[GHHF] Attended the presentation on the theory and practice of Fire Ritual by P V R Narasimha Rao at S3 Foundation in Memphis.
S3 Foundation invited Sri P V R Narasimha Rao to conduct a workshop on Homa to talk about the theory, practice, and experience of conducting Homa for anybody who is interested in this ancient fire ritual. It is a two-day workshop that started on August 26, 2023. Purushottam Tandu introduced him to the public, his relationship with him and how he was able to contact him and invite. He appreciated the Guest for accepting and conducting the workshop. Prakasarao Velagapudi mentioned that all Hindus should appreciate our ancient rishis who passed on the fire ritual to mankind. It is time to revive this ritual for the welfare of humanity as well as for individual needs.
Sri P V R Narasimha Rao started his presentation talking about various dimensions of fore ritual. He said Fire is called “pävaka”, i.e. the one that purifies. Fire purifies whatever it meets.
It is interesting to note that fire ritual is an ancient practice and several religions taught worshipping gods in fire. Hindus adhering to Vedas as well as Tantras and Agamas worship fire. Some Buddhists worship fire. Zoroastrians worshipped fire. Native American traditions and Incan traditions worshipped fire. Some ancient Greco-Roman civilizations also worshipped fire and made offerings to gods in fire.
RigVeda 1.77.1 says about Agni: “yo martyeñu amåtaù åtävä”. Fire is the imperishable essence within perishable objects, i.e., immortal essence within mortals, and it is a representation of the divine Will and rhythm (åtam).
The fire within a mortal is immortal and this immortal fire devours and purifies perishable objects, qualities and conditioning which are present within a mortal, and which make one a mortal. By slowly reducing perishable objects within one, such as conditioning, to ashes, strengthened internal fire removes conditioning and obstacles and purifies one. That increases one’s focus on mantra.
In a fire ritual, fire represents Brahman. Play of the fire represents Shakti. Those two are inseparable. Offerings in fire represent the conditioning that one is trying to overcome. Actions in the outer cosmos (macrocosm) resonate in the inner cosmos (microcosm) and facilitate an internal transformation over time.
A ritual such as homa performed by oneself is 1,000,000 times more powerful than a ritual performed in one’s name by a priest! The bottom-line is that one is on one’s own as Kali deepens and priests will be limited in their ability to give a material and spiritual uplift to others.
Homa activates the internal fire by resonance and burns one’s conditioning. Depending on the density of conditioning, it can empower one’s free will, give calmness and clarity, speed up spiritual progress, or even give experience of god.
When blockages are removed, self-awareness (Kundalini) rises from the physical realm (mooladhara chakra) and the mind experiences unlimited.
In order to optimize the experience, one should not eat anything in the one or two hours before homa. One should also stick to vegetarian food. Eating meat or eating just before a homa will make the digestive fire burn strongly and this will limit the amount of energy left for the internal fire needed for burning conditioning. After all, one may notice that the fire in the brain that facilitates thinking and digestion of ideas slows down immediately after a heavy meal, as digestive fire uses up a lot of energy.
In the evening, he demonstrated how the homa should be performed to all the assembled people to help them to do home the next day – on Sunday. On Sunday, everybody will be able to sit and perform the fire ritual.
We had the opportunity to talk to everybody about out activities and share the brochure describing our activities in India and Bangladesh. Then we had the opportunity to gift two of our books – Reviving Hinduism and Ambushing Hinduism- to Dr. P V R Narasimha Rao. He asked everybody to support our cause and encouraged us to continue our relentless efforts.
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