AGNAYE (for the fire) English Script Dr.G.

Prabha It is a filmed research documentation which depicts realistic vedic performances offered to AGNI with a duration of 76 minutes.It is popularly known as Athirathram one of the biggest somayagam in India which dates back to 6000 years. The utmost dedication of everything is for fire. And nothing for me./Let the whole flora and fauna That comes under the mystic spell of Om/Be in happiness and prosperity. India is the land of eternal wisdom the land of Vedic mantras (hymns) of great thinking. Arani - An implement used in Yanjas for making fire through friction. Child learners practicing vedic hymns under Gurukula system. The vedic teacher chanting hymns with rhythmic gestures . The rotation of the time of wheel never ends. It changes nature and life. Still there exist certain ritual performances without being changed.Through the worship of Agni(fire), man and nature become one. About 6000 years before started the ritual performances to worship Agni. Worship that begins and ends with Agni, that is, Atirathram. Here everything is for Agni. The hymn of Pranavam is Om which is the blend of the sounds a, e, and m . It is the divine symbol of the unification of Srishti (creation). and Sthiti (existence). These three sounds of Pranavam form the basis of the Vedas - Rig, Yajur. Sama and Adharva. The Vedas and Vedic hymns are the body and soul of yanjas. They provide invisible power of granting wishes and avoiding unhappiness. The Vedas have four parts Samhita, Brahmana, Aranyaka and Upanishad. Samhita has hymns. Brahmanas explain how to use them. Aranyakas discuss the principles of worship. Upanishads deal mainly with the search for cosmic truth. The subject matter of the one third of the Yajurverda is the ritual performance of Agni. In ancient times, Vedic civilization has run deep roots in the plains of the Indus and Ganges. Subsequently, Vedic traditions seeped down to the Nila river delta in South India. Vedic hymns reverberated in the villages of Sukapuram, Kudallur, Panniyur, Azhavanchery, Mezhathoor, Panjal, etc. The principles of Buddhism got prominence and the indispensible part of the Yanja, the animal sacrifice, practically ceased. Gradually the fervor for Yanjas started declining. Bylakuppa in Karnataka a centre for Buddhist monks. In southern Kerala too, Jainists influence brought an end to yajnas. Chitharal in Kanyakumari a reminisce of Jainism. Buddhism and Jainism faded away from Kerala and Adi Sankaracharyas Advaita philosophy came to the fore. Sankara too did not favour the yajna culture where importance is given to karmakanda rather than to jnanakanda. The fires of yajna were lit again by Mezhattor Agnihottri, who conducted 99 yajnas. Subsequently, Hindu reformist leaders like Swami Vivekananda and Maharshi Aurobindo Ghosh refused the practice of animal sacrifice in Yanjas. The views of Sree Narayana Guru were also reformed the practice of Yajna. The last animal sacrifice was done in Sukapuram Somayagam in 1970.

