What is Agnihotra?

Agnihotra is a healing fire from the ancient science of Ayurveda.   It is a process of purifying the atmosphere through a specially prepared fire performed at sunrise and sunset daily.   Anyone in any walk of life can do Agnihotra and heal the atmosphere in his/her own home.  Hundreds of thousands of people all over the world have experienced that Agnihotra  reduces stress, leads to greater clarity of thought, improves overall health, gives one increased energy, and makes the mind more full of love.  It is a great aid to drug and alcohol addiction.  Agnihotra also nourishes plant life and neutralizes harmful radiation and pathogenic bacteria.   It harmonizes the functioning of Prana (life energy) and can be used to purify water resources.  

The practice of Agnihotra is simple, easily adoptable and universal.   It may be performed by any one irrespective of barriers like religion, sect, creed, nationality, color, sex and age.

Agnihotra is an ancient science given in Sanskrit language at the time of creation.   Sanskrit was never anyone's mother tongue; it is a language of vibration.   We can make changes in the atmosphere with Sanskrit mantras and fire prepared with specific organic substances, timed to the sunrise/sunset biorhythm.   The fire is prepared in a small copper pyramid of specific size and shape.   Brown rice, dried cowdung (manure) and ghee (clarified unsalted butter) are the substances burned.   Exactly at sunrise or sunset the mantras are spoken and a small amount of rice and ghee is given to the fire.   There is not just energy from the fire; subtle energies are created by the rhythms and mantras.  These energies are generated into the atmosphere by fire.   This, in addition to the qualities of the materials burned, produces the full effect of this healing Homa (healing fire).   

Tremendous amounts of energy are gathered around the Agnihotra copper pyramid just at Agnihotra time.  A magnetic-type field is created, which neutralizes negative energies and reinforces positive energies.  Therefore, a positive pattern is created by one who does Agnihotra merely by his/her performance.   Agnihotra purifies the atmosphere of pollutants and neutralizes harmful radiation.  The resultant atmosphere gives nourishment to plant life.

Agnihotra and plants:   The ghee is thrust into the atmosphere and attaches itself to the molecular structure of the soil, allowing the soil to retain more moisture.   Plants grown in Agnihotra atmosphere are better able to withstand droughts.   Agnihotra causes a change in the cellular structure of the plant which sends more nutrients to the fruit of the plant and less to the leaves, stem and roots.   Many people have found that the size, taste, texture and yield of fruits and vegetables grown in Agnihotra atmosphere are superior.   Performance of Agnihotra in the garden reduces pest problems and organic gardening and farming are made easier by using Homa (healing fire) techniques.

Medicinal properties of Agnihotra:   Agnihotra renews the brain cells, revitalizes the skin and purifies the blood.   It is the holistic approach to life.   Many people who are normally allergic to smoke experience a healing effect by sitting in Agnihotra atmosphere.  The healing effects of Agnihotra are locked in the resultant ash.   Thousands of people in different parts of the world have experienced wonderful healings of all types of ailments by using Agnihotra ash.

How to Perform Agnihotra

Agnihotra requires these materials:

• Copper pyramid of specific shape and size
• Dried cow dung (can also be obtained from a local dairy farm)
• Ghee (clarified unsalted butter from cow’s milk; easily obtained at most health food stores like Whole Foods)
• Whole grain raw brown rice (preferrably organic; preferrably unbroken grains)
• Agnihotra Mantras (see below)
• Exact time of sunset and sunrise for your city in the U.S.A. (form A) or worldwide (form B).

Building The Agnihotra Fire
The main idea in building the Agnihotra fire is to arrange the cowdung pieces to allow for good air flow.   Many people find the following method helpful:

Spread a little ghee on each piece of dung.   Place a small piece of dried dung in the bottom of the pyramid (see #1 below).   Add two small pieces in opposing corners (#2).   Continue adding pieces in alternating corners, using larger pieces as the pile grows (#3, 4, & 5).

To light the dung, spread ghee on a narrow piece of dung, ignite it, and place it flame downward in the center of the layers.   The air flow will give you a fire that won't collapse as it burns.   Be sure your fire is blazing enough to burn the rice and ghee quickly and completely.

After the Mantras have been uttered and the rice offering given, it is best not to disturb the fire, due to the interplay of subtle energies.   If possible, avoid moving the pyramid until the next time you prepare for Agnihotra.

A larger fire using more dried cowdung amplifies the healing effects and produces a greater quantity of healing ash.

Starting the Fire
Light the fire a few minutes before the scheduled time, so the dung will be fully ablaze at Agnihotra time.   Do not use lighters (i.e. objects with lighter fluid) or gas stoves to start the fire.   Exactly at sunrise or sunset, utter the Mantras and give the offerings of rice mixed with a little ghee to the fire, after each Swáhá.  Say the Mantras once only.   If you miss the exact time for you city,  you will not have the healing effect of Agnihotra.  

After each Agnihotra, try to spare as many minutes as you can for meditation.  You can sit in silence at least until the fire extinguishes itself.   Or, you can recite another of your favorite mantras.   I recommend the Gayatri mantra, another powerful and universal mantra recited at sunrise and/or sunset.   This mantra is for the enlightenment of all beings.

Collect the ash (at the next Agnihotra) and keep it in a container made of earthenware, glass or wood.   DO NOT keep Agnihotra ash in a container made of plastic or metals other than copper or gold.   Agnihotra ash can be used as fertilizer for plants or for making folk medicines for animals and humans.   In South America it is called "miracle ash".

Agnihotra Mantras
There are vibrations that exist everywhere.   Where there is vibration there is also sound.  When we do these Mantras, the sounds we utter activate these special vibrations that will create certain atmosphere of effects.   Then the desired results are realized.   These vibrations exist for everything, so anything can be activated, controlled or changed by Mantras.   When one with a pure mind speaks the Mantra into the Agnihotra pyramid at the correct time, the ash retains that energy and the healing properties of the ash become more powerful.

Agni (fire), also known as Surya, is the deity that represents all the other deities.   Agni is said to be the mouth of the gods.  Agni is known as the messenger of the gods.  Whatever man has to say to the gods, to the higher powers, he conveys it through Agni.  All the gods are fed through Agni.   Agni is the link with the Supreme Lord of all the worlds.   The words "Sooryáya", "Agnaye" and "Prajápataye" in the mantras are the synonyms of the Almighty.

The agnihotra mantras are to be uttered in such rhythmically balanced tone that the sound vibrates in the entire household.   It should not be harshly loud or too weak, nor it should be in hurry.   The mantras should be chanted in clear, voice.   The feeling of total surrender is developed through the utterance of these mantras.

The following mantras will be used during the agnihotra and havans.  Using your thumb against your middle and ring fingers, the rice offerings are made to the fire to the accompaniment of the word "swáhá."  The meaning of this word "swáhá" (or "offering") is to dedicate oneself to renounce personal interests and act for the welfare of others.  Swáhá is the wife of Agni.

Morning Agnihotra Mantra

Sooryáya swáhá (add the first portion of rice), 
sooryáya idam na mama

Prajápataye swáhá (add the second portion of rice),
prajápataye idam na mama

Evening Agnihotra Mantra 

Agnaye swáhá (add the first portion of rice),
agnaye idam na mama

Prajá pataye swáhá (add the second portion of rice),
prajá pataye idam na mama

This concludes Agnihotra.