryajnas	Somayajnas
अग्निहोत्रम् ॥ Agnihotra	अग्निष्टोम ॥ Agnistoma
दर्शपूर्णमास ॥ Darsapurnamasa	अत्यग्निष्टोम ॥ Atyagnistoma
आग्रयण ॥ Agrayana	उक्थ्य ॥ Ukthya
पिण्डपितृयज्ञ ॥ Pindapitryajna	षोडशी ॥ Sodashi
चातुर्मास्य ॥ Chaturmasya	वाजपेय ॥ Vajapeya
निरूढपशुबन्ध ॥ Nirudha Pashubandha	अतिरात्र ॥ Atiratra
सौत्रामणी ॥ Sautramani	आप्तोर्याम ॥ Aptoryam

Agnyadhana is also a haviryajna according to Gautama Dharmasurtras (1.8.20)

अग्न्याधेयमग्निहोत्रं दर्शपूर्णमासावाग्रयणं चातुर्मास्यानि निरूढपशुबन्धः सौत्रामणीति सप्तहविर्यज्ञसम्स्थाः ॥

Here we see instead of Pindapitryajna Agnyadheya (also called Agnyadhana) yajna as one of the seven Haviryajnas.

Aitreya Aranyakam (2.3.3) (belonging to Rig veda) describes five categories of srauta yagnas as follows

sa esha yajnah panchavidho agnihotram darsapurnamaasau chaturmasyaani pasu somah

1. Agnihotra
2. Darsapurnamaasa
3. Chaaturmasya
4. Pasu
5. Soma  

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

हविर्यज्ञाः ॥ Haviryajnas

There are seven Haviryajnas as given below.

• अग्निहोत्रम् ॥ Agnihotra
• दर्शपूर्णमास ॥ Darsapurnamasa
• आग्रयण ॥ Agrayana
• पिण्डपितृयज्ञ ॥ Pindapitryajna
• चातुर्मास्य ॥ Chaturmasya
• निरूढपशुबन्ध ॥ Nirudha Pashubandha
• सौत्रामणी ॥ Sautramani

सोमयज्ञाः ॥ Somayajnas

There are seven Somayajnas as given below.

• अग्निष्टोम ॥ Agnistoma
• अत्यग्निष्टोम ॥ Atyagnistoma
• उक्थ्य ॥ Ukthya
• षोडशी ॥ Sodashi
• वाजपेय ॥ Vajapeya
• अतिरात्र ॥ Atiratra
• आप्तोर्याम ॥ Aptoryam

The most common of these yajnas is the Agnihotra, where daily havis of milk is given in the three fires, every morning and evening. Apart from Agnihotra, Darsapurnamasa (performed on New and Full Moon days) and Chaturmasya (performed at the beginning of three seasons) are also important.

General Rules in Shrauta Yajnas

Some of the general rules applicable in all shrauta karmas, are given here from the Asvalayana Srautasutras (1.1.8 to 22).

1. Unless expressly stated, the yajamana should always face the north direction and sit cross-legged.
2. The sacrificial materials (kusa etc) should have their ends pointed towards the east direction.
3. The sacred thread (yajnopavitam) should be worn in all activities, in the upavita form, except where the nivita or prachinaviti form is expressly ordained.
4. Whenever a limb (anga) is mentioned, or no particular limb is mentioned, the right limb (hand, foot, finger) is meant.
5. Whenever the word "dadati" is used the yajamana is the agent of the action.

Brief Description of Haviryajnas

Agnihotra, is a term specifically applicable to the first and important vaidika yajnas classified among the seven Srauta karmas - हविर्यज्ञानि ॥ Haviryajnas (offering of havis is made) or homas. It is performed as a daily worship to Agni and also with an intent to fulfill any specific desire.