Agni and Yaga

Agni is called Deva Mukha and is the central deity for yaga. Oblations (havis) are offered in the fire and gni is said to carry those to the Devatas. Offering and the carrier of offerings are inseparable and the former is stated to be the consort of the latter (gni). There are two contexts of offering, the para (pertaining to Devatas) and apara (pertaining to Pitris). The presiding deities of these two kinds of offerings are Svha and Swatha respectively. These are the two consorts of gni. The offerings to Devatas and Pitris are made through these two.

Classification of Agni
There are three types of Agni, grouped as "tretgni.

Grhapatya (literally belonging to the gha pati or the owner of the house) Dakia havany

Grhapatya is the origin of the other two, and all the three are worshiped regularly. Besides, Aupsana is performed by ghasthas. Agni is also classified into two types:

Viharay (those that can be moved) Upastheya (those that are fixed/deposited at a place).

Each of these two has eight sub-categories and are positioned in different places in the premises where sacrifice is performed. The Viharay Agnis are: 1. Vibhrasi Pravh, positioned near the gndhras (one of the utviks) place 2. Vahnirasi Havyavhana, positioned near the Hotas abode 3. vtrosi Praceta, at the place of Maitra Varua (the place where these Devatas are invoked) 4. Tuthosi Viswaveda, invoked at the place of the utvik designated as Brhmaccha
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5. Ui Gasi Kavi, positioned near utvik designed Potru 6. Anghri rasi jambhr, near the utvik designated Neu 7. Avasyurasi Duvasvn, near the utvik called Acchvk 8. undhyrasi Mrjlya, near the utvik called Mrjla (the one who does mrjana or purification and consecration) The Upastheyas are: 1. Samrdasi Kun, positioned at the secondary altar in the north. This is the havany Agni. 2. Pariadyosi Pavamna, positioned at Dhruva sthali 3. Pratakvsi nabhasvn, positioned at the Ctvla sthna 4. Asamtosi Havyasda, positioned at amitra (the place of pau) 5. tadhmsi Suvarjyoti, positioned at Audumbara (the tvija who chants the Sma Veda). 6. Brahmajyotirasi suvardhma, positioned with the Brahma (chief utvik) of the sacrifice 7. Ajosyekapt, positioned at the sukhala. This is the Grhapatya. 8. Ahirasi budhniya, positioned with the Yajamni. (The above 16 type of agni are used in Maha Nyasa as Shodasnga Raudrkarana, in ascertaining certain places in body with Rudra, the causal force behind agni)

Types of Yajna
Yajas can be classified in different ways. One of them is periodicity. Apart from the Panca Maha Yajas (Aswamdha, Vjapya, Paundarka, Rjasya, Sma), Aupsana and Agnihotra are performed every day. Any other yaja is occasional performed fortnightly, monthly, yearly or even once in a life time. Agnihotra is the homa done thrice a day. Dara and Pramasa are done on new moon and full moon days. Parvani sraddha is done once a month. Most of the other Yajas can be done once a year or even in a lifetime. Another classification is the scale of the rite. The ones like Agnihotra are done in the house while the sacrifices like soma yga or vjapeya need to be undertaken at a much bigger scale involving priests. The rites undertaken at a household level are called ghya rites. The ones performed at a collective level are called rauta rites.
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Samskras
Samskra is a rite that involves mantra. There are forty samskras or rites performed in ones lifetime:

Seven are paka Yajas (ataka, sthlipka, parvana, srvai, grahayani, caitri and svyuji). They involve consecrating cooked items. Seven are Soma Yajas (agnistoma, atyagnistoma, uktya, shodasi, vjapeya, atirtra and aptoryama). The yg that involves the extraction, utility and consumption of Soma (in the general sense nectar, but extract of a particular tree specifically) is called a Soma Yaja. Others are usually referred to as haviryanas. Seven are Havir Yajas (agniydhna, agni hotra, Dara-Pramsa, grayana, cturmsya, niruudha pau bandha, sautrmai). They involve offering havis. Five are the paca mah Yajs. Four are Vedavratas, which are done during Vedic education. Remaining ten are one-time samskras that are done at different stages in life. They are garbhdhn, pumsavana, smanta, jtakarma, nmakaraa, annaprana, caula, upanayana, sntaka and vivha. These are specified by the ghya strs. The samskAras after vivha are not popular today. As was noted earlier, the vivAha samskAra is the 14th samskAra. There are 26 more samskAras which are highly ritualistic. The remaining 26 samskAras can be broadly classified in to four categories: Panca Sapta Sapta Sapta Mah yagas - 5 Pka yagas - 7 Havir yagas - 7 Soma yagas - 7

