Jyotiṣṭoma

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

Jyotiṣṭoma literally means ‘praise of light’.

Origin of Jyotiṣṭoma[edit]

Jyotiṣṭoma is one of the several types of Vedic sacrifices. It belongs to the Soma group. Its standard form is termed as agniṣṭoma.

Stoma means praise. It is a form of chanting the stotras[1] in which the verses are increased by repetition to a certain number. So a stoma is known by a number. For example: trivṛt-stoma which means three fold or nine fold.

Chantings in Jyotiṣṭoma Sacrifice[edit]

In the Jyotiṣṭoma sacrifice, the four stomas that are chanted are:

  1. Trivṛt
  2. Pañcadaśa
  3. Saptadaśa
  4. Ekaviṅśa

These are called four jyotis or lights. Hence it is named as Jyotiṣṭoma.

References[edit]

  1. Stotras means Ṛgvedic chants.
  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore