Saint Ramanuja was a revolutionary Acharya-saint who lived one thousand years ago. He took a keen interest in studying ancient Pancharatra Agama texts. He revised extant temple rituals to fall in line with these Agama texts. Ramanuja also created a simple Puja ritual, the Ijya Puja, which brought the benefit of a fire ritual to a commoner. This post answers the following questions. The Ishti Fire ritual Firstly, the popular word Yagna refers to a Vedic fire ritual. Secondly, Vedic scholars classified Yagnas broadly based on their offerings. Chanting of a mantra that invites or praises a deity accompanies simpler Havis-Offering in an Ishti-style Yagna. Svaha chants accompany the pouring of the Havis-Oblations in an Ahuti-style yagna. Ijya refers to any performance that adheres to Ishti principles. Agama texts explain the logic behind the steps in a Puja. The ancient Agama texts’ authors were Vyasa’s contemporaries. They borrowed procedures from Vedic rituals and adapted them for temple worship. Some authors

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