Kerala witnessed several yajnas in the past century. The reminiscence of such yagas are still there. Atirathram held in Panjal from 12th to 23rd of April 1975 was the most notable among these. The reminants of the Chiti (eagle shaped vedic altar)of the yanja in 1939. The reminants of the Chiti (eagle shaped vedic altar)of the yanja in 1956. The picture of the spouse of the Yajamanan of the yanja at Panjal in 1975. The picture of the Yajamanan of the yanja at Panjal in 1975. The picture of a ritualistic performance of the yanja at Panjal in 1975. The picture of the yagasala (house of sacrifice) of the yanja at Panjal in 1975. The picture of yagasala of the yanja at Panjal in 1975 set on fire. For the first time, animal sacrifice was avoided here. The presence of Prof.Fritz Stall and the great poet Akkitham brought global attention to it. Stalls book Agni is a byproduct of the Atirathram at Panjal in 1975. By this time Vedic monthly, Anaadi published with the effort of the great Vedic scholar, Erkara Raman Namboodiri. Gradually this monthly also stopped. The notable yajnas that followed it were the Somayagam held near the Padmanabha Swamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram in 1984, the one at Kundoor in April 1990 and at Moolankode in March 2006. The Atirathram which was performed at Panjal from April 4th to 15th of 2011 was also a notable one. Vedic scholars among Namaboodri Brahmins hold the right to perform Yajna but every section of the society has some presence in the Yagasalaas carpenters, weavers, farmersetc. This is an activity in which every section has a role. Earth, wood and other materials that nature gives are used to make the implements for Yajnas. Their making is marked by elaborate rituals as ordained by tradition. Wood from certain specified trees are used to make a wide variety of implements like Ritupatram, Maitravrunapatram, Indravayapatram, Antharyamapatram, Ashwinapatram, Adithyaupashayam,Ukthya-upamshupatrangal, Atigrahyapatram,Shodashipatram,Dadhipatram, Mandhipatram,Sruvam, Juhu, Sphvyam,Dhreshti etc The Yagasala (place of fire sacrifice) comprises of five parts. The measurement of the Yagasala is based on the height of the Yajamanan from his toe to the end of the fingers of his raised hands in salutation.The western part of the Yagasala is Pracheenavamsam, the west of which lies Patnisala, the house for the Yajamanans wife. The middle part is Sadas where Ritviks and others occupy. The other two parts are Havirdhanam and Utharvedi. Soma is kept in Havirdhanam. Chiti is made in the eastern part of Utharavedi. The main sacrifices for Agni take place in the Chiti. The east and west of Havirdhanam lay Marjaleeyam and Agneendhriyam. Cow shed lies in the western part of Yagasala. Atirathram begins on the new moon day or the day after the spring. Sun, Moon, Earth, Water, Air, Ushus and Indra, the rain God are the main deities worshipped. Three kinds of Yajnas performed in Kerala are Aadhanam, Agnishtomam, Atirathram. Agnishtomam is the first of seven forms of Somayagams. Agni or Atirathram is the biggest Somayagam. Vedic students, who are Brahmacharis acquire Agni through Homas. This Agni becomes Aupaasanaagni in their married lifeto be worshipped by both the spouses, twice a day through homam. Aadhanam is meant for a married Vedic scholar only. Aadhanam, the Yanja ritual, is meant only for a Vedic scholar who is having family.

With Aadhanam, the number of sacrificial fires at home becomes three. Anwaharya is the semicircular one to the south. On the west is the circular Gaarhapatyaagni, the fire of the householder. On the east is the square shaped Ahavaneeyaagni. The Agni for Atirathram is gathered from here. After the yanja the fire from the Yagasala is preserved at the house of the Yajamanan. This fire is put out while taking it to light the funeral pyre of the Yajamanan or his wife. That is, they are spending the rest of their life guarding this fire for their funeral pyre. In Agnichayanam, the basic consciousness, Sarvam Brahma is imagined as Agni. I pray the God who is the source of the diamond bearing God Agni, Generous to the needy, invites the Gods in Yanja, And exists in the form of Aahavaneeya. Purohitam means implements for yajna. Yanjadeva is the God in whose name the yajna is conducted. Those who perform the Yanja are Ritviks. Hothr in the mantra means Yajamanan. Yajnadata means the one who grants the benefits. The hints that all these are for Agni point to the fundamental truth, Sarvam Brahma. Atirathram highlights this unity. The Vedas or the