Homam in Tantragni Homam in Tantragni तन्त्राग्नि�� होमम् Performing homam in vaidika agni requires us to adhere to strict rules regarding purity of the location, time, and the person performing the homam This may be difficult to follow these days Tantragni provides greater flexibility in this regard It can be performed anywhere − even outside India, at any time, and by anyone However, the performer and observers should not be ritually impure at the time the homam is being performed Rules of impurity apply in case of birth or death among relatives in the past few (usually 10) days (see http://www.celextel.org/mantrasandrituals/samkshepadharmashastra.html?page=4 for details) They also apply to ladies four days in a month Background 2 Homams can be performed in either vaidika style or tantric style We describe homam in tantragni, but use vaidika tradition for other aspects, as far as possible For example, the tantric style usually includes lots of bijaksharas which we don’t chant in vaidika style The invocation of agni in the tantric style is simpler and requires less restrictions, and so we use that style to invoke agni While a homa can be quite elaborate, we describe a simple procedure Homam Styles Homa kundam – a container for holding the fire A small plate in which to bring agni A little sand, to place in the agni kundam 16 Darbhas A samit (twigs of certain trees) or darbha Two pieces of samit Ghee (clarified butter) and a container to hold it Two dharvis (ladles) to offer ghee into the fire Akshata – raw rice with turmeric powder mixed in it Water in a small container (pancha/kula patram) Flowers Coconut, dried fruits, and cloth for purnahuti Required Material The following convention is used to express mantras in English (obvious ones are not given below) Transliteration Scheme i: as ’i’ in bit ee: as ‘ee’ in feet u: as ‘u’ in put e: as ‘a’ in late ai: as ‘i’ in bite au: as ‘ou’ in doubt R: it is pronounced as ‘ri’ by some and ‘ru’ by others Example: RShi (rishi) H: visarga (‘:’ in devanagari script) A consonant followed by ‘h’ denotes aspiration Example: ‘bh’ as in ‘bhakti’ Capitalized letters are retroflex T: as ‘t’ in tiger D: as ‘d’ in dog N: as ‘n’ in vishnu S: as ‘s’ in vishnu jna: a nasalized ‘gnya’-like sound, as ‘jn’ in jnana The visarga (H) is pronounced in different manners depending on the context. Pronunciation Tips If it is at the end of a sentence and preceded by ‘a’ or ‘aa’, then it is pronounced as ‘ha’ ‘namaH’ at the end of a sentence is pronounced ‘namaha’ If it precedes ‘sh’, then it is pronounced as ‘sh’ ‘namaH shivaaya’ is pronounced ‘namash-shivaaya’ If it precedes ‘s’, then it is pronounced as ‘s’ ‘bhuuH svaahaa’ is pronounced ‘bhuus-svaahaa’ If it precedes ‘p’, then it is pronounced as ‘f’ ‘puShpaiH puujayaami’ is pronounced ‘puShpaif-puujayaami’ Each deity has a mula mantra which is chanted at specific times in the homam Ganapati: om gam gaNapataye namaH Durga: om dum durgaayai namaH Sharavanabhava: om hreem vreem sharavaNabhavaaya namaH Krishna: om kleem kRShNaaya namaH Rama: om ram raamaaya namaH Lakshmi: om shreem mahalakShmyai namaH Hanuman: om rudraatmakaaya hanumate namaH Sarasvati: om aim sarasvatyai namaH Mula Mantra Ganapati: ॐ गम् गणपतये �मः Durga: ॐ दुम् दुगा�यै �मः Sharavanabhava: ॐ ह्रीम् व्रीम् शरवणभवाय �मः Krishna: ॐ क्लीम् कृष्णाय �मः Rama: ॐ रम् रामाय �मः Lakshmi: ॐ श्रीम् महालक्ष्म्यै �मः Hanuman: ॐ रुद्रात्मकाय ह�ुमते �मः Sarasvati: ॐ ऐम् सरस्वत्यै �मः Mula Mantras in Devanagari 8 Alternatively, we can use the following mula mantras ‘om namaH shivaaya’ for homam to Shiva family ‘ॐ �मःशिशवाय’ Shiva, Ganapati, Durga, Sharavanabhava ‘om namo naaraayaNaaya’ for homam to Vishnu family ‘ॐ �मो �ारायणाय’ Vishnu, Rama, Krishna, Lakshmi, Hanuman Mula Mantra