The Mahahavis, also known as the great offering, is a significant ritual in the context of Chaturmasya, a series of three Vedic sacrifices of the ishti type in ancient Hindu religion. Chaturmasya involves performing three specific Vedic sacrifices, namely Vaishvadeva, Varuna-praghasa, and Sakamedha, at four monthly intervals.
Sakamedha, the last sacrifice in the Chaturmasya series,
extends over two days and includes the crucial Mahahavis ceremony. The term
"Mahahavis" itself translates to the great offering, emphasizing the
importance of this ritual within the broader context of the sacrificial
ceremonies.
During the Mahahavis ritual, eight oblations are offered to
eight deities, including prominent ones such as Indra, Agni, Mahendra, and
Vishvakarma. Among these eight offerings, five are common to the other two
sacrifices, Vaishvadeva and Varuna-praghasa. The remaining three oblations are
specific to the Mahahavis ceremony.
The three unique offerings during Mahahavis include a rice
cake presented to Indra and Agni on twelve kapalas (potsherds), a porridge
(caru) offered to Indra, and another rice cake dedicated to Vishvakarma. These
offerings symbolize the reverence and devotion of the worshiper towards these
deities and are integral to the successful completion of the Sakamedha
sacrifice within the Chaturmasya framework.
Overall, the Mahahavis ceremony represents a profound and
intricate aspect of ancient Hindu religious practices, highlighting the
meticulous attention given to rituals and offerings in the pursuit of spiritual
significance and divine favor.