Vedic rituals do not accept multiplicity of God. Different names refer to the same truth. The aim is to realize the complete whole. That is full; this is full; Fullness is born out of fullness. Fullness remains even when fullness is taken out of fullness. One who performs Aadhanam gets the name Adithirippad. Through Somayaga he becomes Somayajippad. Only a Somayaji can perform Agni. He becomes Agni Chithar, or Akkithar and gradually Akkithiri. Yajamanans spouse gets the title Pathanadi. Yajamanan needs to be a married man, but not a widower. The Yajamanan of the 2011 Agni at Panjal was Ramanujan Somayagipad of Bhattiputhillam. His spouse is Dhanya Pathanadi. Seventeen Ritviks take part in an Atirathram apart from the Yajamanan and his wife. Ritvik refers to a person who performs rituals properly. It is believed that they represent the Yajamanans ten senses, five pranas, mind and brain. Among them, Adhvaryu, Brahman, Hotan, Udgaatan and Sadasyan are prominent Ritviks. Adhvaryu must be well versed in the mantras of Yajur Veda. Brahman must be familiar with all the Vedas. Hotan is the prime one in Rig Veda. Udgatan is that of Sama Veda. Sadasyans need to have knowledge about everything that is performed. Three Ritviks each assist Adhvaryu, Brahman, Hotan and Udgatan. Pratiprasthatan, Neshtan and Unnetan assist Adhvaryu. Brahmanacchamsi, Agnidhran and Chotan assist Brahman. Maitravarunan, Acchavakan and Gravasthon assist Hotan. Prasthotan, Pratihari and Subrahmanian assist Udgatan. Apart from them, there will be other assistants too. Adhvaryu performs the main rituals for Yajamanan. Ritviks perform the rituals .Yajamanan is the witness to all of it. In yanja Yajamanan is attributed with concreteness just like concreteness to abstract soul (Atma). That is, the performances in yanja is nothing but the dramatic performances of the soul. The yagasala becomes a stage where yajamanan and Ritviks play out the spiritual drama. This implies that the performance of Yaga is nothing but the acting of Atmaswarupa. The rituals of the twelve days are of great importance. The twelve days performances are divided into five parts. These performances even exceeding nights. This may be the reason to name this yanja, Atirathram.
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The homam performed in Agni is Ishti. According to the Brahmanas, it means the search for God. Yagam is not homam. Homam is not yagam either but these are inseparable in yanjam. Yagam is the sacrifice of dravyam, meant for a God. Homam is submitting dravyam to fire. Adhvaryu does it. The recitation of Sama veda is Sthuti. Chanting of Rig veda is Shastra. The important initial rituals of Atirathram are dandam alakkal (yard stick), ukhasambharam (collecting ukha, the implements) and vayavyampasu. The first are Deekshahasus. The next six are Upasad days. The Chiti is made on the fourth to the eighth day. Agninidhanam is on the ninth day. Suktyam begins on the tenth. Somaahooti and so on begins then. Yajamanan and his spouse jointly perform Nandeemukham, Prayaschitham, Abhivadyam and so on. Then Yajamanan stands up, feet touching each other and hands raised above the head in salutation. Then his height from the toe to the tip of his fingers is marked on a bamboo stick. His heights up to the knee and up to the head are also measured. This rod is the basic yardstick for all measurements relating to Atirathram. Next, the Gods and ancestors are pleased with the ritual Nandeemukham. Adhvaryu and the other five prominent ritviks are received and honoured with new clothes, kundalas, sweets and so on. They are given the rights to perform rituals on behalf of Yajamanan and they take on oath. The ritviks are consecrated with water. Yajamanan internally purifies through pranayama. Then the desire to perform Agnichayanam is communicated to the Gods. This is called Sradhahvanam. The Vedas have many hymns that are not addressed to a particular God. It is believed they are addressed to Prajapti. The belief is that Prajapati of Veda is the incarnation of Indra who is none other than the Brahma in the Puranas. So worshipping Prajapti is as same as worshipping Brahma. The yaga hymns are not to be taken in the literal sense. The sound Gow does not mean cow, but the brilliant light of wisdom. Ashvam does not mean horse refers to the unstoppable power, Mahasakthi. Ushus is not sunrise, but the awakening of Satva guna. The hymns appear to be prayers to the Gods for the help to lead a virtuous life. But they are prayers seeking inner awakening. The next main ceremony is