Alternative Place some sand in the homa kundam. Sit on the ground or on a mat or on a wooden plank, to the West of the kundam, facing East. Place all the remaining material close to you, so that you can reach them easily. Setup East You Homa kundam Chant ‘gaNanam tva … ‘. Step 1 Chant the mula mantra while looking at the homa kundam Do prokshanam (sprinkle water) to the homa kundam and say ‘phaT’ (‘फट्’) at the end, hitting the fingers of the right hand against the left palm while saying it Hit the homa kundam with a set of 16 darbhas, while chanting the mula mantra These darbhas can be reused if we live in a place where they are difficult to obtain Avakuntanam Say ‘hum’ (‘हुम्’) while snapping fingers of both your hands Keep fore fingers of both hands together, fingertips facing down, East of the homa kundam and draw a circle around the homa kundam in the air with these fingers, as shown in the next slide This invokes divine powers in the area enclosed by the circle Step 2 Drawing a Circle for Avakuntanam East You Homa kundam Left hand Right hand Start here Draw three lines in the sand in the homa kundam with a samit or darbha as follows (see next slide for details) Draw three lines from west to east, each line to the north of the previous line Draw three lines from south to north, each line to the east of the previous line Then sprinkle akshata at the middle of each line chanting mantras shown later, one mantra for each line, in the order in which they are drawn Step 3 The arrows should not be drawn; they are just meant to show the direction in which the lines should be drawn The numbers should not be written; they are just meant to show the order in which the lines are to be drawn Figure for the Lines 4 5 3 6 2 1 East om brahmaNe namaH ॐ ब्रह्मणे �मः om yamaaya namaH ॐ यमाय �मः om somaaya namaH ॐ सोमाय �मः om rudraaya namaH ॐ रुद्राय �मः om viShNave namaH ॐविवष्णवे �मः om indraaya namaH ॐ इन्द्राय �मः Mantras for Akshata Chant each of the following mantras while performing the specified action with your right hand fingers om sahasraarchiShe hRdayaaya namaH ॐ सहस्रार्चि67षे हृदयाय �मः Touch the center of the chest, at the height of the heart, with the tips of the fingers excluding the thumb om svasti puurNaaya shirase svaahaa ॐ स्वस्तिस्त पूणा�यशिशरसे स्वाहा Touch the front of the head, just above the forehead, with the tips of the fingers excluding the thumb om uttiShTha puruShaaya shikhaayai vaShaT ॐ उत्ति?ष्ठ पुरुषायशिशखायै वषट् Touch the back of the head, two inches above the neck, with the thumb Step 4: Shadanga Nyasa -- 1 om dhuumavyaapine kavachaaya hum ॐ धूमव्याविप�े कव6ाय हुम् Touch the left soulder with right palm and right shoulder with the left palm. The left hand should be over the right hand. Both elbows should face the ground. om sapta jihvaaya netra trayaaya vauShaT ॐ सप्तजिFह्वाय �ेत्र त्रयाय वौषट् Touch the top of the left eye lid with the tip of the ring finger, top of the right eye lid with the tip of the thumb, and middle of the forehead with the middle finger. om dhanurdharaaya astraaya phaT ॐ ध�ुध�राय अस्त्राय फट् Snap the fingers of your right hand and move your palm in a clockwise direction around the head (along a horizontal plane). Shadanga Nyasa -- 2 Sprinkle akshata in the homa kundam edges at the locations specified on the next page for each mantra. om sahasraarchiShe hRdayaaya namaH ॐ सहस्रार्चि67षे हृदयाय �मः om svasti puurnaaya shirase svaahaa ॐ स्वस्तिस्त पूणा�यशिशरसे स्वाहा om uttiShTha puruShaaya shikhaayai vaShaT ॐ उत्ति?ष्ठ पुरुषायशिशखायै वषट् om dhuumavyaapine kavachaaya hum ॐ धूमव्याविप�े कव6ाय हुम् om sapta jihvaaya netra trayaaya vauShaT ॐ सप्तजिFह्वाय �ेत्र त्रयाय वौषट् om dhanurdharaaya astraaya phaT ॐ ध�ुध�राय अस्त्राय फट् Step 5 Locations for Placing Akshata East You 1 6 5 4 3 2 6 6 6 Chant the mantra once, while placing akshata in four places, for mantra #6 Draw agnichakra in the sand of the homa kundam using a samit or a darbha It consists of the following figures, drawn over each other; details are given in the next few slides Ashtakona – an 8-

