SIMPLE HOMA PROCEDURE - PART 3 After completing the initial procedures, now we have to invoke the presiding deity (pradhna devat) to whom the oblations are offered. In this article, Lalitmbik is taken as pradhna devat.

Certain saskra-s are to be done as oblation before invoking Lalitmbik in the homa fire. Generally, the following 12 saskra-s are done. Saskra means putting together, forming well, making perfect, accomplishment, embellishment, purification, cleansing, making ready, preparation, etc. There are two ways of invoking Lalitmbik in the middle of homa fire. Simplest way is to invoke her by reciting agni madhye vahaymi, sana samarpaymi, etc and by using vahana mudras. Certain mudras are demonstrated HERE

However, the following is the detailed procedure. There are twelve agni saskra-s.

1. garbhdhna, 2. pusavana, 3. smantonnayana, 4. jtakarman, 5. nmakarman, 6. nikramaa, 7. annaprana, 8. ckarman, 9. upanayana, 10. kenta, 11. samvartana, 12. vivha,

Now two oblations with small dharvi should be given to agni using this mantra

om vaivnara jtaveda ihvaha lohitka sarvakarmai sdhaya svh ||

Then we have to proceed to the following saskra-s one after another, and for each saskra, an oblation is to be offered using the small dharvi. In general, only the following eight saskra-s are done.

1.

om asygne garbh saskra karomi svh ||

(entering into the womb - pregnancy)

2.

om asygne pusavana saskra karomi svh ||

(generally this is done at the third of month of pregnancy praying for a male progeny)

3.

om asygne smantonnayana saskra karomi svh |

(This is parting of hair of pregnant women performed on the fourth month of pregnancy; nowadays performed, during sixth and eight months of pregnancy also. This is done for general prosperity)

4.

om asygne jtakarma saskra karomi svh ||

(this is naming ceremony and now the agni should be named after Lalitmbik. Jtakarman means naming)

As Lalitmbik is taken as an example here, three oblations should be done as follows.

om lalitmbikgni svh ||

5.

om lalitmbikgni annaprana saskra karomi svh ||

(feeding rice into the mouth of the child for the first time)

6.

om lalitmbikgni ckaraa saskra karomi svh ||

(ckaraa means tonsuring; this is also known as clkaraa or caulakaraa. This is generally done after the child completes three years of age)

7.

om lalitmbikgni upanayana saskra karomi svh ||

(sacred ceremony. This is done not only for gods, but also for goddesses)

8.

om lalitmbikgni vivha saskra karomi svh ||

(marriage ceremony)

After completing the above saskra-s, agni is to be worshiped with the following mantra by joining both the palms (namaskra mudra).

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triayana-maruabaddhmauli suukl uka-marua-manekkalpa-mambhoja-sastham |

abhimata-varaakti svastikbhtihasta namata kanamllaktsa knum ||

(meaning: I pay obeisance to Agni god who is with three eyes, red hair, wearing pure white garments, red complexioned, adorned with excellent ornaments, seated on a lotus flower, showing abhaya and varada mudras and with lustrous shoulders.)

After this, seven oblations are offered to Agnis seven tongues.

{ -- sapte te agne samidhas-sptajihvssaptaaya-saptadhmapriyi |}

{O Agni! You have seven samidh-s (a small dried twig, offered during each oblation), seven tongues (for these seven tongues, oblations are being offered now), seven sages worship you with seven mantras (these mantras are scripted by these seven sages for worshiping Agni)}.

1. om hiranyyai nama svh || hiranyya ida na mama || (oblation to be done on the North Eastern side of the homa fire).

2. om kanakyai nama svh || kanakya ida na mama || (South East)

3. om raktya nama svh || raktya ida na mama || (East)

4. om kyai nama svh || kya ida na mama || (South West)

5. om suprabhyai nama svh || suprabhy ida na mama || (West)

6. om atiraktyai nama svh || atirakty ida na mama || (North West)

7. om bahurpayai nama svh || bahurpy ida na mama || (center of homa fire)

Now three oblations are to be offered to Agni using the following three mantras (already two oblations are offered with the following mantra before saskra-s

1.

om vaivnara jtaveda ihvaha lohitka sarvakarmai sdhaya svh || agnaye ida na mama ||

2.

om uttiha purua haritapigala lohitka sarvakarmai sdhaya me dehi dpaya svh || agnaye ida na mama ||

3.

citpigala hana hana daha daha paca paca sarvajjpaya svh | agnaye ida na mama ||

With these all preparatory agni procedures are over. The next step is to invoke Lalitmbik in the middle of the fire. Let us assume that we are invoking Her using one of the dhyna verses of Lalit Sahasranma. Then the procedure goes like this.

First we have to meditate on Her using the dhyna verse. While doing this, take some flowers in the palms and bring both the palms together. Meditate on Her using a dhyna verse.

sakukuma-vilepan alika-cumbi-kastrik

samanda-hasitekam saara-cpa-pkuam

aea-jana-mohin arua-mlya-bhbar

jap-kusuma-bhsur japavidhau smaredabikm

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om ai hr r akilanaakoi brahmanyaki r rjarvar lalit mahtripurasundar par bharik mahdevy agni madhye vhayami ||

Now the flowers held in palms should be offered in the middle of the fire. After this, vhanti mudra-s are to be offered to HER, who is now seated in the middle of the fire in homa kua.

Then, following upacra-s are to be offered

, , , , , , and

sana, pdyam, argyam, camanyam, snnam, vastram, upavtam, gandham and pupam

Now ydi nysa, karanysa and hrdaydi nysa should be offered as in the case of

mantra japa. At the end of each mantra nama svh| mahdevyai ida na mama || should be added. r saubhgyavidy pacadakar, mantra is given here as an example. For every single japa mantra that is offered as oblation, nama svh | mahdevyai ida na mama should be suffixed to the mantra.

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om ai hr r ai - ka e la hr kl - ha sa ka ha la hr sau - sa ka la hr nama svh| mahdevyai ida na mama ||

With this middle part of homa procedure is concluded. There are two more parts to conclude this series on homa procedure.