Ukhasambharam. Ukha is the earthen pot to preserve fire. Shamya, a piece of timber, is thrown to the east. The place where it falls is called Shamyaprasam. Mud from the spot is piled and kept on a plantain leaf. Homam is performed for Abhri, a stick sharp at both ends, and Mekhala, a rope of grass. This is Savithrahomam. A horse is made to stamp on the mud. The hoof mark is divided into two with Abhri. A gold coin is placed on the southern part and homam is performed, imagining it as Agni. Again, earth is taken from the southern and northern sides four times in a lotus leaf and tied with the grass rope. It is taken to the west on the back of a donkey and then to Kharam, the imaginary platform to the north. Pratiprasthatan makes ukhas and eight bricks with this. Often the ukhas and bricks that are already made are pasted with the above mentioned mud symbolically. Ukhas and brick are prepared in the furnace of horse dug. Another ritual is Vayavyampasu ishti. It is Vayu, the wind God, who enlivens the fire God. So this ritual is to please Vayu. It involves homam of the Vapa (fat) from a hornless male goat. As
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animal sacrifice is not practiced anymore, rice flour paste in ghee is shaped like a goat, covered with plantain leaf and cooked before being used in Vapahomam, in a symbolic act. Along these the rituals related to yoopam (pole), measurement of platform, altar, sruksammarjanam, patneesannahanam etc. are done. After some rituals, the purification of panchasirassas takes place. Man, horse, bull, vishni and basthi are the pancha sirasas. Twenty one black gram seeds and a twig of the plasu tree are used here. The chanting of the yamagadha mantra accompanies this. It is believed that Yajamanan acquires the strength and wisdom to perform the Atirathram. This is followed by Idajapam, churning of Agni, the transfer of fire to the homakundas (fire pits), Kusmandihomam and Apsudeeksha, the bathing ceremony. Deeksha sambharadharanam comes next. In this Krishnajinam (the skin of deer), mekhalappullu (a kind of grass), turban, krishnavishanam etc. are collected for Yajamanan. Yajamanan qualifies to do the Yanja and becomes deekshithan once he folds his fist after sitting on the Krishnajinam. From now on, until the deeksha ends he cannot open his fist; he sits and lies down on the Krishnajinam. He cannot scratch his body, or speak or laugh aloud. He does not bathe until the yanja is over. Milk boiled in the sacrificial fire is his food. The belief is that during Deekshitaavedanam after Deekshaniyeshti, Yajamanan takes a new life. His folded fist represents the foetus. His loose clothing stands for the womb and Krishnajinam the outer membrane to it. The black and white spots on his seat represent the gunas tamas and sathva respectively. Krishnajinam is thrown out when the last bath is taken at the end of the Yanja. All these symbolize a new birth to Yajamanan. Another ceremony on the first day is the Sakthu homam. Agni is imagined as wild fire and sakthu or rice baked and powdered, is offered. The first day ends with Yajamanan and his wife performing Vrathadohana Vrathapanam. Vrathapanam is the ritual in which one considers his life (prana) as threthaagni and does Agnihothram and the end of which milk is boiled and drunk. This is a significant one. During Atirathram, the homams Yajamanan performs at home suffer a brake. Agnihothram is done on threthaagni to prevent the brake. Even the minor rituals have their own importance. For instance take Vrathadoham, which involves milking the cow to get the food for Yajamanan and his wife. There is a scheme to choose the nipples of the cow. The first three days of deeksha four nipples of cow are milked. The first two days of the 4th to 9th upasad days three nipples are milked. The succeeding days two nipples and the next two days one nipple will be milked. For Yajamanan, Adhvaryu boils milk on the eastern fire; for his wife, Pratiprasthatan, on the southern fire. Sanigrahanam is the next. It is symbolic of collecting funds for the yagam. Pravargya Sambharanam is an important ritual on the second day. Implements such as Mahaveeram and Pinnvanam are made with mud dug up using Abhri. The day ends with Vratadoham and Vratapanam. After certain rituals like Vishnukramanam, Valsapraupasthanam the preparation for Yoopam (pole) and the measurement of the vedic platform start. A pillar with eight sides is made out of a specific tree. A small piece from one end is cut, a hollow is made in it and it is fixed on the top of the Yoopam.

