"Agnihothra"!!!! I really wonder how many people, especially Indians have an idea about what it is.... Some of us would have heard the name and even figured out that it is associated with some Homa but I am sure that most of us do not know the amazing benefits of this almost forgotten fire ritual. We know one fact very well. We will not follow any of our rituals and often call them as blind belief. But once when the results are proved by way of scientific researches, that's when we will start to realize and be amazed by the vision of our ancestors. This happens over and over again for "Sanathan Dharma" rituals and traditions and yes, it has happened once again with our "Agnihothra" too. "Homa Therapy" - is the redefined name for this ancient Vedic ritual now and it is widely practiced in Australia, Peru, Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Panama, Poland, Germany, Philippines, Spain and USA. Let us explore more about this today......
QUICK VIEW :
| Key concept | Agnihothra - The ancient fire ritual |
| Spiritual version | What is Agnihothra and how to perform it, Various types of Homas, Agnihothra as an obligatory ritual to be performed twice each day. |
| Scientific version | Agnihothra widely practiced in many countries, Homa therapy as a cure for environmental pollution, Health benefits of Agnihothra, Energy generated around the copper pyramid when Agnihothra is performed, Medicinal qualities of Agnihothra ash, Homa farming and effects of Agnihothra in agriculture. |
| General notes | Links for several case studies, experiments and researches have been provided all over this post and I encourage readers to go through all of them to get the real amazing picture of this ancient fire ritual. |
What is Agnihothra?
It is an ancient ritual given in the Vedas. Atharvaveda gives a mention of it (11.7.9) while Yajurveda samhitha describes this ritual in detail. Agnihothra is a daily fire ritual to be done twice everyday. The main part of this ritual consists of making two offerings of organic brown rice/ghee into the fire which is prepared with specific organic substances. The offering is done exactly at the time when nature is greatly charged, during the time of sunrise and sunset. There are two different mantras to be recited for Agnihothra at sunrise and Agnihothra at sunset respectively.
Agnihothra Mantras to be recited when performed during sunrise and sunset :
Please watch this video for the method to perform Agnihothra....
And go through this link for a step by step demonstration...
A pleasant surprise is that this demonstration is given by a western lady and it is too good... It really made me feel guilty that they know much more information about our rituals and traditions and value them a lot which we do not even care to know ...
http://www.soul-guidance.com/health/agnihotra.htm
Homa Therapy :
This is the modern version for the ancient Agnihothra. Homa therapy is a process of clearing toxic substances in the atmosphere by means of Vedic fire techniques. "Heal the atmosphere; the atmosphere will heal you" is the main idea behind Homa therapy. Various researches have been done and it is now proven that Agnihothra ritual is very effective in purification of atmosphere. The timing of this yajna, the copper pyramid used to prepare the fire and the specific materials added in this fire like ghee, cowdung etc create tremendous energy. The mantras chanted in a specific rhythm create subtle energies. A type of magnetic field is created which neutralizes negative energies and enhances positive energies. The smoke created by Agnihothra fire gathers particles of harmful radiation in the atmosphere and neutralizes their radioactive effect. In addition, it provides extensive health benefits. All the details given above are the results of the varied researches. Please go through the following links. You can also google "Agnihothra homa therapy" to get the amazing details.
The different types of Homa :
Homa or havan refers to a ritual in which offerings are made to the sacred fire. There are many types of Homas. The homas which we do for getting a particular benefit are called "Kamya karma" and the ones which we do for general welfare of everyone are called "Nithya karma". Agnihothra comes under the second category "Nithya karma" and it is also obligatory to do this twice everyday. One who performs this ritual is called as "Agnihothri". See what "Maha Periyava" has told about Agnihothra.
