Oblation or offering sacrifices to the deities through Agni is a unique Vedic tradition. This procedure has several names, like Homa, Havana, Yajna, Ishti, and Kratuvu. This essay briefly describes the process of Ishti as explained in the Vedas.
Yagaimplies the sacrifice of some material with the intention to offer it to the deities or gods. It is also termed as Ahuthi or Homa. The Veda teaches the procedure to worship the deities, by burning material as sacrifice, in the fire. This part of Vedic teaching is known as the Srautha-Karma. It is further divided into the following three phases.
The Homa that is observed in the morning and evening every day.
The Ishti, which is performed on the Padyami day of each fortnight. Parvais a term that connotes a connection, union, combination or junction. Darsacan be understood as the new moon day. The Ishti that is performed after the new moon is called Darseshti, while that performed after the full moon is denoted by the term Purnamaseshti.
Ability or Eligibility
The person who intends to perform the aforementioned activities must achieve the required proficiency and suitability to do so. For that purpose, he has to establish three types of Agnis, namely, the Garhapathya, Dakshina, and AhavaneeyaAgnis.
After establishing them in his own house, he has to worship them regularly. Both the husband and wife, in the family share an equal responsibility, in respect of conducting the Agni worship. Moreover, this couple must be living together and both of them should be alive. These are the eligibility criteria for performing the worship of Agni at home. In the absence of any one of these conditions, it is futile to perform the worship of Agni. Under these circumstances, the person intending to conduct the Agni worship has to undertake expiatory ceremonies and then re-establish the Agni.
The consecration of the Agni is to be accompanied by the chanting of the appropriate mantras. Thereafter, the Agni is to be generated by churning the Arani, which is a piece of wood that has been carved out of the trunk of a Jammi tree. This tree should have grown along with a Ravi tree. The Agni is to be produced from friction and not by employing any modern technique. The sacrifice has to produce the Agni by vigorously rubbing the Arani and a stick of Chandra tree. A flint stone produces sparks when struck. In the same manner, wood sticks produce fire on being rubbed against each other. This has to be accompanied with the chanting of the Vaiswanaramantras.
The husband and wife must treat the holy Agni as the master of their home, place it in a specific pot and preserve it. The three pots in which Agni is preserved are the dwellings of Agni or the Agni Ayathanas. The householder and his wife have to generate Agni in these three Ayathanas every day and perform the required rites. In every Ishti, the performer of such worship will be assisted by Adhvaryu, Hota, and Brahma ritviksin the conduct of the daily ceremonies.
Homas that are performed on a large-scale for five days are called Krathus. They are also called Yajnas or Yagas. In those homas, nearly 17 Ritviks participate to perform them.
The Vedas describe in detail the different types of yajnas, such as the Agnishtoma, Athirathra, Apthoryama, Vajapeyaand Poundareeka. The Vedas also give details of the intricate and demanding yajnas, such as the Aswamedhaand Satrayaga. These yajnasare to be performed by conforming to extremely stringent rules. It is practically impossible to perform these yajnasin the present age.
The Ishti procedure is central to the three-stage altar of Srautha-karmas. It is used in the daily worship of Agni as well as in the extensive Somayaga. The Yajur-Veda starts with the Ishetwamantra acknowledging the importance of the Ishti process.
The Original Root Form and Transformation of the Procedures
There are several activities in the Vedas, and their dissimilarity stems from the difference in the worshipped deity, the required outcome, the material used in the worship, other instruments, payments, and the duration. Save for these differences, the remaining procedures will be more or less the same. This feature is clearly indicated, in the beginning of these procedures. The chief differences are also intimated to the performer. The actual process, prescribed by the Vedas for different activities, is the original root form of the procedures. It is known as the Prakruthi version of the activities.
The originally recommended procedures for worshipping the deity, material to be used, timing, and the payments to the Ritvikshave been modified. Normally, these changes depend on the desired outcome or the specific desires of the performer. The changed version of these activities is known as the Vikruthi, which can be understood as a transformation or alteration of the original.
The Dharmapurnamaseshti is the Prakruthi version of Ishti. The remaining Ishtis are Vikruthi versions.