cornered figure consisting of two squares Shatkona – a 6-cornered figure consisting of two triangles Triangle Step 6: Draw Agnichakra Ashtakona 1 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 The numbers should not be written; they are just meant to show the locations for some offerings East Shatkona 1 2 3 4 5 6 The numbers should not be written; they are just meant to show the locations for some offerings East Triangle 9 The number should not be written; it is just meant to show the location for an offering East Agnichakra First draw the ashtakona. Then draw the shatkona inside it. Finally draw the triangle inside the shatkona. East Draw an imaginary agnichakra in the air while reciting the mula mantra Take your right hand near your nose and check which nostril gives more air; keep the corresponding palm below the other palm, both palms facing down, and use the ring finger of the lower palm to draw the agnichakra Assume that there is a square around the triangle in the agnichakra (don’t actually draw this square) as shown below Chant the mantras given on the next page, and for each, place akshata in the location mentioned in the figure Step 7 East 6 7 9 2 8 4 5 3 1 This is called peeTa shakti This figure shows relationship of the peeTa shakti to the triangle om peetaayai namaH ॐ पीतायै �मः om shvetaayai namaH ॐ शे्वतायै �मः om aruNaayai namaH ॐ अरुणायै �मः om kRShNaayai namaH ॐ कृष्णायै �मः om dhuumraayai namaH ॐ धूम्रायै �मः om teevraayai namaH ॐ तीव्रायै �मः om sphulinginyai namaH ॐ सु्फशिलविMन्यै �मः om ruchiraayai namaH ॐ रुशि6रायै �मः om jvaalinyai namaH ॐ ज्वाशिलन्यै �मः Mantras for Step 7 Place akshata at location 9 of the agnichakra triangle, with each of the following mantras om tam tamase namaH ॐ तम् तमसे �मः om ram rajase namaH ॐ रम् रFसे �मः om sam satvaaya namaH ॐ सम् सत्वाय �मः om aam aatmane namaH ॐ आम् आत्म�े �मः om am antaraatmane namaH ॐ अम् अन्तरात्म�े �मः om pam paramaatmane namaH ॐ पम् परमात्म�े �मः om hreem jnanaatmane namaH ॐ ह्रीम् ज्ञा�ात्म�े �मः Step 8 Bring agni (fire) in a small plate and place it, along with the plate, in the southeast corner of the homa kundam Burn the tip of a darbha or samit in agni, say ‘phat’ (‘फट्’), and discard it in the southwest direction, in order to remove any negative energy from agni Look at agni and chant the mula mantra Sprinkle water on agni and say ‘phat’ (‘फट्’) or ‘astraaya phat’ (‘अस्त्राय फट्’) while hitting the homa kundam with the darbha set This removes defects Say ‘hum’ (‘हुम्’) and snap fingers Step 9: Samskara Chaturthyam Chant the following mantra om ram vaishvaanara jaataveda ihaavaha lohitaakSha sarva karmaani saadhaya svaahaa ॐ रम् वैश्वा�र Fातवेद इहावह लोविहताक्ष सव�कमा�त्तिणसाधय स्वाहा Imagine the divine agni going up through all the chakras of the spline, then coming out through the forehead, and joining the physical agni in the agni plate Place agni, along with the plate, on the agnichakra Step 10 Say ‘kavachaaya hum’ (‘कव6ाय हुम्’) and place two samits in agni Stand and meditate on agni chanting the mantra: om agnim prajvalitam vande jaatavedam hutaashanam. svarNa varNam amalam samiddham vishvato mukham ॐ अग्नि��7 प्रज्वशिलतं वन्दे Fातवेदं हुताश�म्। स्वण�वण�ममलं समिमद्धम्विम्वश्वतो मुखम्॥ Sit and chant the following mantras om uttiShTha puruSha harita pingala lohitaakSha sarva karmaani saadhaya me dehi taapaya svaahaa ॐ उत्ति?