Link for rare image of SrINarasimhan and Observations on AgnihOtram Performed by Srimath Chinna Azhagiya Singar

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SrI:Dear All :

 

I have uploaded the homa_avirbhAvam image of SrINarasimha swamy to the following link:

 

http://www.ibiblio.org/sadagopan/HH46th_pattam/rare_pic.jpg

 

At the end of the Ishti performed on May 7 by Rg Veda GhaanpAdi U.Ve. Sri Thirukkudanthai RangarAjAcchAr Swamy prior to His Aasrama SweekAram next day , there was a divine appearance of Lord Narasimhan from the Ishti ( Homa) Guntam at the end . This can be clearly seen amidst the smoke in the above picture . You have to look sideways and also straight at the image . The two prominent eyes and the Pidari (mane) and the Lion's head can be seen spreading across the body of the adhikAri , who just completed the Ishti . As adiyEn mentioned before , such events ( divine soochakams) do happen even in this Kali Yugam . Vedam does not fail . The Veda Moorthy acknowledges this thru such extraordinary events . MalOlan is such a powrful dhaivam . One is blessed to prostrate before Him and His dhivya PaadhukA Sevakars selected by Him to serve Him .

 

Ishti Nomenclature :

 

Now , Coming to the nomencalture of Ishti , I include some insightful comments from a friend of mine on the origin of the name : Ishti . He recalled the incorporation of Ishti in the name of major

Yaagams like PutrakAmEshti , Saangrahanya Ishti , We have the reference to other ishtis in

PanchAngam such as DarSa Ishti and PouNamAsa Ishti , which are done respectively on

AmAvAsyai/Prathamai and PourNamAsyai/Prathamai days by an observant "Agni hOtri ".

 

NityAgni Hotram can be considered as an Ishti in the overall context .This colleague of mine

thought that the Ishti performed on that Chitraa PourNami day by Sri Rg Veda Ghana Paadi

Swamy ,the nityAgnihOtri , could have been a PourNamAsya Ishti as a fitting finale of His agni

sambhandham as a gruhastar . His Dharma Patnee was right next to Him and performed Her duties as the wife of a NityAgnihOtri . As we all know , Yati Dharmam does not permit SanyAsis to have association with Agni or tending Agni for Yaagams and Yajnams and therefore this was the last of the AgnihOtrams perfomed by Swami for Loka KshEmArtham .

 

adiyEn will now add few more points relating to the Name Ishti , AgnihOtram and their significance

as well as how it is done and when it is done .

 

1. The Name Ishti: It has many meanings. One of them is a Vedam sanctioned Sacrifice that

offers with appropriate mantrAs an oblation consisting of butter , milk and food . It also means

to wish or desire ( root: " ish" in Parasmaipadham) . Ishtam also means a sacrifice . " Ishta kaama dhuh " stands for the boon granting KaamadhEnu . "Ishtaa poorta" stands for One who performs sacrifices ( Yaaga-Yajn~ams) , builds temples , digs pushkaraNis and ponds/wells and engages in other acts of Charity . "Ishti ayanam" stands for a Yaagam done over a long time as described in Srouta Samhitais and their BrAmaNams .

 

2. Agni hOtram : It is a sacrifice involving the maintenance of Agni (sacred fire) and offerring the oblation chiefly of Milk or sour gruel . These are the AgnihOtra AahUti or the sacred offerings

to Agni . AgnihOtri is One who practises AgnihOtram and the name of this Vedic karmaa derives

this way: " AgnayE hOtram hOmOsmin-karmaNeeti AgnihOtram iti karma Naama". The time of presenting the AahUti ( offerings) into the sacred fire is defined this way : " agnayE sAyam juhushAth ; SooryAya prAtharjuhuyAth" . Sooryan enters into Agni after Sun set and Agni enters into Sooryan after Sun raise . Hence , the evening AgnihOtram is for Agni and the Morning AgnihOtram is for Sooryan . In the Morning AgnihOtram , the name of Sooryan is invoked first and the name of Agni follows ; in the evening AgnihOtram , Agni is invoked first and Sooryan next. AruNa Mantrams dwell on the relationships between Agni and Sooryan .

