By Swami Harshananda
Havis literally means ‘through this, it is given’, ‘oblatory material’.
Definiton[edit]
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[edit]
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[edit]
The materials included under the category of auṣadhas are:
- Rice
- Barley
- Caru - porridge
- Puroḍāśa - rice-cake
References[edit]
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore