Summary of the Agnihotra Sacrifice

[Full title: A Brief note on the sacrifices of the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa (4): Agnihotra]

Among the seven haviryajñas, the Agnihotra sacrifice comes to the next. The word Agnihotra is etymologically explained in the Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa as the rite in which homa is offered to Agni. The word Agnihotra is explained by Sāyanāchārya by means of ‘bahuvṛhi’ and ‘tatpuruṣa’ compounds. When Agnihotra is interpreted as a ‘bahuvṛhi’ compound, it gives the meaning as offerings are made for Agni and when interpreted as a ‘tatpuruṣa’ compound it indicates the meaning as the offerings for Agni^[1].

The Agnihotra is a very simple but most significant sacrifice performed twice daily in the evening and in the morning by the Yajamāna and his wives who have to set up the sacred fires. A bachelor has no right to perform the Agnihotra. The Agnihotra is the model for the homa type of sacrifices. In the Vedic ages, only the three higher castes i.e. the Brāhmaṇa, the Kṣatriya and the Vaiśya have the right to perform the Agnihotra daily in the evening and in the morning. Later on, the Kṣatriyas and the Vaiśyas initiated their Brāhmiṇ priests to execute it on their behalf. A Brāhmiṇ has to perform the Agnihotra everyday in the morning and in the evening with his wife throughout his life time. According to Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, Agnihotra is called ‘Jarāmaraṇa satra’^[2] because one may be exempted from its performance due to old age or death.

On the basis of Achievements or rewards, the Agnihotra sacrifice is divided in to two kinds viz.

1. The General Agnihotra;
2. The Kāmyāgnihotra.

The General Agnihotra is performed by the Yajamāna or by his officiating priest, before the sunset in the evening and before the sunrise in the morning^[3] as a sacred duty and not for a particular reward. The main oblation of the general Agnihotra is Cow’s milk.

The Kāmyāgnihotra is performed by the Yajamāna for special rewards such as-to achieve the heavenly position for attaining long life, village or cattle, wealth, fame, food grains, brahma-varcas, strength or powerful organs. In the Kāmyāgnihotra, various kinds of oblations are mentioned in accordance with their special desire. The Yajamāna who desires of heaven or cattle should perform the Agnihotra with milk, or who desires for owing of a village with barley-gruel of strength should perform the Agnihotra with rice grains or one who wishes to obtain powerful organs offers with curd, again one who wants to obtain ‘teja’ offers with ghṛta^[4].

In the Agnihotra sacrifice oblations are offered to the Sun-god in the morning before sunrise and in the evening after the sunset. There is a controversy regarding the oblations. As to whether these oblations are offered before the rising of the sun in the morning and after the sunset in the evening. The followers of the Bahvṛca and Chandoma schools offer oblations before the rising of the sun; therefore, they are designated as ‘Anuditahomin’. The followers of Katha, Taittirīya and Maitrāyaṇiya schools offer oblations after the sunrise; hence they are ‘Uditahomin’. There is also another controversy regarding the time-element of the Agnihotra in the Vedic age; as to whether this Agnihotra sacrifice is a one day sacrifice or two day sacrifice. As the Agnihotra starts with the evening oblation, the time is counted from the evening offering and not from the morning offering. Due to the absence of the sun in both the oblations, the time covered from the previous evening to the following dawn is counted as one day.

In the Agnihotra, the oblations of milk are boiled in an earthen vessel, and this oblation is offered to the Āhavanīya fire with the help of a ladle, known as Agnihotra havani. For this purpose a separate milch cow is cherished which is called as Agnihotri gābhi. The two major oblations are offered in the evening and in the morning rite. In the morning rite, the first oblation is offered to Agni and the second one to Prajāpati. Similarly, in the evening rite the first oblation is offered to Surya and the second to Prajāpati. These four oblations are the most important oblations in the Agnihotra sacrifice. As the starting time of the sacrifice should be evening and the oblations offered to Agni first, therefore the whole sacrifice goes by the name of Agnihotra. If the Yajamāna has to go abroad, he performs specific rites before leaving the home and prays to fire to protect his progeny and cattle. While staying in abroad, he has to maintain certain rules and observances and the Adhvarju offers the Agnihotra at his house daily on his behalf.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa-Sāyan Bhāsya-II/1/2 “agnaye hotraṃ homo sminkarmani iti bahuvṛhi| byutpatyāgnihotramiti karmanām. Agnaye hotramiti tatpuruṣa byutpatyā havirnām||”.

[2]:

Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa–XII/4/1/1 “Etad vai jarāmaranaṃ satraṃ yadagnihotraṃ jarayā vā hyevāsmāt mucyante mṛtyunā vā|”

[3]:

Kātyāyana-śrauta-sūtra-IV/13/2 “Gārhpatyād āhvaniyasoddharaṇa manastamitānuditayo|”

[4]:

Ibid-IV/15/20-25 “Payasā svargakāmo pasukāma vā ׀ yavāgvā grāmakamaḥ ׀ tandulair valakāmaḥ׀ dadhendriya kāmaḥ׀ ghṛtena tejakamāh||”