ष्ठ पुरुष हरिरतविपMल लोविहताकक्ष सव�कमा�त्तिणसाधय मे देविहतापय स्वाहा om chitpingala hana hana daha daha pacha pacha sarvajna aajnaapaya svaahaa ॐशि6म्वित्पMल ह� ह� दह दह प6 प6 सव�ज्ञ आज्ञापय स्वाहा Step 12 Move agni in a clockwise direction around the homa kundam three times, chanting ‘hreem’ (‘ह्रीम्’) once each time Step 13 Place akshata on agni with each mantras on the next page In the namakaranam step, name the agni after the deity to whom homam will be performed For example, ‘Ganapati iti namakaranam kalpayami’ for Ganapati ‘Ganapati’ replaces ‘’ mentioned on the next page After the samskaras are over, sprinkle water in a clockwise direction around the outside of the homa kundam, chanting the mula mantra Do this three times Step 14 Samskaras om garbhaadaanam kalpayamee om pumsavanam kalpayamee om seemantonnayanam kalpayamee om jaatakarmam kalpayamee om iti naamakaraNam kalpayamee om annapraashanam kalpayamee om chaulam kalpayamee om upanayanam kalpayamee om godaanam kalpayamee om vivaahaadi karmaaNi kalpayamee Mantras for Samskaras ॐ गभा�दा�ं कल्पयामी ॐ पुम्सव�ं कल्पयामी ॐ सीमन्तोन्नय�ं कल्पयामी ॐ Fातकम] कल्पयामी ॐ इवित�ामकरणं कल्पयामी ॐ अन्नप्राश�ं कल्पयामी ॐ 6ौलं कल्पयामी ॐ उप�य�ं कल्पयामी ॐ गोदा�ं कल्पयामी ॐविववाहादिदकमा�त्तिणकल्पयामी Samskara Mantras in Devanagari Meditate on agni while chanting the following triNayanam aruNaa baddha maulim ॐवित्रणय�मरुणा बद्ध मौशिलम् sushuklaam सुशुक्लाम् shukam aruNam anekaakalpam शुकमरुणम�ेकाकल्पम् ambhoja samstham अम्भोF सम्स्थम््् abhimata varashaktim अत्तिभमत वरशशिcम् svastikaabheeti hastam स्वस्तिस्तकाभीवितहस्तम् namata kanaka maalaa �मत क�क माला alankRtaam sam KRshanum अलङ्कृतां सं कृशा�ुम् Step 15 Add askhata (a couple of grains each time) with the following mantras, in the locations specified on the ashtakona of the agnichakra om jaatavedase namaH ॐ Fातवेदसे �मः om saptajihvaaya namaH ॐ सप्तजिFह्वाय �मः om havya vaahanaaya namaH ॐ हव्य वाह�ाय �मः om ashva udraaya namaH ॐ अश्व उद्राय �मः om vaishvaanaraaya namaH ॐ वैश्वा�राय �मः om kaumaaratejase namaH ॐ कौमारतेFसे �मः om vishva mukhaaya namaH ॐविवश्वमुखाय �मः om teva mukhaaya namaH ॐ तेव मुखाय �मः Step 16 Add askhata with the following mantras, in the locations specified on the shatkona of the agnichakra om sahasraarchiShe hRdayaaya namaH om svasti puurNaaya shirase svaahaa om uttiShTha purushaaya shikhaayai vaShaT om dhuumavyaapine kavachaaya hum om sapta jihvaaya netra trayaaya vauShaT om dhanurdharaaya astraaya phaT Step 17 ॐ सहस्रार्चि67षे हृदयाय �मः ॐ स्वस्तिस्तपूणा�यशिशरसे स्वाहा ॐ उत्ति?ष्ठ पुरुषायशिशखायै वषट् ॐ धूमव्याविप�े कव6ाय हुम् ॐ सप्तजिFह्वाय �ेत्र त्रयाय वौषट् ॐ ध�ुध�राय अस्त्राय फट् Step 17 Mantras in Devanagari Place akshata in location 9 of the triangle of the agnichakra while chanting the following. om vaishvaanara jaataveda ihaavaha lohitaakSha sarva karmaani saadhaya svaahaa ॐ वैश्वा�र Fातवेद इहावह लोविहताक्ष सव�कमा�त्तिणसाधय स्वाहा Step 18 Cover the utensil containing ghee with the right hand and chant the mula mantra eight times. Step 19: Ajya Samskaram Purify the dharvis (ladles) by showing them over agni Sprinkle water on the dharvis Offer ghee to agni using the smaller dharvi (known as ‘shruk’) while chanting the mantras on the next page, in the locations specified below inside the homa kundam This substep is called agni jihva (tongue) The numbers are not actually written in the homa kundam Step 20 East 6 7 2 4 5 3 1 om hiraNyaayai namaH svaahaa, hiraNyaayaa idam namama om kanakaayai namaH svaahaa, kanakaayaa idam namama om raktaayai namaH svaahaa, raktaayaa idam namama om kRShNaayai namaH svaahaa, kriShNayaa idam namama om suprabhaayai namaH svaahaa, suprabhaayaa idam namama om atiraktaayai namaH svaahaa, atiraktaayaa idam namama om bahuruupaayai namaH svaahaa, bahuruupaayaa idam namama Agni Jihva Mantras ॐविहरण्यायै �मः स्वाहा,विहरण्याया इदं �मम ॐ क�कायै �मः स्वाहा, क�काया इदं �मम ॐ रcायै �मः स्वाहा, रcाया इदं �मम ॐ कृष्णायै �मः स्वाहा , कृष्णाया इदं �मम ॐ सुप्रभायै �मः स्वाहा, सुप्रभाया इदं �मम ॐ अवितरcायै �मः स्वाहा, अवितरcाया इदं �मम ॐ बहुरूपायै �मः स्वाहा, बहुरूपाया इदं �मम Agni Jihva Mantras in Devanagari Offer ghee to agni three times with each of the following mantras om vaishvaanara jaataveda ihaavaha lohitaakSha sarvakarmaaNi saadhaya svaahaa, agnaya idam na mama om uttiShTha puruSha harita pingala lohitaakSha sarva karmaani saadhaya me dehi taapaya svaahaa, agnaya idam

