The Fire

Yajï a involves the installation and worship of the fire-god, Agni. The first mantra of the Å g Veda addresses him as “Hota” or “the chief sacrificial priest”. It is his service to act as the mouth of Viñ ë u, the consuming agent, who carries the offerings to the Lord. It is thus described, that the wood of the fire is Agnideva’s ears, the smoke his nostrils, the small flames his eyes, the coals his head and the fully blazing flames his tongue. Thus, the best offering is to Agni’s tongue.

The fire for the yajï a, may come from a brä hmaë a's house (meaning from his daily household yajï a), from the lamp in the Deity-room, produced by the chanting of mantra, churned from the araë i sticks or by placing camphor on a pure bell-metal plate and igniting it by the use of a magnifying glass directing light from the sun.

During the kuç andikä rites, for various ceremonies and saà skä ras, different forms of Agni are called to carry the oblations to the Lord -

Vivä ha (marriage) - Yojaka Agni

Cathurthé Homa (establishing household yajï a) - Ç ikhi Agni

Dhå ti Homa (conclusion of marriage)- Dhå ti Agni

Puà savana (rites to beget a male child) - Candra Agni

Sé mantonnayanam (parting the wife’s hair) - Maì gala Agni

Ç oñ yanté Homa (rites before childbirth) - Maì gala Agni

Nä ma Karaë a (name-giving ceremony) - Pä rthiva Agni

Pauñ ö ika Karma (ceremony for the child’s health) - Balada Agni

Anna Prä ç ana (first grains) - Suci Agni

Cuò ä Karaë a (hair cutting) - Satya Agni

Upanayanam (sacred thread)- Samü dbhava Agni

Samä vartana (graduation from the gurukula before marriage)- Tejaù Agni

Udicya Karma (concluding rites of the yajï a)- Vidhu Agni

Vä stu Homa (entering or building a new residence)- Prajä pati Agni

Dé kñ ä Homa (initiation)- Vaiñ ë avä gni

Nitya Homa (daily Deity worship yajï a) - Vaiñ ë avä gni

The Maë ò apa

The maë ò apa is the place where the yajï a-kuë ò a is situated and the ceremony will be performed. The maë ò apa should be sprinkled with pure water, cleaned with a mixture of cow-dung and water and decorated with designs on the floor, banana trees, leaves, garlands, flags and “maì gala-ghaö as” (auspicious pots that have been installed by mantra) in the eight directions, and the four Vedas installed in pots in the four cardinal directions.

The Kuë ò a

In the maë ò apa a square pit is built measuring one “hasta“ (the distance from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, approx. 18 inches) with a one “muñ ö i“ (the width of the fist, approx. 3 inches) step on each side. The size of the kuë ò a, according to convenience, may be larger depending upon the area available, the ceremony, number of guests, etc. The pit may be surrounded by one or three step walls. If a kuë ò a cannot be constructed, one can perform the yajï a on a bed of sand of the same dimensions (this is known as a “sthandila“). In the Kå ñ ë a Yajur Veda Saà hita it is stated:

vediç ca samamä rjanoddananä dibhiù saà skä raiù saà skå ta bhü miù

“When a yajï a-kuë ò a is built, everything becomes well established - wealth, welfare, energy, health, and spiritual knowledge.”