The following oath was taken by Narabali Agnayi as part of her Dedicant Program.
Needs
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Actions & Speech
Dedicant enters from the south, facing north, with items in hand. Dedicant arranges items so that the Gaarhpatya is in the west, the Aahvaniiya is in the east, and then the Vedi cloth is laid between them and has upon it the container filled with ghee, the gold offering, the sandalwood stick and the ladle.
Dedicant places the sandalwood stick into the Gaarhpatya until the tip of the stick is lit, then transfers the fire to the Aahvaniiya and then places that stick into the fire; all while saying:
abhy avasthah pra jayante (1)
aham id dhi devas pari
medham rtasya jagrabha (2)
Dedicant pours on a first ladle of ghee into the Aahvaniiya while saying:
agnim ukthair rsayo vi hvayante
‘gnim naro yamani badhitasah
agnim vayo antariske patanto (3)
Dedicant pours on a second ladle of ghee into the Aahvaniiya while saying:
tve agne visve amrtaso adruha
asa deva havir adanty ahutam (4)
Dedicant pours on a third ladle of ghee into the Aahvaniiya while saying:
ilenyo namasyas
tiras tamamsi darsatah
sam agnir idhyate (5)
Dedicant states:
vayam hi te amanmahy
antad a parakat (6)
yad adya sthah paravati
yad arvavaty devas
yad va puru purubhuja
yad antariksa a gatam (7)
Dedicant pours an additional offering of ghee into the Aahvaniiya:
samit-samit sumana bodhy asme
suca-suca sumatim rasi vasvah
a deva devan yajathaya vaksi
sakha sakhin sumana yaksy agne (8)
Dedicant states:
pra tat te adya devas nama-
aryah samsami vayunani vidvan
tam tva grnami tavasam atavyan
ksayantam asya rajasah parake (9)
ilenyo namasyas
tiras tamamsi darsatah (10)
Dedicant offers gold to the Aahvaniiya while saying:
aram daso na karany
aham devaya bhurnaye nagah
acetayad acito devo aryo
grtsam raye kavitaro junati (11)
Dedicant says:
idam vam asye havih
priyam agnedeva
uktham madas ca sasyate (12)
Svaha!
Translations
All translations are taken from Elizarenkova’s Language and Style of the Vedic Rsis (ISBN 0-7914-1667-4)
(1) “(Various) states (of Agni) are being born in (our) direction.” 5.19
(2) “Tis from the Gods I have taken over the wisdom of truth: I have been reborn like the sun.” 8.6 [altered]
(3) “The Rsis invoke Agni with hymns from all sides, men in trouble during a campaign (invoke) Agni-, birds flying in the air (invoke) Agni.” 10.80
(4) “In thee, O Agni, all the immortal undeceivable Gods taste the libated libation with (thy) mouth.” 2.1
(5) “Worthy of invocation, worthy of reverence, visible through darkness, Agni is kindled.” 3.27
(6) “We did indeed think about thee from near and from afar.” 1.30
(7) “If today you are far away, If (you are) near, O Devas, Or if (you are) in many places, O most-helpful (ones), If (you are) in the aerial space– come (hither)!” 5.73 [altered]
(8) “With each log (of the fire) be (more) favorable to us! With each blaze of flame transmit Vasu’s favor (to us)! O God, bring the Gods to the sacrifice! Honour the friends like a friend, being favourable (thyself), O Agni!” 3.4
(9) “Today I glorify this name of thine, O Devas, (the name) of the noble lord, I the expert in sacrifice. I, the weaker one, sing the praises of thee, of the one (who is) so strong, (of thee) who rulest far beyond the limits of this space.” 7.100
(10) “Worthy of invocation, worthy of reverence, visible through darkness.” 3.27
(11) “May I serve as a slave (serves) a generous master, I, sinless one, (serving) the furious God! The noble God made the unreasonable ones listen to reason. The wiser (God) speeds the clever (man) to wealth.” 7.86
(12) “This pleasing libation (has been poured) into your mouth, O Agni Devas. Praise and the inebriating drink (are) proclaimed.” 4.49 [altered]
Explanation Of Ritual
Needs
a.) Ghee – Clarified butter, a common oblation in Vedic rituals. Aside from milk it is one of the easiest to obtain and/or make.
1. Ghee Recipe (taken from https://www.foodnetwork.com/)
b.) Container – To hold ghee in
c.) Ladle – Used to pour the ghee into the fire with.
d.) Gold – A popular offering within Vedic ritual. It is mentioned in the Vedas as a representation of the Sun and the seed of Agni. We use gold leaf for offerings such as these.
e.) Gaarhpatya – The Householder’s Fire. This is the fire kept in the home and tended by the family. It is lit during the wedding ceremony and every attempt is made to keep it lit at all times. This fire is used to light the additional fires used in Vedic ritual. In the case of this particular ritual it was brought in pre lit.
f.) Aahvaniiya – The Offertorial Fire. This fire is the one where offerings are poured for the Gods. For both the Aahvaniiya and the Gaarhpatya I use copper to contain a small amount of burning coals set on sand. The Garhapatya is in a round container and the Aahvaniiya is in a square one, as dictated in the Vedas. These containers are on stands and as our rituals happen indoors it is of great importance that any flames be kept to a minimum.
g.) Vedi – Can be seen as an “altar” of sorts but more along the lines of an area where all of the ritual tools are placed.
h.) One sandalwood stick – Chosen for personal reasons and it’s flammability. Special kindling is often used within the agnihotr and this is a slight adaptation from that.
i.) Fire extinguisher – No Vedic ritual should EVER be done without one.Actions & Speech
1. Opening
a.) “Dedicant enters from the south, facing north, with items in hand. Dedicant arranges items so that the Gaarhpatya is in the west, the Aahvaniiya is in the east, the Daksina is to the south, and then the Vedi cloth is laid between them and has upon it the container filled with ghee, the gold offerings, the two sandalwood sticks and the ladle.”
