Agni.. the Jathaveda

Agni.. the Jathaveda

उद्दीप्यस्व जातवेदोऽपघ्नन्निऋतिम् मम।

पशूग्ंश्च मह्यमावह जीवनम् च दिशो दिश॥२।२०

मा नो हिग्ंसीज्जातवेदो गामश्वम् पुरुषम् जगत्।

अबिभ्रदग्न आगहि श्रिया मा परिपातय॥२।२१

महानरायणोपनिषद् तैत्तिरीय आरण्यके (कृष्णयजुर्वेदीय)

uddīpyasva jātavedo'paghnanniṛtim mama|

paśūgṁśca mahyamāvaha jīvanam ca diśo diśa||2|20

mā no higṁsījjātavedo gāmaśvam puruṣam jagat|

abibhradagna āgahi śriyā mā paripātaya||2|21

mahānarāyaṇopaniṣad taittireeya aarayanakam Krishna Yajurvedam

This is a mantram found Krishna Yajurvedam.. Taittireeya Aranyakam and in Mahanarayanopanishat..

The greatness of Fire as the source of welfare and destroyer of maladies when it is benevolent to us and the impossible power of destruction the same fire can wield on us when it is in rampage was understood with great awe and reverence by the Vedic man..

Hence the prayer.

Holy Fire Jaathaveda, may you shine for ever with brilliance.

May your intensity wipe away all my sins and blemishes.

Oh fire, bestow on me large number of cattle..

Oh fire, provide me with living space in all directions.

Oh Agni, please do not cause any destruction to cattle, horses and human beings occupying the whole earth..

Oh Agni, Please manifest yourself before me without holding in your hands any weapons of destruction..

Oh Agni, provide me with abundance of wealth..

Agni or fire was considered as the most respected deities of our Vedic Culture.. His importance is that He is both a deity who is worshipped and also is the messenger or intermediary for all the offering and prayers we offer to the Gods..

In domestic and huge sacrificial yajnas all the oblations or aahurtis are offered in fire.. And the materials offered and prayer made are carried dutifully by Agni to the respective Gods..

When offerings are made to Gods, its is through the medium of his consort Swaahaa.. or Swaahaa devi.

In our body, Agni is variously stated as residing in the Jadara or stomach as jaadaragni who digests the food we consume and convert them into necessary ingredients considered essential for the survival and existence of our bodies.. When we take food, we offer it as aahutis to the five Pranas.. Praanaaya Swaahaa, Apaanaaya Swahaa, Vyaanaaya Swaahaa, Udaanaaya Swaahaa and Samaanaaya Swaahaa and also to the Supreme being..

When we take food. We make the offer through the six invocations to Swaahaa s above, proving that even eating is considered as a yajna offered to fire..

It is also seen in Vedas that Agni is situated in our Words or capacity to speak..

अग्निर्मे वाचि श्रितः वाग हृदये हृदयं मयि अहं अमृते अमृतं ब्रह्मणि .... Agni is situated in my Vaak, Vaak finds its way to my heart which is floating in nectar and that immortal nectar or amrutham is the supreme Brahman itself.

The foremost human being created by Gods is Agni

There is a mention in Rigvedam that the male human being created on earth was Agni and the first female was aak or word.. and the human race which was nurtured affectionately from them had the same qualities of those two primordial parents. So vaak or word and agni are closed connected and the entire human race inherits both these in their bodies.

त्वामग्ने प्रथममायुमायवे देवा आकृण्वन्नहुषस्य विश्पतिम्॥ इळामकृण्वन्न्हुषस्य शासनीम् पितुर्यत् पुत्रो ममकस्य जायते॥ ऋग्वेदम् १ ३२ ११

tvāmagne prathamamāyumāyave devā ākṛṇvannahuṣasya viśpatim|| iḻāmakṛṇvannhuṣasya śāsanīm pituryat putro mamakasya jāyate|| ṛgvedam 1 32 11

( Agni, you were created as the leader and controller of the earthly human beings, for their own benefit, and Ilaa or Vaanee was created as the female counterpart controlling the earthly beings ..Therefore the human beings grow in their race according to the original parentage of Agni and Vaak.)

Agni is the ultimate source of protection and purity for all while they are working or while they are worshipping other deities too.

The protective role of fire in work need no explanation.

From lighting and heating of the environment, making implements and tools, giving shapes to products .. in short in whatever work one engages in fire plays a major part..

We cannot prepare food without fire, all of us know..

But in worship and penance, the protective influence of fire is very significant..

Great sages do penance in the middle of Panchaagni.. or five kundas of fire built around them. The presence of fire gives them determination and perseverence too..

While doing protective placement of Gods around the body parts… called nyaasam before chanting great mantras, Agni is placed all over and around us..

In Lagunyasam for Rudrajapam.. we finally say..

ततो बहिः सर्वतोऽग्निर्ज्वालामालापरिवृतस्तिष्ठतु॥॥मां रक्षन्तु

tato bahiḥ sarvato'gnirjvālāmālāparivṛtastiṣṭhatu |||ṁāṁ rakṣantu

Then above all, may Agni with his huge garlands of flames stand guard all about me.. and may He protect me..

Agni Krithika and Karthikeya

The Puranas give a lot of connection and proximity between Agni, the six star collection Krittika ( Pleiades in western astronomy) which is the birth Star Krithigaa and Skanda, the Six headed God and Son of Shiva.

In fact even though we start counting the stars from Ashvathi, the Vedas start that count from Krithika..

The Vedic mantra invoking Krittikaa is as follows

अग्निर्न्नः पातु कृत्तिकाः। नक्षत्रंदेवमिन्द्रियं। इदमासाँविचक्षणं। हविरासञ्जुहोतन। यस्य भान्ति रश्मयोयस्य केतवः। यस्येमा विश्वा भुवनानि सर्वा। सकृत्तिकाभिरभिसँव्वसानः। अग्निर्न्नो देवसूविते दधातु। अग्नये स्वाहाः। कृत्तिकाभ्यः स्वाहाः। अंबा...यै स्वाहाः। दुलायै स्वाहाः। नितन्त्यै स्वाहाः। भ्रयन्त्यै स्वाहाः। मेघयन्त्यै स्वाहाः। वर्षयन्त्यै स्वाहाः। चुपुणिकायै स्वाहाः।

May the Agni manifesting as presiding deitye of star Krittika protect us.. This group of Stars is the supreme among the Gods. These are the most powerful stars. Let us offer them havis. The rays of the stars and the flames of the fire shine forth. The whole universe belong to them. The Agni who is for ever residing in this hexad of stars may give us the blessedness and grace of all God..

My Offering to Agni...

My offerings to Ambaa, Dulaa, Nithanthi, Bhrayanthi, Meghayanti, Varshayanti and Chupunika.

And Agni is treated as the foster father of Subramania.. During Daksha Yaaga, Sati the Consort of Lord Shiva immolated herself and subsequently took avatar as Uma the Parvathi.. But after the death of Sati Shiva had become a recluse and was doing penance.. Demons Soorapadma, Tharaka etc defeated the Devas on the strength of boons received from Brahma.. The boon was that only a Son of Shiva could defeat the demons. Shiva was in no mood to marry and therefore the Gods sent Kamadeva to disturb the penance of Shiva . Meanwhile Sati the Dakshayani, who was reborn as the daughter of Himavan.. the Uma Parvathi, was doing penance to gain Shankara the Shiva as her husband.. Kamadeva sent his flowery arrows to disturb Shiva from his penance, while Uma was present.. He succeeded in disturbing the concentration of the Lord, but the Lord was angry and opened His third eye.. of Fire and Kamadeva was burnt to ashes.. ( Here too we can see the work of Agni too)

But vital force of Shiva which could shape itself into a Son was impossible of being conceived by any being.. Once Shiva gave his power through his third eye and the concentrated energy in the form of flames just started burning the whole universe. Then Lord Shiva Directed Agni to carry these flames, six in number coming out of the five faces of Shiva.. Vamadeva, Tatpurusha, Sadyojatha, Aghora, and Eaashana and his own Jnaanadhristi, to a place where they would grow.. With great difficulty Agni carried them to a lake in Ganga.. called Sharavana, full of Darbha grasses, and left them in the lake.. Ganga, with great difficulty, bore the heat and ultimately the six flames shaped themselves into six beautiful children.. But when the children were born, there was no one to nurse them.. So the six Krithika mothers were summoned and they took care of the six boys.. Once Shiva and Uma were visiting the lake when Parvathi saw the attractive boys being nursed by Six Karthika mothers.. Uma embraced the boys all together and the children all fused into one.. and thus was born the Lord of Lord Karthikeya.. the commander in Chief of Gods..who annihilated Soorapadma Tharaka, etc. later on.. In honour of the service rendered by the Fire God Agni, he was given the status of foster father or Lord Shanmugha, and Krithika stars got the status of mothers of the Lord, who takes pride in being called Karhikeya and the star Krithika is dearest Him.