Total 26 1. Paca-mah-yagas: There is a nice sloka which gives all the five mahyagas. i. Brahma Yaga - Learning in brahma-carya srama and teaching in grihastha srama, to maintain the guru-Sishya parampar, is prescribed. If cannot teach, one should perform a ritual at least, known as brahmayaga, which is a nitya karma.
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ii. Pitr Yaga - Performance of tarpaNa during amvsya etc. occasions, to worship the ancestors. iii. Deva Yaga - Offering oblations to devatas like Indra, agni, varuNa etc in hom, to express our gratitude to the natural forces and seek their blessings. iv. Bhta Yaga or Vaisvadva to protect birds and animals. v. Manushya Yaga Respect for other humans in society. Pancamahyaga are very important for a grihastha. All these are fire-rituals and are very seldom done these days. Before discussing these twenty one rituals, it is useful to understand a few details. During the vivha samskra, a particular fire ritual known as vivha homa is performed. That vivha homa agni is supposed to be preserved till a person dies or takes to sannysa. ll the above mentioned 21 yagas are to be performed in that agni alone. (t the time of sannysa, the person renounces all karma and gives up all agnis, and so is called nirgni.) The grihastha is supposed to perform a nitya karma known as aupsana, twice a day, in that agni (This ritual can be considered as a replacement of samidh 1 dhnam.). The same agni is used for all the later samskras of the children upanayana, vivha etc. and other karmas, like Srddha etc. When the son gets married, the fathers vivha agni goes to the son, and so, is supposed to be maintained eternally. Since these agni samskras are connected with the well being of the family, it is called grihya agni. This will vary from family to family; for example, for Rigvedis, it is prescribed by the Aswalyana grihya sutras; for Yajurvedis, by the pasthamba griya sutras; for Smavedis, by the gobila grihya sutras etc. These rituals are not given in Sruti (the Vedas), but prescribed by the Rishis in grihya sutras from smritis. Since rituals prescribed in the smritis are performed in this agni, it is also called smrta agni, grihya agni, aupsana agni etc. It is in this smrta agni, the first set of seven pka yagas are performed.

2. Sapta Pka Yagas : ( Yagas involving cooked food) These involve the offering of cooked grains in the form of gruel, and are done at different times, and frequencies: 1. Sthl pkam twice a month 2. PrvaNam - once a month 3. Ashtak once a year
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Herbs and bark of specific trees used in Yaga

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4. 5. 6. 7.

Caitr, - once a year ( During the lunar month of Caitra) svayuji once a year ( during the lunar month of svayuja) Srvani - 4 months in an year (ugust to November). grahyani - conclusion of SrvaNI once a year.

Immediately after and along with vivha, the first of the seven pkayagas are initiated. Vivha agni is also known as smrta agni. This agni is maintained in a circular kunda. A portion of this agni is taken to perform vedic rituals srauta karmas and is called srauta agni. The fourteen yagas, namely the sapta-havir-yagas and sapta-soma-yagas, which are prescribed in the Vedas, are performed in the srauta agni, which should be preserved all the time. Elaborate procedures are given regarding the use of this agni for the performance of the 14 rituals. The yga sla is also known as a deva sla. Kalpa sutras contain a description of it, not omitting minute details. There are altars called ayanas to be built with bricks. (There are no ayanas for havir and pka yagnas. ) Several kinds of ladles are used in making offerings in the fire, darvi, sruk and sruva etc. The srauta agni is like the master of the griha the grihapati - is supposed to protect from all calamities etc. and so is called the grhapatya agni This is divided in to three, before the ritual. On the eastern side, a square kuNDa is established and a portion of the grhapatya agni is transferred. There are prescriptions regarding the size of the kuNDa, the size of the bricks etc. This agni is called havaneeya agni. On the southern side of the grhapatya agni another kuNDa semicircular in shape is established. nother portion of fire from the grhapatya agni is transferred to this kuND and is called dkshiNgni:

