History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c47.s2.17

v3.c47.s2.17

Āp. (VI. 15. 10-13) has certain interesting rules about agnihotra in the case of kṣatriyas. At first he says a kṣatriya should permanently maintain the āhavanīya fire, but he does not perform the daily agnihotra. He should however send food from his house to a brāhmaṇa at the time when the agnihotra homa is ordinarily performed, whereby he secures the performance of agnihotra, but the adhvaryu should make the rājanya recite the mantras of the worship of fire (agnyupasthāna noted above). A rājanya however who has performed somayāga and always speaks the truth may perform agnihotra daily. Āśv. (II. 1. 3-5) says that a kṣatriya (and a vaiśya) may perform agnihotra on the New Moon and Full Moon days, that on other days he should send cooked food to a brāhmaṇa who is devoted to his duties and that a kṣatriya or vaiśya who always abides by truth (in thought and word) and has offered a soma sacrifice may engage in daily agnihotra. It is probable that these rules were made to allow more time to kṣatriyas and vaiśyas for their chief occupations. According to Āp. VI. 15. 14-16, Āśv. II. 4. 2-4 and others the householder should every day personally perform the agnihotra, but if he cannot do that, he must do it personally at least on parva days and on other days a priest, a pupil or a son may perform his agnihotra for him.