Yoopam is washed, coated with ghee and fixed on the eastern side of the venue. A grass rope is tied around it in the middle. The chips formed while making yoopam are collected and shaped like a knife is inserted inside the grass rope. With this, yoopam is believed to have got the strength of diamond. The sacrificial animal is tied at the end of the grass rope. The next step is measuring the venue, the Mahavedi, which includes Sadass, Havirdhanam and Utharavedi. First the land is ploughed for making the Chiti - eagle shaped Vedic altar- at the eastern part of the Utharavedi. Here the earth is dug up in square shape and gold and nine cereals are deposited. The third day ends with the usual ceremonies at night. And there ends the rituals of three days that give the strength and purity to the body and mind. Yajamanan is the soul and the Yagasala is the body. Here the soul and body unites for the betterment of cosmic happiness. The fourth day begins early at 2 am. The upasad days those starts from 4th to 9th days are hard for Yajamanan. He has to face severe tests physically and mentally to attain selflessness. After preserving the old Aahavaniyaagni, a new fire altar is made in the same place. It has five rows of bricks, with 21 bricks in each. The fire altars side is the height of the Yajamanan with his hands raised. Adhvaryu deposits the Ukhyaagni and Pratiprasthatan the Aahavaniyaagni in the north eastern and south eastern directions respectively. Then, chanting mantras, the two fires are joined. Thus it becomes the Gaarhapatya Chiti. Niryati samarpanam is the next step. The main ritual Somakrayam (buying soma, the creeper) is when Prayaneeyeshti is completed. In Niryatisamarpanam the ukhyaagni holdered hanger, krishnajinam and the thread with rukmam are place in the corner of Niryati. Prayaneeyeshti is the homa in which ghee and havis are offered to Gods like Agni, Soman, Savithav, Aditi etc. Somakryam is the ceremony of buying Somam. Kofsthan the representative of Gandharva, brings Somalatha to the Yagasala. Adhvaryu and the dealer stand on the west and east respectively. Soma is exchanged for goats, clothes and gold. Soma, first carried on the head, is taken to the Yagasala on a bullock cart. Homam of Soma is equal to homam of nectar. The main sacrificial things of Atirathram are ghee, havis, purodasham (rice flour cooked in firepit) and somarasam. Vapa is also used in some rituals. Soma is the source of Feelings, Heaven,Earth, Agni, Sun, Indra and Vishnu. This sloka literally means that the origin of Heaven, Earth, Agni, Surya, Indra, Vishnu and human sentiments are linked to Soma. The mantra chanted on the ears while dying a person is Samasthuti.Thus Soma is certainly not mere a creeper. Aatidhyeshti involves receiving Somalatha, the guest. Yajamanan and Adhvaryu receive Soma and perform certain rituals. Thanunapthrugrahanam is an oath where the ritviks take the pledge that they wont compete or blame each other till the end of the yanja. Aapyayanam is soaking soma in water; a handful of darbha grass is covered with hand in Nihnanam. After these come Vagvisargam. Here the restrictions on Yajamanan to speak are relaxed. Pravargyam and Upasad are the next main events. Pravargyam is the head of the yanja and Upsad its neck. These will be there for six days from the fourth day. Pravargyam is meant to please Ashwinis, the celestial physicians. Ghee is boiled in an earthen pot called Mahaveeram. Simultaneously, Adhvaryu and Pratiprasthatan milk the cow and the goat in the yagasala, mix the milk of the two and pour it
