Guest guest Posted November 18, 2009 Report Share Posted November 18, 2009 Dear Sri Narasimhagaru, Thank your for your response on Spiritual advice directing me to do Ganapathi Homam. I am going to follow the advice. Anyway, I have some other questions now. I have learnt how to perform Ganapathi Homam and Gayatri Homam from our local priest (we used to call him Sharmaji. He is no longer here and moved to Texas) here in Michigan. He taught me a procedure called " Chatushpatra Prayogam " that I use for these Homams. I have also reviewed your pdf files, the audio mp3s and videos for many homams that have been described in your site and noticed that your documents do include what Our priest taught and more. So, I am thinking of following your procedure. Also, Our Sharmaji used to perform the homam in our Wood Burning Fire Place. From your video, I understand that you are doing it in open, in a room. How do you control Smoke so that it won't darken the ceiling and the walls? Is it ok to do it in Wood Burning fire place? The only problem I see in doing it in fireplace is that I cannot do pradakshinam to the fire (in case that is needed), and it is not convenient to reach back of the homa kundam to put the darbhas and other puja materials. Also more than one Ritvik cannot do the homam in case I am involving other people. How much do these matter? One other procedure our Sharmaji instructed is that it is preferable that Ganapathi homam be performed on Shukla Chaturthi and before the sunrise and he said that we should put modakas in the fire. What do you say about those aspects. I know purity of mind and sincerety in performing this ritual is of paramount importance than the ritualistic details, but I want to follow the prescribed procedures to the extent possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 18, 2009 Report Share Posted November 18, 2009 Namaste, Pradakshinam (going around the homa kundam) is not necessary. Doing homam in a one-side open wood burning fireplace is perfectly acceptable and many priests do that way in US. I personally have a custom built 4-side open 2 ft x 2 ft x 1ft deep homa kundam with a chimney going up, supported by 4 pillars on 4 sides. I do homam in it using wood and with big fire. The video was not shot using that set up, as I wanted to demonstrate a setup that would work for most people. Several people in US are doing without using wood and using only dry coconut pieces. That minimizes smoke and there is considerable smoke only at the end. Before smoke comes at the end, they move the homa kundam and put it under an exhaust fan in kitchen or outside. That minimizes the smoke. If you have a wood burning fireplace, I suggest placing a copper homa kundam inside the fireplace and doing homam in it. Modakas are perfectly acceptable in Ganapathi homam if one has fire big enough to completely burn them. If one is doing homam with a few dry coconut pieces, one cannot burn modakas. Homam can be performed before or after sunrise on any day. But the one hour before and after sunrise is a really really good time for homam. Important thing is that you should have faith and devotion. Outside of the homam time, keep watching your thoughts and actions, identify egoistic motives behind them and suppress the egoistic instincts. Homam will aid in that process and that process will help you do a better homam. Best regards, Narasimha Do a Short Homam Yourself: http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/homam Do Pitri Tarpanas Yourself: http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/tarpana Spirituality: Free Jyotish lessons (MP3): http://vedicastro.home.comcast.net Free Jyotish software (Windows): http://www.VedicAstrologer.org Jyotish writings: JyotishWritings Sri Jagannath Centre (SJC) website: http://www.SriJagannath.org - " nagraj " <nagraj_um Wednesday, November 18, 2009 12:28 PM homam questions > Dear Sri Narasimhagaru, > > Thank your for your response on Spiritual advice directing me to do > Ganapathi Homam. I am going to follow the advice. Anyway, I have some > other questions now. I have learnt how to perform Ganapathi Homam and > Gayatri Homam from our local priest (we used to call him Sharmaji. He is > no longer here and moved to Texas) here in Michigan. He taught me a > procedure called " Chatushpatra Prayogam " that I use for these Homams. I > have also reviewed your pdf files, the audio mp3s and videos for many > homams that have been described in your site and noticed that your > documents do include what Our priest taught and more. So, I am thinking of > following your procedure. Also, Our Sharmaji used to perform the homam in > our Wood Burning Fire Place. From your video, I understand that you are > doing it in open, in a room. How do you control Smoke so that it won't > darken the ceiling and the walls? Is it ok to do it in Wood Burning fire > place? The only problem I see in doing it in fireplace is that I cannot do > pradakshinam to the fire (in case that is needed), and it is not > convenient to reach back of the homa kundam to put the darbhas and other > puja materials. Also more than one Ritvik cannot do the homam in case I am > involving other people. How much do these matter? One other procedure our > Sharmaji instructed is that it is preferable that Ganapathi homam be > performed on Shukla Chaturthi and before the sunrise and he said that we > should put modakas in the fire. What do you say about those aspects. I > know purity of mind and sincerety in performing this ritual is of > paramount importance than the ritualistic details, but I want to follow > the prescribed procedures to the extent possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 19, 2009 Report Share Posted November 19, 2009 Dear Sri Narasimhagaru, Thanks for all the clarifications. Just a couple of more questions. How often should I plan to get the chimney professionally cleaned? I plan to do this Homam every Sunday, whenever possible. Also, in the way you do / prescribe, I see that you are only using one spoon to put the ghee in the homam. Don't you use the Shruk and Shruvam? Because that is how I learnt it in the Chatushpatra Prayogam! It seems there is a Shatpatra prayogam also. The Priest who taught me these said that these are the two methods of performing homam according to the Apasthambha Sutram. Regards, Nagraj , " Narasimha P.V.R. Rao " <pvr wrote: > > Namaste, > > Pradakshinam (going around the homa kundam) is not necessary. > > Doing homam in a one-side open wood burning fireplace is perfectly > acceptable and many priests do that way in US. I personally have a custom > built 4-side open 2 ft x 2 ft x 1ft deep homa kundam with a chimney going > up, supported by 4 pillars on 4 sides. I do homam in it using wood and with > big fire. The video was not shot using that set up, as I wanted to > demonstrate a setup that would work for most people. > > Several people in US are doing without using wood and using only dry coconut > pieces. That minimizes smoke and there is considerable smoke only at the > end. Before smoke comes at the end, they move the homa kundam and put it > under an exhaust fan in kitchen or outside. That minimizes the smoke. > > If you have a wood burning fireplace, I suggest placing a copper homa kundam > inside the fireplace and doing homam in it. > > Modakas are perfectly acceptable in Ganapathi homam if one has fire big > enough to completely burn them. If one is doing homam with a few dry coconut > pieces, one cannot burn modakas. Homam can be performed before or after > sunrise on any day. But the one hour before and after sunrise is a really > really good time for homam. > > Important thing is that you should have faith and devotion. Outside of the > homam time, keep watching your thoughts and actions, identify egoistic > motives behind them and suppress the egoistic instincts. Homam will aid in > that process and that process will help you do a better homam. > > Best regards, > Narasimha > > Do a Short Homam Yourself: http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/homam > Do Pitri Tarpanas Yourself: http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/tarpana > Spirituality: > Free Jyotish lessons (MP3): http://vedicastro.home.comcast.net > Free Jyotish software (Windows): http://www.VedicAstrologer.org > Jyotish writings: JyotishWritings > Sri Jagannath Centre (SJC) website: http://www.SriJagannath.org > > > - > " nagraj " <nagraj_um > > Wednesday, November 18, 2009 12:28 PM > homam questions > > > > Dear Sri Narasimhagaru, > > > > Thank your for your response on Spiritual advice directing me to do > > Ganapathi Homam. I am going to follow the advice. Anyway, I have some > > other questions now. I have learnt how to perform Ganapathi Homam and > > Gayatri Homam from our local priest (we used to call him Sharmaji. He is > > no longer here and moved to Texas) here in Michigan. He taught me a > > procedure called " Chatushpatra Prayogam " that I use for these Homams. I > > have also reviewed your pdf files, the audio mp3s and videos for many > > homams that have been described in your site and noticed that your > > documents do include what Our priest taught and more. So, I am thinking of > > following your procedure. Also, Our Sharmaji used to perform the homam in > > our Wood Burning Fire Place. From your video, I understand that you are > > doing it in open, in a room. How do you control Smoke so that it won't > > darken the ceiling and the walls? Is it ok to do it in Wood Burning fire > > place? The only problem I see in doing it in fireplace is that I cannot do > > pradakshinam to the fire (in case that is needed), and it is not > > convenient to reach back of the homa kundam to put the darbhas and other > > puja materials. Also more than one Ritvik cannot do the homam in case I am > > involving other people. How much do these matter? One other procedure our > > Sharmaji instructed is that it is preferable that Ganapathi homam be > > performed on Shukla Chaturthi and before the sunrise and he said that we > > should put modakas in the fire. What do you say about those aspects. I > > know purity of mind and sincerety in performing this ritual is of > > paramount importance than the ritualistic details, but I want to follow > > the prescribed procedures to the extent possible. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 19, 2009 Report Share Posted November 19, 2009 Namaste Nagraj garu, Chimney need not be cleaned that often. It can normally be once every couple of years, depending on the use. This is a fireplace-chimney question rather than a homam question and the local fireplace people will know better than me. Yes, people use two ladles to represent the male and female elements working together. There are several steps and parts in rituals symbolizing different things. As the intention was to spread a simple procedure, some things were simplified. If you have a sruk and sruva and know how to use them, please feel free to use them. I suggest that others need not worry about this and stick to what they are doing now. Best regards, Narasimha Do a Short Homam Yourself: http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/homam Do Pitri Tarpanas Yourself: http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/tarpana Spirituality: Free Jyotish lessons (MP3): http://vedicastro.home.comcast.net Free Jyotish software (Windows): http://www.VedicAstrologer.org Jyotish writings: JyotishWritings Sri Jagannath Centre (SJC) website: http://www.SriJagannath.org - " nagraj " <nagraj_um Thursday, November 19, 2009 11:19 AM Re: homam questions > Dear Sri Narasimhagaru, > > Thanks for all the clarifications. Just a couple of more questions. How > often should I plan to get the chimney professionally cleaned? I plan to > do this Homam every Sunday, whenever possible. > > Also, in the way you do / prescribe, I see that you are only using one > spoon to put the ghee in the homam. Don't you use the Shruk and Shruvam? > Because that is how I learnt it in the Chatushpatra Prayogam! It seems > there is a Shatpatra prayogam also. The Priest who taught me these said > that these are the two methods of performing homam according to the > Apasthambha Sutram. > > Regards, > > Nagraj > > , " Narasimha P.V.R. Rao " <pvr > wrote: >> >> Namaste, >> >> Pradakshinam (going around the homa kundam) is not necessary. >> >> Doing homam in a one-side open wood burning fireplace is perfectly >> acceptable and many priests do that way in US. I personally have a custom >> built 4-side open 2 ft x 2 ft x 1ft deep homa kundam with a chimney going >> up, supported by 4 pillars on 4 sides. I do homam in it using wood and >> with >> big fire. The video was not shot using that set up, as I wanted to >> demonstrate a setup that would work for most people. >> >> Several people in US are doing without using wood and using only dry >> coconut >> pieces. That minimizes smoke and there is considerable smoke only at the >> end. Before smoke comes at the end, they move the homa kundam and put it >> under an exhaust fan in kitchen or outside. That minimizes the smoke. >> >> If you have a wood burning fireplace, I suggest placing a copper homa >> kundam >> inside the fireplace and doing homam in it. >> >> Modakas are perfectly acceptable in Ganapathi homam if one has fire big >> enough to completely burn them. If one is doing homam with a few dry >> coconut >> pieces, one cannot burn modakas. Homam can be performed before or after >> sunrise on any day. But the one hour before and after sunrise is a really >> really good time for homam. >> >> Important thing is that you should have faith and devotion. Outside of >> the >> homam time, keep watching your thoughts and actions, identify egoistic >> motives behind them and suppress the egoistic instincts. Homam will aid >> in >> that process and that process will help you do a better homam. >> >> Best regards, >> Narasimha >> >> Do a Short Homam Yourself: http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/homam >> Do Pitri Tarpanas Yourself: http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/tarpana >> Spirituality: >> Free Jyotish lessons (MP3): http://vedicastro.home.comcast.net >> Free Jyotish software (Windows): http://www.VedicAstrologer.org >> Jyotish writings: JyotishWritings >> Sri Jagannath Centre (SJC) website: http://www.SriJagannath.org >> >> >> - >> " nagraj " <nagraj_um >> >> Wednesday, November 18, 2009 12:28 PM >> homam questions >> >> >> > Dear Sri Narasimhagaru, >> > >> > Thank your for your response on Spiritual advice directing me to do >> > Ganapathi Homam. I am going to follow the advice. Anyway, I have some >> > other questions now. I have learnt how to perform Ganapathi Homam and >> > Gayatri Homam from our local priest (we used to call him Sharmaji. He >> > is >> > no longer here and moved to Texas) here in Michigan. He taught me a >> > procedure called " Chatushpatra Prayogam " that I use for these Homams. I >> > have also reviewed your pdf files, the audio mp3s and videos for many >> > homams that have been described in your site and noticed that your >> > documents do include what Our priest taught and more. So, I am thinking >> > of >> > following your procedure. Also, Our Sharmaji used to perform the homam >> > in >> > our Wood Burning Fire Place. From your video, I understand that you are >> > doing it in open, in a room. How do you control Smoke so that it won't >> > darken the ceiling and the walls? Is it ok to do it in Wood Burning >> > fire >> > place? The only problem I see in doing it in fireplace is that I cannot >> > do >> > pradakshinam to the fire (in case that is needed), and it is not >> > convenient to reach back of the homa kundam to put the darbhas and >> > other >> > puja materials. Also more than one Ritvik cannot do the homam in case I >> > am >> > involving other people. How much do these matter? One other procedure >> > our >> > Sharmaji instructed is that it is preferable that Ganapathi homam be >> > performed on Shukla Chaturthi and before the sunrise and he said that >> > we >> > should put modakas in the fire. What do you say about those aspects. I >> > know purity of mind and sincerety in performing this ritual is of >> > paramount importance than the ritualistic details, but I want to follow >> > the prescribed procedures to the extent possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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