Numero Uno in Vedas.. the first recorded mantram in Rigveda

The first mantram in the first Mandalam of Rigvedam starts with the praise of Agni.. It is believed that Vedas start with that mantram..

अग्निमीळे पुरोहितं यज्ञस्य देवम् ऋत्विजं होतारं रत्न धातमम्

agnimīḻe purohitaṁ yajñasya devam ṛtvijaṁ hotāraṁ ratna dhātamam

1 -1-1 of Rigvedam.

We do not know whether this is the first Vedic Mantram uttered by man.. But it is placed as the first Mantram, in the First of the Vedas, namely Rigvedam.. as it has come to us..

This mantram is in praise of The God of Fire Agnideva

The worshipper is acutely conscious of the supremacy of the most potent force of nature that is manifest near him

He treats fire as the Primordial priest, who leads the mortals safely ahead in spiritual and temporal Life.(Purohita)

Of course, Agni is one of the deities who is offered His share in Yajnams by way of ghee and cooked grain and other offerings.. in addition Agni acts as the carrier of the offerings made to other Gods

Ritvik The official in the yajna who looks after the procedural aspects.

Hotaaram.. The official in the Yajna who invokes and invites the presence of deities who are being worshipped.

Ratnadhaatamam.. Repository of wealth.. and Agni is capable of making His worshippers too rich in wealth..

So the Plain meaning is

I worship Agni who is the priest, the one who leads us from the front, who is the deity subject matter of a ritual, a yajna who is the one who makes the formal invocations in the yajna who is the source, storehouse and the bestower of all wealth, gems, precious stones etc

The importance of Agni can be easily judged by the various names with which he is famous.. A few of them are discussed below..

1 अग्नि Agni the one who leads.. one who goes forward.

2 वैश्वानरः vaishvanara The universal man.. or the male power of the universe.. the mover of the universe, the one who is universally present in human race

3 वह्निः Vahni travels with wind.. carried by wind or vice versa

4 धनंजय DhananjayaH The one who wins wealth (for us), the one who has vanquished wealth in the sense he is superior to all wealth.

5 विधिहोता Vitihotraa The receptacle or place where offers and aahutis in yajnas and homas are given.

6 कृपीतयोनि Krupeetayoni…. The one who keeps water in the womb or the one who is born out of waters womb.. Vedas talk of Agner aapaH.. water came from fire.. agnim yaa garbham dadhire taa na aapah.. the waters who carried water in their womb.. agnir vaa apaam aayatanam..

7 ज्वलन Jvalana… The one who shines with bright flames

8. जातेवेदा Jaatavedaah The one from whom or through who all the Vedas and knowledge were born

9 तनूनपात् Tanoonapaat The one whose presence in beings keep them from physical fall.. keep them erect and operational.. as He provided the energy which keeps everyone alive and active.

10 रोहिताश्व RohitaashvaH… The one who is having or is riding red horses.. There is also a story that Agni took the form of a horse to help Uttanga in winning over the Serpent King Takshaka .. The Badavaagni found in the innards of sea is also supposed to be in the form of a horse..

11.हिरण्यरेताः HiranyaretaaH The one who is having molten gold as semen or retas .. It is believed that the precious metal gold is coming from Agni.

12 सप्तार्चिः Saptaarchi.. The one who is having seven flames. The names of the seven flames are Kali, Karala, Manojawa, Sulohita, Sudumravarna, Spulingini, Visvadara are his seven tongues/ flames.

13 सर्वदेवमुखः SarvadevamukhaH Who is the face or mouth of all the Gods.. The havirbhaagam for all Gods are offered through his mouth..

14 वायुसखा Vaayusakhaa.. The friend of the wind.. The fire becomes fully operative when there is abundant oxygen supply..

There are many more names, all given on the basis of the attributes of the Fire but the list is too lenghthy..

The idea of waters carrying Agni in their womb is seen in the following mantram.

हिरण्यवर्णाः शुचयः पावकाः यासु जातः कश्यपो यास्विन्द्रः अग्निं या गर्भं दधिरे विरूपाः ता नः आपः शगंस्योना भवन्तु

hiraṇyavarṇāḥ śucayaḥ pāvakāḥ yāsu jātaḥ kaśyapo yāsvindraḥ agniṁ yā garbhaṁ dadhire virūpāḥ tā naḥ āpaḥ śagṁsyonā bhavantu

Today is the World Water day..

A quote from PavamanaSooktham.. Krishna Yajurvedam

May the waters

which are of sparkling colour

which are by nature pure

which are capable of purifying everything

in which the father of Devas, Kashyapa was born

in which Indra the leader of Gods was born

who carries fire in its womb and delivered it

who have no specific shape,

may those waters

bless us with peace and welfare..

Note

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waters carrying fire in their womb... We have seen the marsh gas fire eruption... the plants and vegetation decay under water and produce methane which bubbles up the surface of the waters and catches fire.. This gives the impression that water is giving birth to fire..(Will o the wisp)

There is a story of Badava agni.. in Hindu Lore..

Once fire broke out from the third eye of Lord Shankara, and the world started burning to ashes ..

To avoid annihilation of the world by fire, Brahma under the Gracious instruction of the Lord Himself, converted this fire into a horse called Badava, and the horse was driven down to the bottom of the ocean and the God of the Ocean Varuna was asked to keep the horse restrained there..

The fire we use on earth came out from that horse, when he peeped out to see the land area..

Even by the standards of modern science water is the source of fire throu

Devi Durga and Agni

Devi Durga is paired with Agni in Vedas. The famous Durga Sooktham found in Krishna Yajurvedam describe the power of agni as well as the mother Goddess Durga..

