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The worshipper approaches the fire which he used the previous day, after washing his legs and doing two achamanams. For use he takes fire from this by using darbha or samit and mixes it with fire in the place where he intends doing the ceremony and he repeats the following mantra while burning the samit or the darbha in the fire:-
“Upavaroha jātavedah punastvam dēvēbhyo havyam vahanaḥ prajānān āyuḥ prajāmrayimasmāsudhehi ajasrodidihino durone”
The meaning of the passage is as follows:-
“Oh Agni, again come down to earth from aranai (Ficus religiosa). Knowing well that this havis or offering has been given to the Devas, carry this offering to them. Give us life, children and wealth. You who are always living shine forth in our houses.”
If the fire is in the samit he has to repeat the following mantra
“Ajuhvanassupratikaḥ purastādagnē svāmyönimāsīdasādhya .
asmin sadhaste adhyuttarasmin viśvědēvā yajamānaścha sIdata”
and do “Avarohanam” (removal) to it. The translation of the above is:-
Oh Agni! having been invited with great favour, with grace, reach your own good place in the eastern direction. Oh! Viśvēdēva, you and the sacrificer sit on the best seat provided in front of us, where you can very well sit with Agni.
sankalpAdi
Then he does sankalpam repeating
“Śrī Bhagavadājñayā śrīman Narayanaprītyartham prātaraupāsanahomam hoshyāmi”
and then repeats the bala mantra as follows:—
“Kritancha karishyāmi prātaraupāsanēna bhagavat karmanā bhagavato balēna.”
Then he does the satvikatyāga by repeating the following mantra: -
“Bhagavānēva prātaraupāsanākhyam karma kārayati.”
ullekhana
In a place in front of the worshipper where he is sitting he has to draw three lines, west to east, and three lines north to south, with the help of darbhas and then he has to throw the darbhas on the ground, sprinkle water over them and then they are thrown towards the nirrti corner.
paristaraNa
Then he touches water and pronouncing three times the Vyāhrtis along with the pranavam takes the fire and keeps it in the place where homam is to be done. Afterwards he pours the water down, that was used for sprinkling, either towards the east or north and fills the empty vessel with fresh water and places it either to the north or east of the fire-place. Round the fire-place he places sixteen darbhas, four on each side, beginning with the east and going round in a pradakshina manner, that is to say, four darbhas to the east first with the sharp points or apex of the darbhas towards the north, then on the south with the tips of darbhas to the east, then on the west with the tips towards the north and lastly on the northern side with the tips towards the east. The darbhas placed to the south should be above the darbhas placed towards the east and the west and the darbhas placed towards the north with the tip to the east should be below the darbhas placed towards the west and the east.
Agni brining
After placing the darbhas round the fire as described above, he places the hands in a praying posture (hands together with the palms touching) and repeats the following mantra:–
“Chatvari śrnga trayōasyapādā dvēśīrshē sapta hastaso asya . tridhābaddho . vrshabho röravīti mahōdevo martyān avivēśa . eshahi devaḥ pradiśōnu sarvāḥ . pūrvōhi jātaḥ [[०८५]] [[८०]] sa u garbhe antah . savijayamanah sajanishyamānaḥ pratyangmuklastisthati viśvato mukhah.”
Translation of the above passage is :–
" The great deity Agni has come down to men and he is attended to by sacrifices. He has four Vedas as his four horns, the three svaras are his three feet, Brahmodana and Pravargya are his two heads, the seven vedic metres are his seven heads; He is regulated by the Mantra, Kalpa and Brahmaṇa; He is the bestower of fortunes. He is sung with and without music with the hymns of the Rg., Yajus and Sama by the sacrificial priests such as Hota. Self-resplendent Paramatma realised by wise men having been present in all quarters was born Hiranyagarbha in the beginning of creation. He is the same Paramatma. He has been born as Devas, beasts, etc., and is going to be born as such hereafter too. He is living in the hearts of all beings, is seeing all and is inciting them to do their action."
Then he prays repeating “Prangmukho deva agnē abhimukhō bhava” which in English runs thus “Oh Agni of divine splendour, please be seated in the eastern direction and be disposed friendly towards me”.
AlankArAnta
He takes some akshata in the left hand and taking small quantities with the right hand places it in the directions mentioned, beginning with the east and ending with the Isanyam the north-east or the eighth corner. While placing the rice he repeats in order the following mantras beginning with the east:-
“Omagnayēnamaḥ. jāta vēdasē namah. Om sahojasē namah Om ajiraprabhave namah Om Vaiśvānarāya namah Om naryāpasē namah Om panktirathasē namah Om visarpinė namah!”
