Shloka 1
Vaiśvadeva-Homa: Establishing Vaiśvānara, Sending Away Impurity, and the Svāhā Recipient-List
नाम पञ्जदशोत्तरद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः ब्रह्मोवाच / वैश्वदेवं प्रवक्ष्यामि होमलक्षणमुत्तमम् / प्रज्वाल्य चाग्निं पर्युक्ष्य-ॐ क्रष्यादमग्निं प्रहिणोमि दूरं यमराज्यं गच्छतु रिप्रवाहः / इहैवायमितरो जातवेदा देवेभ्यो हव्यं वहतु प्रजानत् / ॐ पावक वैश्वानर इदमासनं अरणीगर्भसंस्कृततेजोरूप महाब्रह्मन् मुहूर्तास्त्रिषु वैश्वानरं प्रतिबोधयामि / ॐ वैश्वानरे न उभयं आप्रयातु परावतः अग्निर्न स्वद्युतीरूपपृष्ठो दिवि पृष्ठो ऽश्वि पृथिव्यां पृष्ठा विवेवा ओषधीचाविवेश वैश्वानरः सहसा पृष्ठो ऽग्निः नमो दिव्य स षष्ठां नक्तम्
nāma pañjadaśottaradviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ brahmovāca / vaiśvadevaṃ pravakṣyāmi homalakṣaṇamuttamam / prajvālya cāgniṃ paryukṣya-oṃ kraṣyādamagniṃ prahiṇomi dūraṃ yamarājyaṃ gacchatu ripravāhaḥ / ihaivāyamitaro jātavedā devebhyo havyaṃ vahatu prajānat / oṃ pāvaka vaiśvānara idamāsanaṃ araṇīgarbhasaṃskṛtatejorūpa mahābrahman muhūrtāstriṣu vaiśvānaraṃ pratibodhayāmi / oṃ vaiśvānare na ubhayaṃ āprayātu parāvataḥ agnirna svadyutīrūpapṛṣṭho divi pṛṣṭho 'śvi pṛthivyāṃ pṛṣṭhā vivevā oṣadhīcāviveśa vaiśvānaraḥ sahasā pṛṣṭho 'gniḥ namo divya sa ṣaṣṭhāṃ naktam
Brahma sprach: „Ich werde die höchste Methode und die kennzeichnenden Merkmale des Vaiśvadeva (Feueropfer) erklären. Nachdem man das heilige Feuer entzündet und es (mit reinigendem Wasser) besprengt hat, soll man rezitieren: ‚Om – dieses Feuer sende ich weit weg; möge der Strom der Unreinheit in Yamas Reich gehen. Aber möge dieser andere – Jātavedas – hier bleiben, wohlwissend, und die Opfergabe zu den Devas tragen.‘“
Brahma
Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey
Concept: Pañca-mahāyajña ethos via Vaiśvadeva: daily fire-offering purifies, sustains devas, and maintains ṛta through Agni as mediator.
Vedantic Theme: Yajña as harmonizing principle; Agni as inner fire (vaiśvānara) reflecting the universal Self’s sustaining power (microcosm–macrocosm correspondence).
Application: Perform Vaiśvadeva with proper kindling, pariṣecana (sprinkling), and mantras; consciously dedicate removal of impurity and offering transport to devas.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: ritual hearth (agni-kuṇḍa)
Related Themes: Garuda Purana adhyāya 216 Vaiśvadeva-vidhi context; subsequent svāhā list (216.2) as continuation
FAQs
This verse frames Vaiśvadeva as a highest-grade daily offering that purifies the performer, properly seats/invokes Agni (Vaiśvānara), and directs the oblation to the Devas while removing defilement.
The verse uses ritual language of separation: impurity (ripra-vāha) is symbolically sent away to Yama’s realm, while the consecrated Agni (Jātavedas/Vaiśvānara) remains to carry offerings to the gods—marking purity vs. defilement.
Maintain daily disciplines that ‘separate’ harmful habits from sacred actions: begin worship/meditation with a clear purification step, then offer your best effort (havya) toward uplifting goals and service (deva-oriented living).