Agnihotra Serial Season 2

[Bartolome Beacham]

Theperformer of Agnihotrahoma must be a traivarṇika and a sapatnīka. According to Kātyāyana, it is a sacrifice which the householder himself or in the absence of the chief of the house, his son can perform the libations i.e., can act as the priest.

Before offering the milk, it is heated on the burning coals taken from the Gārhapatya fire and is sprinkled with water. The Adhvaryu fills the offering ladle i.e., the sruk by pouring the heated milk from the milk pot with the dipping spoon i.e., the sruva. He does it four times. He takes his seat beside the āhavanīya fire and offers samidh to the āhavanīya fire. As stated in the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa he makes the first libation to Agni on the āhavanīya fire reciting prescribed mantra[11] and the mantra of the evening libation isagnirjyotirjyotiragniḥ svāhā[12] Thereafter, the Adhvaryu makes the second libation silently to Prajāpati[13] and whatever is offered silently should be comprehended as an offering to Prajāpati[14]. The second libation is offered in a place to the north of āhavanīya fire[15]. These two are evening libations. The Adhvaryu in this way makes two morning libations also.

The time of offering of oblation in Agnihotra is controversial. The Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa of the view that the evening offering should be made after sunset and the morning before the sunrise[18]. The Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra too says the same[19]. It has also been said in the Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa that in the evening the sun enters the fire[20]. Sāyaṇa too saysit that in the evening the sun merges in the fire and before its rising stays with the fire.[21] Regarding the time of morning offering, there are two groups viz.,uditahomī and anuditahomī. Those who offer oblation after the sunset are Uditahomins and who offer oblation before the sunset are Anuditahomins[22]. The followers of Kaṭḥa, Taittirīya and Maitrāyaṇī Saṃhitā are called Uditahomins. On the otherh and, Bahvṛcaḥ, Kātīya, Chandogāḥ are called as Anuditahomins[23].

The Agnihotra sacrifice can be performed as nitya and kāmya. In case of nitya Agnihotra, it should be continued till the death of the sacrifice or he can be relived from this daily duty owing to his old age. Hence, the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, names the Agnihotra sacrifice as jarāmaryasattra[24]. The nitya Agnihotra falls under the category of daily duty. In it only milk is offered as libation. When the sacrificer performs the Agnihotra sacrifice with special desire it becomes kāmya. When it is performed to attain some desired objects then the oblation material varies from the former. The Vedic sentences such as yāvajjīvamagnihotraṃ juhuyāt/ etc. indicates the nitya Agnihotra and agnihotraṃ juhuyāt svargakāmaḥ/ etc. indicates the kāmya Agnihotra/[25]

Here one may raise a questionto the effect in this ritual that oblations are offered to Agni, Sūrya, and to Prajāpati, yet the Homa is named after Agni, why is it so? The answer to this question is that one starts this sacrifice in the evening after the completion of the Agnyādhāna rite and here the first oblation is offered to the firegod.

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Part I

For the past ten years, a small group of dedicated people from various countries has held the vision of Shree Vasant Paranjpe of completing a series of seven Maha Somayags on the banks of the Narmada River in Maheshwar, Madhya Pradesh, India, for the healing of our

planet. February 12th, 2017 marked the successful completion of the Aptoryam, the seventh and final Somayag in this series. Satsang applauds this achievement, and heartily thanks all who have helped to make this important work possible.

What is Somayag?

The ancient science of bio-energy given through Vedas describes certain energy processes which have the power to effect a change in the functioning of PRANA (life-force which pulsates through us and connects us with the cosmos.) These energy processes come under the category of YAJNYA. Somayag is one such Yajnya.

There are some special Yajnyas (HOMAS) like SOMAYAG, AGNISHTOMA, JYOTISHTOMA which are to be performed based on astronomic conditions. They are performed for purification of the environment, reducing the burden on the mind, making mind full of LOVE. In such Yajnyas chanting of Mantras and offerings to fire goes on for several days.

At the junction of two seasons there is likelihood of epidemic. Hence, several medicinal HOMAS are prescribed with different sets of Mantras. Then there are special HOMAS for bringing rains, for producing a male child or a female child. This forms part of the science of Biogenetics.

