FAQs
Below are a number of frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the practice of
Agnihotra. For answers simply click on the relevant question.
- Can anyone perform Agnihotra?
- Can Agnihotra be performed at home?
- How many
people can make offerings for Agnihotra?
- Why is there a difference between the visible sunrise/sunset timing and the one given in the
computer timetable?
- If I start Agnihotra in my house can
any other family members perform it ?
- Is
it not correct to begin the Agnihotra Mantra with Om?
- Can the Agnihotra
Mantras be rendered in other languages?
- Are
cow dung and cow's ghee the only materials that can be used to prepare Agnihotra fire?
- Can I use
medicinal herbs in Agnihotra fire?
- Which direction should I face
when performing Agnihotra?
- If Agnihotra is discontinued
for any reason will there be any bad effect?
- Are there any tips on how to make the Agnihotra fire?
- What do you do with the pot and ash after Agnihotra?
- Is it
necessary to take bath before Agnihotra?
- What should I do after
Agnihotra?
- I
can't do both morning and evening Agnihotra because of my work schedule,
so should I be doing it at all?
- If I miss the Agnihotra timing, should I still do
it anyway?
- How can I set my watch to the second?
Why
should ladies abstain from Agnihotra during the monthly period?
Is
it necessary to adopt a vegetarian diet before taking up the practice of
Agnihotra?
Can Agnihotra
Mantras be chanted continuously?
It
is difficult for me to practise Agnihotra at the times given. Can I practise
another Yajnya instead?
Which
disciplines are compulsory for Agnihotra practice?
What
materials can be used for cleaning the Agnihotra pyramid?
Agnihotra can be performed by anyone irrespective of religion, sect,
caste, creed, nationality, colour, gender and age. Women & children can also practice it.
Agnihotra
is for everyone.
Yes, Agnihotra can be performed anywhere in the house. Walls do not
obstruct the flow of energy. It can also be performed on the balcony or on the
terrace and even outside in the garden, on a farm or under a tree for example.
Only one person should make the offerings in Agnihotra. Others can derive
benefits by sitting opposite the Agnihotri. Two or more members of the same family
can perform Agnihotra individually, but they should prepare fire and make
offerings in separate Agnihotra pots - one pot for each person practising
Agnihotra.
There is always a difference between visible and true sunrise/sunset timings.
This difference is due mainly to a refraction effect (bending) as the sun's rays
enter the relatively dense atmosphere of the earth.
There are several definitions of sunrise/sunset given in Veda. For
Agnihotra the definition used is sun's position one and a half discs above the horizon when the
refraction effect is taken into account. Practically speaking this means that at sunrise
the sun will appear to have already risen at the correct timing of Agnihotra.
And at sunset the sun will appear to have not yet set at the correct timing. The
difference in time between the visible and true timings may vary by up to as
much as 5 minutes.
Computer generated timetables for whole year
for any particular place are available up to seconds accuracy using software
developed in Germany.
Yes, if for any reason you cannot perform Agnihotra any other family member
or friend can perform it. Even ladies and children under supervision can
perform it.
No. Use of Om in the Mantra for this particular small Agnihotra is
not required. No change of any kind should be made in the Mantra as
originally given.
No. Agnihotra Mantras are given in Vedas in Sanskrit language. They are
special sound combinations. They are unique in their vibrational effect. It is
this vibrational aspect which provides the healing power. To render the Mantra
in any other language would destroy this vibrational effect and hence nullify
the power of Agnihotra.
Agnihotra should be performed using only 100% pure cow dung cakes and
100% pure cow's ghee. When we say cow we mean either the male or female
progeny of the cow species. Dung and ghee from other animals is strictly
forbidden in the practice of Agnihotra.
Cow's ghee is a unique substance with properties unlike any other known
material. Ghee from other animals such as the buffalo or goat will not only
fail to produce the same beneficial healing result, but will actually have a
negative effect.
The materials required for practice of Agnihotra are 100% pure cow dung
cakes, 100% pure cow's ghee and uncooked, unpolished whole grains of rice.
However, in addition, the woods from certain trees may be used. These are:
Santalum Album
|
sandalwood
|
chandan
|
Magnifera Indica
|
mango
|
amba
|
Ficus Bengalensis
|
banyan
|
vata
|
Ficus Religiosa
|
bodhi tree
|
peepal
|
Ficus Glomerata
|
gular fig
|
audumbar
|
Butea Frondosa
|
flame of the forest
|
palash
|
Aegle Marmelos
|
bengal quince
|
bel
|
Prosopis Specigera
|
|
shami
|
Acacia Catechu
|
catechu tree
|
khair
|
Other medicinal herbs may be used in other Yajnyas but not for Agnihotra.
There is no strict requirement about which direction you should face when performing Agnihotra.
If it is possible to determine the direction, then you can face east at
sunrise and sunset. It is also possible to face west for sunset Agnihotra.
This directional aspect merely enhances the Agnihotra effect but it is not
compulsory.
No. If regular practice of Agnihotra is stopped or interrupted for any
reason there will be absolutely no bad effect as a result. Only the beneficial
effects which derive from its regular practice will cease.
