Homa
होम
homa
Homa is a mode worship of divine by offering the oblation in fire. Homa (meaning same as yajna) was the most popular form of worship during the Vedic Period. Agni is a medium for all the gods in the celestial realms. So, while doing Homa the gods are invited by igniting fire and feel present in the fire. Somayaga, Agnihotra, Agnistoma, Dasapurnamasa, Agnistoma, Vajapeya, Atiratra are some of the Vedic Yajna. Ganapati homa, Sudarshana homa etc were some homa developed in the later years.
Unlike other spiritual practices, Homa is more a group activity than an individual affair. Different homa have their strict measures and geometrical shapes for fire altar. These geometrical shape are known as yantra is imagined as the body of the deity. Cow dug cakes and fuel sticks are arranged and ceremonially lit. The deity is then invoked, various upacharas (services like offering water, seat etc) are offered. The purpose is known to the deity as sankalpa (resolved in the mind or said) and the oblations are offered in the fire. The material considered fit for offering are: ghee, barly, cooked rice, flower, bilva leaves, etc.