Somayag is one such special Yajnya. This normally lasts for six days. An intelligent young person would take about twelve years to learn this technique with proper Mantra chanting. The person has to follow strict disciplines. This Yajnya is called Somayag because juice from the herb Somavalli is used as the main oblation. Soma is known as the king of medicinal herbs. This special Yajnya provides an extra powerful boost of healing energy for the whole world. Countless positive benefits to a person, family and society are mentioned as an outcome of participating in, conducting and supporting Somayag.

The beneficial effect of each of these HOMAS lasts for several

decades. The atmosphere becomes medicinal, nutritious and disease-free.

Somayags yield a qualitative and quantitative improvement in

the psyche. By using this supertechnology we can eradicate pollution

factors on a large scale.

The fumes emitted from the burning oblations in Yajnya serve as nucleus of clouds and rains. Smoke from the burning medicinal plants helps in the purification of the atmosphere and many disease-bearing germs are neutralized. Thus, a healthy ecosystem is created through Yajnya process.

The Yajaman

The Yajaman for this Aptoryam Somayag was Dikshit Achal Apte. His father, Haribau Apte, was Yajaman for the first four Somayags held in this series of seven at the Homa Therapy Goshala. His grandfather, Sakha Hari Apte was Yajaman for the unparalleled Somayag which took place in Shivapuri, Akkalkot in 1969 under the auspices of Parama Sadguru Shree Gajanan Maharaj for ushering in of the New Age.

The Yajaman represents the element of fire during a Somayag. Only someone who

performs Tretagni Agnihotra regularly can become a Yajaman. He carries this

Tretagni fire to the place where Somayag is to be performed and from this Tretagni

fire the Somayag is started.

The Patni (wife of the Yajaman) is vital to the Somayag. The Yajaman must have a

wife, and she is called upon at various points in the Somayag to be present for

certain activities and often to touch and bless utensils which are used. The Patni is

the only person who is given her own quarters in the Somayag shala.

The Rutvijas (priests)

For every Somayag, four groups of rutvijas are necessary, each well-trained in one of the four Vedas. The training takes at least ten years, and must begin at a young age for the person to be able to master all the mantras. They work as a precision-trained team, chanting for many hours daily and carrying out varied procedures, using an array of special Yajnya implements. They also perform a number of other tasks necessary to the Somayag, such as moving equipment, carrying wood, cleaning implements and helping to build some places needed during the Somayag.

(Abhay Paranjpe is the president of Fivefold Path Mission, which hosted this series of Somayags. He is the son of Shree Vasant Paranjpe who spent decades teaching Agnihotra, Fivefold Path and Homa Therapy all over the world.-Ed.)

Shree Vasant said that possibly we shall perform all the seven Somayags in Maheshwar Goshala, and this lone wish was enough for all the devotees to gather together and have them performed. That itself was amazing. There is no known place in history that all the Somayags were performed at one place. So the Somayags in Maheshwar Goshala indeed were an historic event.

This is the call of the Narmada. Rejuvenation of this planet is to begin from Narmada. Utterance of sacred Mantras on specific dates given carry healing forward to be distributed to all lands from this sacred place.

We have renewed the intention of this Somayag. And it has been a successful Somayag, with

greater effects on the planet than can be seen or heard. Power is generated from this site and

Sound has begun to reverberate through the Earth, air, fire, water and ethers.

Rays of Light are being emitted now from the SOMAYAG. These Light rays rise up and out from the pits of fire. Sound is emitted. This is the seed to activate the SOUND CURRENT which will heal and seal the planet.

This series of Somayags, during which Nature is being nourished and interplanetary

communications fostered, has a fuller effect on environment than one would think. At such a

sacred site as the present location by the River Narmada, ancient resources are being tapped,

that is activated, to create healing environment for future generations. All occurs on subtle levels, imperceivable to human beings. The Master knew of which He spoke. His awareness was profound and His vision wide-ranging. Thus, the series of Somayags which He called for are precise in timing and in practice.

Many of you attending this SOMAYAG have indeed been here before and have been

together before as well. Yes, yes, a momentous time indeed. Momentous day. Ancient fire. Every single being who has come unto this sacred land has been present in India before. Most have been to the Narmada. Some have lived along its shores.

I ordered my Agnihotra kit and its practice has helped me a lot with my meditations. It helps me to focus and it has normalized a lot of pressure I had in work and otherwise. It neutralized any depressive thoughts.

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