The Fire Pits (Kundas) Shrauta Agnihotra involves drawing fire from the central source into specific pits:
• Trikundi (Three Pits): Garhapatya (Circular pit, representing Brahma), Ahavaniya (Square pit, representing Vishnu), and Dakshinagni (Half-moon pit, representing Shiva).
• Panchakundi (Five Pits): Adds the Sabhya (witness fire) and Avasathya fires, serving as a synthesis of Shrauta and Smarta traditions.
Key Shrauta Rituals Elaborated:
• Agnihotra Homa: Daily morning and evening worship accompanied by traditional prayers and Aarti.
• Darshapurnamasau: Bi-weekly sacrifices requiring four priests: Brahma, Adhvaryu, Hota, and Agnidhra. It involves complex steps like Anvadhan, Pranita, Vedikhanan, and Purodash preparation.
• Agrayanam: Performed during Autumn and Spring to offer the newly harvested crops.
• Chaturmasyani: Sacrifices occurring every four months (Phalguna, Ashadha, and Kartika Purnimas).
• Pindapitruyagna: An Amavasya ritual offering oblations in the Dakshinagni for the contentment of ancestors.
Srushti Yagna & Soma Yaga
In the cosmic sacrifice (Srushti Yagna), Agni is the Hota, Vayu is Adhvaryu, Surya is Udgata, and Parameshthi is Brahma. The ultimate goal is to merge the individual microcosm (Pinda/Chiti) with the cosmic macrocosm (Brahmanda/Mahachiti).
While standard Agnihotra utilizes only the Yajurveda, the Soma Yaga requires the synergy of all three primary Vedas.
एष वै सर्वयज्ञानां सोमः प्रथम इष्यते ।
सोमेनाराधयेद्धेवं सोमलोकमहेश्वरम् ।।
Soma is the foremost among all yagnas, used to worship Lord Maheshwara.
The Soma Yaga involves offering the divine Somarasa, which Ayurvedic texts claim rejuvenates all cellular structures, provides immense vitality, and purifies every particle in the universe. It is categorized by its concluding chants (Samagans), such as Agnishtoma, Ukthya, Shodashi, and Atiratra.