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into the boiling ghee. Flames leap up with a loud noise and they are blocked with bundles of leafy branches to prevent the yagasala from catching fire. Women particularly pregnant women are prevented from witnessing it. This is not done at night. Belief is that all Gods like Brahaspati, Savithav, Indra, Vayu, Yama etc, are pleased with this ceremony. Upasad is the homam of ghee to please Agni, Soman and Vishnu. Then in Subramanyahvanam the Ritvik Subramanyan invites Indra and other Gods chanting Sama hymns. Subramanyan touches Yajamanan with darbha grass and touches the umbrella which is held by the spouse of Yajamanan. He addresses Indra as paramour of Ahalya and on hearing this Yajamanans wife puts her head down. While touching them, it is believed that it is not the ritvik Subrahmanyan alone inviting the Gods but Yajamanan and his spouse and others also jointly inviting them. Next is Mahavedeekaranam. Adhvaryu, carrying bow and arrow, chants the Kshetropadhana mantra after touching a white horse with yanja implements. Then he shoots arrows in four directions, standing outside Chitisthana with Yajamanan. On the fourth day, from noon to dusk Mahavedi is prepared. Later Shyenachiti, the main yaga venue of Atirathram is made in the shape of eagle (garuda). After depositing milk, ghee, honey, curd, 13 grains of gold, water pot, a wooden tortoise and so on, the first brick, Aindri, is placed. Adhvaryu and Yajamanan fix it there, chanting mantras. The main altar (shyena chiti) of Atirathram is in the shape of shyena, the eagle. Garuda (eagle)is the vahana (vehicle) of Vishnu. His soft wing beats are believed to be chanting of Samaveda. Garuda brought nectar from heaven to win freedom for his mother. He is the symbolic carrier of the karmas to the Gods from the yagasala. Indram miithram varunam agnihi ahuhu Atho diyvah sa suparno garutman Ekam sad vipra bahudha vadanthi Agnim yamam matharishvanmahuhu The devotees are invoking Vedic bird, Garuda also just like that of Indra, Varuna, Mithra, Agni etc. Truth is Truth. It is differently called as Agni, Yamaetc. The fourth day ends with usual rituals in the evening. On the eighth day, by noon, the fifth step of the Chiti will be completed. Shyenachiti becomes ready with the completion of the second step on the fifth day, the third on the sixth day, the fourth on the seventh day, and the fifth on the eighth day. Thus the Chiti will acquire extreme roudra bhava (fury). The golden eagle will appear in the skies above. To control the Chitis high temperature, Adhvaryu chants mantras and shower water on its four borders. It is called Saahsraproshanam. Besides, goats milk is poured on it. Now comes Ishtika dhenukaranam where Yajamanan prays that the bricks used in the Chiti would become his Kamadhenus in the other world. There are eleven kinds of Chitis. They receive different kinds of benefits. Eagle shaped Chiti itself has got three types Peedhan, Panchapatrika, and Shadpatrika. Here the Chiti is Panchapatrika. The Pravargyopasads performed from the fourth day end with the Gharmodyasana Karma on the ninth day. The important Somaahuthi will be performed several times on the remaining days.
