Agnihotra

The sunrise and sunset offering

Purpose: the oldest daily fire offering, made exactly at sunrise and sunset. In its full śrauta form it is a lifelong vow with three fires. A simple form, widely practised today, uses a small copper pyramid-shaped vessel, cow-dung cakes, ghee and a few grains of rice.

Mantras of the popular form — at sunrise: “sūryāya svāhā, sūryāya idaṃ na mama; prajāpataye svāhā, prajāpataye idaṃ na mama.” At sunset “agnaye” replaces “sūryāya”. It is done by oneself, daily, in a few minutes.

Exactly at sunrise & sunset · Self, daily

Homam — the sacred fire offering · Ask a Jyotishi your own question