Srauta Agni havaneeya agni Grhapatya agni Dkshina agni

Since the smrta agni is never divided, it is also called ekgni, and, since the srauta agni is divided in to three, it is also called tretgni. Most of the srauta rituals are done in the havaneeya agni. No ritual is actually done in the
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grhapatya agni and is only a witness. fter the performance of the ritual, the havaneeya agni and dkshiNgni are joined back in to grhapatya agni. When a person dies, his cremation is performed using the srauta agni. The smrta agni is preserved for the wife. When the husband dies first, he will use up the srauta agni, and the smarta agni will be used to cremate the wife, which is supposed to give her svarga loka. If the wife dies first as a sumangali, part of the srauta agni will be used for her, which is believed to give her brahma loka. One should remember that these rituals are prescribed according to the Dharma and in the karma knda manuals viz., Dharma Sindhu, Nirnaya Sindhu, Vedokta Agni Krityam etc., 3. Sapta Havir Yagas ( 7 Yagas based on special oblations) Thses are supposed to be performed in the havaneeya agni. The seven yagas are: 1. Agni dhnam - Division in to three; this division itself is a ritual; done only once. It has to be maintained. If it goes off, pryascittam is to be done. 2. Agnihtra a daily ritual 3. Darsa Prna Msa performed twice a month on Amvsya 2 and Prnim days 4. grayana once a year. The above 4 rituals are small rituals, done, mostly, within the house. 5. Cturmsya different from what sannyss observe. This ritual is performed three times in an year, once every four months. 6. Nirdha-pasubandha The 6th and 7th rituals are done in a very big scale, generally, once an year, outside the house. 7. Sautrmani - once a year. The last three haviryagas - cturmasya, nirudha pasubandha and sautrmani - are performed in a ygasla.

4. Sapta Soma Yagas ( 7 Yagas involving Soma rasa) In these yagas, soma juice is offered with the chanting of sma veda in high pitch. ll are very big yagas and are done outside the house, for the benefit of the entire country. The seven yagas are:

Darsa divided Sparsa, am 4

is the specific time when the lunar 15th tithi, Amvsya is present at the time of sunrise. Amvsya is into 3 parts Kuh, Sinivli and Darsa. Sinivli is the 1st part when Amvsya begins, also called, Am Gaja Kuh is the 2nd part and specifically that part which is present during 3rd and 4th prahara of midnight. (12 am) and the 3rd part is the Darsa.
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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Agnishtoma or jyotishtoma Atyagnishtoma Uktyam Shodasi Vjapeya Atirtra ptoryma

