The basic homa of Subrahmaṇya, practiced by śrīvidyā upāsakas is based on VasiSṭha samhitā[1] and involves the worship of Subrahmaṇya in two forms: saguṇa and nirguṇa. After performing the śaḍāvaraṇa pūjā of Subrahmaṇya, homa is performed first with Subrahmaṇya ṣaḍakṣarī mantra and then with Subrahmaṇya pañcadaśākṣarī mantra. This is followed by śaḍāvaraṇa pūjā of the great Brahmaṇya and homa with the aṣṭādaśākṣarī mantra of the Nirguṇa sVarūpa, followed by daśāmśa āhuti to aṅga mantras including the Mahāvākyas [2].
Kārtikēya homa, detailed in Guhārcanacandrikā[3] involves a basic homa with the vimśatyakṣara Kārtikēya mantra, followed by a daśamśa āhuti of the well-known ṣaḍakṣarī. This forms the prologue and is followed by the Shatrusamhāra triśatī homa. The eighteen weapons of Kārtikēya are first offered oblations with their respective mantras, and āhuti are offered to Icchā śakti & jñāna śakti i.e. Vallī and Dēvasēnā with their six yōginī śakti-s [Trailōkyavijayā, Trailōkyasañjīvinī, Trailōkyadraviṇī etc.]. āhutis are then offered to the three Vēlāyudha-s, pañca brahma mūrti-s, āśu garuḍa, Vīrabhadra, Bhadrakālī, Gāruḍanṟsimha and finally with the 300 names. Sampuṭīkaraṇa vidhi for the 300 names is a vast subject in itself. Dravya viśēśa to be used for this homa is also specifically detailed.
Guha homa paddhati [4] involves basic homa with the mūla mantra of Guha, followed by daśāmśa homa with malā mantra, sanakādi catuṣṭaya mantras, Kukkuṭa, śaktyāyudha, Mayūra, Vētāla and Sharabhakālikā mantras
.
Kumāra homa involves homa with Kumāra mantra, along with āhutis for various mūrtis such as jñāna brahmaṇya, Skanda, Guha, Agnisambhava, śaravaṇa, Dēśikēśa, Krauncachēdana, ṣaṇmukha, Krodhonmatta, Kalyāṇasundara, Sr̥śṭidhāraṇa etc. There is a specific paddhati attributed to akāśabhairava tantra for the worship of Prasanna Skanda mūrti, followed in Kukke Subrahmaṇya kṣētra.
Notes
[1] This Vasisṭha samhitā does not seem to the same as the one which is a part of Shubhāgama pañcaka. The almost complete version of VasiSṭha samhitā that I have seen does not include these details. The details of this homa, supposedly from this work, were taught to me by Sri Chandrashekharan Iyer of Trichy, who was a close disciple of H H Sri Shantananda Sarasvati Mahaswamigal of Pudukkottai. An incomplete version of this work, which includes the chapter dealing with Subrahmaṇya homa is present with Mahāmahōpādhyāya R Satyanarayana. Also, Uḍḍāmarēśvara tantra, while describing the aṅga mantras of Ramādi ṣōḍaśī, refers to the two mantras with the statement, `as discussed in 31st paṭala before narrating Vasisṭha’s conversation with ṣakti’. Unfortunately, only the second half of this paṭala is available to the best of my knowledge.
[2] Sri Chidānandanātha of Guhānanda manḍalī taught an almost similar worship but with the position of two of the bījas inter-changed in aṣṭādaśākṣarī. He, however, did not advocate an actual agnimukha prayoga here but taught antaryāga involving svādhiṣṭhāna in place of the classical mūlādhāra.
[3] Guhārcanacandrikā is a work authored by a siddha yogi named Appasvamayyar. A version of this work was obtained from a disciple of this yogi in Rājamātaṅgi’s city (Sri Santana Gopalan), by our dear Sri S K Ramachandra Rao. He graciously gave me the original copy saying, `Anything for those belonging to Sri Chandrashekhara Bharati’s lineage’. This is quite an emotional possession, as it was sort of his parting gift before he left for his heavenly abode.
[4] Guha Homa paddhati was found in a handwritten copy handed down through generations, which I copied from late Sri Gopalakrishna Dikshitar based in Chidambaram. Though it seems like a compilation, each of the forty chapters ends with the statement, `Mahākaumāra tantre, Guhapaddhatau paṭalaḥ’ etc.