"ஒரு இஷ்டத்தை உத்தேசித்துப் பண்ணுவது காம்ய கர்மா எனப்படும். இஷ்டமிருந்தாலும் இல்லாவிட்டாலும் ஆத்ம சுத்திக்காகவும், லோக க்ஷேமத்துக்காகவும் செய்தே தீர வேண்டிய obligatory கர்மாக்களும் உண்டு. அவற்றுக்கு நித்யகர்மா என்று பெயர். க்ருஹ்யத்தில் ஒளபாஸனம் போல, ச்ரௌத கர்மாக்களில் அன்றாடம் இரண்டு வேளையும் செய்ய வேண்டியது அக்னி ஹோத்ரம். முன்பு சொன்ன அக்னி ஆதானமும் அக்னி ஹோத்ரமும் ஏழு ஹவிர்யக்ஞங்களில் முதலிரண்டாகும். அக்னி ஹோத்ரம் செய்பவர்களையே அக்னி ஹோத்ரிகள் என்கிறோம்.அக்னிஹோத்ர அக்னி எக்காரணத்திலாவது அணைந்து விட்டால் புணராதானம் என்பதாக மறுபடி ஆதானம் பண்ணி மீண்டும் ஆரம்பிக்கலாம்.ஒளபாஸனத்தில் அக்ஷதையையும், அக்னி ஹோத்ரத்தில் பால், அக்ஷதை, நெய் இவற்றில் ஒன்றையும் ஹோமம் செய்யவேண்டும்."
"ஒரு இஷ்டத்தை உத்தேசித்துப் பண்ணுவது காம்ய கர்மா எனப்படும். இஷ்டமிருந்தாலும் இல்லாவிட்டாலும் ஆத்ம சுத்திக்காகவும், லோக க்ஷேமத்துக்காகவும் செய்தே தீர வேண்டிய obligatory கர்மாக்களும் உண்டு. அவற்றுக்கு நித்யகர்மா என்று பெயர். க்ருஹ்யத்தில் ஒளபாஸனம் போல, ச்ரௌத கர்மாக்களில் அன்றாடம் இரண்டு வேளையும் செய்ய வேண்டியது அக்னி ஹோத்ரம். முன்பு சொன்ன அக்னி ஆதானமும் அக்னி ஹோத்ரமும் ஏழு ஹவிர்யக்ஞங்களில் முதலிரண்டாகும். அக்னி ஹோத்ரம் செய்பவர்களையே அக்னி ஹோத்ரிகள் என்கிறோம்.அக்னிஹோத்ர அக்னி எக்காரணத்திலாவது அணைந்து விட்டால் புணராதானம் என்பதாக மறுபடி ஆதானம் பண்ணி மீண்டும் ஆரம்பிக்கலாம்.ஒளபாஸனத்தில் அக்ஷதையையும், அக்னி ஹோத்ரத்தில் பால், அக்ஷதை, நெய் இவற்றில் ஒன்றையும் ஹோமம் செய்யவேண்டும்."
This list briefs out few common homas. We would have seen at least one of these homas as these are the most common ones....
For a mort extensive list, please click the following links :
Back to Agnihothra :
Environmental pollution :
We know how much pollution we face in our present World. Air, water and everything around us is polluted. Pure water, which was once available for free is not found anywhere now. We spend money to get artificially purified water. Such is the impact of environmental pollution. Our health is also adversely affected by this contaminated environment.
Agnihothra and Environment :
Please go through the above links to get the full information about case studies and researches done on Agnihothra. These researches include analysis of metals and supplies used in the homa, the gaseous emissions during the homa and even the ash residue collected after the homa. Such deep study has revealed many amazing benefits of doing Agnihothra regularly....
How it works :
The copper pyramid in which the fire is developed for perfoming Agnihothra is the key. This vessel has mathematically significant properties which are decisive for the effects of Agnihothra. Studies have revealed that this copper material has bacteriostatic properties and conducts electrical energy. Tremendous amount of energy is gathered around the copper pyramid during sunrise/sunset. Sun is the source of energy, the pyramid is the generator and the fire is the turbine.
