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 prescribed 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's nitya Agnihotra many other events like yagnas, yagas, isthis, and homas involve the kindling of fire as evident from ancient Rig Vedic Agni sukta.

In the 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 Nityayagnas, yagas in temples, in special homas during housewarming and grahashanti, upanayana and other samskara celebrations, at weddings (the yajna where the bride and groom circle the fire seven times) and lastly for Anteysti (cremation).  

Elaborately conducted yaagas such as Soma yaagas are not widely performed, while Varuna yaagam and Kareeresti for propitiating Varuna devata to obtain rains is performed at regular intervals as temple activities.  

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.  

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. A few definitions here would throw light on the terms used in this context.  

Yagna : A common term used to denote all satkarmas, which may or may not include the piling of Agnihotra. Bhagavad geeta gives the process of Jnanayagna. Adhiyagnam katham 8 .2 bhagavadgeeta Karma brahmo 3.15 bhagavadgeeta Yagnanardhat karmano yatra 3.9 Bhagavadgeeta 9.15 Jnana yagne, 9.16  

Yaagam : 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’.  

A Yaga is specialized process involving 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 are performed in open or in a house, temple, palace or a temporary structure (yajnavatika) built for the purpose.

Agnihotra : This term specifically applies to the most common and important yagnas classified among the haviryajñas and considered to be nitya. It is performed more as a daily worship than for the fulfillment of any specific desire.

It is ceremonially established with the elaborate vedic procedure called agnyādhāna should be started from the very evening of the day on which (establishing the Vedic fire ceremonially) is done. It is obligatory to perform it daily till death or old-age or saiñnyāsa. All the dvijas (the ‘twice-born,’ the men of the first three varṇas) are entitled to its performance. It must be done twice daily at dawn and dusk, along with the wife. Wife, son or pupil can perform it on his behalf in emergencies.

Aahitagni  

As a part of nityayagnas, 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.

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.

Invocation of Agni in a vedi (altar) and offering of oblations is performed in yagnas. However, not all yagnas involve this process. A few yagnas described in the Samhitas and Brahmanas include the following  

Agnichayana 

Agnistoma 

Darsapurnamaasa 

Chaturmasya 

Somayagnas 

Pashumedha (Asvamedha) 

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".

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”. 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.

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.

Classification of Yagnas

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 were performed at different times in the life of an individual.

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]