Agnihotra: Magic Cleansing
Agnihotra or sacrificial fire, is a very powerful scientific method of cleansing the environ. It is known to bring deep healing to fields and forests with ailing plants. As a Reiki healer, I have found it to be very useful in clearing energies. In fact, I have never seen any other cleansing system which is as effective as this is. In Hindu traditions, this process involves a lot of complicated chanting, but one can also do a very basic, simple agnihotra, giving us an option to quickly cleanse our homes.
Unlike normal smoke, the smoke released during an agnihotra does not leave soot and will not tarnish your ceiling. It is also very healing to breathe this smoke in, as it is antibacterial.
Agnihotra is performed either at sunrise or sunset. The timings are important, as you should offer the rice to the fire exactly at the moment of sunrise or sunset. Click here to download the times for your location. I believe performing the homa (agnihotra) at sunrise energizes and charges the house, whereas performing the homa at sunset clears out dull and heavy energies. You could also smudge your crystals in the smoke that is released after the fire dies out.
Note on Timing: If it is not possible for you to do it at the exact time, it can be done later as well – several people I know have done it later and still benefited tremendously.
What you need:
You will need the following to perform an agnihotra:
A copper pyramid shaped vessel to perform the agnihotra in. If you don’t have this, you could make a square hole in the mud in your backyard, preferably near a window so that the smoke can enter and purify your home.
Dry cow dung OR sticks of wood from a tree which oozes milky sap when cut. Eg: mango tree, banyan tree, peepal tree; tulsi twigs are also commonly used.
Ghee. If you don’t have ghee, melt unsalted butter until it is completely clear and the residue separates out. For best results, the ghee should be prepared on a full moon morning.
Whole grain raw brown rice. Today many priests use polished white rice because it is cheap, but it is also useless. All the nutrients are beaten out of this rice and it has nothing to offer to your body, or to the atmosphere when burned. Use brown rice if you can find it.
Matchbox to start the fire with.
Note: Agnihotra kits and also cow-dung are available on Amazon and Flipkart if they are not available at a shop near you.
The Process:
Warm the ghee and soak the pieces of wood or cow dung in it. Arrange it such that there is scope for air to pass through. Arranging it in a mountain shape is helpful because you can then place the lighted piece underneath it.
Light a piece of cow dung or wood, and place it below the other pieces. Prepare the fire about 5 minutes before the sunset or sunrise time.
Exactly at the time of sunset or sunrise, chant the following mantras ONCE EACH.
Sunrise:
Om Sooryáya Sváhá (offer rice to fire)
Sooryáya Idam Na Mama
Om Prajápataye Sváhá (offer rice to fire)
Prajápataye Idam Na Mama
Sunset:
Om Agnaye Sváhá (offer rice to fire)
Agnaye Idam Na Mama
Om Prajápataye Sváhá (offer rice to fire)
Prajápataye Idam Na Mama
After this, optionally you can chant your kuladevta mantra ending it with swaha and an offering to the fire, 21 times times for added benefit. While you are doing the agnihotra, I recommend meditating on the fire and imagining that the fire is burning and cleansing your whole energy field. This amplifies the effect.
Note:
Normally, if you are using cow dung and have smeared enough ghee on it, it should burn by itself without any problem. If you are using wood, then you might need to add some ghee to keep the fire alive.
Once the fire is over, let the ashes cool, and then sprinkle it in your garden. Many dying plants are quickly revived with this ash. If you don’t have a garden, you can store the ash in an earthen, glass or wooden pot.
In case the materials are not available, one can meditate on the process. It is not the same, but it still helps to clear some of the energies.
Author of ‘Healing Through Reiki’, Ashwita learned Reiki in 1997, and started teaching it in 2006. She now incorporates other forms of energy healing, as well as hypnotherapy and past life therapy in her work. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, crafts, reading and painting.
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Can we also add camphor to it ?
Yes Nivi, you can add camphor to it to get the flame started. Don’t use too much though, as that is not a traditional part of the agnihotra.
Thank u so very much, Ashwita for this guidence.
Can we eat non veg once after starting agnihotri home at home and mail me Bangalore centres address
I’m not really sure about this, so cannot comment I’m sorry. I think the scriptures disallow it.
How long should one do this daily? (depending on that, we can choose how much cowdung,rice,ghee to be added)
And should this be done daily? or weekly or monthly? what is the time interval suggested?(I dont know if it is “too much is too bad types or what – Hence asking?”)
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Good morning, all my name is Nayana Surya from bangalore. My hubby is farmer representative, Me along with his support have started making hand made cow dung cake which is derived from Desi Humped cows not the hf or jersey cows. Reason I am posting in your group is we can supply Desi cow dung cake to people who perform Agnihotra.
On e-commerce u will have to pay 200 rs for 25 pieces
of 2″ in diameter that too they don’t mention if it is of Desi cow dung cakes. Ours is 150 RS for 50 pieces + Delivery, which are made from A2 cows . we make a special cow dung cake which is derived from Gir cow which is of 50 pieces 200 RS only . Special thing about this is there 4 natural extract added to this mixture we’re in one can use it for Agnihotra, Dhoop, aarathi and Hawan. All our cows dung cakes are sun-dried
We also make plant nutrients in form of panchagavya I believe ours is lowest price all the products used in it are derived from GIR CoW 140rs for 500 ml
We also make A2 cow ghee which will cow 1500 RS and Gir cow ghee for 2200 RS
This can benefit the farmers and can be a source of income to their families
For more details one can reach me at 8884466144