History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.186

v6.c81.186

A few words about homa may be said here. Women could not offer homa with mantras (Manu IX. 18). Homa could be performed for them through a priest. When no particular substance is specified the *āhuti* (offering) into fire is to be of clarified butter (Karmapradīpa of Gobhila I 113)¹²² The number of āhutis may be 108, 28 or 8 or as many as are expressly specified The Samayapradīpa (folio 4 b) has a long discussion about the fire in which *homa* is to be made One who is an āhitāgni (who has established the sacred Vedic fires) should employ the fire established by him when he was married, as laid down by Yāj (I 97) According to some, the rule of Yāj. applies only to gṛhya rites that are laid down in the Gṛhyasūtras and that even an āhitāgni should employ ordinary fire for his vratas. One who has no smārta fire should also perform vrata homas in ordinary fire by himself or through a priest