Homa

In its most specific meaning, homa
refers to the “sacrifice to the gods”
(devayajna), which is one of the Five
Great Sacrifices (panchamahayajna)
prescribed in the dharma literature, or
texts on religious duty. Homa refers to
the act of making offerings of clarified
butter into a sacrificial fire, a rite that is
directed toward satisfying the gods.
Today, the word homa is often used with
a far more general meaning, to refer to
any religious rite in which offerings are
placed in the sacred fire.