na mama om chitpingala hana hana daha daha pacha pacha sarvajna aajnaapaya svaahaa, agnaya idam na mama Step 21 ॐ वैश्वा�र Fातवेद इहावह लोविहताक्ष सव�कमा�त्तिणसाधय स्वाहा, अ��य इदं � मम ॐ उत्ति?ष्ठ पुरुष हरिरतविपMल लोविहताक्ष सव�कमा�त्तिणसाधय मे देविहतापय स्वाहा, अ��य इदं � मम ॐशि6म्वित्पMल ह� ह� दह दह प6 प6 सव�ज्ञ आज्ञापय स्वाहा, अ��य इदं � मम Step 21 Mantras in Devanagari Meditate on the deity for whom homam is being performed Chant his mantra, such as ‘gananam tva …’ for Ganapati and ‘prano devi …’ for Sarasvati Exhale (through the nose) on to a flower or akshata and place that in agni Step 22 Invoke the deity by chanting the following mantras om lam prithivyaatmane gandham kalpayaamee om ham aakaashaatmane pushpaiH puujayaamee om yam vaayavaatmane dhuupam kalpayaamee Om ram agnayaatmane deepam kalpayamee om vam amRtaatmane amRtam mahaanaivedyam kalpayaamee (offer ghee to agni with this) om sam sarvaatmane sarvopachaaraan kalpayaamee Step 23: Panchopachara Puja ॐ लम् विप्रशिgव्यात्म�े गनं्ध कल्पयामी ॐ हम् आकाशात्म�े पुष्पैः पूFयामी ॐ यम् वायवात्म�े धूपं कल्पयामी ॐ व्रम् वcैयात्म�े दीपं कल्पयामी ॐ वम् अमृतात्म�े अमृतं महा�ैवेद्यं कल्पयामी ॐ सम् सवा�त्म�े सवkप6ारा�् कल्पयामी Step 23 Mantras in Devanagari Perform the main homam by offering ghee chanting appropriate mantras for the deity with each offering and saying ‘svaahaa’ (‘स्वाहा’) at the end of each, followed by the name of the deity and ‘idam na mama’ (‘इदं � मम’) For example, ‘gaNapataye idam na mama’ We can use either vedic mantras, puranic mantras, bija mantra, or mula mantra Purusha suktam can be used for any deity We can sprinkle food with water while chanting the mula mantra and offer it in agni Food has to meet the usual requirements for offering to agni, such as no onions, etc Others can also offer ahuti, with ghee, now Step 24: Homam Sit and perform mahavyahriti homam using mantras of the 4th prashna of the mahanarayana upanishad, offering ghee in agni with each mantra These mantras are in the last paragraph of vyahruti homa mantras, page 40, of the Mantra Pushpam book by Ramakrishna Mutt Exclude ‘svadhaa pitRbhya …’ If you don’t know the above mantras, then at least offer ghee with the following mantras om bhuuH svaahaa ॐ भूः स्वाहा om bhuvaH svaahaa ॐ भुवः स्वाहा om suvaH svaahaa ॐ सुवः स्वाहा Offer all the ghee with ‘om bhuur-bhuvas-suvas-svaahaa’ (‘ॐ भूभु�वस्सुवस्स्वाहा’) Step 26: Mahavyahruti Homam Place dry coconut and dry fruits in a cloth Hold the above with the big dharvi (ladle) below and the small dharvi above Chant the mula mantra or vedic mantra for the deity The mantra ‘puurNamidam …’ can be chanted, alternatively Offer the cloth, including its contents, in agni, saying ‘vauShaT’ (‘वौषट्’) Step 25: Purnahuti Chant the mula mantra or ‘yajnena yajnam ayajanta devaH … sadhya santi devaH’ from the purusha suktam Transfer the divine energy from agni to the whole cosmos, or to yourself, or to all who have come for the homam If you had invoked the deity separately in a kalasham, then you can transfer it to the water in the kalasham. Meditate Chant some shanti mantras, such as ‘tachchham yoraavriNeemahe …’ or perform arati to bhagavan Give prasadam to all Step 27: Samyojanam