Last Updated on May 16, 2021 by astrologerbydefault

In my several posts I have suggested that you yourself do a small homam (sacred fire ritual) at home. Now some will shout out that it is not possible and neither advisable for you to do a homam without experts/pandits, also women should not do it and only married men can do it etc. So many rules, may be meaningful to some, but make no sense to me.

Fire/Agni is called Jaataveda/the one who knows everything. The fire we see with our eyes represents the internal fire and the light of Parabrahma. So naturally he knows everything and is the Jaataveda. In all Sanatan dharma rituals fire/agni is the witness. Even when you get married there are 2 conditions there should be a sun in the sky (daytime) and a fire lit in the homam kund who will be the witness to the marriage ceremony.

So if you are interested in doing a sacred fire ritual at home you will need 2 things, a clear heart and pure intention. There is nothing right and nothing wrong. When you are doing a homam you are invoking with the means of the fire that portion of the energies inside your own self. Divinity is not outside, it is right inside you, always remember this.

So the physical things you will need are, a copper kumbh/a pot, a copper pyramidal homa kund, a copper cup and copper spoon in the shape as per the pictures. You will burn cowdung cakes made from Desi cows dung and ghee made of desi cow milk. (Desi cows are those Indian cattle breeds who have a prominent hump). Balance the homa kund on a couple of bricks so that the heat does not spoil the flooring. You will also need an asan to sit on. An asan at the very basic should be a layer of pure wool and a layer of pure silk on it.

The simplest homam that you can do yourself at home is of course the Agnihotra. But Agnihotra is very time specific and you are required to say the mantras and offer the rice and ghee exactly at the moment of sunrise and sunset (post here)

What I prescribe as a simple astrological remedy to do at home yourself is this very simple process with the sequence of mantras. You can do it anytime of the day, preferably in the morning or evening twilight. Men can do it anytime, women should not do it on the days of the monthly cycle. (The body is undergoing physical destruction internally and needs rest.)

1. Dress, wear something of natural fibre, eg silk/ cotton which you wind around you. a dhoti, or a cloth wrapped around your waist. Women can wear a sari or if its too much trouble you can wear a cotton nightie like garment which does not pinch and you can cross your legs comfortably. Do not use it like a nightie then, keep it separate.
2. Set up the asan facing north or east. In this have written on how to sit crosslegged or in a asan like siddhasan, sukahsan, padmasan etc.
3. Set the homa kund carefully. Place 3-4 small pieces of cowdung dipped in ghee inside it. Keep the cup filled with ghee and spoon at your right hand. In the other kumbh/ pot keep clean water at your left hand.
4. Set alight a separate small piece of cowdung and use it to light your homam fire. While you are doing so say the Agni Gayatri, “Om Saptajihvaaya vidhmahe havyabhadraaya dhimahi tanno Agnih prachodayaat Om”. Then add a few drops of ghee with the spoon and let the fire get lit properly.
5. Now take the pot of water in your left hand and pour a few drops in the palm of the right. Focus on the water and put in all your intention into that water. Express yourself in the language you are comfortable in. Your intention can be any one of the following, “I want to be happy, healthy, rich, heal myself or anyone else, get a wife, get children, be protected, increase my —- planets energy, just enjoy the homam, express my love to my god, express my love to myself, etc”. Just remember your heart should be clear and your intention should be intense and pure. Now let the water drops fall to the ground from your right hand.
6. Fold your palms and recite “OM”, three times and feel your body relax.
7. Then recite the Ganapati Gayatri, “Om Ekadantaya Vidhmahe, Vakratundaya Dhimahi, Tanno Dantih Prachodayaat Om” for invoking the energies of Ganapati.
8. Then this mantra is for invoking the Gods, Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and the Nine grahas/ planets, recite, “Om Brahma Murari Tripurantakari Bhanuh Shashih Bhumi Suto Budhah cha Guruh cha Shukrah Shani Rahu Ketavah Sarve Graha Shantikara bhavantu Om”.
9. Then remember the Goddess Earth with love and gratitude, recite. “Om Samudra Vasane Devi, Parvatah Stana Mandale Vishnupatni Namastubhyam Paada Sparsham Kshamasva May Om”.
10. Finally “Om Guruh Brahma Guruh Vishnu Guruh Devo Maheshwara Guruh Saakshat Para Brahma Tasmai Shree Gurave Namaha Om”. In this mantra you are acknowledging the Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and the pure Parabrahma as your Guru. None other. And bowing to that Supreme consciousness, the Universal energy. Here you are asking for divine inspiration and acknowledging that Parabrahma itself is your Guru. Always remember this, your Ultimate Guru is the Parabrahma none other. And this exists within you not outside anywhere.

