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Akshay

@Devasakha

Mar 20 • 18 tweets • 9 min read • Read on X

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A thread on ancient fire altars (chiti) used in Vedic Aryan rituals and their shapes and layers as described in the ancient Vedic ritual texts. Consider this as an updated version of my older thread from years back.

1) Rathacakra-citi, wheel shaped altar with and without spokes

2) Paricāyya-Upacāyya citi

3) Different bird-shaped altars - Śyena, Kaṅka and Alaja citi

Different layers of the types of Śyena-citi

Different variants of Śyena-citi which are still in use today in Atiratra-Agnicayana Somayaga.

Kaṅka-citi, similar to bird-shaped forms of Śyena-citi

Alaja-citi, similar in shape as ones above.

4) Śmaśāna-citi or 'funeral altar'.

5) Praüga and Ubhayataḥ Praüga citi

6) Kūrma-citi or tortoise-shaped altar

Circular Kūrma-citi

7) Droṇa-citi

Different layers and types of Droṇa-citi

Another type of Droṇa-citi

Circular Droṇa-citi

There are many more such altars and variants. These served as foundation of ancient Indian geometry and mathematics. Earliest brick fire-altars of diverse shapes are discovered from the Harappan civilization within India. Vedic tradition of building brick-altars stems from it.

Different variant of Śmaśāna-citi, in square shape.

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More from @Devasakha

Akshay

@Devasakha

Feb 4

There have been debates among Kerala folklorists and historians about the nature of the Ettuveettil Pillamar, the 8 Nair aristocrats of Travancore, and their supporters who plotted against the king Marthanda Varma.

Some regard them as patriots who resisted the tyrannical rule of Marthanda Varma who wished to eliminate his cousins - the Thampi brothers who was born of a non-Malayali lady - and the Pillamar as they posed a threat to him.

But Dutch records makes it clear that the Pillamars were troublemakers. They frequently abused the royalty and made monopoly out of the political influence. In this record, Pillamars are noted to have attacked the queen and even killed few Brahmins.

Read 4 tweets

Akshay

@Devasakha

Dec 6, 2024

Dikshita Nambuthiri Yajamana (consecrated sacrificer) in the attire of Vedic Aryan Soma ritualist.

The planting of the sacred Yupa stambha (sacrificial pillar).

Somakraya (purchase of Soma)

Read 4 tweets

Akshay

@Devasakha

Dec 5, 2024

This passage from Agnyadheyabrahmana (which deals with establishment of sacred Vedic ritual fires) of the now defunct Katha shakha of the Krishna or Black Yajur Veda is extremely significant.

Writing a thread on this context -

First, it speaks of the creator Prajapati performing intense Tapasya with his head touching the ground & legs raised upwards. This is a description of Yogic Shirshasana. So here in this ancient Vedic text we have clear description of a Yogic asana.

So those who try to severe the Vedic roots of Yoga and claim that Yogic practices have non-Vedic origins can take a hike. The practice of Tapasya found throughout in the ancient Vedic literature seems to have included the early Vedic variant of Yogic elements.

Read 10 tweets

Akshay

@Devasakha

Dec 4, 2024

The more I read the wisdom of Father Manu, the more I realize he safeguarded women's security. He mandates the king himself should protect childless women, those women in distress and widows who remain faithful to their deceased husband.

The property of widowed women is also to be safeguarded by the king. If in-laws tries to appropriate her property, the king should punish them like thieves, which includes cutting off limbs.

In a sense, this gives widow a secure life after her husband's demise. Custom of forceful Sati is nowhere to be found in this instance.

Read 4 tweets

Akshay

@Devasakha

Aug 29, 2024

A thread on Harappan iconography -

I had always wondered why the sacred arch iconography found in the Harappan seals had pipal leaves instead of fire (prabhavali, signifying the tejas or flaming aura of the deities) like we encounter in later Indian iconography.

I had initially thought it may simply signify divine status of the pipal tree, being associated with the deities since the Harappan times as in later Hindu and Buddhist tradition. But from my recent readings, now I got the precise answer.

It seems Vedic texts explicitly links the pipal tree (Ashvattha) with Agni and the Yajnas. This is hinted in relevant passages from Kathaka Samhita of the Yajur Veda and Baudhayana Shrautasutra ritual text of Yajur Veda.

Read 6 tweets

Akshay

@Devasakha

Aug 24, 2024

AK Coomaraswamy's summing up of Hindu cosmological conceptions. Make of it what you will.

Read 11 tweets

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