The cow dung which is used in the burning procedure has medicinal values too. It is widely used in ayurveda and is a great disinfectant. Remember in olden days people used to mix cowdung with water and use this to wash the house???? Ghee and organic brown rice have their own medicinal properties which are well known to all. When all these are combined together in Agnihothra, a type of energy field is created which drastically reduces the pathogenic bacteria in the air up to 91.4% and purifies the environment. Due to the controlled cumbustion which takes place while performing this Agnihothra, carbon-dioxide in small quantities gets mixed with aromatic vapors and act as ceribral stimulant. Performing Agnihothra which is tuned to the biorhythm of sunrise and sunset creates a turbulence of electricity and ether produced by the combination of Mantras and fire that extends all the way to the solar range.
https://trueayurveda.wordpress.com/2014/04/09/cow-dung-uses-and-used-for-centuries/
https://trueayurveda.wordpress.com/2014/04/09/cow-dung-uses-and-used-for-centuries/
Few case studies :
Bhopal gas leak tragedy - Agnihothris survived :
 |
| "Bhopal-Union Carbide 2" by Original uploader was Simone.lippi at it.wikipedia - Transferred from it.wikipedia; transferred to Commons by User:Fale using CommonsHelper.. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bhopal-Union_Carbide_2.jpg#/media/File:Bhopal-Union_Carbide_2.jpg |
The worst industrial accident occurred in Bhopal on December 1984. The deadly Methyl Isocyanate gas leaked from the Union carbide factory which was fatal for thousands of people and severely affected many thousands. Two families survived though... M.L.Rathore and family, who started performing Agnihothra five years ago, immediately started doing it when this incident happened. The other family, that of S.L.Kushwala, who have never done Agnihothra before, but just started immediately after this leak accident and found that the symptoms of gas poisoning (chest pain, suffocation, coughing and vomiting) reduced drastically within 20 minutes.
For those who do not want to believe in the above incident, please go through the following article which has the Hindu newspaper clipping dated 19.5.1985 attached.
Agnihothra Ash as Medicine :
In an attempt to study the medicinal effects of Agnihothra Ash, the same was applied on rabbits affected with scabies. Agnihothra Ash blended with equal amount of cow ghee was applied over the infected area just once. It had worked effectively and the crust started detaching on the third day. The normal way to cure them otherwise was to apply benzyl benzoate and salicylic acid everyday for a period of 6-8 days and the crust would detach on the 5th day. Just read the "Therapeutic effect of Agnihothra Ash" paragraph in this link...
Agnihothra analysis about the the heavy metals in the suspended particulate matter cleared showed high concentrations of Zinc. It is due to the escape of Zinc from homa materials in the form of Zinc oxide. Zinc oxide is very useful in curing skin diseases. The bottom ash analysis also revealed presence of Lead and Manganese. Manganese ensures healthy bone structure, metabolism and building essential enzymes for building bones. It is also very important for normal functioning of the brain and nerve areas of our body.
http://www.ipcbee.com/vol30/017--ICEST2012_N20012.pdf
Watch this video to know how this Ash is used as medicine...
And these links too...
Agnihothra and Agriculture :
This ritual is found to be beneficial for farming too... The method adapted here is performing Agnihotra in the land (where farming is done) twice everyday and by sprinkling the Ash in the soil. This Ash is also added in layers to the compost. Studies have revealed that when Agnihothra is performed under a tree, the effect of the smoke goes to the leaves and it acts as a catalyst for the generation of chlorophyll in terms of a chemical reaction.
http://www.agnihotra.org/content/why-homa-farming
These videos give an idea about Homa farming :
http://agnihotra-online.com/main/index.php/en/homa/homa-farming
http://www.agnihotra.com.au/homa-farming-methods
http://www.agnihotra.com.au/homa-farming-methods
The main idea of my blog is to connect Sanathan dharma rituals/traditions to science in order to find out why our ancestors would have asked us to perform such things. We never knew the scientific reasons behind the rituals. Thanks to technology, we can find almost anything with a click of finger these days. I tried my best to bring out the scientific reason behind the "Agnihothra" homa, which was once an obligatory ritual to be performed twice each day. It is almost forgotten by most of us in India (very few people do this everyday even now) but I am amazed to see how it is celebrated in other countries. Better late than never, let us try to understand the scientific reasons behind such practices and try to implement them, at least, from now on. Thank you all for reading
Homa Therapy Agnihotra Redefined is a transformative approach to ancient Vedic practices. Watch Anime Way It revitalizes traditional rituals for modern times, making them accessible and relevant.
ReplyDelete