[Advaita-l] Agnihotra when travelling

[subhanu saxena]

V. Subramaniam wrote
"I have heard that an
agnihotri, i mean the yajamana, when away, that is out of station, the
yajnapatni, his wife, remaining at home, is to do the minimum ritual
required to maintain the agni and the agnihotra that has been commenced by
them upon vivaha.  Will anyone specify what exact actions are involved in
this 'maintenance' ritual by the wife?"

Namaste
The Srauta sutras tell us  that when a yajamana is out of station, then first, ideally, the wife should accompany him as she is his half (vijnāyate chārdho va eṣa ātmano yatpatneeti: Bodhāyana 29.9) and that the adhvaryu makes offerings in his absence (tad vāstoṣpateeyagum hutvādhvaryuḥ samāropayet "ayam te yonir rtviya iti, Bodhāyana 29.9). The yajamana should follow certain codes of conduct when away. There is also the tradition followed today that a son or a pupil may offer in one’s place, though the ṣaḍvimsa Brahmanam states that this is less preferable to offering oneself:
“One oblation performed by a pupil is better than a hundred oblations performed by others. One oblation performed by a son is better than a hundred oblations performed by pupils. One oblation performed by oneself is better than a hundred oblations performed by a son. For he (the sacrifice) should offer himself, he should milk himself, he should attend on the agnihotra himself” (Sadvimsa B 4, I, 12-14 as quoted in Agnihotra p119 by H.W Bodewitz)
With regards Upasānā agni the tradition is that the wife can offer the 2 pradhāna āhutis for the husband (agnaye svaha, agnaye sviṣṭakrite svaha)
Regards
Subhanu 		 	   		  
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