By Swami Harshananda
Havis literally means ‘through this, it is given’, ‘oblatory material’.
Definiton
Vedic sacrifices need several materials that could be offered into the duly consecrated fire as oblations. Such materials were called ‘havis’.
Materials Used as Havis
Five kinds of materials were recommended as havis:
- Auṣadha - products of trees and plants
- Payas - milk
- Paśu - animals
- Soma juice of the soma creeper
- Ājya - clarified butter
Materials Used as Auṣadhas
The materials included under the category of auṣadhas are:
- Rice
- Barley
- Caru - porridge
- Puroḍāśa - rice-cake
References
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore