Vedi (altar)
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Vedi (Template:Langx) is the sacrificial altar in the Vedic religion.[1] Such altars were an elevated outdoor enclosure, generally strewed with Kusha grass, and having receptacles for the sacrificial fire; it was of various shapes, but usually narrow in the middle.
They were used in various types of Yajna rituals, of which the lengthiest was the agnicayana, lasting twelve days. In Vedic times, offerings, often including animals, were burnt in the fire, and fully consumed by it. This contrasts with modern Hindu offerings to gods, which are all vegetable, and are preserved to be consumed by the devotees (which was also the case in other religions, such as ancient Greek religion).
Fire altars remain part of the rituals in some Hindu festivals and rites of passage; in particular circling around a sacred fire (saptapadi) remains an essential part of Hindu weddings.
Although Agni, the Vedic god of fire, has an important place in the mandala setting out the plan in Hindu temple architecture, in the south-east part of the temple, fire altars are not now a normal part of regular Hindu temple rituals. Modern fire sacrifices are covered at Homa rituals.
Types
As deduced from descriptions in ancient texts, the types of vedi were:
- Script error: No such module "Lang"., the great or entire altar
- Script error: No such module "Lang"., the northern altar made for the sacred fire (Script error: No such module "Lang".)
- Script error: No such module "Lang"., a sort of subordinate or side-altar, generally a heap of earth covered with sand on which the fire is placed
- Script error: No such module "Lang"., an altar shaped like a trough (Shulbas. 3.216)
- Script error: No such module "Lang"., a second altar at the Soma sacrifice
The Script error: No such module "Lang". was in the shape of a falcon (Script error: No such module "Lang". 'piled up in the shape of the bird Alaja'), and was piled up with bricks in the Agnicayana ritual.
Vedic altars are described in the circum-Vedic texts dealing with Kalpa (the proper performance of sacrifice), notably the Satapatha Brahmana, and the Sulbasutras say that the Rigveda corresponds to an altar of mantras.[2]
Fire altars are already mentioned in the Rigveda. According to Taittiriya Samhita 5.2.3., they are made of twenty-one bricks.
In ŚBM 10.4.3.14-20, the altar is made of 396 (360 + 36) Script error: No such module "Lang". (special) bricks, and of 10,800 Script error: No such module "Lang". (ordinary) bricks. 10,701 Script error: No such module "Lang". bricks belong to the Script error: No such module "Lang". altar, 78 to the Script error: No such module "Lang". hearths and 21 to the Script error: No such module "Lang".. Around the altar are 360 Script error: No such module "Lang". stones (261 around Script error: No such module "Lang"., 78 around Script error: No such module "Lang"., 21 around Script error: No such module "Lang".).
ŚBM 10.3.1. describes that the altar is symbolically built with gayatri (24 syllables), Script error: No such module "Lang". (breath, 28 syllables), Script error: No such module "Lang". (mind, 40 syllables), tristubh (ear, 44 syllables), Script error: No such module "Lang". (awakening) (48 syllables) and generative breath. The Script error: No such module "Lang". altar's height is to the knees, the Script error: No such module "Lang".'s to the navel and the Script error: No such module "Lang".'s to a man's height.
Agnicayana
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| Layer | Number of Script error: No such module "Lang". bricks in SB |
| 5 | 138 |
| 4 | 47 |
| 3 | 71 |
| 2 | 41 |
| 1 | 98 |
In the Agnicayana ritual, the Script error: No such module "Lang". (great altar) has a length of 24 prakrama in the east, 30 in the west and 36 in the north and south.[3] Inside the Script error: No such module "Lang"., an altar is placed. In the smaller ritual space to the west of the Script error: No such module "Lang". (Script error: No such module "Lang"., Script error: No such module "Lang".), three altars are placed: the Script error: No such module "Lang". (earth, west), Script error: No such module "Lang". (sky, east) and Script error: No such module "Lang". (or Script error: No such module "Lang"., southwest). The round Script error: No such module "Lang". and the square Script error: No such module "Lang". have the same area.[4] The Squaring the circle problem was also investigated because of such ritualistic considerations.[5] The Script error: No such module "Lang". altar has five layers (Script error: No such module "Lang".), representing earth, space and the sky.
Archaeology
The earliest falcon-shaped vedi are dated to the period of Kuninda Kingdom, between 2nd century BCE and 2nd century CE,[6] examples being discovered at Purola, Uttarkashi,[7] and Kosambi, Kaushambi.[8]
See also
Notes
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References
- Subhash Kak. Birth and Early Development of Indian Astronomy. In Astronomy across cultures: The History of Non-Western Astronomy, Helaine Selin (ed), Kluwer, 2000
- Subhash Kak, The Astronomical Code of the Rigveda, Delhi, Munshiram Manoharlal, 2000, Template:ISBN.
- Sen, S.N., and A.K. Bag. 1983. The Sulbasutras. New Delhi: Indian National Science Academy.
- Frits Staal, Agni, the Vedic ritual of the fire altar (1983).