Dichotomic interpretation of the Agnicayana Sacrifice

The Agnicayana or the pilling of the fire altar or the construction of the vedi is the most technical and complicated sacrifice. According to Prof. Eggeling it is originally an independent rite and later come under the system of soma sacrifice^[1]. The kāṇḍas from VI-X of the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa is attributed to Agnicayana. It is one of the oldest sacrifice so far found and described in the ancient Vedic saṃhitās. In the chapter-V we have tried to give a brief description of the Agnicayana ceremony.

So, in this chapter an attempt is made to highlight some important features of the Agnicayana ceremony which are here under:

• The Agnicayana ceremony represents the cosmogonic speculations of the time. The making of the bricks and the process of pilling them up symbolize Prajāpati’s cosmic creation. The Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa has identified the fire altar with Prajāpati, the lord of creation^[2].

• The making of the fire pan has been stated as the making of the worlds^[3].

• The making of the bricks is identified with the production of offspring^[4].

• The construction of the fire altar has been conceived as reconstructing Prajāpati.^[5]

From the above references it is clear that various ritualistic performances of the Agnicayana ceremony give us enough scope for philosophical thinking of life. Along with philosophical discussions the Agnicayana ceremony also has some rituals with political significance, such as–the Pārtha oblations of the Rājasūya sacrifice, Abhiṣeka of the Yajamāna, Six Vājaprasaviya offerings, twelve Rāṣṭrabhṛt offerings and so on. As already discussed in the earlier chapter that by offering Pārtha oblations, the sacrificer is consecrated by the Rājasūya and by the Vājaprasaviya oblations he (the sacrificer) is consecrated by the Vājapeya. After those oblations the sacrificer offers Agni consecration, because he who is consecrated by the Agni consecration rite becomes everything, king and emperor^[6].

In the ritual procedure of the Agnicayana ceremony there are a certain rites in which the sacrificer is given a sacred bath. This sacred bath or Abhiṣeka in the Agnicayana ceremony has some similarities with the royal consecration. After having piled up the fire, the sacrificer should consecrate with sacred bath. As who has piled the fire altar and the sacrificer of the Rājasūya conquers both the worlds^[7]. After that the sacrificer also performs the Rāṣṭrabhṛt (realm-sustaining) oblations^[8]. Hence, from the above discussion, it can be said that along with various ritualistic performances, the Agnicayana ceremony also have some philosophical as well as political character in it.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Eggelig, J, The Sacred Book of the East, Vol-XLII, Introduction Page-XIII

[2]:

Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa -X/1/1/3-“Sa ya sa saṃvatsara prajāpatir vyastrasata| Ayameva sa yo’yamgnisccīyate’tha|”

[3]:

Ibid-VI/5/3/3—“Athokhāṃ karoti| Imāstallokānkarotyatha viśvajyotiṣa karotyetā devatā agniṃ vāyumā dityameta……………………….devā’ityadhidevataṃ|”

[4]:

Ibid-VI/5/3/5-“Athakhāṃ karoti ı Ātmānaṃ tatkarottyatha viśvajyotiṣa karati prajā vai viśvajyoti prajā hyeva viśvaṃ jyoti..................... ulvaṃ jarāyu|”

[5]:

Ibid-X/1/3/5-“Sa ya sa prajāpati|Ayameva sa yo’yamgnisccīyate’tha asya tā pañca martyāstanva āsannetāstā purīṣacītayo’tha yā amṛtā etāstā iṣṭakācitayah|”

[6]:

Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa -IX/3/4/9-“Sarve haite sa vā yadagnisava sarvaṃ haitadgnisavena suto bhavati rājā ca samrāt ca tasmādgneruttamāni juhoti|”

[7]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā-V/ 6/3/4

[8]:

Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa–IX/4/1/1-“Athāto rāṣṭrabhṛto juhoti| Rājāno vai rāṣṭrabhṛtaste hi rāṣṭrāṇi bibhryatyetā ha devatā sutā etena savena yenaitatsoṣyamāno bhavati||”