Complete Agnihotra

Procedure
in Photographs Step-by-Step
1. Begin by breaking up some pieces of dried cow-dung.
2. Place one small, approximately square, flat piece of dung in the bottom of
the pyramid.
3. Arrange other pieces to allow a good flow of air through the pyramid.
4. Continue building on opposite corners of the pyramid.
5. Continue building in an alternate fashion, log cabin style.
6. When you have completed building there should be a small hole in the middle of the
stack. Add a few drops of ghee to the completed stack. Only cow's ghee should be used
for Agnihotra.
7. A few minutes before sunrise/sunset apply a little ghee to one piece of dung.
8. Light this piece of dung. Lighter fluid, kerosene, guggal, camphor or other ignitable
materials should never be used for lighting the Agnihotra fire.
9. Insert this lit piece in the hole in the centre of the stack.
10. Slowly the whole stack catches alight. You may use a hand- fan if necessary but
you should never blow on the fire.
11. Prepare two portions of unpolished rice. The quantity of rice that you can hold in the
tips of your fingers constitutes one portion.
12. Separate the broken grains of rice and discard.
13. Add a few drops of ghee and mix with the rice.
14. Divide the rice and ghee mixture into two portions.
15. Exactly at
sunrise or
sunset the fire
should be fully
ablaze. Take the
first portion of
rice/ ghee
mixture between
2nd and 3rd
fingers and
thumb of right
hand only with
index finger and
pinkie
outstretched.
16. At the exact second
of sunrise or sunset
(according to
computer-generated
timetable, available
free upon request for
your exact location)
reach your hand out
from the heart
towards the flame
and utter the first
Mantra. Drop the first
portion of rice/ghee
on to the fire on word
"swaha."
17. Then take the
second portion of
rice/ghee in the
same manner and
drop it on to the fire
while uttering the
second Mantra. The
mantras are uttered
once only at each
Agnihotra.
18. Try to sit near the fire for as many minutes as possible after each Agnihotra to
experience the peace that comes as a result of its practice. The effects of sunrise
Agnihotra last until sunset, and from sunset until sunrise. This completes the Agnihotra
procedure.