Summary of the Agnyādheya Sacrifice

[Full title: A Brief note on the sacrifices of the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa (2): Agnyādheya]

Agnyādheya sacrifice is also known as Agnyādhāna sacrifice. There are seven haviryajña saṃsthā^[1] and among them the Agnyādhāna occupies the first place. Ādhāna means to establish the fire with the chanting of mantras; that rises out of the araṇi manthan in to the designated kuṇḍa. Agnyādhāna is an iṣṭi sacrifice which accomplished by a yajamāna and his wife with the help of four priests’ viz. Adhvarju, Agnidhra, Hotā and Brāhmaṇa. In the introduction to the Āśvalāyana Śrauta Sutra by Ācārya Nārāyaṇa Agnyādhāna is narrated as “the placing of burning coals for lightening the Gārhapatya and other fires, at a particular time and place by a particular person accompanied by certain specific mantras^[2]. The Brāhmaṇa, the Kṣatriya, the Vaiśyas, the Rathakāras and some others have the right to set up the sacred fires. There are four proper season for the performance of sacred fire viz. Vasanta ṛtu for Brāhmaṇ, Griṣma for Kṣatriya, Śarat ṛtu for Vaiśya and Varsā for Rathakāra.

The Yajamāna brings in his house two araṇi woods of an Aśvattha tree produced in a Sami tree, under the assistance of Adhvarju. And Adhvarju recites the mantra-‘yo aśvatthaḥ samigarbhaḥ āruroha tve sacā’^[3]. After that the Yajamāna prepares the araṇi wood and make ready other necessary material for several days before the actual setting up of the sacred fires. For worship or Deva yajña, the Yajamāna chooses a proper place and prepares five holes for the fires and constructs Mahāvedi. The Yajamāna performs the act of taking bath, purification, sipping of water (ācamana), sprinkling of water and the announcement of Punyahavirvacana on the upavastha day. After that the Yajamāna along with his wife seats on the darbha grass and set up sacred fires formally with the help of four priests and honours them by offering madhuparka. In the afternoon he (yajamāna) ignites the Brahmaudanika fire and cooks the Brahmaudana^[4]. The Yajamāna takes some quantity of cooked Brahmaudana in spoon and a spoon and offers it in to the fire and the residual Brahmaudana are taken by the priests after offering plenty of ghṛta in it. After that the Yajamāna offers three samidhās in the fire and performs the Gopitra yajña. The Yajamāna has to stay awaken whole night and to put the fuel sticks (samidhās) in the Brahmaudanik fire.

In the morning the Adhvarju heats the two araṇi woods on the fire and hands over these woods to the Yajamāna. The Yajamāna after receiving these araṇi woods prays the Gods with specific mantras. The Adhvarju then arranges the material for sacred fires according to the rules. The Agni manthana or the rite of churning out of the fire is performed when the first rays of the sun spread in the sky. The fire is invoked by the Adhvarju and the Yajamāna produced it by churning. After that the Adhvarju accepts a cow which is presented by yajamāna. When the sāmas are being chanted viz.–‘Rathantara and yajña yajñia sāman’, the Adhvarju establishes the Gārhapatya fire on the sambharas and strews darbhas around it^[5]. He lights some fire sticks from the Gārhapatya fire and formally sets up the Āhavanīya fire. The fire for installation of the Dakṣhināgni, is taken from the house of the richest person of the city or the village, belonging to any of the four varṇas or it may be produced by manthan. The fire by name ‘Sabhya’ and the ‘Aśvathya’ are also placed from the domestic or the Āhavanīya fire. The Yajamāna distributes ‘Dakṣinā’ among the priests according to his ability. After installation of the sacred fire the Yajamāna has to keep some specific observances for a specific period^[6]. If the Yajamāna is a Kṣatriya, he plays the game of dice.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Gautama-dharma-sūtra-I/8/20 -“agnyādheyamagnihotraṃ darśapurnamāsābāgrāyanaṃ cāturmāsyāni niruḍa paśubandhaḥ sautrāmaṇī iti sapta haviryajña saṃsthā ||”

[2]:

Āśvalāyana-śrauta-sūtra-II/1/9-“Bisiṣṭa kāle bisṣṭa deśe bisiṣṭa puruṣena bisiṣṭa mantrainarhirpatyā agnyutytythaṃ yadio’gārānām nidhānaṃ tadagnyādheyamucyate|.

[3]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra-V/1/2

[4]:

Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa (Sāyaṇa Bhāsya)-I/1/9–“Brāhmanaṃ devamuddiśya homartha brahmanānām ṛtvijām ca prāsanārtha ca pacyamāna odano Brahmaudanaḥ|”

[5]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra-V/12/2

[6]:

Kātyāyana-śrauta-sūtra-IV/10/16-“brahmacāryagni nityadhāri ksorahosyagnimupasāyi dvādasa rātraṃ sadrātraṃ triratrāmntataḥ|”