Somasaṃsthā (1): Agniṣṭoma

[Full title: Forms (Saṃsthās) of Somayāga (1): Agniṣṭoma]

Out of the seven Somasaṃsthās, the Agniṣṭoma is the first^[1] which simply indicates praise of Agni.It is said to be model of all Somasaṃsthās.^[2] On the other hand, Kane is of the opinion that the Agniṣṭoma is the model of all the Soma sacrifices.^[3] Āpastamba states that it is the model of the Ekāha Soma sacrifices.^[4]

The saṃsthā is called so because it is completed by the stotra known as agniṣṭoma which begins with the words—

yajñāyajña vo agnaye^[5].

The Aitareya Brāhmaṇa gives the derivation of the word agniṣṭoma. There it is stated that this saṃsthā which praises Agni belongs to the rite in which the god Agni is worshipped. Thus, being astoma i.e., a praise of Agni, the saṃsthā is named as Agniṣṭoma and is identified with Agni himself.^[6] Sāyaṇa in his commentary clearly states that the letters sa and ta are replaced by ṣa and ṭa in the Vedas and thus, the word agniṣṭoma is made^[7]. The Agniṣṭoma sacrifice is performed in the spring season.^[8] It belongs to ekāha type of Somayāga. The main ritual is preceded by four preliminary ritualistic days. Offering of soma, offering of animal, three sessions of soma pressings, use of Stotras, Śastras and Stomas are main features of this saṃsthā.

Regarding the animal Kātyāyana states as follows—

āgneyo’gniṣṭome savanīyaḥpaśuḥ/^[9]

The Agniṣṭomasaṃsthā contains twelve Stotras, twelve Śastras and four Stomas. The Stomas are trivṛt, pañcadaś, saptadaśa and ekaviṃśa. The Aitareya Brāhmaṇa states that the Agniṣṭoma is an apūrva rite i.e., there is none prior to it and it is an anapara rite i.e., endless like a wheel of a cart^[10]. Because, just as no one can count the first and last sticks of a moving wheel likewise, the Agniṣṭoma too begins and ends with the same ritualistic procedures. In other words, the Prāyaṇīyeṣṭi and the Udayaṇīyeṣṭi which are performed at the beginning and end of Agniṣṭoma consist of identical rituals.^[11] The Agniṣṭomasaṃsthā has been dealt with at length in the fourth chapter of this thesis.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

cf., eṣa vāva prathamo yajñānām.../ Tāṇḍya Mahābrāhmaṇa , 16.1.2; cf., eṣa prathamassomaḥ/ Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra , 9.9.24; cf., agniṣṭomaḥ prathamayajñaḥ/ Āpastamba Śrautasūtra , 10.2.3

[2]:

cf., prakṛtibhūtāagniṣṭomasaṃsthā / Karka on Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra , 7.1.5

[3]:

P.V.Kane, op.cit., Vol.2, Part.2, p.1133.

[4]:

cf., agniṣṭoma ekāhānaṃ prakṛtiḥ / Āpastamba Śrautasūtra , 24.4.3

[5]:

cf., agniṣṭomastotraṃ ‘yajñāyajñā vo agnaye ityādikam / tenasamāpyamānatvādyajño’pi agniṣṭoma iti vyapadiśyate / Sāyaṇa on Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa , 4.2.5.14

[6]:

Aitareya Brāhmaṇa , 3.4.5

[7]:

cf., … tasmādagniviṣayastutiyuktatvādayaṃ kratuḥ ‘agniṣṭomaḥ’ ityetannāmakaḥ / tannāmayuktaṃ kratuṃ parokṣanāmnā vyāhartuṃsakāratakārayoḥṣakāraṭakārāvādiśya ‘agniṣṭoma’iti vaidikā acakṣate / Sāyaṇa on Aitareya Brāhmaṇa, 3.4.5.

[8]:

cf., vasante’gniṣṭomaḥ / Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra , 7.1.5.

[9]:

Ibid., Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra , 9.8.2

[10]:

cf., sa vā eso’pūrvo’naparo yajñakraturyathārathacakramanantamevaṃ yadagniṣṭomastasya yathaiva prāyaṇaṃ tathodayanam / Aitareya Brāhmaṇa, 3.4.5.

[11]:

Sāyaṇa on ibid.,3.4.5