Given below is a commentary on the entire sooktham

Durga Sooktham

जातवेदसे सुनवाम सोममरातीयतो निदहाति वेदः।

स नः पर्षदति दुर्गाणि विश्वा नावेव सिन्धुं दुरितात्यग्निः॥१॥

तामग्निवर्णां तपसा ज्वलन्तीं वैरोचनीं कर्मफलेषु जुष्टां।

दुर्गाम् देवी शरणमहं प्रपद्ये सुतरसि तरसे नमः॥२॥

अग्ने त्वम् पारया नव्यो अस्मान् स्वस्तिभिरति दुर्गाणि विश्वा।

पूश्च पृथ्वी बहुळा न उर्वी भवा तोकाय तनयाय शंयो॥३॥

विश्वानि नो दुर्गहा जातवेदः सिन्धुं न नावा दुरितातिपर्षि।

अग्ने अत्रिवन्मनसा गृणानोऽस्माकं बोध्यविता तनूनां॥४॥

पृतनाजितम् सहमानमुग्रमग्निम् हुवेमपरमात्सधस्थात्।

स नः पर्षदति दुर्गाणि विश्वा क्षामद्देवो अति दुरितात्यग्निः॥५॥

प्रत्नोषिकमीड्यो अध्वरेषु सनाच्च होता नव्यश्च सत्सि।

स्वं चाग्ने तनुवं पिप्रयस्वास्मभ्यं च सौभगमायजस्व॥६॥

गोभिर्जुष्टमयुजो निषिक्तं तवेन्द्र विष्णोरनुसंचरेम।

नाकस्य पृष्ठमभि संवसानो वैष्णवीं लोक इह मादयन्तां॥७॥

महानारायणोपनिषत् तैत्तरीयसम्हितायाम् दुर्गासूक्तं।

jātavedase sunavāma somamarātīyato nidahāti vedaḥ|

sa naḥ parṣadati durgāṇi viśvā nāveva sindhuṁ duritātyagniḥ ||1||

tāmagnivarṇāṁ tapasā jvalantīṁ vairocanīṁ karmaphaleṣu juṣṭāṁ|

durgām devī śaraṇamahaṁ prapadye sutarasi tarase namaḥ||2||

agne tvam pārayā navyo asmān svastibhirati durgāṇi viśvā|

pūśca pṛthvī bahuḻā na urvī bhavā tokāya tanayāya śaṁyo||3||

viśvāni no durgahā jātavedaḥ sindhuṁ na nāvā duritātiparṣi|

agne atrivanmanasā gṛṇāno'smākaṁ bodhyavitā tanūnāṁ||4||

pṛtanājita sahamānamugrmagni huvemaparamātsadhasthāt|

sa naḥ parṣadati durgāṇi viśvā kṣāmaddevo ati duritātyagniḥ||5||

pratnoṣikamīḍyo adhvareṣu sanācca hotā navyaśca satsi|

svaṁ cāgne tanuvaṁ piprayasvāsmabhyaṁ ca sauabhagamāyajasva||6||

gobhirjuṣṭamayujo niṣiktaṁ tavendra viṣṇoranusaṁcarema|

nākasya pṛṣṭhamabhi saṁvasāno vaiṣṇavīṁ loka iha mādayantāṁ||7||

mahānārāyaṇopaniṣat taittarīyasamhitāyām durgāsūktaṁ|

jātavedase sunavāma somamarātīyato nidahāti vedaḥ|

sa naḥ parṣadati durgāṇi viśvā nāveva sindhuṁ duritātyagniḥ ||1||

tāmagnivarṇāṁ tapasā jvalantīṁ vairocanīṁ karmaphaleṣu juṣṭāṁ|

durgām devī śaraṇamahaṁ prapadye sutarasi tarase namaḥ||2||

agne tvam pārayā navyo asmān svastibhirati durgāṇi viśvā|

pūśca pṛthvī bahuḻā na urvī bhavā tokāya tanayāya śaṁyo||3||

viśvāni no durgahā jātavedaḥ sindhuṁ na nāvā duritātiparṣi|

agne atrivanmanasā gṛṇāno'smākaṁ bodhyavitā tanūnāṁ||4||

pṛtanājita sahamānamagni huvemaparamātsadhasthāt|

sa naḥ parṣadati durgāṇi viśvā kṣāmaddevo ati duritātyagniḥ||5||

pratnoṣikamīḍyo adhvareṣu sanācca hotā navyaśca satsi|

svaṁ cāgne tanuvaṁ piprayasvāsmabhyaṁ ca sauabhagamāyajasva||6||

gobhirjuṣṭamayujo niṣiktaṁ tavendra viṣṇoranusaṁcarema|

nākasya pṛṣṭhamabhi saṁvasāno vaiṣṇavīṁ loka iha mādayantāṁ||7||

mahānārāyaṇopaniṣat taittarīyasamhitāyām durgāsūktaṁ|

"May we pay oblations of Soma juice to Jaataveda the fire. May the all-knowing Agni destroy all that is not in our favour. He, is the divine fire leads all through his energy and resplendence. While so leading us may He protect us by carrying us across all perils of life even as the captain of a ship leads his ship all through the vagaries of the weather. 1

I take refuge in Goddes Durga, who is having the lustre of fire, and is radiant with yogic penance, who is the Pover of the supreme being who manifests itself in many forms, who is manifesting herself in all actions and the results thereof O Mother Durga, You , the expert in showing good path and taking us through difficult terrains, may You be pleased to take us through the well of mundane existence, which we will not be able to cross by our own skills..2

Oh, Fire, you are worthy of all praise by us. With your happy methods, you may be pleased to take us beyond all difficulties. May our homes, towns and homeland become extensive and may our arable plots of land be ample and well nourished. May You be pleased to join us, our children, and their children all in joy together. 3

May lord Jataveda the Agni, who is the destroyer of all our sins and sorrows, be pleased to lead us away from all sins and troubles and protect us in the manner of one who leads people across the ocean in a boat without the passengers feeling any fear or difficulty. May Agni the Jataveda be pleased to protect our bodies, ever mindful of its safety, just like Sage Atri, who is always repeating in his mind that "May everyone be whole and happy" 4

We, assembling ourselves in the highest forum. invoke the fire God who is the highest leader of all among us and even beyond us. The Jataveda, the Agni, charges against and vanquishes all our enemies, with His fierce valour. May that fire God Jataveda be pleased to protect us and make our path bereft of all difficulties and wrongs that come by nature to us, and may He be pleased to wean us away from all that is perishable to lead us to immortality. 5

Oh Agni, the Jataveda, You are lauded in all sacrifices and in turn you bless us with happiness. In the place of sacrifice you abide as the person who performs the sacrifice, ancient and recent, and even as the place of sacrifice. Oh Agni, may You be pleased to recognize always as Your own kin and therefore be pleased to make us happy always. May you be pleased through your magnificence, to endow us with fortune coming from all sides. 6

Oh Agni, you are unconnected with sin and sorrow and destroy them wherever they manifest. You pervade all sacrifices in the shape of all that is present in the place of sacrifice. We serve you, Oh Agni, desirous of being blessed with good fortune of having a lot of cattle. May we, overflowing with blissful devotion to You, serve you without any interruption. May Gods in the highest region of Heaven share their happiness and delight of sharing devotion to Vishnu with me. May such shared worship bring delight and fortune to me on earth. 7"

Devi Durga in Vedas is worshiped as one with the God of fire. So every fire, every oblation that goes to the sacrificial fire ultimately is shared by Durga..And all our prayers to Agni the Jatavedaa goes to Devi Durga.

The Vedic hymn clearly indicate that the people of that period depended for their happy life on cattle and wide expanse of arable land.. Absence of rancour to anyone, and complete sense of happiness and peaceful co-existence, leaving themselves to the will of the benevolent God, who, they believed would lead them in the right path, was the hall-mark of the Vedic epoch.

Lakshmi and Agni

Shree Sooktham.. in praise of Goddess Lakshmi in its first two mantras actually requests Agni to bring the Goddess of Wealth to us, because Lakshmi and Agni are again thought as being paired..

हिरण्यवर्ण्णाम् हरिणीम् सुवर्णरजतस्रजां

चन्द्राम् हिरण्मयीं लक्ष्मीम् जातवेदो म आवह।

ताम् म आवह जातवेदो लक्ष्मीम् अनपगामिनीम्

यस्याम् हिरण्यम् विन्देयम् गाम् अश्वम् पुरुषानहम्।

hiraṇyavarṇṇām hariṇīm suvarṇarajatasrajāṁ

candrām hiraṇmayīṁ lakṣmīm jātavedo ma āvaha|

tām ma āvaha jātavedo lakṣmīm anapagāminīm

yasyām hiraṇyam vindeyam gām aśvam puruṣānaham|

O Lord Jathaveda, the Agni, please summon for me Laksmi who is of Golden Hue, attractive to the heart like a doe, who wears golden and multi coloured garlands, and who is having the resplendane of the moon, and who is adorned all over in gold.

Oh Jathaveda, the Agni, please summon for me Laksmi, who will not leave me ( though she is fickle by nature) so that I shall be blessed with bountyof Gold, Cattle, Horses and servants

General

In tantra, homam can be offered to agni invoking any Deity in it.. Ganapthy Homam,Chandika Homa, Sri Rudra Homam, Purushasooktha Homam, Sudarashana Homam.. Gayatree Homam, Vedarambha Homam, and so on

For a practicing Hindu the oblations to agni like Agnihotram and aupasanam are a must. Even for initiates or brahmacharis who cannot Aupasanam offering of Palasa Samiths to Agni as Samdhaadhaanam is prescribedl.

The brahmachari who performed Samidhaadhaanam prays..

“Oh Agni, Just as you burn with elan because of the samits offered by me please make me grow in longevity, natural effulgence, resourcefulness, intellect, with progenies, with supply of wealth in the shape of cattle, means for food and the grace of supreme..”

यथा त्वमग्ने समिधा समिद्ध्यस एवं माम् आयुषा वर्च्चसा सन्न्या मेधया प्रजया पशुभिर् ब्रह्मवर्चसेन अन्नाद्येन समेधय स्वाहाः॥

yathā tvamagne samidhā samiddhyasa evaṁ mām āyuṣā varccasā sannyā medhayā prajayā paśubhir brahmavarcasena annādyena samedhaya svāhāḥ||

When a couple are married, the husband kindles the fire of his hearth from the fire of his father..

This fire is to be kept burning as long as he lives and the maintenance of that fire is the joint duty of the husband and the wife..

The offering of oblations to fire should not be intterrupted in any way..

It is the duty of the wife to offer the oblation in the absence of the male at home..

The oblations are in the morning and the evening..

The funeral pyre of the man is finally lit from the aupasasna agni..

When the son of the family marries, he is given the fire from the fathers.. and thus the uniterrupted family chain, the prajaa tantu is maintained..

The domestic fire for cooking is also to be taken from this fire only..

So it is the duty of every householder to maintain the purity and sacredness of the fire .

Cooking without bath, cooking when impure, using fire of the hearth when in periods, are all not to be thought of..

We should never use dirty fuels or prohibited firewood while cooking.. Cooking is almost a yajna. We should prefer firewood ovens wherever possible..

While kindling fire for homams at home many a times we light Camphor.. This is not right. The fire has to be kindled from aupasana agni.. or if the kartha is brahmachari samidhaadhaanaa agni should be used.. We use the fire from our kitchen too and it is ideal because it is supposed that the fire too is maintained from the traditional Garhapatya agni kindled at the time of marriage of the head of the family.

We have to maintain absolute reverence while crossing the hearth, fireplace or a place where homas are conducted.

Wherever agni is seen, we have to move around it only in pradakshinam, or clockwise direction..

Agni is one of the Panchabhoothas.. The earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether..

We start our samskaras right from Garbhaadhaanam to Antyeshti through and in the presence of Agni.

Agni is the one who shows us the proper direction in life.

agne naya supathaa… अग्नॆ नय सुपथा रायॆ अस्मान् विश्वानि दॆव वयुनानि विद्वान् ।

युयॊध्यस्मज्जुहुराणमॆनो भूयिष्ठं तॆ नम उक्तिं विधॆम ॥

Agni can correct and pardon us for all our mistakes

anaajnaatam tadaajnaatam अनाज्ञातम् यदाज्ञातम् यज्ञस्य क्रियते मिथुः

अग्ने तदस्य कल्पय त्वम् हि वेत्थ यथातथम्॥

anājñātam yadājñātam yajñasya kriyate mithuḥ

agne tadasya kalpaya tvam hi vettha yathātatham||

Agni is the greatest uniter of human beings..