It is generally observed that one does aupsana and agnihotra daily, and the rest, at least once in a life time. During vivha, the first smrta yaga, namely, sthli pka, and the first srauta yaga, agni dhna are initiated. mong the 21 yagas, the seven pka yagas are done in smrta agni and the remaining 14 are done in srauta agni, till death or till becoming a sannysi s already mentioned, the daksingni and the havaniyaagni are made from the grhapatygni. When srauta rites for the fathers have been performed in the dakhsingni and other srauta rites in the havaniygni, the two fires no longer have the exalted name of srautgni and are just like any other ordinary fire and they have to be extinguished. Only the grhapatya and aupsana fires are to be kept burning throughout. On every prathama (first day of the lunar fortnight), a pkayaga and a haviryaga have to be performed in the grhygni and srautagni respectively. The first is called sthlipka. Sthali is the pot in which rice is cooked and it must be placed on the aupasana fire and the rice called caru cooked in it must be offered in the same fire. The rite that is the basis of many others (the archetype or model) is called prakrti. Those performed after it, but with some changes, are known as vikrti. For the sarpabali called sravani and the pkayaga called agrahayani, sthlipaka is the prakrti. The haviryaga performed on every prathama is darsa-purna-ishti, darsa meaning the new moon and purna the full moon. So the ishtis or sacrifices conducted on the day following the new moon and the full moon (the two prathamas) are together given the name of darsa-purnaishti. The two rituals are also referred to merely as ishti. This is the prakrti for haviryagas. For soma sacrifices agnistoma is the prakrti, the word stoma also meaning a sacrifice. One who performs an elaborate sacrifice like a somayaga is called a yajva, eeikshita or makhin nd one who conducts the greatest of the somayagas, vaajapeya, is known as a vaajapeyin. Sacrifices are called variously kratu, makha, ishti, stoma, samsta.
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There are some differences between these. The person who performs the yaga is called the yajamana and those who perform the sacrifice for him are called rtviks (priests) who consist of the hota (Rg veda priest), adhvaryu (yajurveda priest) udgta (sma veda priest) and brahm (atharva veda priest). In pkayagas there are no rtviks; the householder (as the yajamna) performs the rites with his wife. In haviryagas there are four rtviks and the yajamna. But the udgtas place is taken by the agnidhra. The udgta is the one who sings the sman. It is only in somayagas that there is smagna, not in haviryagas. In cturmasya and pasubandha there are more than the usual number of priests of priests - the hota, the adhvaryu, the udgta and the brahm. Each priest is assisted by three others. So in all there are sixteen priests in a somayaga. agnistoma which is the first of the seven somayagas is the prakrti (archetype) and the other six are its vikrti. These six are: atyagnistoma, uktya, sodasi, vaajapeya, atiraatra and ptoryma. In the old days a Brahmin used all his wealth in performing the somayaga. Much of this was spent in dakshina to the priests and the rest for materials used in the sacrifice. There was also a time when even poor Brahmins performed this sacrifice every spring ( vasante vasante) by begging! Brahmin who conducted the sacrifice every year was thus called prativasantasomayjin.

Constituents of Yaga The primary constituents of a Yaja are the inspiration or urge of the doer (bhvana), learning (svdhyya), rites involved (karma), offerings (tyga), devata and the results (phala).

a. Karma
There are two types of rites in a sacrifice, principal (artha karma) and subsidiary (gua karma). Gua karmas are the constituent accessory rites associated with a principal rite. In artha karma, the rite is primary and material is subsidiary to the rite. Material is treated as accessory. In gua karma, material is primary and rite secondary to it.
rtha Karma

rtha karmas are three types.

Nitya karma, done regularly. Example of nitya karma is gni hotra (the homa done thrice a day). Naimittika karma, done occasionally. These are rites involving specific occasions. Those like pitru tarpana are naimittika rites. Nitya and naimittika rites are mandatory. There are specific Vedic injunctions that make the rites mandatory. Kmya karma, done optionally. Optional rites are performed when a specific purpose is intended to be served through a sacrifice. The sacrifices like soma yga and vjapeya are examples of optional rites. These are in turn three types based on the results they give. The rites that give results in the present life are called aihika. The ones whose results are enjoyed after the present life (such as heaven, prosperity in the next life or breaking the cycle of life itself) are called mumika. The rites that give both kinds of results are called aihika-mumika. Gua Karma

Gua karmas, which are subsidiary and form components of artha karmas, are intended for purification (samskra). They are four types:

utpatti (origination for instance creating fire for the sacrifice) pti (obtaining/attaining for instance learning required to perform the rite) vikti (modification for instance husking or cooking rice for sacrifice) samskti (consecration/purification for instance purifying the material by sprinkling water and/or through mantra).

Subsidiary rites are in general meant for purification. This is again of two types, disposal (pratipatti) and purification. Pryacitta or expiation rites are also part of the subsidiary rites/gua karmas.

b. Bhvana
Bhvana is the urge, inspiration to perform yaja. This is caused by the desire for its result. Thus from the perspective of yaja, desire is seen as an inspiration to performing karma. Need and desire are the two inspirations for beings to perform karma that run the activity of phenomenal world. Bhvana has three aspects:

what is desired what is the means what is the method.

