Matsya Purana

O best of sages, when one undertakes the great hundred-thousand offering, it is prescribed that ten or eight priests should be appointed to perform the sacred rites; if that is not possible, even four priests—provided they are free from envy—will suffice. In this grand sacrifice, everything that is done in the nine-planet rite must be increased tenfold, and one should give food and ornaments to the priests according to one’s ability. Those endowed with strength and resources are enjoined to give beds with coverings, golden bracelets, earrings, finger rings, sacred rings, and necklaces as offerings. But one must never give a gift that lacks the proper spirit of offering, nor should one act deceitfully for the sake of wealth. If a person gives out of greed or confusion, he brings ruin upon his own lineage. One who desires prosperity should always offer food as best as he can, for if food is lacking in the sacrifice, the result will be famine. The absence of food destroys a kingdom; the absence of mantras destroys the priests; the absence of proper gifts destroys the sacrificer. Indeed, there is no greater enemy to a sacrifice than the lack of a proper offering. A man of limited means should never attempt a lakṣahoma, the hundred-thousand offering, for distress in sacrifice inevitably leads to conflict. Instead, he should worship only one, two, or three priests according to the proper rule, and even if only a single learned Brahmin is present, he should be worshipped with devotion and offerings. But one of little wealth should not attempt to honor many. The lakṣahoma should always be performed according to one’s means, if abundance allows, for when it is done according to the prescribed rule, all desired things are obtained. The performer of such a sacrifice is worshipped in the world of Shiva by the Vasus, Adityas, and the hosts of Maruts for eight hundred kalpas, and then attains final liberation. Whoever performs this lakṣahoma with desire, following the proper rules, attains that very desire and enjoys an endless state of fulfillment. If one desires sons, he obtains sons; if wealth, he gains wealth; if a wife, he secures a beautiful wife; and if a maiden, she obtains a worthy husband. One who has lost his kingdom regains it; one who seeks fortune attains it; whatever desire is sought, it is granted in abundance. But one who acts without personal desire attains the supreme Brahman. Beyond this, the koṭihoma—the ten-million offering—was declared by the Self-born and is a hundred times greater in offerings, effort, gifts, and results. As before, the mantras for invoking and dismissing the planetary deities are recited for the homa, as well as those for the pit and the giving. Now, listen to the distinctions concerning the altar, pavilion, and fire-pit. For the koṭihoma, the fire-pit should be four hands in length, perfectly square, and furnished with two yoni (channels) and mouth openings; this is known as the three-banded pit. The first band is made two fingers high, the second three fingers high, and the third four fingers in both height and breadth, while the first two bands are each two fingers wide, as previously instructed. The yoni should be a span in length, six or seven fingers wide, raised in the middle like a turtle’s back, and two fingers high at the sides. It should resemble an elephant’s lip, elongated and furnished with an opening—this is the mark of the yoni in all fire-pits. Above the girdle, the structure should resemble the leaf of the sacred fig tree. The altar for the koṭihoma should be four spans in length, square on all sides, and furnished with three embankments, whose measurements and the altar’s height are as previously described. The pavilion should be sixteen cubits across and have four entrances. At the eastern entrance, a learned Bahvṛca, versed in the Rig Veda, is to be established. At the southern entrance, a knower of the Yajur Veda; at the western, an expert in the Sāma Veda; and at the northern, a scholar of the Atharva Veda. Eight officiants of the homa, all learned in the Veda and its branches, are required. Thus, there are twelve priests in total, all to be worshipped with garments, garlands, ointments, and adorned with clothes and ornaments, with heartfelt devotion. The Bahvṛca, facing north and seated in the east, recites the Rātrisūkta, Raudra, Pavamāna, Sumaṅgala, and Śānti hymns. At the southern entrance, the foremost Yajur Veda scholar recites the Śākta, Śākra, Saumya, Kauṣmāṇḍa, and Śānti hymns. At the western side, the Chāndoga recites the Suparṇa, Vairāja, Āgneya, Rudrasaṃhitā, Jyeṣṭhamāsa, and Śānti hymns. To the north, the Atharva Veda expert recites the Śānti, Saurya, auspicious Śākunaka, Pauṣṭika, and Mahārājya hymns. Here, the homa is to be performed five or seven times as before, and for bathing and giving gifts, the same mantras are used. The special procedure of the Vasordhārā is prescribed for the lakṣa-homa; whoever performs the koṭi-homa according to this rule attains all desires and then reaches the abode of Viṣṇu. Whoever reads or hears about the three Graha-yajñas, with his soul purified of all sins, attains the realm of Indra. The fruit gained by one who performs ten thousand and eight Aśvamedha sacrifices is obtained from the koṭi-homa. Thousands of Brahmin murders and hundreds of millions of feticides are destroyed by the koṭi-homa, as properly declared by Śiva. After performing the Navagraha sacrifice, one may then undertake further rites as desired, such as subjugation, sorcery, expulsion, and the like. Otherwise, no desired result will come to men; therefore, the procedure for the ten-thousand homa should always be performed first. For expulsion rites, the altar should be circular; for subjugation, it should have three girdles and a single mouth, with a width of one span. Palāśa wood is best for the fuel sticks, which should be anointed with honey and cow’s gall and sprinkled with sandalwood, aguru, and saffron. Into the fire, with honey and clarified butter, one should offer ten thousand bilva leaves and lotuses, as has always been prescribed by the Self-born Brahma. In rites for subjugation, one who knows dharma should offer bilva leaves and lotuses into the fire with the mantra “Sumitriya na āpa oṣadhaya.” Thus, all these procedures, when performed with faith and according to rule, bestow the highest fruits and lead the sacrificer to the supreme goal.