The Jewel of Rituals for the Planetary Sacrifice

...I invoke Ishana The guardian of the Northeast; a form of Shiva. Having thus invoked the forty-one deities and having honored Varuna The god of the waters within the ceremonial water jar, one should perform the invocation using the appropriate mantras. In the proper order and by their respective names, one should perform the worship of the deities, ending with the offering of flowers as previously described. To ensure the ritual's success, one should also worship the deities who guard the sacrifice—honoring them with perfumes, parasols, and flowers.

The offerings consist of sacrificial fuel-sticks samidha; specific types of wood used to feed the ritual fire, sacrificial grass, and clarified butter. For each substance and for each planet, one should make between one and one thousand offerings, according to one's capacity. These offerings are made to the principal planet-deity, the presiding deity, and the subordinate deity. The offerings are cast into the fire with the hand while reciting the names ending with the word "Svaha" An exclamation used when casting offerings into the fire, similar to "Hail!" or "I offer this!".

In this rite, the Acharya The lead priest or preceptor sits facing the West. After performing breath regulation pranayama and stating the ritual intent sankalpa as before, he prepares the "mouth of the fire." This is done in a sacrificial pit kunda or on a raised earthen platform sthandila according to the prescribed rules, ending with the establishment of the sacred fire. Then, joined by the other priests, he takes up the fuel-sticks and specifies the time and place for the purpose of inviting the planetary deities to the...

...I shall perform the Anvadhana The ritual act of placing fuel on the sacred fire to keep it burning for the main ceremony. In this fire which has been prepared, I make offerings of clarified butter to the following:

• To the Sun (Aditya) as the main deity, with Fire (Agni) as the presiding deity and Rudra as the subordinate deity, using fuel-sticks from the Arka tree Calotropis procera; the Giant Milkweed, grass, and clarified butter.
• To the Moon (Soma) as the main deity, with the Waters (Ap) as the presiding deity and Gauri as the subordinate deity, using Palasha fuel-sticks Butea monosperma; Flame of the Forest, grass, and clarified butter.
• To Mars (Angaraka) as the main deity, with the Earth (Bhumi) as the presiding deity and Skanda as the subordinate deity, using Khadira fuel-sticks Acacia catechu; Cutch tree, grass, and clarified butter.
• To Mercury (Budha) as the main deity, with Vishnu as the presiding deity and the Cosmic Spirit (Purusha) as the subordinate deity, using Apamarga fuel-sticks Achyranthes aspera; Prickly Chaff-flower, grass, and clarified butter.
• To Jupiter (Brihaspati) as the main deity, with Indra as the presiding deity and Brahma as the subordinate deity, using Ashvatha fuel-sticks Ficus religiosa; Sacred Fig, grass, and clarified butter.
• To Venus (Shukra) as the main deity, with Indrani as the presiding deity and Indra as the subordinate deity, using Audumbara fuel-sticks Ficus racemosa; Cluster Fig, grass, and clarified butter.
• To Saturn (Shani) as the main deity, with Prajapati as the presiding deity and Yama as the subordinate deity, using Shami fuel-sticks Prosopis cineraria, grass, and clarified butter.
• To Rahu The North Node of the moon as the main deity, with the Serpent (Sarpa) as the presiding deity and Time (Kala) as the subordinate deity, using Durva grass Cynodon dactylon; Bermuda grass, sacrificial grass, and clarified butter.
• To Ketu The South Node of the moon as the main deity, with Brahma as the presiding deity and Chitragupta as the subordinate deity, using Kusha grass...