Post by sarmasastrigal on Aug 17, 2012 7:34:09 GMT 5.5
A word about Aupasana & Agnihotra
Let us start with yaga and homa. Yaga and Homa are not the same.
Yaga:
Yagas are categorized as ‘srauta’ karmas and are performed in ‘agnihotra’ agnis.
Homa:
Homas are categorized as ‘smarta’ karmas. there a a very few homas which are to be performed in ‘aupasana’ agni. Most of the homas which falls under the category of smarta karmas are perormed in the laukika agni. Generally these laukika agni karyams are performed by the Acharya (or aathu vadhyar) on behalf of the karta. A few more examples of homas would be the Ganapati homa, Navagraha homa and Sudarshana homa which are done in laukika agni. These homas are referred to as ‘Smarta karmas’.
Homas have been codified, compiled and given to us by Sages with their divine powers.
Agnihotra Agni:
This Agni has the characteristic of being a continuum. Yaga is performed by highly qualified Vedic scholars, who have to be Grahastas, well-versed in all the prayogas and Sastras as well, for universal benefit. Yagas such as Aswamedha, Soma and Vajapeya come under this category. Vedas speak about Yagas, which come under the category of ‘Srauta karmas’.
Aupasana Agni:
All Grahastas (married persons) have to perform Aupasana every day both in the morning and in the evening. To make it more easy to understand, I may say that once the boy gets his Upanayana samskara he gets qualified to worship agni as samithadanam. Later when he gets married the samithadana agni gets converted into Aupasana agni for him to worship.
Homas like Vastu, Kushmanda and Sraaddha are done in one's own Aupasana Agni.
Let us start with yaga and homa. Yaga and Homa are not the same.
Yaga:
Yagas are categorized as ‘srauta’ karmas and are performed in ‘agnihotra’ agnis.
Homa:
Homas are categorized as ‘smarta’ karmas. there a a very few homas which are to be performed in ‘aupasana’ agni. Most of the homas which falls under the category of smarta karmas are perormed in the laukika agni. Generally these laukika agni karyams are performed by the Acharya (or aathu vadhyar) on behalf of the karta. A few more examples of homas would be the Ganapati homa, Navagraha homa and Sudarshana homa which are done in laukika agni. These homas are referred to as ‘Smarta karmas’.
Homas have been codified, compiled and given to us by Sages with their divine powers.
Agnihotra Agni:
This Agni has the characteristic of being a continuum. Yaga is performed by highly qualified Vedic scholars, who have to be Grahastas, well-versed in all the prayogas and Sastras as well, for universal benefit. Yagas such as Aswamedha, Soma and Vajapeya come under this category. Vedas speak about Yagas, which come under the category of ‘Srauta karmas’.
Aupasana Agni:
All Grahastas (married persons) have to perform Aupasana every day both in the morning and in the evening. To make it more easy to understand, I may say that once the boy gets his Upanayana samskara he gets qualified to worship agni as samithadanam. Later when he gets married the samithadana agni gets converted into Aupasana agni for him to worship.
Homas like Vastu, Kushmanda and Sraaddha are done in one's own Aupasana Agni.
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