Thus you have finished the preparatory phase. Now for the mantra phase where you will actually be invoking the energies of the mantra. This will vary as per the mantra you are using.

1. Example. Homam for Surya, on a Sunday after the above mantras recite the Surya gayatri once, “Om Bhaskaraya Vidhmahe Divakaraya Dheemahi Tanno Suryah Prachodayat Om”.
2. Then recite the surya beej mantra 108 times, “Om hraang hreeng hraung sah suryaya swaha”. At the swaha, use the spoon to drop a drop of ghee into the fire. To count to 108, use beads which you will count with the left hand.

This was the mantra-ahuti phase where you have given 108 drops of ghee to the conscious energy of the fire. You have repeated the mantra with ‘swaha’ at its end 108 times. Now you will conclude the Homa like this.

1. After you finish the 108 repetitions, recite “Om” once.
2. Recite “Om Shri Paradevata arpanmastu Om” or “Om Shri Satguru arpanmastu”
3. Then sit in an attitude of contemplation, breathe slowly, relax, in front of the fire till it extinguishes naturally. Focus on the fire and draw its energies inside you. With these mantras you have generated a huge amount of energy, now pull it inside you and absorb it.
4. After the fire extinguishes and the embers cool, put a pinch of that ash/Vibhuti on your forehead and top of head. Eat a pinch too.
5. After it cools down to room temperature you can store it in a covered glass bowl and use it whenever you want to. It is Vibhuti now, and you yourself have made it. It is your personal energy infused with mantras and the power of the fire. You should use it in your energy work. Its energy will last for about 15 days on an average.

For the other grahas the process is same with the following mantras for the second part.

Moon – Monday – Om Padmadhwajaya Vidmahe Haemaroopaya Dheemahi Tanno Somah Prachodayat is the invocation Gayatri and the mantra to recite 108 times is Om” – “Om shraang shreeng shroung sah chandraya swaha”

Mars – Tuesday – Om Veeradhwajaya Vidmahe Vighnahasthaya Dheemahi Tanno Bhaumah Prachodayat Om” is the invocation Gayatri and the mantra to recite 108 times is  “Om kraang kreeng kraung sah mangalaya swaha”

Rahu – Tuesday – “Om Nagadhwajaya Vidmahe Padma Hastaya Dheemahi Tanno Rahuh Prachodayat Om” is the invocation Gayatri and the mantra to recite 108 times is  – “Om bhraang bhreeng bhraoung sah Rahave swaha”

Mercury – Wednesday – Om Gajadhwajaya Vidmahe Shuka Hastaya Dheemahi Tanno Budha Prachodayat Om” is the invocation Gayatri and the mantra to recite 108 times is – “O braang, breeng broung sah budhayah swaha”

Jupiter – thursday – Om Vrishabhadhwajaya Vidmahe Ghrini Hastaya Dheemahi Tanno Guru Prachodayat Om” is the invocation Gayatri and the mantra to recite 108 times is  – “Om graang greeng groung sah gurave swaha”

Venus – Om Ashwadhwajaya Vidmahe Dhanur Hastaya Dheemahi Tanno Shukrah Prachodayat Om” is the invocation Gayatri and the mantra to recite 108 times is – Om draang dreeng droung sah shukraya swaha”

Saturn – Saturday – “Om Kakahdhwajaya Vidmahe Khadga Hastaya Dheemahi Tanno Mandah Prachodayat Om” is the invocation Gayatri and the mantra to recite 108 times is Om praang preeng proung sah Shanisharaya swaha”

Ketu – Saturday – Om Ashwadhwajaya Vidmahe Shoola Hastaya Dheemahi Tanno Ketuh Prachodayat Om” is the invocation Gayatri and the mantra to recite 108 times is  – “Om sraang sreeng sroung sah ketave swaha”

This was a rather technical post, but well worth my and your time too if you ever decide to do it.