[Advaita-l] homam details

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

On Thu, 21 Aug 2003, Prasad Balasubramanian wrote:

> namasthe,
>
>   I've read once that when we give havis/ghee into
> the Homa kundam, they have to be given to Agni
> (put into/placed in Agni) Bhagwan only after
> telling "swAhA" after the Mantra. There will
> be dhoshams/shortcomings if we give it to Agni
> Bhagawan either before swAhA or a little late
> after swAhA.
>
>   Can someone point out the right scriptures from
> which we can get similar insights about the Homams
> (both vaidhik and tantrik) ?
>

Such details are discussed at length in the Mimamsa shastra and also in
the Grhya and Shrauta sutras of each Vedic shakha.  The tantras follow the
Vedic model.

There are three components to the sacrificial act:  mantra, dravya, and
tyaga.  First the purohit says the apropriate Vedic mantra then says svaha
or the equivalent.  Nowadays homa and yajna are treated as synonyms but
technically in a homa (expressed by the verb juhoti) you sit and say svahA
whereas in a yajna (expressed by the verb yajati) you stand and say
vashat.  Also in offerings to the pitrs you say svadha.  After that (and
only after that), the yajamana and his wife make the offering (dravya) and
say idam ____ na mama "this is for ____ not for me" substituting the name
o the Devata the offering was to.  This is called tyaga.  Only after all
three things are done in the right sequence is the sacrificial act
complete.


-- 
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>
It's a girl! See the pictures - http://www.braincells.com/shailaja/