Havan (Sanskrit English)

समि्धनम् – Samindhanam

Samidadhana: Three sticks1 of equal length2 are offered to the fire with these four mantras3

With this mantra, place the first samidha into the fire:

ओम् अयंत् इध्म आत्मा जातवेदस्तेनेध्यस्व वर्धस्व चेद्ध वर्धय
चास्मान् प्रजया पशुभिर्ब्रह्मवर्चसेनान्नाद्येन समेधय स्वाहा॥ 
इदमग्नये जातवेदसे इदन्न मम

Om ayant idhma aatmaa
jaata-vedas-tene-dhyasva
vardha-sva ched-dha vardhaya chaas-maan
prajayaa-pashubhir-brahma-varchase-na-annaa-dyena
samedhaya svaahaa.4
Idam-agnaye jaata-vedase, idanna mama.

O jaatavedah lord of everything, from aatmaa inner bring, ayantaidhmah dedication is made to you idhyasva vardhasva for the increased blessing towards vardhaya our growth and development. Grant aasmaan us prajayaa noble offspring, pashubhih (good interaction with) animals species, brahma varchasena godly wisdom, annadyena grains (food and wealth), samedhaya vigour and growth. Svaahaa may this be so. This idamagnaye fire procedure is jaatavedas for the benefit of the wisdom that exists in everything, idanna mama it is not for me.

अयम् this ते your इध्म fuel/offering आत्मा soul जातवेदः giver of wisdom (giver of veda) तेन with that इध्ासव get ablaze/fulfilling वर्धस्व advance/coming towards and इत्ह certainly वर्धय cause to thrive/progress/develop and अस्मा् us प्रजया worthy/noble offspring पशुभिः animals ब्रह्मवर्चसे with splendor/godly wisdom (वर्चस also means energy, power) अन्नाद्येन with grains etc समेधय vigour, strength स्वाहा with appreciation इदम् this अग्नये fire procedure जातवेदसे is for that power that exists in everything इदं this नः not मम mine, my

After the next two mantras, place the second samidha into the fire:
ओं समिधाग्निं दुवस्यत घृतैर्बोधयतातिथिम्
आस्मिन् हव्य जुहोतन स्वाहा
इदमग्नये इदन्न मम

Om sami-dhaa-agnim duvas-yata
ghṛi-tair-bodhayataa-tithim
aasmin havyaa juhotana svaahaa.5
Idam-agnaye, idanna mama.

These offerings of samidhaa fuel material and ghrit (ghee) medicinal butter to the agnim fire are for duvasyat a good purpose of purification. May this bodhayat combustion (blaze, illumination), like a atithim a noble guest positively impact us aa-asmin in all directions as we offer havyaa these correct ingredients in juhotana our noble performance.

सुसमिद्धाय शोचिषे घृतं तीव्रं जुहोतन
अग्नये जातवेदसे स्वाहा
इदमग्नये जातवेदसे इदन्न मम

Su-samid-dhaaya sho-chiṣhe
gṛitam teevram juhotana.
Agnaye jaata-vedase svaahaa.6
Idam-agnaye jaata-vedase, idanna mama.

This susamidhaay well-lit process of combustion is both shochishe bright/illuminated and teevram heated. As this ghrita juhotana ghee offering is made, may the idamagnaye illumination and impact of jaatavedas svaaha the force that exists within everything illuminate and impact my life. This idamagnaye fire procedure is jaatavedas for the benefit of the wisdom that exists in everything, idanna mama it is not for me.