 

3. Phalans of Ishti /Agni hOtram : There are three kinds of phalans sought after by one

who performs these Yajn~ams:

 

(1) Ihikam/Kaamyam : enjoyed in this world like Wife , children , property , rulership etc.

This is dukkha Misram and finite.

 

(2) Aamushmikam: enjoyed in the other world , which are not admixed with sorrow but are enjoyable only for a finite period .

 

(3) niSSrEyasam : This is an eternal , never diminishing , limitless Phalans gained from the dhyAnam on Sriman NaarayaNan as instructed by the Upanishads .

 

The Three Agnis for a Gruhastan :

Gaarhapatyam , Aahavaneeyam and DaskshiNAgni are the three Agnis are to be worshipped by a Grahastan after Agni AadhAnam until the end of His life as a gruhastan .

 

Gaarhapatyam a Circular shape likea wheel of a cart .

Aahavaneeyam agni Kuntam is a four cornered square .

DakshiNAgni Kuntam like a half Moon in shape .

 

VidhikAgni is maintained always in Gaarhapatya Kuntam and the other two are lit and kindled by

PraNayana karmaa . The periphery of ther Kuntams are spread with dharbhams to serve as seats for the attendant DevAs ( ParistaraNam) and at the beginning and the end of the homam ,

water is offerd ot the devAs as ParshEchanam.

 

Homa dhravyams : Cow's milk is mostly used as offering . Others like curd, Ghee,rice ( TaNDulam) , Charu ( rice cooked without draining water ) and rice gruel ( arisi Kanji) can

also be used instead of milk . Offering of each has different phalans . Once one starts with one dhravyam , one should stay with it . SamskArams are to be done to homa dhravyams :

(1)PratishEkam (2)ParyagnikaraNam and (3) Unnayanam . These consecrate the offerings.

One homam is done with Mantram and the other without mantrams . The Mantrams are at

the second ashtakam , First PraSnam , Second anuvAkam and PanchAti 11 .

 

Personage for AgnihOtram and Darsa PoorNa Homams : The competent YajamAnan alone can perform AgnihOtram and He can seek the assistance of four rtviks : Brhmaa , hOtaa, adhvaryu and Agneetthiran .

 

Our Revered Chinna Azhagiya Singar has been doing until Aasrama SveekAram AgnihOtram twice a day and hence is revered as NityAgnihOtri . He is the one and only NityAgnihOtri among all Azhagiya Singars , who have adorned the throne of SrI Ahobila Matam .

 

Srimath Azhagiya Singar ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,

DhAsan , Opiliappan KOil VaradAchAri Sadagopan

 

P.S : At AyyAngAr Street in KumbakOnam , there was another NithyAgnihOtri by the name of

Sriman AgnihOtram Sri RaamAnuja TatAchAr Swamy , who was an authority on Srouta karmAs

including Pasu Yaagams and Soma Yaagams . Our Chinna Azhagiya Singar perfromed Srimath Rahasya Thraya KaalakshEpam under AgnihOtram RaamAnuja TaatAchAr Swamy . This AchAryan wa sa great friend of our family and perfromed Mantra Japam for the enhancement of

adiyEn's vidhyaa grahaNam .

 

There was another AchAryan at IyengAr street across the street from Sri AgnihOtram RaamAnuja TatAchAr Swamy's family home in Thirukkudantai by the name of SiddhaNNaa or Sundara TatAchAr Swamy , who was a nityAgnihOtri Himself ; His Koil AzhwAr was presented to HH Chinna Azhagiya Singar after this AchAryan attained Sri VaikunTha PrApthi. Sri SiddhaNNa TatAchAr's dharma Patnee was my aunt ; my chinna ThAtthA's ( Sriman Poundareekapuram DesikAcchAr Sawmy) daugher ; My chinna Taattha performed AarAdhanam at Mangudi Sri Raamar Koil for number of years . So many memories about Thirukkudanthai and Srimath Chinna Azhagiya Singar and the Veda PaatasAlai on the banks of Cauvery , where asmath

AchAryan trained more than 100 Students in Rg Vedam .

 

More details on the various Prakruti and Vikruti Yaagams can be obtained from the monograph

released by Srirangam Srimath Andavan Aasram entitled "Sroutham " in the year 2004 C.E.