This when rendered into English is “Om salutation to Agni. Om salutation to jatavēdas. Om salutation to sahojas. Om salutation to Ajiraprabhava. Om salutation to Vaiśvānara. Om salutation to Naryāpasa. Om salutation to Panktirathas. Om salutation to Visarpin. "
After placing the turmeric dyed rice all round the fire in eight places, he takes some white rice and repeating the following mantra “Om yajñapurushāya namaḥ” puts the rice in fire. Then repeating “Sarvebhyaḥ śrī Vaishnaveybhyo namah” he scatters the akshata close to the bhagavatas on the ground.
The above Sanskrit passages mean “Salutation to the all-powerful Lord who is pleased by this sacrifice” and “Salutation to all the Sri Vishnavas.”
Main
Then he pours water with the hand round the fire repeating
“Aditēnu manyasva . anumatēnu manyasva . sarasvatēnu manyasva . deva savitaḥ prasūva.”
This when rendered into English is as follows:-
“Oh Earth, please allow me to get the kingdom. Oh wife of the Deva, who willingly supports all actions, please allow me to attain what I wish. Oh Sarasvati, please allow me to attain what I wish. Oh Sun that impels all beings, incite me to do the Vajapēya sacrifice.”
After repeating the above he places one samit (piece of palāśa stick) in the fire. Then he takes a handful of rice in the left hand, sprinkles water over it with the right hand and taking half the quantity of rice offers it to Agni through the fingers repeating “Suryaya svaha.” Repeating “Suryāyēdam na mama” he takes the remaining quantity of rice from the left hand and repeating the mantra “Om agnaye svishṭakṛtě svāha” offers it to Agni.
Afterwards he repeats “Agnaye svishṭa krta idam na mama.” This when rendered into English would be “I give this oblation to Svishtakst (Agni). This oblation [[०८६]] [[८१]] belongs to Svishtakṛt and it is not mine.”
If it is evening instead of using the term “Sūrya” “Agnayēsvāha” is used and the rest of the mantra may be repeated as those mantras are common. He puts another samit in the fire.
Sama
Followers of Sama veda do not repeat the mantra beginning with “Chatvari srngā.” They do parishechanam repeating the mantra
“Deva savitaḥ prasuva, yajñam prasuva, yajñapatim bhagaya divyo gandharvah, ketapūḥ kētam nah punātu vāchaspatir vāchām nah svadātu.”
This in English runs thus :-” Oh Sun lord! Incite me to do the sacrifice. Make this sacrifice go on without impediment. Incite the sacrificer also so that he may get fortunes. The gandharva that is in swarga cleanses the knowledge that is in the minds of others. Let him cleanse our knowledge so that it may be without confusion. Let vachaspati correct our words (mantra) used in this act, ie., sacrifice, "
Paristaraṇa should be placed east, south, north and west. In the morning while doing homam he says Sūryāya svāhā sūryāya idam na mama, prajāpataye idam na mama" and in the evening repeats the following while doing homam:-“Agnaye svaha agnaye idam na mama prajāpatayēsvāhā prajapataya idam na mama.” This means “I give the oblation to Agni.
This oblation is for Agni and it is not mine. I give the oblation to Prajapati This oblation is for Prajapati and it is not mine.”
Then in the morning he repeats “Yadindra ham yathā tvam"sāmam. In the evening he recites “Yadindra haim yathauhau hövahāyi” samam. This in English runs thus “Just as Indra is the lord of wealth amongst the Devas so I should also become the lord of wealth.” Afterwards he repeats Vamadevyam and śāntijapa.
६”
Ahuti mix
The ahutis put in fire should not touch one another. If they should mix he does sankalpam as follows:-
" Ahuti samsarga prāyaśchittārtham vanaspatihōmam karishye."
This means “To expiate the sin arising out of the mixing of offered oblations in the sacrificial fire I am doing the vanaspati homa.”
He places one samit in fire repeating
“Yatra vettha vanaspatē dēvānām guhyā nāmāni tatra havyāni gamaya svaha.”
This passage when rendered into English runs “Oh Vanaspati, you know the places where the secret names of the Devas are well known, hence make my oblations reach those places.”
