Ghrita – Ghee (clarified butter) is an offering in Vedic
rituals. When ghee is used part of vedic rituals in Hindu religion it is called
ajya and havisya.
The offering of a stream of ghee in the sacred fire, uttering
the sacred Vedic chants, addressing a particular deity, with the words ending
svaha is an age-old practice from Rig Vedic times (Rig Veda Mandala 6, sukta
16-47).
It is believed that the gods are propitiated and pleased by
the devotional offering of ghee in the yajna rituals.
Agni, the fire god in Hinduism, is supposed to be the
carrier of the ajya bhaga of each deity, in all the yajnas.
The mimamsa texts detail how the purification of the ghee
for the yajna should be done, the storing and handling of the ghee using the
sruka and sruva (ladles), the way it should be poured into the yajna fire, etc.
In the daily worship of deity in Hindu religion, the ajya
snana – the smearing of the deity with ghrita and chanting – is a regular part
of Panchamrit Snan (bathing with five sacred items – milk, curd, ghee, honey
and water).
Ayurveda praises the medicinal value of ghee; and many
medicinal preparations based on ghee are set out.