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Agnipranayanam is the next step. Agni from Gaarhapatyachiti is transferred to Shyenachiti chanting mantras. Adhvaryaahuti, Swayamaahuti etc., will be done in this Chiti. The next is the Vasordhara. Prasekam, an implement resembling a vessel at the top with a tail equal in length to Yajamanans height is fixed with the tail ending above the fire pit. Pratiprasthatan keeps pouring ghee into the Prasekam. With his right hand touching the Prasekam and left resting on his heart, Adhvaryu prays to Rudra for the welfare of all. The remaining ghee is made as havis and presented to prominent Ritviks through a ritual called Brahmodanam. In Vajaprasaveeyam, all medicinal herbs and cereals mixed with ghee is poured into the Chiti. The homam in which the ghee is poured through a copper pipe fixed in a small chariot is called Rashtrabhrth. Now comes the building of Havirdhanagraha. Adhvaryu and Pratiprasthatan refit the wheels of a wooden cart after removing and lubricating. This cart is placed on the western part of the chiti and a hut is built for it symbolically. Then a yoopam (pole) is erected in the middle of the Yaga Sadass. It is covered with cloth and darbha grass and tied 28 times with a darbha rope. Now two small huts Marjaleeyam and Agnidhriyam are built to the north and south of the yagasala respectively. They are to wash the dishes after the soma meal. Dhishnya is the brick platform for homams. It is roughly one and half feet in diameter and four inches in height. There is one Dhishnya each in the two huts and six in the sadass. Darbha grass is spread all over the Mahavedi, except the Dhishnyas and the pits to crush Soma. Yajamanan comes under bondage when he takes the pledge for Yanja. He will become free when he performs the homam, Agnishomeeyampasuishti. The sacrificial goat used in this should have black and white colour, the representation of day and night. Since no animal sacrifice now, cooked rice is used instead of goat. In Agnishoma pranayanam, the fire God, Agni and Somadeva are led out. Adhvaryu ties one end of a long piece of cloth to his head and Yajamanan, his spouse and the other Ritviks spread the rest of it over their heads. Then they establish Agni and Soma at Agnidhriyam and the wooden cart respectively. Just like Salagrama symbolizes God Vishnu, a creeper (latha) symbolizes Soma. Soma also means with Uma, that is, Parvathi. Kenopanishads hints that Uma is Maya. Soma is Maya related Atma. Somaahuthi means sacrificing in fire the Maya element in the Atma. Thus Somaahuthi , Somapanam are all part of self-realization. In this way also this yanja performance can be considered as the dramatization n of self realization. If Soma is Vishnu, what does consuming it mean? Food is everything. The senses and their knowledge are the food for the mind; vegetables and cereals for the body. By consuming soma, that is, Vishnu, the consumer and the rest of the world attain purity and prosperity. At the sight of Somalatha in the wooden cart, Gods who waited eagerly to drink Somarasa are somewhat pacified. Adhvaryu tells Yajamanan that the Gods will not pester him. With this, Yajamanan unfolds his fist and completes his Deekshavisargam. Afterwards, Adhvaryu gives the directions for the tenth day. The preparations are made, and the ninth day ends. Suthyam is the most important part of Atirathram. The rituals start on the tenth day, at 2 am. Somalatha is unloaded from the wooden cart for Somaahuthi. Then the Praatharanuvakam mantra is chanted. The water to extract Soma juice is collected. Water is collected in five pots.
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Then the ritual called Sthomanjanam follows. Upaamsuhomam and Antharyamahomam just before and after the sunrise are very important. Somarasa collected in the pot Upaamshu is sacrificed in Agni in Upaamsuhomam. In Antharyaamahomam, Somarasa is poured while doing Pranayama. Somagrahanam is the next. In somagrahanam filtered somarasam is stored in the wooden pot, Dronakalasam and in the earthen pots Poothabhrth and Adhavaneeyam. Now the rituals Savanaahuthi and Bahishpavamanasthuti are performed. Yajamanan and six ritviks pass one by one walking on folded legs holding ones hands on the shoulder of the other over the Chiti. Once they are close to the fire, the ritviks pour ghee into it. Since Ashwinis are Physcians they degradated and denied somarasam. When they cured the illness of Chyavanamaharshi of his illness they are allowed to take somarasam after Samavedins chanting Pavamana sthuti to get rid of their degradation. Prasthathan faces west, Udgaatan faces north and