The Principal Difference between the Srautha, Smartha, and Pouranika Karmas
In the Srautha-Karmas, the pride of place is accorded to the process of Ahuthi. The number of Ahuthis is not of much importance. It is determined by the following factors;
The capability and readiness of the performer.
Cleanliness and purity of the materials used.
Prevention of the wastage of the materials.
Procurement of the materials without causing inconvenience to the creatures depending on them.
Utmost cleanliness.
Mental integration.
Importance of the chant of mantras.
Offering the sacrifice and the main event of the Yaga.
Mental preparedness for the sacrifice
Receiving the prasada
Performance of the Homa to the associated deities
Expiatory homas
Donations
Ablution after a sacrifice
The Cardinal Features of Pauranika Karmas
The number of homaprocesses will be less in number, prior to the main homas. These are of great importance. For instance, performers chant a single mantra for a large number of times. Similarly, the number of offerings is also more; and priority is given to the number of abhishekas and related activities. In the Srautha-karmas, the activities before and after the homaare extensive.
The Process of Ishti
Preparations
In the morning of the day prior to the performance of the homa, the performer of the homa has to graze his cows, in the field, with the objective of their obtaining a greater than usual amount of forage. Then he should pray to the deities that his cows will provide a greater quantity of milk. This is because the homa process requires a larger quantity of milk. The cows should provide adequate milk for the purpose of the yaga after they have fed their calves. Thus, the prayer should convey the desire of procuring sufficient milk for the yaga.
Subsequently, the performer should collect the dharbhas that are grown on the banks of rivers or lakes, and carry them on his head, to the place of the yaga. This demonstrates his respect for the deity of the yaga.
In the evening, when the cows have returned, he has to extract the milk from them by chanting appropriate mantras. He should boil the milk and ferment it.
After procuring the required Samidhas and dharbhas, he should clean the place of Agni and decorate the pots. He should invite the Ritviks to his home and assign duties.
On the day of the Ishti, he has to complete all his daily duties and milk the cows by chanting mantras and then boil this milk. Thereupon, he should segregate three healthy cows and assign the names Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswathi to them. Only the milk from these cows is to be used in the yaga.
Havis
The material offered to the deity is called Havis. The performed of the sacrifice offers this material to the fire. The Vedas prescribe several materials to be offered as Havis. Milk, curd, the solid and liquid matter taken from milk that has gone bad, cooked rice, and rice flour have to be mixed and then boiled. This mixture has to be shaped into spheres and used as havis. This mixture is known as purodasam. The Vedas also recommend other types of havis, composed of different crop products.
Purodasam
The process of making the purodasam
First, the rice has to be systematically pounded. Then the husk has to be removed and the rice grains have to be collected. After that, the rice grains have to be pounded once again. This results in small rice grains, known as Rawa. This Rawa has to be cooked and shaped into small spheres. These spheres have to be placed in a specified number on bricks, made from mud. This arrangement has to be heated over the main fire – pit of the yaga. These bricks are known as the Kapalas, and their number is determined by presiding deities of the yaga.
Samidheni
It is the first homa performed by offering the samidhas. The priests join together 15 samidhas with a rope of dharbhas. The main priest or Adhvaryu performs the Samidhenihoma, while the mantras are chanted by the hota or the priest who puts the samidhas into the homa fire pit. In fact, the total mantras in this event will be 11. The first and last mantrasare chanted twice to make the total number of mantras 15.
Pravara
After having performed the homa with the samidhenimantras, the performer of the yaga will have to recite his gothra and the Rishis in his lineage. While reciting this, he has to pray to the deity Agni. After this process, the presiding deities will be invoked by chanting the Nivithmantras. It is important to recite the names of all the deities who receive the havirs on that day’s Ishti.
Prayajas
There are five prayajamantras, namely Samith, Thanunapath, Yit, Barhis, and Swahakara. The ruling deities of these mantras are Vasanatha, Greeshma, Varsha, Sarath, Hemantha, and the Sisira seasons. The satisfaction and mercy of these five deities of the seasons, maintains proper balance in nature and the environment. The owner of the yaga has to pray to these deities, in order to maintain such balance and to promote the welfare of the people.
Aghooras
This is a homa, in which the ghee is dropped with a sruva from the North-West towards the South-East, and from the South-West to the North-East. First, the performer has to perform one Ahoora, while seated and then he has to perform another, while standing.
