In the elaborate ritual of extracting soma juice during Somayagam, the nivid plays a significant role, particularly during the latter two extractions known as madhyandinasavana and tritiyasavana, conducted in the afternoon and later periods of the day, respectively. These extractions are accompanied by the chanting of shastras, or laudatory hymns, with the nivid forming a crucial component within this ceremonial framework.
Nivid is not chanted during the first extraction of soma
juice known as pratassavana.
The nivid consists of short mantras comprising twelve
clauses each, as specified in the Aitareya Brahmana 10.2. These mantras serve
to declare the names of the deities associated with the ritual and are recited
aloud, adding an element of sonic resonance to the proceedings. It is the
responsibility of the hotir priest to recite these nivids during the course of
the soma juice extraction ritual.
Through the repetition of nivids, the participants imbue the
ritual with spiritual significance, invoking the presence and blessings of the
deities essential to the sacrificial ceremony. The nivid thus serves as a
conduit for connecting the human participants with the divine realm,
facilitating the smooth and harmonious execution of the Somayagas.