India as Known to Panini: A Study of the Cultural Material in the Ashtadhyayi c11.s2.15

c11.s2.15

The word *ānāyya* is of uncommon interest. The Śrautāgni is kindled with *araṇī* and perpetually maintained by an *āhitāgni* as Gārhpatya *agni* in the *vedi* of that name. The other two altars are Āhavanīya and Dakshiṇāgni. The intending sacrificer takes the *agni* from his Gārhpatya altar to the other two. In that case both are called *ānāyya* temporarily, since after the oblations are over the fires in the Āhavanīya and Dakshināgni lose their sacred character. But besides the Gārhapatya Fire there were other recognised sources for feeding the Dakshiṇāgni; for example, as a temporary measure the Dakshiṇāgni could be borrowed from a frying-place (*bhrāshṭra*), a Vaiśya-kula, or from a new home where the proper *śrautāgni* had not yet been installed. In such a contingency the word *ānāyya* denoted only the Dakshiṇāgni. (*ānāyyo Dakshiṇāgniḥ; rūḍhireshā, Kāśikā*).