Agnihotra

That man Conceived as Ukta is the sacrifice, which is a succession now of speech and now of thought.

That sacrifice is fivefold, namely the Agnihotra, the new and full moon sacrifices, the four monthly sacrifices, the animal sacrifice, the Soma sacrifice.

The Soma sacrifice is the most perfect of sacrifices, for in it these five kinds of ceremonies are seen, the first which precedes the libations, the Diksha, etc., then three libations, and what follows, the Avabhrita, etc., is the fifth.

Fourth Khanda He who knows one sacrifice above another, one day above another, one deity above the others, he is clever.

And then from there, you know, just the mundane things like unloading the dishwasher, getting the kids lunches happening, making them breakfast, get the morning stuff done.

One thing I do love, this is more a school holidays thing just due to timing, is I do a morning and evening little what's called Agni Hotra.

It's a little fire ceremony.

And sometimes the kids get involved and it's a little meditation, short mantra, little fire, but you're tuning in to the sunrise, tuning in to the sunset.

After Aum, the Brahman priest gives orders.

After Aum, he, the sacrificer, allows the performance of the Agnihotra.

When a Brahmana is going to begin his lecture, he says, Oh, may I acquire, Brahman, the Veda.

He thus acquires the Veda.

Tranquility and learning and practicing the Veda.

The fires to be consecrated and learning and practicing the Veda.

The Agnihotra sacrifice and learning and practicing the Veda.

Guests to be entertained and learning and practicing the Veda.

One is tranquil, the other lively.

of that which is tranquil the ether is the support of that which is lively food therefore to the former sacrifice must be offered on the house altar with hymns herbs ghee meat cakes sthalipakha and other things to the latter with meat and drinks belonging to the great sacrifices thrown into the mouth for the mouth is the ahavanya fire and this is done to increase our bodily vigor to gain the world of purity and for the sake of immortality and here they quote Let him who longs for heaven offer an Agnihotra.

By an Agnihoma, he wins the kingdom of Yama.

By Ukta, the kingdom of Soma.

By an Atiratra sacrifice, the kingdom of Indra.

By the sacrifices beginning with the twelve-night sacrifice and ending with the thousand-years sacrifice, the world of Prajapati.

as a lamp burns so long as the vessel that holds the wick is filled with oil these two the self and the bright sun remain so long as the egg of the world and he who dwells within it hold together therefore let a man perform all these ceremonies with the syllable om at the beginning its splendor is endless and it is declared to be threefold in the fire of the altar in the sun the deity in the breath the sacrificer now this is the channel to increase the food which makes what is offered in the fire ascend to the sun the sap which flows from tents rains down as with the sound of a hymn by it there are vital breaths from them there is offspring and here they coat the offering which is offered in the fire goes to the sun the sun rains it down by his rays thus food comes and from food the birth of living beings and thus he said the oblation which is properly thrown on the fire goes toward the sun from the sun comes rain from rain food from food living beings He who offers the Agnihotra breaks through the net of desire.

Then cutting through bewilderment, never approving of anger, meditating on one desire, that of liberty, he breaks through the shrine of Brahman with its four nets and proceeds thence to the ether.

After Aum, the Brahmin priest gives orders.

After Aum, he, the sacrificer, allows the performance of the Agnihotra.

When a Brahmana is going to begin his lecture, he says, Oh, may I acquire, Brahman, the Veda.

He thus acquires the Veda.

Tranquility and learning and practicing the Veda.

The fires to be consecrated and learning and practicing the Veda.

The Agnihotra sacrifice and learning and practicing the Veda.

Guests to be entertained and learning and practicing the Veda.

If free from the world, that is liberty.

Therefore, those who do not offer the Agnihotra as described above, who do not lay the fires with the bricks as described above, who are ignorant of the mind being the cause of the round of birds, who do not meditate on the self in the solar orb, are debarred from remembering the ethereal place of Brahman.

Therefore, that fire is to receive oblations, is to be laid with bricks, is to be praised, to be meditated on.

Adoration to Agni, the dweller on earth, who remembers his world.

To the latter with meat and drinks belonging to the great sacrifices thrown into the mouth, for the mouth is the Ahavanya fire.

And this is done to increase our bodily vigor, to gain the world of purity, and for the sake of immortality.

And here they quote, Let him who longs for heaven offer an Agnihotra.

By an Agnihoma he wins the kingdom of Yama.

If free from the world, that is liberty.

Therefore, those who do not offer the Agnihotra as described above, who do not lay the fires with the bricks as described above, who are ignorant of the mind being the cause of the round of births, who do not meditate on the self in the solar orb, are debarred from remembering the ethereal place of Brahman.

Therefore, that fire is to receive oblations, is to be laid with bricks, is to be praised, to be meditated on.

Adoration to Agni, the dweller on earth, who remembers his world.

To the latter, with meat and drinks belonging to the great sacrifices thrown into the mouth, for the mouth is the Ahavanya fire.

And this is done to increase our bodily vigor, to gain the world of purity, and for the sake of immortality.

And here they quote, Let him who longs for heaven offer an Agnihotra.

By an Agnihoma he wins the kingdom of Yama.

As the soft fibers of the ishika reed, when thrown into the fire, are burnt, thus all his sins are burnt, whoever offers this agnihotra with a full knowledge of its true purport.

Even if he gives what is left of his food to a chandala, it would be offered in his, the chandala's, vaisvanara self.

And so it is said in this sloka, As hungry children here on earth sit expectantly round their mother, So do all beings sit round the Agnihotra, yea, round the Agnihotra.

End of Prathaka Five.

Recording by Jyoti Tharavanat.