Puronuvaakya – Yajya
In the srautha-karmas, like the Ishti and krathus, the ritviks chant two mantras, related to the deities to whom the ahuthis, such as ghee, cooked rice, and purodasam are offered.
The mantra that is chanted first is called the puronuvaakya. The homa is performed with another mantra that is chanted at the time of the homa. The mantra that is chanted later is called theYajya. After having chanted these two mantras, the ahuthi will be offered with the sound oushat.
The Vedas provide a detailed list of the puronuvaakya and yajyamantras for different theIshtis. They also provide the details of the procedures to be adopted in the Ishtis.
In respect of some of the deities, the mantras of puronuvaakya and yajya have to be performed in a bass tone so that they are heard only by the performer.
Ajya
The square avahaneeya pit arranged in the East is the head of the Yajnapurusha. The South-East and North-East directions represent the eyes. Ghee or clarified butter has to be offered as ahuthi to the deities, Agni and Soma. These are termed the Ajya portions and since they are offered at the place of the eyes, they are also known as chakshus or eyes.
Primary Ahuthis
The main ahuthis are the foundation of each and every homa. Thus, they play an important role in Ishtis. The havir materials that are kept ready for homas, have to be offered to the deities, by duly chanting the related mantras.
This is an elaborate procedure, in which the performer uses a ladle called the Dhruva, which he has to replenish continuously with ghee. The main ahuthi has to be offered, by means of a wooden ladle called Juhu. For each ahuthi, the performer has to retrieve the material four times. The Veda says that the taking of material for four times is meant to satisfy the four ruling gods. This process is called the charavattam or char-gruheetham.
Upastharanam: First, ghee has to be taken with the sruvam ladle and placed in the juhuvu.
Avadaanamu: The performer has to pick up the primary material of the homa with the combined ring finger, middle finger, and thumb. He has also to take some portion of the ghee with these three digits and place them in the juhuvu utensil.
Avadaanam: Using these three digits, the performer has to take some more material and ghee, and fill the juhuvu utensil.
Abhighora: Once again he has to pour ghee into the juhuvu. When the Hotharitvik is chanting the mantras and the advaryuritvikpronounces the word voushat, he has to cast the collection of ghee and material into the homa fire. This is called ahuthi.
Saptadasa
The number 17 represents Prajapathi.
Aasravaya (4)
Asthu sraushat (4)
Yaja (2)
Ye yajamahe (5)
Vashat karaha (2)
The ritviks chant mantras by including the five parts, detailed above. According to the Vedas, the application of this process provides five types of positive outcomes, like timely rains andjnaana.
Intentional Sacrifice
All the material meant for the sacrifice is the property of the performer of the homa. He puts in all his efforts and money to procure them for the purpose of the homa. The performer of the sacrifice has to sit, in the southeast corner of the yagashala. He expressly declares that the material offered by him to the deities belongs solely to them, and that he no longer has any claim over them. This constitutes voluntary offering. However, after this statement, the performer of the sacrifice pronounces Asir-sentences, with the intent of declaring that he is to receive the outcome of the offerings made by him.
Vishnu Order
The advaryu, who makes the ahuthi, stands in an exclusive posture, where he bends slightly to the front, so as to perform the homa. While standing, one of his feet should be within the podium, to the west of the avahaneeyakunda, and the other foot should be outside the dais.
The Vedas have stipulated these positions of the feet. Lord Maha Vishnu encompassed the universe with three steps. The advaryureplicates this, in order to promote the interests of the owner. The placing of the feet, during the homa is to be accompanied by chanting of the mantras. This is termer the Vishnu order. It promotes the performer of the sacrifice to heaven.
The Material and the Deities
In Darseshti procedure:
Deity Havis
Agneyamashtakapalam Agni Purodasam
Indramdadhi Indra Curd
Indram paya Indra Milk
In Purnamaseshti procedure:
Agneyamashtakapalam Agni Purodasam (prepared on 8 bricks)
Prajapathyam-Ajyam Prajapathi Ghee (this is upansu yaga: the mantras in this ahuthi are not be chanted aloud)
Agnishomeeya Ekadasakapala Agni and Soma Purodasam (with 11 bricks)
In this manner, all the main ahuthis have to be performed, and all the ritviks who had participated in the yaga eat the havis that was offered to the deities, after praying to the rulers of Earth, Sky, Heaven and other planes. They eat the havis as the prasada of the deities. This is called Eda bhakshana.