If you are not present at Agnihotra time any other family member or
friend can perform it to maintain the healing cycle. It is also possible to
carry a second Agnihotra kit if you will be away from the house at Agnihotra
time and you can perform it wherever you are at local
Start by placing a piece of dried cow dung flat in the bottom of the
pyramid. Add two small pieces in opposing corners. Continue adding pieces in
alternating corners, using bigger and bigger pieces as the pile grows. Ghee
can either be spread on each piece before adding to the pyramid or the ghee
can be poured over each layer as you build. If you want, you may prepare a
larger fire by continuing to stack the dung pieces above the top of the
pyramid, but use smaller pieces to make the stack more stable. To light the
dung, spread some ghee on a narrow piece of dung, ignite it and stick it down
the "chimney" created by the layers of dung. The air flow will give
you a blazing fire which won't collapse as it burns.
The fire should be lit enough in advance so that the fire coming from
the "chimney" is burning with maximum intensity exactly at the
instant of sunrise or sunset. A hand-fan may be used if necessary, but lighter
fluid or other ignitable materials such as kerosene should never be used.
The quantity of rice which can be held in the fingers of one hand
constitutes one portion. Apply a little ghee to the body of rice and divide
into two portions. Exactly at sunrise and sunset utter the first Mantra and
add the first portion of rice as you say the word "Swáhá". The
rice and ghee is given to the fire with thumb between middle and ring
fingertips and index and pinkie fingers out straight. From the heart move the
hand towards the fire and drop the rice and ghee mixture in the blazing,
central hole. The right hand only should be used since the right hand gives
energy, the left hand takes energy. Then utter the second Mantra and give the
second portion of rice.
All the ingredients in the pyramid should be consumed by the fire
leaving only ash. After the Mantras are uttered and the offering made you can
sit quietly until the fire subsides naturally. Never try to extinguish the
fire.
The pyramid should always face the same direction. This is possible by
scratching the underside of one lip of the pyramid with a sharp object. This
scratch can be felt and used to orient the pyramid in the same direction each
time. Concentrate fully on Love, your Guru, Light, the flames or whatever you
perceive as pure.
If possible the Agnihotra pyramid and the energy resulting from the
Agnihotra process is best left undisturbed until the next Agnihotra time. Just
before the next Agnihotra you can empty the ash using your right hand and store it in a bag,
box or clay pot. Never clean or scratch the inside of the pyramid.
The ash from the Agnihotra fire is extremely medicinal. It can be
ingested daily. Several ash medicines have
been developed in Germany. The ash is also a powerful fertilizer for the
garden or farm and beneficial in any water source to purify the water.
Taking bath prior to Agnihotra is not compulsory. However, if water is
available and you are in the habit of taking bath daily, then bathing before
Agnihotra enhances the healing effect. If it is not possible to take a full
bath then at least you can wash hands, feet and mouth.
After uttering the Mantra and giving the offering to the fire Agnihotra
is complete. You can now go about your business. However, it is good if
possible to sit quietly for a few minutes until the flames subside. If you are
in the habit of practising meditation or any other spiritual discipline then
the atmosphere created after performance of Agnihotra is ideal and conducive
to these pursuits.
Whenever Agnihotra is done correctly, it will have effects. It's like
taking a vitamin - the more regularly you take it, the greater the benefit will
be, but it will have effects whenever you take it. Many people who now do
Agnihotra regularly started by doing Agnihotra whenever they could.
No. If you miss the timing, it is not Agnihotra and the healing effects
will not be there.
If you live in a very large city, your telephone directory should have a
listing for Time, and that time service should provide correct time to the
second. If not, you may be able to get correct time from the evening TV
news programs or radio, which should be within a few seconds. If you have a computer
there is a program you can use to set your PC's clock, which will keep it
updated every time you go online.
To
set your PC's clock to the atomic clock at the Naval Observatory, in USA select
a time-keeping program from this address: http://www.eecis.udel.edu/~ntp/software.html
The
easiest program (and freeware too) for Windows 95, 98, ME & NT users is
at:
http://www.thinkman.com/dimension4/
For 4 days from the commencement of the menstrual
period ladies should abstain from practice of Agnihotra. During this 4 day
period the energy of the woman spirals in a downward direction, opposite to the
rest of the month. This is incompatible with Agnihotra energy which always
spirals in an upward direction.
No. It is not necessary to adopt a vegetarian
diet before starting to practise Agnihotra. However, many people have discovered
that after practising Agnihotra regularly for some time they feel less attracted
to a non-vegetarian diet.
No. Agnihotra Mantras are to be recited only once
and only two offerings given at each Agnihotra performance.
No. Agnihotra is the basic Yajnya which initiates
the healing cycle. It must first be practised regularly before attempting to
practise any other Yajnya. Agnihotra and the other Yajnyas are powerfully
transformative processes. Agnihotra first creates a healing vibration on the
whole body which makes the practice of other Yajnyas problem-free.
The following requirements are absoluely essential
for correct practice of Agnihotra:
 |
Copper pyramid of prescribed shape and size |
|
100% pure cow dung |
|
100% pure cow's ghee |
|
Uncooked, unpolis |
|
hed whole grains of rice |
|
Timings according to sunrise/sunset computer timetable up to
seconds accuracy |
|
Mantras recited once only precisely as given |
|
Offerings made by one person only |
It is not necessary to clean the Agnihotra
pyramid. The gradual accumulation of ash on the inside of the pot does not
adversely affect the Agnihotra vibration. In fact by cleaning the pot you may
inadvertently disturb the crystalline structure of the copper atoms which would
definitely interfere with the Agnihotra vibration.
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