From the injunctions of ruti, these are learned. For instance, from injunctions such as one who desires cattle should perform Citra

In pravtti mrga, one performs karma with a desired result. Following the injunctions of the scriptures and being righteous, one can fulfill these. However in the advanced stages in karma mrga, sacrifice alone remains the purpose. All that is desired is also desired for the sake of performing sacrifice, making yaja the ultimate purpose. The Camaka of Sri Rudram starts with praying for a variety of material gains, fulfilment of desires, grace of devatas, asking for devatas themselves, the various ingredients involved in sacrifice, the different rites of a sacrifice, and then towards conclusion, makes all these along with the life, mind, speech, soul and the whole sacrifice, a part of the sacrifice itself. This explains how desire is positively treated, and then sublimated in karma mrga.

c. Svadhyaya
Svadhyaya means learning ones Veda (the branch of Veda one is ordained to pursue) along with the Vedangas. It is through learning that one gains the knowledge of the rites he should perform as his duty, the rites he can perform for various other desired purposes, how to perform those, and what his conduct should be to gain the desired results (these could be material or heavenly or liberation). Svadhyaya is the primary duty during brahmacarya, and forms the basis for performing all the rites of subsequent ashramas.

d. Tyga
Tyga is associated with offering. There are three kinds of offerings:

yga (sacrifice) dna (giving) homa (offering)

Of these, the word yga refers to principal rite and the other two are associated with subsidiary rites. Dna is transferring ones right over what is given, to the one who is taking. This does not involve any expectation of result (though it has an invisible result, and it ensues only when the result is not desired for). Homa is offering of havis in gni. This involves tyga of what is being with the mention na mama, meaning what is being offered is no more belongs to the Devata (or the pitri as the case may be) to whom the is being made. There is no expectation of result in the homa itself, result will become part of the result of the entire sacrifice. offered, mine, it offering but its

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Homa is central to any agni karya or sacrifice performed in gni. It has become almost synonymous to the word yaja itself. However it should be understood that homa is a component of yaja. In some kinds of yaja which do not involve gni karya, oblations are offered as dana instead of homa.

e. Devata
Devata is a constituent of sacrifice as well as its result. Devatas consume the havis offered in a sacrifice and give the result of sacrifice performed. s a result of sacrifice, along with the desired result, the grace of devata remains. When sacrifice is performed without desiring a result, devatas grace remains the result of sacrifice. Devata is mantra-baddha, meaning He is bound to give the result of a sacrifice/mantra when invoked. Thus the result of any form of worship is bound to come. Havis offered in a sacrifice is the food for Devatas. Devatas grow on havis and bring the well-being of men (through rains and so on). Thus Devatas grow on mans offerings and mans elevation is brought by the Devatas. Thus through mutual nourishment, men and Devatas bring about the well being of all. This is explained in the Karma Yoga of Bhagavad Gta:

- All life is said to be a yaja. Every action, when made as an offering to the vara, is a yaja. Worshipping, eating food, fighting war, creating wealth, contributing to human knowledge, running family, each of these is a yaja. Doing these as offerings to derive something greater, makes these actions yajas. When these actions are not done for material gain but with a selfless motive, that is the highest form of yaja. Sacrifice brings transcendence. Transcendence through sacrifice is the meaning of life in the Vedic religion.

f. Phala
The result of a sacrifice ensues from the results of each of the subsidiary rites, combined with the result of the main rite. Each rite creates a unique result, in terms of visible or invisible effect. This is called apurva. The total of unique results of all the rites of a sacrifice cause the grand unique final result of the sacrifice, called Mahpurva.

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Different schools hold different opinions on the results of nitya karmas. ccording to Prabhkara School it is said that there is no additional benefit or fruit of performing nitya karmas but there is a loss of merit or righteousness in not performing those. ccording to Kumrila Bhaa, there will be an additional merit even in the performance of nitya karmas. In case of kmya rites, since they are optional, there is only an additional result in performing those. There are two kinds of results of a sacrifice visible (pratyaka) and invisible (laukika). Pratyaka is the visible gain that results from performing the sacrifice, material or otherwise. laukika result can be like begetting heaven in pravtti and mukti in nivtti (through karma nivtti).

Prayoga
Literally prayoga means performance. It is the performance of sacrifice, the application of text to perform yaja. The injunctions to perform the sacrifice or vidhi are found in Brahmana portion of Veda. Kalpa Strs explain the prayoga part further. There are different stages in performing a sacrifice. It begins with cleaning the place and building the altar. Then the dravya is acquired. Then the priest is invited to officiate. Following that the altar is decorated and gni invoked. Then the purification of each of the dravya is done. Then the homas (in the fire) and danas (alms etc) are done. The sacrifice concludes with cleaning up the place and taking the fruit of sacrifice.