Pratihaari faces south while chanting. Ashwinis, get rid of their degradation, enter the Yagasala. Yajamanan bows to the somarasam kept in the pots. Adhvaryu pours ghee into the Dhishnyas. This is called Dhishnyavyagharanam. The next important ritual is Ekadasapasu ishti. In this, eleven goats made of rice flour are sacrificed for Agni, Saraswati, Soman, Pooshav, Brhaspati, Vishwa Gods, Indra, Maruti, Indraagni, Savithav and Varuna. Chants of Sama Vedic and Rig Vedic hymns reverberate through the Yagasala. The rituals after sunrise are time bound. They are divided into three parts or savanams of 8 nazhikas (2hours and 52minutes) each. In Pratassavanam, five sthuti sastras such as Savaneeya purodasa homam, Prasthita homam, Rithuyagam which are meant for the six ritus (seasons) are important. In Maadhyandina savanam, too, there are five sthuti sastras. Among these, Pavamana sthuti, Somopasthanam, Dhishnyavyagharanam and Didhigharma are the most important. After offering dakshina to the wise ones present along with the ritviks in the Dashiniyaayini ceremony, Vysyakarma homam takes place. This is to rectify any lapses in the former. In the next ceremony, Yajamanan is conferred the title Akkithar. Yajamanan sits on Krishnajinam, in a silver plate, facing east. This means is that he is honoured as the rightful master of Agni. Adhvaryu and others call him Akkithar, and others join them. A new Akkithar is born and he, until his end, preserves at home the fire gathered from the Yagasala and experiences the permanent presence of the fire God. The ceremonies of Mahendragraham, Brahatsamasthuti, Nishkevalyam, Athigrahya homam and Seshabhakshanam are done. It is followed by Madhyandina savanam which concludes with the Ekasastram of Maithravarunan, Brahmanacchamsi and Acchavakan. The first step of triteeya savanam is Somabhishavam. Soma juice is extracted and given first to the sun God, and the Sthuti begins. Ekadasapasu homam and other rituals are performed as in earlier savanams. The next is Sowmyapracharam. Cooked raw rice is used in this. It is believed that issueless women will be blessed with motherhood if they consume the prasadam (remnants of the offering). Now it is continuous chanting of Sama Veda sthutis and Rig Veda sastras. The four hour long Ashwini sthuti sastras , Agnishtomam, Ukhyasthuti, Shodasi, Rathriparyayam etc., are the most important among these. The sthutis are meant mainly for Agni, Ushus and Ashwinis.
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The twelfth day begins with Anuyajam. Adhvaryu feeds the fire with materials representing the sacrificial goat. Unnetan collects the remaining somam. After Anuyajam, certain rituals of atonement are performed. Thus ends the pledge, Tanoonaptram, which the ritviks took as Agnidhriyam earlier. They taste curd and promise each other to come together in the next yanja. It is called Sakhyavisarjanam. Patnee samyaja homam is for the spouses of the Gods. In this, the remains of the sacrificial animal, apart from ghee are submitted to fire. The next is the main atonement homam, Kalpa prayaschitham. Now it is Avabhrdheshti, the bathing ceremony towards the end of the yanja. Yajamanan and his spouse now take bath for the first time after starting Yanja. They and the ritviks take a dip, with much fanfare. The water is imagined as Agni and Varuna is propitiated. Back in the yagasala, Pratiprasthatan performs Udayaneeyeshti. Maithravaruneshti, Pasu ishti, Sakthu homam and Agnervimokahomam follow this. As the last step of Atirathram, Yajamanan transfers the three fires into Arani. And then, the yagasala is set on fire. Indra purifies the earth and the atmosphere with showers. Yajamanan is the soul and the yagasla is the body. Once the soul withdraws from the Threthaagni after the completion of Yagadharma, the lifeless body , the Yagasala is cremated. Every bit of the Yagasala - somarasam, ghee, vapa and so onis taken to the Gods by Agni. Thus ends Atirathram. The Brahmanas say that among the Gods Agni is the first and Vishnu, the noblest. Agni leads us to the feet of Vishnu. As Atirathram ends, another yagam begins. Yajamanan and his spouse have to keep the three fires burning at home, worshipfully, till their endfor the welfare of all. Oh, God of fire, Once I become you and You become me, that is the end of all wishes If I a mortal, become you with dedicated worship I too become immortal !! Salutations to You, before and behind! Salutations to You on every side! O All! You, Infinite in Power, and Infinite in Prowess, pervade all; wherever You are the All. -Srimad Bhagavad Gita.

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