After putting the samit in the fire he repeats:—
" Vanaspataya idam na mama"
This means “This oblation is offered to Vanaspati and it is not mine.”
samApti
Then the mantra:–
“Om aditenvamagam sthah . Om anumatenvamagmsthah . Om sarasvatēnvamagmsthāḥ . dēva savitaḥ prāsāvih” is repeated.
" This in English runs as follows:-“Oh Earth! you have allowed me to get the kingdom. Oh wife of the Deva, willingly supporting all actions, you have permitted me to attain what I wished. Om oh Sarasvati! you have permitted me to attain what I wished. Oh Sun that impels all beings! you have incited me to do the Vajapeya sacrifice.”
sAma
Sama Vedis should recite the mantra beginning with “savitaḥ prāsāvih yajñam prāsāvīḥ . " and ending with “Ketam napavit Vachaspatir vacham no svadīt.” This when translated runs as follows:-Oh Sun that impels all beings! You have incited me to do the Vajapēya sacrifice. You have helped me in doing the Vajapeya sacrifice.
“The gandharva who is in the devaloka perfects the knowledge of men, may he perfect II [[०८७]] [[८२]]
our knowledge of this Vajapeya sacrifice. May Vachaspati make us recite properly the mantras that are uttered by us in this sacrifice.” The fire is then sprinkled with water.
upasthAnam
This is followed by the placing of a samit or two darbhas into the fire and repeating.
“Śrī Vishnave svaha, Śri Vishnave paramatmane idam na mama.” This means “Om I offer this oblation to Śri Vishnu. This oblation is for Śrī Vishnu the supreme Lord of all and it is not mine.” As soon as the rice put in fire is burnt he gets up and with palms placed together and lifting them in a prayerful posture repeats the following:–
“Agnēnaya supathā rāyē asmān viśvāni dēva vayunāni vidvan . yuyodhyasmajjuhurāṇa mēnō bhayishtham te nama uktim vidhēma.”
This when rendered into English runs thus:-“Oh shining Agni you possess all kinds of knowledge and therefore you are wise; lead us in a good way to the wealth of swarga which we should attain. Therefore keep us away from the crooked sins which stand in the way of attaining our desires. We make huge praise of you.” If the performer is a Sama Vedi he recites “Namastau högnāyi.” This means “Oh Agni, I praise you.” The performer repeats the mantra
“Om Agnaye namah . mantra hinam kriyā hīnam bhakti hinam hutāśana yaddhutamtu maya deva paripūrnam tadastute prāyaśchittanyāśeshani tapaḥ karmātmakānīvai . yanitēshāmaśēshānām krshnānusmaranam param.”
This in English runs thus :-
" Om salutation to Agni. Oh resplendent Deva ! Let the offering or oblation given to you by me be a complete one though there may be deficiency in the mantras uttered, in the actions done, and in the devotion in the spirit it was offered. Of all the expiatory acts either in the form of penance or action, etc., the repeated recollection of Krshna is the best.”
After repeating the above mantra he repeats “Śri Krshnava namah”, prostrates, and does abhivadanam (repeating his gōtra, pravara and name). Then by repeating “Bhagavānēva prātaraupāsanākhyam karma kāritavan” he does satvikatyāgam The above passage when rendered into English runs thus:-“God himself has done the act, viz., the morning aupasana for his own pleasure, etc.
The morning aupāsana ceremony is concluded by repeating
“Krtamcha karishyāmi prataraupāsanēna Vasudevah.”
This when translated runs thsu:-
“I am doing what has been already done. May the divine Lord Vasudeva become pleased by this morning aupāsana.”
Atma-samAropaNam
Then he utters
“yate agnē yajñiyātanūstayōhyārōhātmātmānam accha vasuni krnvan nasme narya purūṇi yajñō bhūtvā yajñamāsīda svām yōnim jātavědō bhuva ajāyamānaḥ sakshaya ehi.”
This rendered into English runs thus:-
’ Oh Agni! Come to me in the form suitable to sacrifices. Having come get over me being pleased to give us a large quantity of wealth which is useful to man. Having taken the form of yajña, get into my body, which is your own place and which is doing this yajña or sacrifice. Oh Agni! having been born in front of me from the earth, come to me along with your own house to dwell in me.” [[०८८]] [[८३]]
After uttering the above he places the darbha pavitra over the right ear, heats the palm by taking it near the fire and then does “Ātma samārōpaṇam.”
विश्वास-टिप्पनी
Confused account.