Somayaga - an introduction:

Somayaga is the yadnya performed using the Somalata. It has sixteen Ritvikas. (Those who perform Yagya by taking Dakshina are called Ritvik) There are further clarifications of sixteen Ritvikas of the Som Yaga into four types :

1. Adhvaryu Gan, 2. Brahma Gan, 3. Hotrigan and 4. Ugdata Gan.

Each of these ganas has four different Ritviks under them whose names are also differently upheld.

1- Adhvaryugana:-

(1) Adhvaryu (2) Pratiprashtata (3) Neshta and (4) Unneta.

2- Brahmagana:- (1) Brahma (2) Brahmanachchasi (3) Agrighra and (4) Potra.

3- Hotrigana:- (1) Hota (2) Maitravaruna (Administrator) 3 Aachchavaka and (4) Pravastuta.

4- Udgatris:- (1) Udgata (2) Prasaddddd (3) Pratiharta and Subrahmanyadddddd.

Indra is the main deity of the Somayaga. Somayaga is conducted to please Lord Indra.

Indra is generally thought of as the lord of rain only. However, Indra is also the lord of the mind, an endless force. Indra is the lord of fertility. Yes, and also the lord of rain bearing clouds. He is the divine principle which imparts the virility in the medicines.

Hence, for obtaining happiness or bliss, it is essential that we please Indra and gain the blessings of the divine force of the Yaga. Somayaga imparts vitality to all the medicines, it is considered as a process which bestows good on the whole world. Many believe that the

Somayaga is conducted for propitiating the rain gods.

Nowhere has it been mentioned that Somayaga has been prescribed for inviting the rains. There are other Yagas meant for making rains happen in the form of Parjanya Yadnya, Vrishti Yadnya etc. However, amongst the fruits of Somayaga is one called Suvrishti. That is necessary amounts of rain pouring at the right time when they are required. Our acharyas believe that Somayaga has the power to stop excess as well as deficient rains.

This special Yaga provides an extra powerful boost of Healing Energy to the whole world. The atmosphere becomes medicinal, nutritious and disease-free.

Somayagas yield a qualitative and quantitative improvement in the collective psyche of the people living in the whole country.

There are seven types of Somayagas:

• AGNISHTOMA- for the atmosphere

• ATYAGNISHTOMA- for water

• JYOTI RUKTHA- for food

• SHODASHI - for health

• ATIRATRA- for longevity of life

• APTORYAM - for well-being and prosperity of the whole society

• VAJAPEYA - for eradication of sins and peace of mind

Why do we conduct Somayaga ?

In spiritual terms, it is the strength of the soul which is primarily aimed at during the conduction of the Somayaga. Somayaga is very apt at stopping all the adverse effects of our karmas which can happen in our lives. It is said that Kings conducted Somayaga in order to not

have famines and other natural calamities at their doorstep. In the Taittiriya Samhita, there is a vedic mantra itself which says that a Somayaga can keep famine at bay. Depression is a disease which

has caught hold of the modern world. Ancient manuscripts mention that Somayaga can prevent depression from entering the kingdom. As a result of the conduction of Somayaga, good progeny and good intelligent minds are generated as the corollaries. It is also the answer to the gross sins. In this way, countless

fruits are mentioned as an outcome of Somayaga.

Scientific Aspects:

Apart from the spiritual aspects of the Somayaga, it has many scientific

ones:

1. The effect on the "collective consciousness" - the chanting of

mantras, the extraction of soma juice, the oblations and the presence of people gathered. Sufficient strength makes the

random sequence of the world, predictable on that day.

2. Positive change for the better - Attitudinal surveys indicated a

positive change for the better. It showed that people attended Yāgas for spiritual reasons and that their lives are affected by spiritual activities like Yāgas.

3. Environmental effects -

Analysis of the homa ash showed no

bacteria or bacterial activity even when there were counts of air-borne bacteria in various distant localities.

4. Yaga has positive effects on agriculture and human health. The yagna seems to have accelerated the process of seed

germination and also the microbial presence in air, water and soil in and around the region of the fire ritual.

How and when did Yaga start?

Scholars hold that Yadnyas have a primordial history in the world. The earliest mention of Soma and Soma Yāgas are to be found in the Rig Veda - which

is the oldest of all 4 Vedas. Thus there is no doubt that the Soma Yadnyas are as old as Indian Vedic history. yadnyas have formed an important part of Vedic

worship since the very beginning of the Vedic religion and culture. Amongst the various Yāgas, the Soma Yāgas

are one of the oldest and most important groups of Yāgas.

