Hear now the sacred account of the lakṣahoma and koṭihoma, as revealed in the ancient scripture. Whoever performs the lakṣahoma, a fire ritual conducted with a hundred thousand offerings and guided by proper rules, will surely attain whatever desire he holds in his heart. If one seeks sons, sons will be granted; if wealth is the wish, wealth will flow to him; if a wife is desired, a beautiful wife will come; and if a maiden seeks a husband, she will find a worthy spouse. Even those who have lost their kingdom may regain it, and those who long for fortune will find it. Whatever desire is sought, it is fulfilled in abundance through this rite. But if one acts without personal desire, he attains the supreme Brahman, the highest spiritual state. Yet, there is a ritual even greater: the koṭihoma, as declared by the Self-born Brahma, which surpasses the lakṣahoma a hundredfold in offerings, effort, gifts, and results. For this, the mantras for invoking and dismissing the planetary deities are stated, as well as those for the fire pit and the giving. Now hear the distinctions regarding the altar, pavilion, and fire-pit for this mighty sacrifice. In the koṭihoma, the fire-pit must be four hands in length, perfectly square, and furnished with two yoni and mouth openings. This is known as the three-banded fire-pit. The first band is two fingers high, the second three fingers, and the third four fingers in both height and breadth; the breadth of the first two bands is two fingers, just as prescribed. The yoni should be a span in length, six or seven fingers wide, raised in the middle like a turtle’s back and two fingers high at the sides. It should resemble an elephant’s lip, elongated and furnished with an opening—the mark of the yoni in all fire-pits. Above the girdle, it should resemble the leaf of the sacred fig tree. The altar for the koṭihoma should be four spans in length, square on all sides, and furnished with three embankments, whose measurements and height are as previously described. The pavilion must measure sixteen cubits and have four entrances. At the eastern door, a learned Bahvṛca, versed in the Rig Veda, is to be established. At the southern entrance, a knower of the Yajur Veda; at the western, a Sāma Veda expert; and at the northern, an Atharva Veda scholar, as is proper. Eight officiants of the homa should be learned in the Veda and its branches, making twelve priests in total. They are to be worshipped with garments, garlands, ointments, and adorned with clothes and ornaments, all with devotion. The Bahvṛca, facing north and seated in the east, recites the Rātrisūkta, Raudra, Pavamāna, Sumaṅgala, and Śānti hymns. At the southern entrance, the foremost Yajur Veda scholar recites the Śākta, Śākra, Saumya, Kauṣmāṇḍa, and Śānti hymns. On the western side, the Chāndoga recites the Suparṇa, Vairāja, Āgneya, Rudrasaṃhitā, Jyeṣṭhamāsa, and Śānti hymns. To the north, the Atharva Veda expert recites the Śānti hymn, the Saurya, the auspicious Śākunaka, the Pauṣṭika, and the Mahārājya. The homa is then performed five or seven times as before, and for bathing and giving gifts, the same mantras are to be used. The Vasordhārā procedure is especially prescribed for the lakṣahoma. Whoever performs the koṭihoma according to this rule attains all desires and then reaches the abode of Viṣṇu. One who reads or hears about the three Graha-yajñas, with his soul purified of all sins, attains the realm of Indra. The fruit gained by performing ten thousand and eight Aśvamedha sacrifices is obtained from the koṭihoma. Thousands of Brahmin murders and hundreds of millions of feticides are destroyed by the koṭihoma, as declared by Śiva. After performing the Navagraha sacrifice, one may undertake desired rites such as subjugation, sorcery, expulsion, and the like. Otherwise, no desired result will arise for men; therefore, the procedure for the ten-thousand homa should be performed first. For expulsion rites, the altar should be circular; for subjugation, it should have three girdles and a single mouth, with a width of one span. Palāśa wood is best for the fuel sticks, anointed with honey and cow’s gall, and sprinkled with sandalwood, aguru, and saffron. Into the fire, with honey and clarified butter, one should offer ten thousand bilva leaves and lotuses, as prescribed by Brahma. In rites for subjugation, one who knows dharma should offer bilva leaves and lotuses with the mantra ‘Sumitriya na āpa oṣadhaya’. Here, there is no need for installation or consecration with a water pot. After bathing with all medicinal herbs, the householder should wear white flowers and garments. He should honor the Brahmins with gold-threaded necklaces, fine white garments, and white cows adorned with gold. The practitioner will certainly bring under control all hostile forces, even enemies and friends alike; this offering destroys sin. For enmity and sorcery, a triangular fire-pit is prescribed, with two boundaries, facing a corner, and measuring a hand’s breadth on all sides. The Brahmins should perform the offering adorned with red garlands and unguents, wearing red turbans and red garments. Equipped with three new vessels filled with red substances, and using kindling in their left hands mixed with the strength of a hawk’s bone, they offer while keeping their hair loose, meditating on misfortune for the enemy. Let the ill-intentioned ones be given to him, and let ‘huṃ phaṭ’ be uttered; with the mantra for hawk-sorcery, one should consecrate a razor. Having made an effigy of the enemy, one should cut it with the razor, and the pieces of the enemy’s likeness should be cast into the fire. After completing the rites of the planetary sacrifice, one should not perform enmity or sorcery again; one should not do this at all. These rites yield results for people here in this world, but not auspiciousness in the next; therefore, one desiring prosperity should only perform rites of pacification. Thus is the sacred narrative of these powerful homas and their procedures, as revealed by the sages and the Self-born, for the fulfillment of worldly and spiritual desires, and for the purification of sin.