Yaja Dravya and Homas

gni karya forms the core of a sacrifice. It includes purification rites and the homas. The ingredients used in a yaja are called dravya. There are six ingradients involved in performing an gni Karya. They are:

Sruk and Sruva (ladles used for making offering in fire) Idhma (wooden pieces/sticks used as fuel in the sacrifice also called samidhas) Ptras (bowls)

There are three kinds of ptras used:

the prokii (used for purification) jya (to hold the clarified butter) pra ptra (literally complete, the one used for completion of the rite)

Based on the dravya used and rites performed, there are two major classes of prayoga Catuptra (using four ingredients) and aptra (using six ingredients). aptra involves the usage all the six dravyas mentioned above. Catuptra
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does not involve idhma and pra ptra. However, the regular rite that a brahmacari performs, does not mandatorily involve any ptra (though usage is not prohibited). Most of the prayogas nitya or otherwise, involve aptra prayoga. Some of the sacrifices are referred to variously as involving more than six primary ingredients. For instance marriage ritual in pastamba smpradya is called dasa ptra (involving 10 ingredients). Major ygas like Vajapeya use many more. However all of them come under aptra only and the additional dravya is classified as one of the six - idhma or ajya for instance. In general, Catuptra is sufficient for the regular homas to prajpati, Indra gni etc. In order to propitiate a specific deity, one has to perform aptra. This involves additional dravya and homas. Dravya depends on the nature of rite. It could be rice, corn, specific samidhas, blades of grass, milk, curd etc. Fifty eight homas (to Prajpati, Dikplakas and Grahas Lokaplakas etc) inclusive of Cakur-homas (literally the homas of eyes - two homas with clarified butter poured in the fire circularly, as if they are the eyes of gni) and done in the beginning of the sacrifice. Then oblations to the main deity of the sacrifice are offered. Jaydi homas (additional homas to propitiate various Devatas representative of faculties of consciousness, pryacitta homas etc) follow that, and it is concluded with Prhuti (literally the completion oblation or the conclusive one). These homas also include the pryacitta rites (expiation rites), as applicable. However pryacitta rites are common to Catuptra and aptra.

Participants of a Yga
The primary participant of a sacrifice is the one who performs it the owner or the yajamni. dvija performs regular rites himself. However any major yga requires the yajamni to be accompanied by his consort, she should offer the fire (pastamba Stras). In case of a kmya prayoga, a tvija (priest) is involved. In major ygas, there are at least four rtviks involved. They are hota, adhvaryu, brahma and udgta. Hota should be learned in Rig Veda, and chants the ks. dhvaryu is the one who performs the sacrifice (makes the yajamni do it with instructions). He should be learned in Yajurveda. Udgta sings the Sma Veda. Brahma supervises the sacrifice.

Yga Sla
The regular rites are conducted in a designated place in the house. Major ygas are performed in premises meant for them, called yga ls.

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Yga sla follows a specific architecture/layout. It has four entrances, representing the four Vedas. The four entrances have four gates, decorated with the leaves of four kinds of trees, or rather named after the four trees. They are nyagrodha, swattha, udumbara and plaksha. In the four directions altars are built in shapes specified against those positions (they could be circular, square or following any other geometry according to the rauta tras). The eight Dikplakas preside over the eight (four directions and four corners) positions of the yga sla. Homas are performed in those designated places to the corresponding devatas, according to the rites of the respective Vedas. There are positions designated for the yajamni, each of the tvijas, dravya and the audience. Besides there is a bali sthana, where the bali (sacrificial offering) is made.

It would be huge task to list down the various practices and rituals involving fire, for it requires mastery in the compendium of the Vedas, Smritis and Puraanas, of which the author claims none what so ever. The above article is just a collation of few ideas and topics as available from various sources of knowledge and grouped in the above few lines. The above article is only meant to give an idea and an image of the structure and processes involved in Yagna and related rituals - Author

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