1. The entering the space from the south has a precedent set for it from the agnihotr. The same is said for the facing of the north, the north being the realm of the Gods.
2. A very standard Vedic layout has the directions of north, south, east and west. To the west is the Gaarhpatya, to the South West is the Daksina (Southern Fire and fire of Yama and the ancestors), to the east is the Aahvaniiya. To the left of the Aahvaniiya is the Vedi when one is facing north.
b.) “Dedicant places the sandalwood stick into the Gaarhpatya until the tip of the stick is lit, then transfers the fire to the Aahvaniiya and then places that stick into the fire; all while saying:”
1. As was stated earlier, the fire of the Gaarhpatya is used to light the additional fires. The placing of the kindling within the fire is seen within the agnihotr. I chose sandalwood for personal reasons in addition to it’s flammability.
c.) “abhy avasthah pra jayante aham id dhi devas pari medham rtasya jagrabha/(Various) states (of Agni) are being born in (our) direction. Tis from the Gods I have taken over the wisdom of truth: I have been reborn like the sun.”
1. If you are unaware, Agni is a Vedic God with many roles. He is the fire itself, he is a fire God, he is the messenger of the Gods, he is the God of the priests and he is the second priest to the Gods (taking a minor role behind the actual priest of the Gods). When one lights a fire there Agni is.
2. Calling the Messenger (Agni)
a.) “Dedicant pours on a first ladle of ghee into the Gaarhpatya while saying: agnim ukthair rsayo vi hvayante ‘gnim naro yamani badhitasah agnim vayo antariske patanto/The Rsis invoke Agni with hymns from all sides, men in trouble during a campaign (invoke) Agni-, birds flying in the air (invoke) Agni. Dedicant pours on a second ladle of ghee into the Gaarhpatya while saying: tve agne visve amrtaso adruha asa deva havir adanty ahutam/In thee, O Agni, all the immortal undeceivable Gods taste the libated libation with (thy) mouth. Dedicant pours on a third ladle of ghee into the Gaarhpatya while saying: ilenyo namasyas tiras tamamsi darsatah sam agnir idhyate/Worthy of invocation, worthy of reverence, visible through darkness, Agni is kindled.”
1. I chose to give three separate offerings to honour the three main fires of Agni.
3. Prayer to the Gods
a.) “Dedicant states: vayam hi te amanmahy antad a parakat yad adya sthah paravati yad arvavaty devas yad va puru purubhuja yad antariksa a gatam/If today you are far away, If (you are) near, O Devas, Or if (you are) in many places, O most-helpful (ones), If (you are) in the aerial space– come (hither)! Dedicant pours an additional offering of ghee into the Gaarhpatya: samit-samit sumana bodhy asme suca-suca sumatim rasi vasvah a deva devan yajathaya vaksi sakha sakhin sumana yaksy agne/With each log (of the fire) be (more) favorable to us! With each blaze of flame transmit Vasu’s favor (to us)! O God, bring the Gods to the sacrifice! Honour the friends like a friend, being favourable (thyself), O Agni! Dedicant states: pra tat te adya devas nama- aryah samsami vayunani vidvan tam tva grnami tavasam atavyan ksayantam asya rajasah parake ilenyo namasyas tiras tamamsi darsatah/Today I glorify this name of thine, O Devas, (the name) of the noble lord, I the expert in sacrifice. I, the weaker one, sing the praises of thee, of the one (who is) so strong, (of thee) who rulest far beyond the limits of this space. Worthy of invocation, worthy of reverence, visible through darkness.”
1. I call forth the Gods with praise and oblations.
4. Oath
a.) “Dedicant offer gold to the Gaarhpatya while saying: aram daso na karany aham devaya bhurnaye nagah acetayad acito devo aryo grtsam raye kavitaro junati/May I serve as a slave (serves) a generous master, I, sinless one, (serving) the furious God! The noble God made the unreasonable ones listen to reason. The wiser (God) speeds the clever (man) to wealth.”
1. I offer gold as the most important offering to me and chose the wording for personal reasons.
5. Faux closing
a.) Dedicant says: idam vam asye havih priyam agnedeva uktham madas ca sasyate Svaha!/This pleasing libation (has been poured) into your mouth, O Agni Devas. Praise and the inebriating drink (are) proclaimed.”
1. I call this a “faux closing” as the idea of ending a ritual isn’t something I do. I do not know how to explain it exactly, except to say that through my practices I have found, and learned, the Vedic rituals are never ending. They do end in one fashion but continue on in another. Even though the morning agnihotr has completed, it means nothing without the evening agnihotr. It is as though the ritual has been put on hold until it can be continued, in the most basic terms. I know this does not work for all people, all religions and all rituals but it does work for me in this particular instance.