Anuyajulu:
These are also offerings, and they are three in number. They are offered in conjunction with the main ahuthis, and are termed Barhiranuyaja, Naraasamsanuyaja, and Swishtakridanuyaja.
The Swishtakrithahuthi is performed, in order the deity Agni ensures the success of the entire homa process.
Sukthavaka:
May the earth and sky be satisfied with the Ishti. May the deities, to whom the havis has been offered, receive it, consume it, and be satisfied. May they bless and provide the positive results to the performer of the homa.
May the owner receive longevity, good natured children, life force, the capacity to perform divine activities, association of great people, and progress. May peace be established on the earth and may the wellbeing of the world be ensured. The participants pray to the deities, in this fashion.
This prayer contains a specific blessing that the performer of the sacrifice is to be relieved of all sins and be purified. This indicates that the owner will abstain from committing sins and that he will not suffer on account of the sins committed by others.
Expiatory Homas:
If any mistakes or unintentional wrongs transpire, such as use of irrelevant mantras, tantras, materials, time lapses, improper chanting, application of the mind, delays, and distortion in concentration, then the expiatory homas are performed at the end of the main homa. The objective of these ceremonies is to supplicate with the deities to ignore these mistakes and to make the homa a grand success.
Anvaharya Pachana:
It is a rule that the performer of the sacrifice has to make arrangements to prepare adequate food for all the ritviks who participate in the Ishti. This food has to be prepared at the south side fire pit, and it is termed Anvaaharyam. The west side Agni is thus called anvaharyagni or anharyapachana. According to the Vedas, the southern direction is only meant for cooking the food.
Samyuvaka:
The ahuthis offered to the deities should not be mixed, otherwise the result will be incomplete. The Samyuvaka is a prayer that is performed to request the deities to divide the ahuthis and to make the yajna a success. Samyudenotes the son of the deity Bruhaspathi, and this prayer is addressed to him. Hence, it is known as Samyuvaka.
Pathni Samyaja:
These ahuthis are four, namely, Soma, Twasta, wives of deities (Indrani, Varunani, Agnayi, and Aswinirat), and Agni. The wife of the performer of the yaga must sit in the southwest, and the garhapathyagni is also in that direction. The advaryu has to offer the ahuthis in that pit.
Avabrudha:
The owner has to perform the homa in this prescribed manner. At the end, the owner has to pour the holy water in the purnapatraonto his wife’s cupped hands. Then this couple has to sprinkle the water on their heads with the intention that their family should grow like the flow of the water. They have to pray that no one in their house experiences untimely death, and they have to bear the akshithas with these intentions.
Payment of Fees and Donations:
The performer has to pay the pre-determined fee to the Brahma, Advaryu, Hota, Agneedra and other priests who had participated in the process of the homa for conducting it. This fee is called Dakshina. They have to be served food after the completion of the Ishti. The owner must ensure the happiness of the participants.The Dharma-Purnamaseshti chapter explains in detail the procedures and materials, and the persons to be employed in the Ishti.
This chapter covers several branches of management, like management science, inventory management, process management, human resource development and the optimum utilisation of resources. From this perspective, the Vedas hadlong ago employed the so called modern techniques of the present day management systems. These processes had been scientifically designed and proved to be accurate.
Those who practiced Prakruthi – Ishti, had to practice the Vikruthi-Isthti. The latter is the modified version of the original Ishti and is designed to suit the various desires of the performer. Hence, the performer can follow any of the modified Ishti, in accordance with his specific want.
Conclusion
The Vedas contain almost all the important features that are required for human life. The Ishti system is one among them, and it fulfils all the requirements essential for peaceful living, ways and means to remove suffering, expiatory methods to remove sins, and several other important attributes. It brings to the fore, a number of secrets of life, and imparts knowledge about achieving spiritual progress. One can utilise it to fulfil one’s desires. Those who cannot perform the Ishti, can nevertheless, receive the results, by gaining knowledge about it.