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 nói: “Ta sẽ giải thích phương pháp tối thượng và các dấu hiệu của Vaiśvadeva (lễ tế lửa). Sau khi nhóm ngọn lửa thiêng và rảy nước thanh tịnh lên đó, người hành lễ nên niệm: ‘Om—ngọn lửa này ta gửi đi xa; hãy để dòng chảy ô trược đi đến vương quốc của Yama. Nhưng cầu mong ngọn lửa khác này—Jātavedas—ở lại đây, hiểu biết tường tận, và mang lễ vật đến cho các chư Thiên.’”
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).