The life of a knowledgeable practitioner of the Vedas transforms into a Yadnya in itself. The soul of such a person becomes the master of the Yadnya. The concentration becomes the wife of the master or the Yajamana patni. His body becomes the firewood. Their

bosom becomes the altar. The hair become synonymous with the sacred darbha. The Vedas become the tuft of hair on the head. The heart becomes the stake on which the sacrificial animal is bound. The desires become the sacred offering of clarified butter. The penance becomes the fire. Word becomes the hota, i.e the chanting of Rigvedic hymns. The vital force becomes the Udgaata or the celestial songs of the Samaveda. The eyes represent the Adhwaryu or the Yajurveda while the mind becomes the Brahman. The shrutis become the priest. The whole life becomes a deeksha.

Whatever such a person eats is what remains after sacrificial offerings. He drinks the Soma. Where he stays becomes a karma called Upasad. His travels and mobility become the sacred fire. The face becomes effulgent. Whatever they speak become the offering. Knowledge becomes the homa. The act of putting firewood into

the sacred fire becomes the food for the morning as well as the evening. The mornings, midday and evenings become the Savanam. Days, months, quarters, years etc. become the arhana yagas. Death becomes Avabritha snanam. In this way, Agnihotra becomes a process which transcends the cycle of life and death.

The main procedures of Somayaga:

- Rakshoghnishti : The yaga performed for the safety of the Yadnya.

- Somayaga Sankalpam :The fruits of the Somayaga are accrued to the world on the

foundation of the intensity of the imagination of the Master.

- Rithweek varanam : The process of acceptance of the Rithwiks by the Master.

- Madhuparka Sevanam :By the partaking of the honey, curd and ghee mixture the master and the rithwiks are not affected by uncleanliness.

- Saptahotra Kushmanda homam : The Yadnya conducted for removal of sins.

- Deekshaniyeshti :The master is made the embodiment of time. By the conduct of

Somayaga, the master is in fact given a rebirth. For this, through the Deekshaniyeshti, the process of being in a womb is recreated.

- Deekshaarambham :By the recitation of mantras, the Adhwaryu gives Deeksha.

- Sanneeharam :Here, the Yajamanan has taken a deeksha to conduct a Somayaga.

A person goes about asking for alms in order to provide for the finances required for conducting the Yagna. This is a procedure where the Yajamana entrusts a person with the job of asking the alms. This person would go to all with a big plate. People are free to give whatever they wish.

- Prayanneeyeshthih:Homas to five deities namely Pathyaswasthi, Agni, Soman, Savitha, Aditi.

- Somakrayam :Receiving the Somalata after offering 10 substances namely,

1.Cow, 2. Gold, 3.Calf, 4. Cow and Calf, 5. Goat, 6. Castrated bull, 7. Stud bull, 8. Buck,

9. Silver and 10. Clothes.

- Aatithyeshthi: A ritual in which Somaraja is welcomed in a chariot consisting of two

vehicles of four foot each length - Vishnu being the deity

- Tanoonaptram :This is a ritual in which the Rithwiks take a sacred vow by touching the clarified butter that they shall remain united and steadfast in their efforts with a spirit of friendship for the success of the Somayaga.

- Pravargyam Upasath :This is a process in which cow's as well as goat's milk is

transferred into clarified butter placed in a mud vessel called as Mahaveeram. A huge ball of fire can be seen to be made during this ritual. The pravargyam is said to be the head of the Yadnya deity according to the Shrouta granthas. The upasath happens to be the rest of the body of the Yadnya deity from the neck to down.

- Subrahmanya avahanam (The advent of Subrahmanya). Indra is the Subrahmanya. Indra is invited with the Samaveda.

- Vedeekaranam: Preparation of the dais for Somayaga.

- Sadonirmmanam:Audience formation, sitting arrangement for the Rithwiks

- AgnishomeeyaYagaarambham :The start of the Yadnya with the fire and offerings to the gods representing the fiery world. One of the results of this procedure is the abundance of food.

- VasatiVareegrahanam: Providing Somaraja with water.

- Praatah, Madyandina and Triteeya Savanam : It is a process in which the 12 shastras and stotras are used. Rig is the weapon and samagana is the stotra.

- AvabhritaSnaanam : The Abhishek process of the master, the wife and the rithviks.

- Udayaneeyeshti : The start of the end of the Yagna.

- VediUposhanam : The offering of the Yadnyashala to the fire. The end of the Yagna with the complete offering of the Yagnashala to the fire and it's complete engulfing in flames.

🙏 Jayatu Indra 🙏

🙏 Namo Narasiṁha 🙏