The Aikamatya Sooktham, the final Hymn in in Rigvedam Mandalma 10 is a prayer for unity among all human beings .

aikamatya sooktham

।।ऐकमत्यसूक्तम् ।।

ऊँ संसमिद्दुवसे वृषन्नग्ने विश्वान्नर्य आ

इळस्पदे समिद्ध्यसे स नो वसून्न्या भर ।।

संगच्छध्वं संवदध्वं संवो मनांसि जानतां

देवा भागं यथापूर्वे संजानाना उपासते ।।

समानो मन्त्रस्समितिस्समानी

समानं मनः सहचित्तमेषां ।।

समानं मन्त्रमभिमन्त्रये वः

समानेन वो हविषा जुहोमि ।।

समानी व आकूतिस्समानो हृदयानि वः

समानमस्तु वो मनो यथा वस्सुसहासति ।।

this mantram is from the concluding part of the tenth and final mandalam of rigvedam.. The idea of harmony and co operation among people is highlighted in the most sublime way

This mantram is chanted by all at the conclusion of every session of vedic recital..

BUT IT HAS A UNIVERSAL APPEAL TOO

YOU, mighty Agni, gather up all that is precious for (the use and benefit of) your friend(who I am).

Bring us all treasures as you are enkindled (by us) in the place of homa or sacrifice

Let you Assemble harmoniously , speak together (in nice words): let your minds be all of one accord (for a great common purpose),

As ancient Gods, unanimous and of amicable mind sit down to their appointed share in offerings of sacrifice.

The place where we all assemble is common, the right of opinion in the assembly is common

common are the minds of all here, so be their thoughts united in harmony.

A common purpose do I present before you for common accord ,

and worship the divinity with oblations commonly accepted by all .

May all that you resolve be the same, the decisions coming out of similar thoughts ,

and may your minds all work and decide with the same attitude and without disharmony .

United be the thoughts of all that all in the congregation may happily agree to think and work together...

A vedic prayer to Agni, the Fire

A vedic prayer to Agni, the Fire

उद्दीप्यस्व जातवेदोऽपघ्नन्निऋतिम् मम।

पशूग्ंश्च मह्यमावह जीवनम् च दिशो दिश॥२।२०

मा नो हिग्ंसीज्जातवेदो गामश्वम् पुरुषम् जगत्।

अबिभ्रदग्न आगहि श्रिया मा परिपातय॥२।२१

महानरायणोपनिषद्

uddīpyasva jātavedo'paghnanniṛtim mama|

paśūgṁśca mahyamāvaha jīvanam ca diśo diśa||2|20

mā no higṁsījjātavedo gāmaśvam puruṣam jagat|

abibhradagna āgahi śriyā mā paripātaya||2|21

mahānarāyaṇopaniṣad

uddiipyasva jaatavedo.apaghnanniRRitim mama.

pashuugMshcha mahyamaavaha jiivanam cha disho disha..2.20

maa no higMsiijjaatavedo gaamashvam puruSam jagat.

abibhradagna aagahi shriyaa maa paripaataya..2.21

mahaanaraayaNopaniSad

This is a mantram found Krishna Yajurvedam.. Taittireeya Aranyakam and in Mahanarayanopanishat..

The greatness of Fire as the source of welfare and destroyer of maladies when it is benevolent to us and the impossible power of destruction the same fire can wield on us when it is in rampage was understood with great awe and reverence by the Vedic man..

Hence the prayer.

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While offering lighted lamp (Deepam ) to God during our poojas, we chant this mantram.

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Translation

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Holy Fire Jaathaveda, may you shine for ever with brilliance.

May your intensity wipe away all my sins and blemishes.

Oh fire, bestow on me large number of cattle..

Oh fire, provide me with living space in all directions.

Oh Agni, please do not cause any destruction to cattle, horses and human beings occupying the whole earth..

Oh Agni, Please manifest yourself before me without holding in your hands any weapons of destruction.. Oh Agni, provide me with abundance of wealth..

Lead us in the right path..Agni

Lead us in the right path..Agni

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At the conclusion of oblations to the fire in the vedic way yajnas, homams etc, we pray to Agni requesting him to lead us in the path of righteousness and also to destroy our propensities to tread the sinful path..

The mantram is from Rigvedam first Mandalam..

The mantram is also found as the concluding mantra of Isha or Ishavasya upanishad.

अग्ने नय सुपथा राये अस्मान् विश्वानि देव वयुनानि विद्वान्।

युयोध्यस्मज्जुहुरणमेनो भूयिष्ठाम् ते नमौक्तिम् विधेम॥

ऋग्वेदम् १ -१८९ - १-२

&

ईशावास्य उपनिषद् १८

agne naya supathā rāye asmān viśvāni deva vayunāni vidvān|

yuyodhyasmajjuhuraṇameno bhūyiṣṭhām te namauktim vidhema||

ṛgvedam 1 -189 - 1-2

&

īśāvāsya upaniṣad 18

Oh Lord Agni, we praise you with lots and lots of praises and nice words.

May you be pleased to lead us in the fair and righteous path for the enjoyment of all our actions and endevours.

Blessed Lord, you are knowing or keenly watching all our activities and we pray that you may be pleased to destroy our tendencies to tread the crooked or deceitful path and save us from our sins.

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word meaning

अग्रे agne -- oh agni

अस्मान् asmaan -- us

राये raye -- to the enjoyment of fruits of our actions and attempts

सुपथा supathaa -- by the fair and right path

नय naya -- lead

देव deva -- oh lord

विश्वानि viśvāni -- all, entirely

वयुनानि vayunāni -- deeds activities

विद्वान vidvān -- knowing

अस्मत् asmat -- from us

जुहुराणं juhuraanam -- crooked ways, decietful

युयोधि yuyodhi -- destroy

ते te -- to you

भूयिष्ठां bhūyiṣṭhām -- in plety

नम उक्तिं nama uktim -- words of praise

विधेम vidhema -- we submit

may the disputes subside...

ऐकमत्यंम् भवेदेषां ब्राह्मणानां पृथग्धियाम्।

निर्वैरता च जायेत संवादाग्ने प्रसीद मे।

aikamatyam bhavet eshaam braahmanaanaam prithak dhiyaam.

nirvairataa ta jaayeta. Samvaadaagne praseeda ma..

A Vedic Prayer..

May there be unity of mind and action among the learned men or brahmins who may be very mature in thinking and may they think again and again before deciding an issue perhaps even having varying perceptions ,

(May they be of clear and mature intellect)

May all the animosity vanish and mutual amity arise.

Oh the fire of (resolution of ) disputes, may you be pleased with me.

A version Samvaadaagni prashaamyatu..

संवादाग्निः प्रशाम्यतु

meaning may the agni of disputes calm down.. is also is seen

This is chanted at the conclusion of vedic rites.. After chanting the Aikamatya sooktham.. which is also called Samvada sooktham.

The foremost being created by Gods is Agni

The foremost human being created by Gods is Agni

There is a mention in Rigvedam that the male human being created on earth was Agni and the first female was vaak or word..

and the human race which was nurtured affectionately from them had the same qualities of those two primordial parents.

So vaak or word and agni are closely connected and the entire human race inherits both these in their bodies.

त्वामग्ने प्रथममायुमायवे देवा अकृण्वन्नहुषस्य विश्पतिम्।

इळामकृण्वन्मनुषस्य शासनीं पितुर्यपुत्रो ममकस्य जायते॥ ऋग्वेदम् १ ३२ ११

tvāmagne prathamamāyumāyave devā ākṛṇvannahuṣasya viśpatim|| iḻāmakṛṇvannhuṣasya śāsanīm pituryat putro mamakasya jāyate|| ṛgvedam 1 32 11

Agni, you were created as the leader and controller of the earthly human beings, for their own benefit, and Ilaa or Vaanee was created as the female counterpart controlling the earthly beings ..Therefore the human beings grow in their race according to the original parentage of Agni and Vaak

Prayer to Agni for removal of Sins...

Prayer to Agni for removal of Sins...

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अग्नेर्मन्वे प्रथमस्य प्रचेतसः यं पाञ्चजन्यम् बहवस्समिन्धते।

विश्वस्यां दिवि विविशिवांसमीमहे स नो मुन्चत्वग्ंहसः॥

तैत्तिरीयप्रपाठके ॥ अपि च अथर्ववेदे

agnermanve prathamasya pracetasaḥ yaṁ pāñcajanyam bahavassamindhate|

viśvasyāṁ divi viviśivāṁsamīmahe sa no muncatvagṁhasaḥ||

taittirīyaprapāṭaka|| api ca atharvavede

Oh Agni, who is kindled to supreme vigour

( by offerings of twigs and ghee etc.,)

you the great one of Supreme vitality,

you, whom we praise as Paanchajanya,

Oh Agni who is spread all over this universe,

we make this prayer to you. with humble prostrations

.