समिधा good fuel, the material used अग्निम् fire that receives the offering; that is, fire as the source of combustion/purification दुवस्यत with purpose; (of intended purpose) घृतैः ghee, (medicinal plant-based oil) बोधयत् set ablaze अतिथिम् noble guest, visitor, one entitled to hospitality आस्मिन् in this हव्य things worthy of sacrifice जुहोतन offer स्वाहा offer इदम् this अग्नये fire procedure/process is for that power that exists in everything इदं this नः not मम mine, my

ुसमिद्ध well-lit, well-kindled शोि flame, splendour, glow घृतं with ghee, of ghee तीव्रं heated (changing i.e., when heated, it undergoes change) जुहोतन worship, honor offer अग्नये all-knowing, self-effulgent, energy particle जातवेदसे  is for that power that exists in everything स्वाहा offer with thanks; may it be so इदम् this अग्नये fire procedure/process जातवेदसे is for that power that exists in everything इदं this नः not मम mine, my

With this mantra, place the third samidha into the fire:
तन्त्वा समिद्भिरङ्गिरो घृतेन वर्द्धयामसि
बृहच्छोचा यविष्ठ्य स्वाहा
इदमग्नयेऽङ्गिरसे इदन्न मम

Tantvaa samid-bhir-aṅgiro
ghṛitena vardhayaa-masi.
Bṛihachho-chaa yaviṣh-ṭhaya svaahaa.7
Idam-agnaye-aṅgirase, idanna mama.

The samidbhih offering is angirah for the benefit of all, tantvaa through You (O Lord). Let the ghritena medicinal offering (like ghee) vardhayaamasi intensify and (make us) brihat shocha radiant (energetic/healthy) through its yavishthaya processing in the fire. Svaahaa May it be so. This idamagnaye fire procedure is angirase for noble purpose, idanna mama it is not for me.

तन्त्वा That, through You (O Lord) तम् that, your त्वा Thee समिद्भिः with sticks/wood/simple offering अङ्गिरः motive (for the benefit of all); to obtain things घृतेन with ghee, of ghee वर्द्धयामसि increasing enflamed, intensify बृहच्छोचा brightly lit ( बृहत् very शोा radiant) यविष्ठ्य joining and disjoining/create and dissolve; the process of releasing atoms and molecules from compounds स्वाहा offer with thanks; may it be so इदम् this अग्नये fire procedure/process is for that power that exists in everything अङ्गिरसे motive, purpose इदं this नः not मम mine, my

  1. The symbolic 3 represents innumerable trinity in the world, for example (1) God, Soul, Matter (2) Father, Mother, Children; (3) Past. Present, Future; (4) Three syllables of Aum; (4) Body, mind, action (5) Thought, word, deed; (6) Young, middle and old ages; (7) Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, i.e., Creation, preservation and dissolution.
  2. The samidhas are of equal length, eight fingers long (placing fingers of both hands next to each other). The 8 measurements are generally summarised to represent: Noble Progeny, Harmony with all creations, Vitality (Strength), Prosperity, Long life, Wisdom, Bliss, Emancipation. In more detail, these represent the 8 types of physical wealth often referred to as ashtalakshmi: adilakshmi the overall well-being of prosperity; dhana-lakshmi – money, tangible wealth for trade; dhanya-lakshmi – the wealth of nature and good harvest from crops. Gaja-lakshmi – the wealth of power (likened to one who is worshipped by elephants/powerful beings); santana-lakshmi – the wealth of noble offspring; veera/dhairya lakshmi ­- wealth of courage and valor; jaya/vijaya-lakshmi – the wealth of victory over all hurdles; vidya-lakshmi­ ­- the wealth of knowledge of arts and sciences (physical know-how)
  3. Four mantras appear to be chanted to make these 3 offerings. The symbolism of the number 4 includes (a) The 4 directions; (b) the 4 purusharthas of life: Dharma, Artha, Kaama, Moksha (c) the 4 ashrams/stages of life: Brahmacharya, Grihasta, Vaanprastha, Sanyaasa; (d) the 4 different classifications of opposing directions: east/west, north/south; up/down and inside/outside. However, the 2nd and 3rd verses are actually one verse of the Yajur Veda 3.1
  4. Ashvalayana Grihyasutra 1.10.12
  5. Yajur Veda 3.1
  6. Yajur Veda 3.1
  7. Yajur Veda 3.3

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