We do not have the correct information about the time of origin of this kind of practices. But most of the Siththars right from Agathiyar has shared the information about homam in their songs. As I have seen, the information about homam are in the songs of Agathiyar, Thirumoolar, Bogar, Pulipaani, Karuvoorar and Korakkar.
Agathiyar in his book, “Aemathaththuvam” has written about the homam in the following way.
பாரப்பா பார்தனிலே யிருக்குமட்டும்
paarappaa paarthanilae yirukkumattum
பத்திகொண்டு டிசைந்துநீ ஓமஞ்செய்தால்
paththikondu disainthunee oamanjseithaal
நேரப்பா பருதிமதி யுள்ளம் மட்டும்
naerappaa paruthimathi yullam mattum
நீமகனே பூரணமாய் வாழ்வாயப்பா
neemakanae pooranamaai vaazhvaayappaa
காரப்பா நித்தியகர்ம அனுஷ்டானங்கள்
kaarappaa niththiyakarma anushtaanangal
கருணையடன் செய்துகொண்டு கனிவாய்மைந்தா
karunaiyudan seithukondu kanivaaimainthaa
தேரப்பா சிறப்புடனே ஓமஞ்செய்து
thaerappaaa sirappudanae oamanjseythu
சிவசிவா விசயோகத் திறத்தைகாணே
sivasivaa visayoagath thiraththaikaanae.
- அகத்தியர் (Agathiyar)
Agathiyar has told about the benefits of doing homam in this song. In the Thirumantra of Thirumoolar, he has told about the homam in the following way.
"ஓமத்திலேயும் ஒருத்தி பொருந்தினாள்
oamaththilaeyum oruththi porunthinaal”
"வின்னா விளம்பிரை மேவிய குண்டத்துச்
vinnaa vilambirai maeviya kundaththuch”
"நாடறிமண்டலம் நலவிக் நலவிக் குண்டத்தும்
naadarimandalam nalavi nalavik kundaththum”
"நின்ற குண்டம் நிலையாறு கோணமாய்
ninra kundam nilaiyaaru koanamaai"
The ancient Tamilians had a practice of burning the left out crops after harvesting. Even today we can witness this kind of practice. But we do not know if there were religious reasons behind this.
But as per the science this kind of practice gives the required strength to the land. The reason of telling this here is that the homam is the smaller form of that burnings done on the huge agricultural lands. Because it has been told that the homam are to be done on the land only.
What are the shapes of the homa kundam*? What are the types? We shall see all the answers for these questions in the next post.
*Kundam – Hollow in the ground for the sacred fires
Original – www.siththarkal.com
Translated by சந்தியா