May you be pleased to annihilate our sins and relieve us of all that is not good..

We see the word Panchajanya in this mantram.. and the holy Conch which we use in pooja comes to our mind.. So we chant this mantram when offering pooja to the Shankham.. relating the word Panchajanya to the Shankham.. as Lord Narayana holds in his hand a conch by name Panchajanya..

Panchajanya is the shell of a demon by that name whom Krishna defeated in the famous Santhanagopalam episode..

In Bagavat Gita first chapter we find Krishna blowing the conch Panchajanyam..

Paanchajanyam Hrisheekesho....

But the real mening of Panchajanya is Agni or the Lord of Fire.

He is called Panchajanya because he manifest in five forms.. In devayajna, pitru yajna, bhutayajna, manushyayajna and brahmayajna..

He is manifest in Panchabhoothas, Panchavarnas and so on..

This is a mantram in daily use..

Found in Krishna Yajurveda Taittireeya school.. and also in Atharvaveda in a slightly altered form..

Food as per Indian Traditions..

Food as per Indian Traditions..
by k v ananthanarayanan 

दीपो भक्षयते ध्वान्तं कज्जळं च प्रसूयते। यदन्नं भक्ष्यते नित्यं जायते तादृशी मनः॥ dīpo bhakṣayate dhvāntaṁ kajjaḻaṁ ca prasūyate| yadannaṁ bhakṣyate nityaṁ jāyate tādṛśī manaḥ||
"The lamp through its burning bright wick, feeds itself on the darkness outside, and in the process of burning gives out thick black soot.. In the same way our mental and physical output depends entirely on the quality of the food we consume.."
When a lamp is lit, the darkness outside disappears and bright light replaces the gloom.. The poet imagines that the darkness is gobbled up by the lamp.
And we know that the burning lamp gives out a lot of soot.. or fine carbon granules.. This is compared to the output in terms of activities or behaviour of a person.. Blackness delivers blackness.. And bad food brings out the worst in a human being..
This is true in many ways. .
If the food is not properly digestible, is stale or contaminated and not exactly in agreement with the needs of the body, such food causes untold physical misery and destroys our mental peace too.
It is also an established fact that our body grows and maintains itself utilizing the energy-producing starch and hydrocarbons, minerals, proteins and vitamins ingested mainly through the food we take..
There is the normal metabolism which happens when the biochemical and electrical balance of the human body is maintained..
However, lack of nutrition, as well as intake of the wrong food and beverages whether deliberately or innocently, turns the activities of the body haywire, and the body becomes sick and the organs do not function optimally..
The bad food habits can affect the secretion of hormones by the glands too.. which again affects the physical activities and the functioning of the sense organs and the mind too.. It is a vicious circle..
If necessary corrective steps by changing or adjusting food habits and often taking drug supplements too. the activities of the body would in general return to normalcy.
But if we ignore the warning signals indicated by minor ailments and just fill our stomach with the same garbage as ever, and fill up our fluid tank with spirited potions, we reach some point of no return at some stage or other..
It is a fact that mental stress too causes disease of the mind and body, but even that happens through the interference of food.. because we over eat or under eat under stress, we take wrong food when our digestive system is disturbed by tension, and our hormonal balance is badly affected through emotional disturbance.. causing severe impediments to the metabolism and hormonal activities..
So let us ensure that we eat diligently, and we avoid eating and drinking the wrong food and beverages..
The above discussion would sum up our ideas about food in a general way..
But in India, all through ages, we were treating food not just as a nourisher and provider of health, but as a part of the Divine..
When we say हरिर् धाता हरिर् भोक्ता हरिरन्नम् प्रजापतिः
harir dhātā harir bhoktā harirannam prajāpatiḥ Hari is the giver, Hari is the one who parakes in or enjoys everything, Hari is Annam(the food) and Hari is the creator we are assigning the most superior position of Hari to food too..
The Blessed Lord Krishna declared in Gita, as to how he prepares the food Himself. अहम् वैश्वानरो भूत्वा प्राणिनाम् देह आश्रितः। प्राणापान्समायुक्तः पचाम्यन्नम् चतुर्विधम्॥ भगवत् गीता॥१५-१४ aham vaiśvānaro bhūtvā prāṇinām deha āśritaḥ| prāṇāpānsamāyuktaḥ pacāmyannam caturvidham|| bhagavat gītā||15-14 this great Slokam from Gita is interpreted in so many ways by thousands of scholars.. Bhagavan Krishna says,
I, incarnating as Vaishvanara.. fire the source of eternal energy, reside in the bodies of living beings and with the assistance of Prana (the vital life giving gas Oxygen) and apana ( the exhaust gas.. Carbon di oxide) am cooking or making or digesting food all sorts..
Two processes can be envisaged here.. As the sun, entering the bodies of the plants through his rays, using Carbon Dioxide and the vital fluids of the plant is generating food for the consumption of all.. This process was defined by science as Photosynthesis
Residing inside the body as the digestive energy.. the Jaadaraagni, He is converting or cooking the food consumed to energy that sustains the living bodies.. using Prana, the Oxygen and giving out the Apana or Carbon dioxide and other products of such burning.
So food is God Himself and appears in its form in which we can consume it is presented to Us again by the God Himself.. And our Holiest Scriptures always worshipped the Food..
Bodhaayana quotes from Vedas..
Anne Shritaani Bhootani Annam Praanamiti..
अन्ने श्रितानि भूतानि अन्नं प्राणमिति
All beings depend of food for their existence.Food is verily out life itself.. And we believed that as the Gods provided us with the food, it was our duty to offer the same food to Gods in Yajnas.. Our worship of the Eternal Being always took the shape of offering food as Naivedyam to Divine beings..
Our propensities to take various types of foods depended on our basic natures, which varies from persons to person. At the same time the type of food we take affects our activities, mental setup health and well being..
The Blessed Lord Krishna in the Seventeenth Chapter gives a precise classification of the nature of people as Sattwik, Rajasik, and Tamasik.. and he describes about the food which are relished by the respective type according to their basic Nature..
The people with Sattwik Gunas are steadfast, clear in thought and action, love being in empathy with others, wishing always for the good of others the same way they would wish for themselves.. and their presence would spread only peace and amity all over the world..
The people with Rajasic Gunas are also hardworking , but apply such hard work only on issues which they consider beneficial to their own interest, tend to feel overly self sure about beliefs and creeds they have took fancy for and intolerant to variant views, and they would not mind co operating with others or even showing peripheral love for others as long as their own comforts are not disturbed, who put their own interest ahead of all others, and their presence would spread competitions and moderate to stiff intolerance all over.. The people with Tamasic Gunas just do not care for anything else other than the fulfilling of their own short-lived pleasure, they never care for the misery they cause to other fellow beings, and they are even oblivious to the dangers that would befall them through the actions in furtherance of their pleasures of the present.. They are lazy and would expect and fancy for results without any efforts, and have no sense of propriety.. ( The three gunas are defined in great detail in Shastras so minutely.. and sure, the classification is not water-tight.. The Sattwic might have Rajasic and Tamasic qualities in him in small qualities.. and the other two types too might have some sort of cross mixing.. But for our limited understanding of the subject, the above definitions must suffice)
Gita Chapter 17 Shraddhatrayavibhaagayogam… श्रद्धात्रयविभागयोगः śraddhātrayavibhāgayogaḥ sloka 7 आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य त्रिविधो भवति प्रियः। यज्ञस्तपस्तथा ज्ञानं तेषां भेदमिमं शृणु॥
āhārastvapi sarvasya trividho bhavati priyaḥ| yajñastapastathā jñānaṁ teṣāṁ bhedamimaṁ śṛṇu||
The blessed Lord is telling Arjuna.. Do hear from me, Arjuna, the favourite food for the three types ( of Sattwa, Raja and Tamas qualities) varies according to the respective types.. Their mode of sacrifice, penance and acquiring enlightenment also do vary..
Here were restrict ourselves to the food habits..
In the next slokam the Blessed Lord proceeds to describe the food relished by the Saattvikas.. आयुः सत्त्वबलारोग्य सुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः। रस्याः स्निग्धाः स्थिराः हृद्याः आहाराः सात्विकप्रियाः॥८
āyuḥ sattvabalārogya sukhaprītivivardhanāḥ| rasyāḥ snigdhāḥ sthirāḥ hṛdyāḥ āhārāḥ sātvikapriyāḥ||8
Foods relished by Saatwik people are those which augment and sustain longevity, mental strenghth and purposefulness, health and firmness of the body, easy comfort in actions and movements, pleasantness of the mind, foods which are very tasty, which are soft especially as a result of the presence of nourishing oils, foods which take reasonable and predictable time to digest and would supply nutrition and strenghth to the body for prolonged periods, and foods which are eminently suited for the functioning of the body organs including the heart, Food relished by people with Rajasic turn of mind is described by the Blessed Lord in sloka 9
कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः। आहाराः राजसस्येष्टा दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः॥९ kaṭvamlalavaṇātyuṣṇatīkṣṇarūkṣavidāhinaḥ| āhārāḥ rājasasyeṣṭā duḥkhaśokāmayapradāḥ||9
Foods that are by nature very bitter, extremely sour or acidic, very salty, very hot to the body system, severely pungent, dry and lacking in softness, causing burn, producing short and long term pains and consumption of which cause various ailment are classified as Rajasic Foods. And then the Blessed Lord describes the repugnant qualities of Tamasic food.. the food relished by people with Tamasic qualities..
यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत्। उच्छिष्टमपि चामेध्यं भोजनं तामसप्रियम्॥१०
yātayāmaṁ gatarasaṁ pūti paryuṣitaṁ ca yat| ucchiṣṭamapi cāmedhyaṁ bhojanaṁ tāmasapriyam||10
Food not properly cooked including food which has been remaining cooked for three hours, Food which has lost its natural nutrient values and taste too, Food so decayed that putrid smell is emerging from it, Food that has been cooked and kept to decay overnight, Food that is left over after partially being used by someone else, Food that is of such low quality that it cannot ever be used for any religious purposes These items of Food used as staple meals are the favourites of a person with Tamasic turn of mind..
The individual items of food which can be classified in any of the above categories have been considered in Dharmasastras by one and every great sage including Vyasa, Yajnavalkya, Vasishta, Vishnu, Yama, Apastambha, Bodhayana, and so on..
The items which were relevant at the time when the Dharmasastras were written may not be accepted by the man of today, for various reasons..
Various lists have garlic, onion, raddish, some meats, frothing fresh milk and such items in common..
Listing of such items can by itself form subject matter of a long article… And the names of various items of vegetables, liquids and meats are not amenable to translation..
In fact in the Smritimukthaphalam of Deekshita, he has cited many names givng their Tamil, Marathi or Telugu names.. But a detailed analysis is too far beyond the scope of this article.
However, we know by experience that many food items are hot, dry, itchy .. many food items kept longer than a couple of hours would become stale.. And we know that mere refrigeration is not the panacea for this.. We can use our discretion.. in proper quantities..
But a reading of the ancient texts revealed on interesting fact..
Our ancestors were extremely hospitable.. and sharing of food was not considered as a matter of coutesy but was accepted as a beholden duty.. and a man who has some means under his disposal was warned of grave sins if he permitted anyone, of any caste or creed, or any living being existing around him or coming his way as a guest or a stray visiter, to starve and suffer without shelter..
That was the greatness of our civilization and culture.
The five duties of a Grihastha or householder, as per our Vedic traditions are Vaishvadeva, Devayajna, Pitruyajna, Bhuta yajna and Manushyayajna..
Vaishvadeva again consists of oblations for Pitrus, Gods and Bhuthas.. In all these rituals, food plays a vital part.. It is offering morsels of food in fire, for Devas, offering morsels of food as pindams for the departed souls.. Bhuta yajna involves Baligrahana.. offering food to all living beings living just in the surroundings, and also to the aboriginees and people with lesser social privileges..
देवतातिथिभूतानं पितृनामात्मनश्च यः न निर्वपति पञ्चानामुछ्वसन्न स जीवति॥। मनुस्मृत्याम् devatātithibhūtānaṁ pitṛnāmātmanaśca yaḥ na nirvapati pañcānāmuchvasanna sa jīvati||| manusmṛtyām
It is said in Manusmrithi that those who do not discharge their duties by offering proper food to the Gods, The Guests, the bhootas.. or other beings, the manes or pitrus, and also to oneself, will be taking their breaths but cannot be considered a living.
A householder is dutybound to wait for the arrival of a guest for taking food..
आचम्य च ततः कुर्यात् प्राज्ञो द्वारावलोकनं। मुहूर्तस्याष्टमो भागमुदीक्ष्यो ह्यतिथिर्भवेत्॥ व्यास
ācamya ca tataḥ kuryāt prājño dvārāvalokanaṁ| muhūrtasyāṣṭamo bhāgamudīkṣyo hyatithirbhavet|| vyāsa
After completing Vaisvadeva and other yajnaas, the householder should wait looking out through the front door for at least one eighth of a muhurtam.. ( it would be between eleven and twelve minutes as per present calculation) and whoever appears within that time should be received as an honoured guest..
If no guest appears, then too the duty of the householder does not cease..
He should offer the food meant for the guest to a cow.. He should ensure that the cow to whom food is offered does not belong to himself. Offering of food to the Cow is called Gavaahnikam..
This can be done every day in addition to offering of food to guests too. Sage Markandeya prescribes that the food should be offered to the Cow with the following prayer..
सौरभेय्यः सर्वहिताः सर्वपापप्रणशनाः। प्रतिगृह्णन्तु मे ग्रासं गावः त्रैलोक्य्मातरः॥
saurabheyyaḥ sarvahitāḥ sarvapāpapraṇaśanāḥ| pratigṛhṇantu me grāsaṁ gāvaḥ trailokymātaraḥ||
the Cows who are the daughters of Surabhi the Kamadhenu, the cows who live for the welfare of all the living beings, the cows who are capable of dispelling all the sins committed by the humans, the cows who are the Mothers of the three worlds, may be pleased to receive these morsels of food offered by me.. (graasam represent the quantity of food prepared by cooking two hundred pieces of full grains of edible cereal..like yava, rice, etc..) The cows should in addition be fed with grass to the best of their contentment.
The scriptures are very strict in instructing us that the food should not be for just consumption by the householder.. The food has to be used for Vaisvadevam, Pitruyjnam, Devayajnam, Bhootayajnam, and for feeding the guests, and only whatever is left over should be used to satisfy one’s personal hunger. It is declared by the Blessed Lord in Gita यज्ञशिष्टाशिनः सन्तो मुच्यन्ति सर्वकिल्बिषैः। भुञ्चते ते त्वघम् पापा ये पचन्त्यात्मकारणात्॥गीता ३-१३ yajñaśiṣṭāśinaḥ santo mucyanti sarvakilbiṣaiḥ| bhuñcate te tvagham pāpā ye pacantyātmakāraṇāt||gītā 3-13
The virtuous people who partake in the food that is remaining after the performance of the yajnas (Vaishvadevam, feeding of guests etc) are freed of all sins and blemishes. But the sinners who cook for their own sake just eat their own sins.. The order in which a householder should distribute food in his household is also clearly stated by the ancient lawgivers.. Apastambha says.. अतिथीनेवाग्रे भोजयेत्। बालान् वृद्धान् रोगसम्ब्द्धान् स्त्रींस्चान्तर्वर्त्नी॥ atithīnevāgre bhojayet| bālān vṛddhān rogasambddhān strīīṁscāntarvartnī|| The guests should be fed first. Then the children, the elderly people, the people who are laid up with illness, the ladies and then the servants of the house.. ( The householder and his wife are expected to eat only after all these are fed in that order..)
Gautama also reflects the same idea.. भोजयेत् पूर्वमतिथिकुमारव्याधितगर्भिणीसुवासिनीस्थविरान् जघन्यान्श्च। bhojayet pūrvamatithikumāravyādhitagarbhiṇīsuvāsinīsthavirān jaghanyānśca| The guest should be fed first and then the boys, person who are ill, the pregnant ladies, the Suvaasinees ( the sisters, and daughters of the house), the elderly persons and the servants too.. ( Of course the man and the lady of the house are expected to take food only after this.) Bodhayana quotes slokas from Annagita.. The food itself is supposed be speaking as follows. यो मामदत्वा पितृदेवताभ्यो भृत्यातिथीभ्यस्च सुहृज्जनेभ्यः। संपन्नमश्नन्विषमत्ति मोहात् तमप्यहं तस्य च मृत्युरस्मि। हुताग्निहोत्रः कृतवैश्वदेवः पूज्यातिथीन्भृत्यजनावशिष्टम् तुष्टः शुचिः श्रद्धधदत्ति यो मां तस्यामृतं स्याम् स च मां भुनक्ति॥ yo māmadatvā pitṛdevatābhyo bhṛtyātithībhyasca suhṛjjanebhyaḥ| saṁpannamaśnanviṣamatti mohāt tamapyahaṁ tasya ca mṛtyurasmi| hutāgnihotraḥ kṛtavaiśvadevaḥ pūjyātithīnbhṛtyajanāvaśiṣṭam tuṣṭaḥ śuciḥ śraddhadhadatti yo māṁ tasyāmṛtaṁ syām sa ca māṁ bhunakti||
Meaning.. A deluded person who eats me without first giving me to the Gods, the manes, to the servants, to the guest is really eating poison, in fact I am eating him, and I am death for him.. But if a person who performs agnihotra, vaishvadeva, worships the guests and eats with great reverence and with a neat body and happy mind, me, the food which is remaining after even his servants have eaten, I am amrutham or ambrosia for him and he is the one who really eats well.. There are ever so many rules regarding hospitality.. but the praise of hospitality to Bhikshus or mendicants is worth mentioning here..
Vyasa defines Bhikshus as follows.. यतिश्च ब्रह्मचारी च विद्यार्थी गुरुपोषकः अध्वगः क्षीणवृत्तिस्च षडेते भिक्षुकाः स्मृताः। yatiśca brahmacārī ca vidyārthī gurupoṣakaḥ adhvagaḥ kṣīṇavṛttisca ṣaḍete bhikṣukāḥ smṛtāḥ| Six categories of people are called Bhikshus or Bhikshukas.. 1. The Sannyaasin 2. The initiate student of Vedas who has to live on alms. 3. The student in general 4. The assitant or menial support of a teacher. 5. One who is on a long journey by foot , by way of pilgrimmage or migration 6. One who is rendered jobless. It is prescribed that if a Bhikshuka arrives even before the yajnas like Vaisvadeva are completed, food should be offered him even from that prepared for the yajna.. It is ordained that any shortcoming or sin arising out of incomplet yajna shall be nullified by the honour accorded to the bhikshuka, but if the bhishuka is neglected, any number of yajnas would not suffice to wipe of such sin.
Haaritha the lawmaker says. अकृते वैश्वदेवे तो भिक्षुके गृहमागते। उद्दृत्य वैश्वदेवार्थम् भिक्षाम् दत्वा विसर्जयेत्॥ हारीतः akṛte vaiśvadeve to bhikṣuke gṛhamāgate| uddṛtya vaiśvadevārtham bhikṣām datvā visarjayet|| hārītaḥ If vaisvadeva yajna is not yet performed when the Bhikhuka arrives in the house and the preparations are ready for the yajna, the things meant for Vaisvadeva should be given to the Bhikhu.. who should be offered Bhiksha and the yajna becomes complete.. Haaritha further States.
भक्त्या यः शक्तितो नित्यं विष्णुमभ्यर्च्य सादरम्। भिक्षां च भिक्षवे दद्यात् परिव्राड् ब्रह्मचारिणो॥ विष्णुरेव यतिश्चायमिति निश्चित्य भावयेत्। यतिर्यस्य गृहे भुङ्क्ते तस्य भुङ्क्ते हरिः स्वयम्।
bhaktyā yaḥ śaktito nityaṁ viṣṇumabhyarcya sādaram| bhikṣāṁ ca bhikṣave dadyāt parivrāḍ brahmacāriṇo|| viṣṇureva yatiścāyamiti niścitya bhāvayet| yatiryasya gṛhe bhuṅkte tasya bhuṅkte hariḥ svayam| One should worships Lord Vishnu with great reverence and according to his own capacity, and also feed the Bhikshus who graces his home in the shape of Parivraajakas (Sannyasins) and Brahmacharis.. One should realize in his mind that the Sannyaasi is Lord Vishnu Himself and that when a Yati eats food in a house, it is actually Lord Hari Himself who is taking for there.. The subject is so vast and the discussion can never conclude.. Krishno rakshatu..

अग्निमीळे पुरोहितं agnimeele purohitam....

अग्निमीळे पुरोहितं यज्ञस्य देवम् ऋत्विजं होतारं रत्न धातमम्

agnimīḻe purohitaṁ yajñasya devam ṛtvijaṁ hotāraṁ ratna dhātamam

1 -1-1 of Rigvedam.

We do not know whether this is the first Vedic Mantram uttered by man.. But it is placed as the first Mantram, in the First of the Vedas, namely Rigvedam.. as it has come to us..

This mantram is in praise of The God of Fire Agnideva

The worshipper is acutely conscious of the supremacy of the most potent force of nature that is manifest near him

He treats fire as the Primordial priest, who leads the mortals safely ahead in spiritual and temporal Life.(Purohita)

Of course, Agni is one of the deities who is offered His share in Yajnams by way of ghee and cooked grain and other offerings.. in addition Agni acts as the carrier of the offerings made to other Gods

Ritvik The official in the yajna who looks after the procedural aspects.

Hotaaram.. The official in the Yajna who invokes and invites the presence of deities who are being worshipped.

Ratnadhaatamam.. Repository of wealth.. and Agni is capable of making His worshippers too rich in wealth..

So the Plain meaning is 

I worship Agni who is the priest, the one who leads us from the front, who is the deity subject matter of a ritual, a yajna who is the one who makes the formal invocations in the yajna who is the source, storehouse and the bestower of all wealth, gems, precious stones etc 

A simple word analysis..

अहम् I

पुरोहितम् the priest, the one who leads us from the front

यज्ञस्य् देवम् the deity subject matter of a ritual, a yajna 

ऋत्विजम् the ritvik.. who conducts and supervises the procedures of Yajna

होतारम् the one who makes the formal invocations in the yajna रत्नधातमम् who is the source, storehouse and the bestower of all wealth, gems, precious stones etc 

अग्निम् The God of Fire Agni 

ईळे ईडे। Praise, takes side with praises and for refuge..

aham purohitam yajñasy devam ṛtvijam hotāram ratnadhātamam agnim īḻe īḍe |

Note.. This is a mantram which has been commented upon by the greats like Saynaacharya and Bhattabhaskara and others.. There are so many notations, so many implied meanings.. So what I wrote above is too rudimentary.

This post is just by way of introduction to a great subject in study of Sanskrit.. The Vedas..

Dhruva sooktham..The Vedic Dream ... who should be our king.

Dhruva sooktham

Rigvedam Mandalam 10 sooktham 173 

आ त्वाहार्षमन्तरेधि ध्रुवस्तिष्ठाविचाचलिः ।विशस्त्वा सर्वा वाञ्छन्तु मा त्वद्राष्ट्रमधि भ्रशत् ॥१॥ इहैवैधि माप च्योष्ठाः पर्वत इवाविचाचलिः । इन्द्र इवेह ध्रुवस्तिष्ठेह राष्ट्रमु धारय ॥२॥ इममिन्द्रो अदीधरद्ध्रुवं ध्रुवेण हविषा । तस्मै सोमो अधि ब्रवत्तस्मा उ ब्रह्मणस्पतिः ॥३॥ ध्रुवा द्यौर्ध्रुवा पृथिवी ध्रुवासः पर्वता इमे । ध्रुवं विश्वमिदं जगद्ध्रुवो राजा विशामयम् ॥४॥ ध्रुवं ते राजा वरुणो ध्रुवं देवो बृहस्पतिः । ध्रुवं त इन्द्रश्चाग्निश्च राष्ट्रं धारयतां ध्रुवम् ॥५॥ ध्रुवं ध्रुवेण हविषाभि सोमं मृशामसि । अथो त इन्द्रः केवलीर्विशो बलिहृतस्करत् ॥६॥

Ā tvāhārṣamantarēdhi dhruvastiṣṭhāvicācaliḥ.
Viśastvā sarvā vāñchantu mā tvadrāṣṭramadhi bhraśat.1.
Ihaivaidhi māpa cyōṣṭhāḥ parvata ivāvicācaliḥ.
Indra ivēha dhruvastiṣṭhēha rāṣṭramu dhāraya.2.
Imamindrō adīdharad'dhruvaṁ dhruvēṇa haviṣā.
Tasmai sōmō adhi bravattasmā u brahmaṇaspatiḥ.3.
Dhruvā dyaurdhruvā pr̥thivī dhruvāsaḥ parvatā imē.
Dhruvaṁ viśvamidaṁ jagad'dhruvō rājā viśāmayam.4.
Dhruvaṁ tē rājā varuṇō dhruvaṁ dēvō br̥haspatiḥ.
Dhruvaṁ ta indraścāgniśca rāṣṭraṁ dhārayatāṁ dhruvam.5.
Dhruvaṁ dhruvēṇa haviṣābhi sōmaṁ mr̥śāmasi.
Athō ta indraḥ kēvalīrviśō balihr̥taskarat.6.

Dhruva sooktham.. Rigvedam Mandalam 10 sooktham 173 

This rigvedic Manthram comes as a benediction to the King of the land and also reflects the hopes expectations of the subjects ... a veritable Magna Carta of Vedic Wisdom.. 
1. Oh king, we have been blessed to have you as the rule of this nation. Keeping that in mind, become the true protector of all of us. May you be unflinching, unshakable and always stable and correct in all your activities and may you have your reign of righteousness on us, your subjects. May your conduct be in such that all of us, your subjects, would always yearn that you should be our king and may we adore you for ever. May we always desire, “let this king be our ruler for ever”. May this kingdom be in your eternal possession and may it never be taken away or be lost to you. May you never face any dethronement or suffer from any destabilization, and may you never lose the deep affection and goodwill of your subjects. 

2. Oh King, may you remain for ever the ruler of this kingdom. May there be no loss of status for you at any time. May there never be any deviation from the righteous path for you. May you remain faithful, determined and unshakable in your virtues—just like a mountain. May you rule over his kingdom with so much stability and welfare just as Indra rules over the heavenly kingdom. May you rule over your kingdom just like heaven. May you discharge you duties without deviating in any way from the path of righteousness. 

3. May you, our anointed king, be protected by Indra with eternal stability. May Soma protect you the king so anointed. May all of us, your subjects, talk possessively of you as if you are their most coveted possession. May Brahmanaspathi, the protector of all manthras which bind nature, protect you for our sake 
4. May the skies be unshakable and of even nature under your reign. May the earth be unshakable and evenly ever-yielding bounties alone during your reign. May all the mountains around here stay unshakable in shape and quality while you reign. May the peaceful and undisturbed state of the entire universe remain so during your righteous reign. And thus, you the king of ours be the undisputed, unconquered and unshakable leader of all of us. 

5. Oh King, may Lord Varuna keep your kingdom stable and undisturbed during your reign. May the ever bountiful Lord Brihaspathi keep your kingdom stable and peaceful during your reign. May the two most powerful gods Indra and Agni keep your kingdom stable and peaceful during your reign. 

6. May we offer our sincere and supreme oblations by way of cooked rice and ghee with unwavering care and devotion to Indra and the Gods. May be offer Soma juice with utmost care and devotion to the Gods led by Indra. May Indra and other Gods, having received our humble and devoted offerings, grant us supreme benefits and protection. 
(it is free translation.. generally following the Sayana Bhashyam) 

Durga Sooktham

जातवेदसे सुनवाम सोममरातीयतो निदहाति वेदः।
स नः पर्षदति दुर्गाणि विश्वा नावेव सिन्धुं दुरितात्यग्निः॥१॥
तामग्निवर्णां तपसा ज्वलन्तीं वैरोचनीं कर्मफलेषु जुष्टां।
दुर्गाम् देवी शरणमहं प्रपद्ये सुतरसि तरसे नमः॥२॥
अग्ने त्वम् पारया नव्यो अस्मान् स्वस्तिभिरति दुर्गाणि विश्वा।
पूश्च पृथ्वी बहुळा न उर्वी भवा तोकाय तनयाय शंयो॥३॥
विश्वानि नो दुर्गहा जातवेदः सिन्धुं न नावा दुरितातिपर्षि।
अग्ने अत्रिवन्मनसा गृणानोऽस्माकं बोध्यविता तनूनां॥४॥
पृतनाजित सहमानमुग्रमग्नि हुवेमपरमात्सधस्थात्।
स नः पर्षदति दुर्गाणि विश्वा क्षामद्देवो अति दुरितात्यग्निः॥५॥
प्रत्नोषिकमीड्यो अध्वरेषु सनाच्च होता नव्यश्च सत्सि।
स्वं चाग्ने तनुवं पिप्रयस्वास्मभ्यं च सौभगमायजस्व॥६॥
गोभिर्जुष्टमयुजो निषिक्तं तवेन्द्र विष्णोरनुसंचरेम।
नाकस्य पृष्ठमभि संवसानो वैष्णवीं लोक इह मादयन्तां॥७॥
महानारायणोपनिषत्  तैत्तरीयसम्हितायाम्  दुर्गासूक्तं।
jātavedase sunavāma somamarātīyato nidahāti vedaḥ|
sa naḥ parṣadati durgāṇi viśvā nāveva sindhuṁ duritātyagniḥ ||1||
tāmagnivarṇāṁ tapasā jvalantīṁ vairocanīṁ karmaphaleṣu juṣṭāṁ|
durgām devī śaraṇamahaṁ prapadye sutarasi tarase namaḥ||2||
agne tvam pārayā navyo asmān svastibhirati durgāṇi viśvā|
pūśca pṛthvī bahuḻā na urvī bhavā tokāya tanayāya śaṁyo||3||
viśvāni no durgahā jātavedaḥ sindhuṁ na nāvā duritātiparṣi|
agne atrivanmanasā gṛṇāno'smākaṁ bodhyavitā tanūnāṁ||4||
pṛtanājita sahamānamugramagni huvemaparamātsadhasthāt|
sa naḥ parṣadati durgāṇi viśvā kṣāmaddevo ati duritātyagniḥ||5||
pratnoṣikamīḍyo adhvareṣu sanācca hotā navyaśca satsi|
svaṁ cāgne tanuvaṁ piprayasvāsmabhyaṁ ca sauabhagamāyajasva||6||
gobhirjuṣṭamayujo niṣiktaṁ tavendra viṣṇoranusaṁcarema|
nākasya pṛṣṭhamabhi saṁvasāno vaiṣṇavīṁ loka iha mādayantāṁ||7||
mahānārāyaṇopaniṣat  taittarīyasamhitāyām  durgāsūktaṁ|
jātavedase sunavāma somamarātīyato nidahāti vedaḥ|
sa naḥ parṣadati durgāṇi viśvā nāveva sindhuṁ duritātyagniḥ ||1||
tāmagnivarṇāṁ tapasā jvalantīṁ vairocanīṁ karmaphaleṣu juṣṭāṁ|
durgām devī śaraṇamahaṁ prapadye sutarasi tarase namaḥ||2||
agne tvam pārayā navyo asmān svastibhirati durgāṇi viśvā|
pūśca pṛthvī bahuḻā na urvī bhavā tokāya tanayāya śaṁyo||3||
viśvāni no durgahā jātavedaḥ sindhuṁ na nāvā duritātiparṣi|
agne atrivanmanasā gṛṇāno'smākaṁ bodhyavitā tanūnāṁ||4||
pṛtanājita sahamānamagni huvemaparamātsadhasthāt|
sa naḥ parṣadati durgāṇi viśvā kṣāmaddevo ati duritātyagniḥ||5||
pratnoṣikamīḍyo adhvareṣu sanācca hotā navyaśca satsi|
svaṁ cāgne tanuvaṁ piprayasvāsmabhyaṁ ca sauabhagamāyajasva||6||
gobhirjuṣṭamayujo niṣiktaṁ tavendra viṣṇoranusaṁcarema|
nākasya pṛṣṭhamabhi saṁvasāno vaiṣṇavīṁ loka iha mādayantāṁ||7||
mahānārāyaṇopaniṣat  taittarīyasamhitāyām  durgāsūktaṁ|

"May we pay oblations of Soma juice to Jaataveda the fire.  May the all-knowing  Agni destroy all that is not in our favour. He, is the divine fire leads all through his energy and resplendence.  While so leading us may He protect us  by carrying us across all perils of life even as the captain of a ship leads his ship all through the vagaries of the weather.  1

I take refuge in Goddes Durga, who is having the lustre of fire, and is radiant  with yogic penance, who is the Pover of the supreme being who manifests itself in many forms, who  is manifesting herself in all actions and the results thereof   O Mother Durga, You , the expert in showing good path and taking us through difficult terrains, may You be pleased  to take us through the well of mundane existence, which we will not be able to cross by our own skills..2

Oh, Fire, you are worthy of all praise by us.  With your happy methods,  you may be pleased to take us  beyond all difficulties.   May our homes, towns and homeland become extensive  and may our arable plots of land be ample and well nourished.  May You be pleased to join us, our children, and their children all in joy together.  3

May lord Jataveda the Agni, who is  the destroyer of all our sins and sorrows,  be pleased to lead us away from all sins and troubles and protect us in the manner of one who leads people across the ocean in a boat without the passengers feeling any fear or difficulty.  May Agni the Jataveda be pleased to protect our bodies, ever mindful of its safety, just like Sage Atri, who is always repeating in his mind  that "May everyone be whole and happy"  4

We, assembling ourselves in the highest forum. invoke the fire God who is the highest leader of all among us and even beyond us.  The Jataveda, the Agni, charges against and vanquishes all our enemies, with His fierce valour.   May that fire God Jataveda be pleased to  protect us and make our path bereft of all difficulties and wrongs that come by nature to us, and may He be  pleased to wean us away from all that is perishable to lead us to immortality. 5

Oh Agni, the Jataveda, You are lauded in all sacrifices and in turn you bless us with happiness.  In the place of sacrifice you abide as the person who performs the sacrifice, ancient and recent, and even as the place of sacrifice.  Oh Agni, may You be pleased to recognize always as Your own kin  and therefore be pleased to make us happy always.  May you be pleased through your magnificence, to endow us with fortune coming from all sides.  6

Oh Agni, you are unconnected with sin and sorrow and destroy them wherever they manifest.  You pervade all sacrifices in the shape of all that is present in the place of sacrifice.  We serve you, Oh Agni,  desirous of being blessed with good fortune of having  a lot of cattle.  May we, overflowing with blissful devotion to You, serve you without any interruption.   May Gods in the highest region of Heaven share their happiness and delight of sharing devotion to Vishnu with me. May such shared worship bring delight and fortune to me on earth. 7"

Devi Durga in Vedas is worshiped as one with the God of fire.  So every fire, every oblation that goes to the sacrificial fire ultimately is shared by Durga..And all our prayers to Agni the Jatavedaa goes to  Devi Durga.

The Vedic hymn clearly indicate that the people of that period depended for their happy life on cattle and wide expanse of arable land.. Absence of rancour to anyone, and complete sense of happiness and peaceful co-existence, leaving  themselves to the will of the benevolent God, who, they believed would lead them in the right path, was the hall-mark of the Vedic epoch.

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