Agnihotra (अग्निहोत्रम्)

Agnihotra (Samskrit : अग्निहोत्रम्) is generically referred to Agni in a yagnavedi (altar) invoked by the chanting of mantras. However, Agnihotra as a specific nityakarma refers to a vedic process 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 according to karmakanda procedures given in Samhitas and Brahmanas.

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 good rains is performed at regular intervals as temple activities for community benefit.  

Somayagi : one who uses three agnis, tretagni.  

Panchayagna - done by all, no agni.  

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

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 and general term used to denote all satkarmas (good deeds) and encompasses several aspects such as worship, praise, pleasing of a deity, a purpose to achieve, a yaaga, an oblation and could be a mental (Jnana) or physically ritualistic process (Kratu) which may or may not include the piling of Agnihotra. An unmarried man is not allowed by sastras to perform any special yagnas or yaagas. A brahmachari is restricted to perform only some vaidika kriyas.  

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 : Yaagas are elaborate rituals with specific names (in contrast to Yagna which is a general name) involving Agnihotra with special offering of suitable materials (havish including purodaasa, milk, ghee, etc) to the devatas, lasting for at least three or more days. However, some yaagas like Sattrayaagam involves nitya Agnihotram, but does not involve special invocation nor offerings to Agni and includes reading and discussion of spiritual texts such as Shrimad Bhaagavatam (to recheck). Sarpa sattra yaga was performed by King Janamejaya where all sarpas serpents were destroyed in the yaaga fire.  

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 vedic process involving an uddesa or intention (sankalpa) towards a particular deity, an altar (yajnakunda), a host (yajamaana), 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.

Homa : Homa refers to both the small scale rituals involving specially constructed altars with Agnihotra such as in navagraha homa conducted for grihapravesam (housewarming) to larger scale rituals such as Chandi homa conducted in temples. Homas are usually conducted as Angas for mantrajapams and do not involve all the vedic procedures.

Srauta Yaagas

Aitreya Aranyakam (2.3.3) describes five categories of srauta yagnas

sa esha yajnah panchavidho agnihotram darsapurnamaasau chaturmasyaani pasu somah

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

Agnihotram

Agnihotra, is a term specifically applicable to the most common and important yagnas classified among the haviryajñas and considered to be nityakarma (daily activity). It is performed as a daily worship rather than with an intent to fulfill any specific desire. Some salient features may be summarized as below

• It is prescribed by sastras that all the dvijas (the ‘twice-born,’ the men of the first three varṇas) are to perform Agnihotra. A brahmachari so initiated is prescribed procedures and taught to conduct agnihotra with different chantings called as Agnikarya (recheck).
• After marriage the grihasta performs Agnihotram twice daily at twilight time (dawn and dusk) along with the wife in the Gaarhapatya agni, this is also called as Aupasana. If the yajamāna (performer of the sacrifice) goes on a pilgrimage along with his wife, he can carry the gārhapatya fire with him or can ceremonially put it out and perform punarādhāna (re-establishing the fire) on his return. When he dies, the various wooden implements used by him for Agnihotra should be kept on various parts of his body as prescribed and then his body is cremated with the gārhapatya fire.
• Eligibility for a grihastha to perform other yaagas or yagnas will be obtained once he regularly performs Agnihotram at his house and after he learns the vaidika procedures to conduct them. For example: Agnisthoma is the first of the 5 Jyotisthomas or Somayaaga. Performance of Agnistoma haviryagna and some Isthis is a prerequisite for the undertaking Somayaaga. The grihastha who never performed any Haviryagna and never studied Vedas, and whose father or forefathers never performed this yaaga are not eligible to perform Somayaaga.
• Wife, son, pupil or a priest can perform Agnihotram on behalf of the yajamani in case of emergencies. Agnihotra cannot be performed by an uninitiated bachelor or a widower, however on remarriage a widower becomes eligible to perform all yagnas.  
• The performer of Agnihotra is obliged to rear a cow. The milk vessel which must be an earthen pot with a straight brim is called ‘agnihotra-sthālī’ and the ladle is called ‘agnihotrahavaṇī.’

त्रेताज्ञयः ॥ Three Fires

All Srauta yagnas or yaagas are associated with त्रेताज्ञयः the three Agni's namely

गार्हपत्याग्निः ॥ Gaarhapatya Agni

Information about of गार्हपत्याग्निः ॥ Gaarhapatya agni

• It is used by grihastas for general domestic usage, to cook food and aahutidravyas used in other yagnas by reciting mantras.
• It is placed to the west of the yagnavedi and placed in circular shaped kunda.
• It is ceremonially established with the elaborate vedic procedure involving recitation of specific mantras and is called Agnyādhāna.
• It is rekindled by a special process called "Punaradhana" if it gets extinguished for any reason.
• It is used in nityakarmas.
• It is the only Agni that is maintained continuously and daily aahutis are to be made to this Agni by a grihastha.
• It is the source of other two Agnis
• It is kindled at the time of marriage and brought home to be worshipped for the rest of the life by the grihastha
• According to Sata. Brah 64 ref every grihastha has to maintain this (jaraamarya satra yaaga ) agni until he is prevented by old age or illness or death. In case where he cannot perform it on behalf of him his son, brother or son-in-law Satapata 65 ref chap 1 .
• Only a sapatnika yajamani (grihastha) of the three varnas is allowed to tend the Agnihotram.

आहवनीयाग्निः ॥ Aahvaniya Agni

Some salient aspects about आहवनीयाग्निः ॥ Aahvaniya Agni are as follows

• It is invoked only in special aabhicharika yaagas unlike Gaarhapatya agni.
• The first Aahvaniya agni is established from the Gaarhapatya agni along with the recitation of specific mantras.
• It is not maintained everyday and is extinguished at the end of the specific yaaga for which it is invoked.
• It is placed to the east of the yagnavedi, in a rectangular shaped kunda.
• It is used to offer aahutis to the devatas only.

दक्षिणाग्निः ॥ Dakshinaagni

Salient aspects about दक्षिणाग्निः ॥ Dakshinaagni is as follows

• It is invoked only in special yaagas like Aahvaniya agni.
• The first Dakshinaagni is established from the Gaarhapatya agni along with the recitation of specific mantras.
• It is not maintained everyday and is extinguished at the end of the specific yaaga for which it is invoked.
• It is placed to the south of the yagnavedi, in a half circle shaped kunda.
• It is used to offer aahutis to the pitrudevatas or forefathers only.

Aahitagni

Aahitagni is one who performs at least one yagna (or yagam) and continues to keep Agni on a daily basis. They extensively study procedures of vedic rituals and conduct yagnas and yaagas after attaining authority to do so. For example:

Some ‘Srauta priests’ called as 'Aahitagnis' or ‘Agnihotris’ keep ‘Agni’ in their houses and protect it even today by offering oblations everyday. The ‘Agni’ usually transferred from father to son and the tradition is continued without any break. The rituals are conducted using the same ancient procedures with some modifications according to the convenience of 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) 

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’.

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]