The Sanskrit word āhitāgni (ahitagni) refers to a brāhmaṇa (brahmana) who ceaselessly performs the ritual of agnihotra everyday; therefore, the ones not to perform agnihotra in this manner are known as anāhitāgni (anahitagni). Ayodhyā (Ayodhya), the capital of King Daśaratha (Dasaratha), has been described as abode of no anāhitāgni brāhmaṇa – nānāhitāgni-nāyajvā. The Śiromaṇi (Siromani) commentary of Rāmāyaṇa (Ramayana) explains that a brāhmaṇa who does not perform agnihotra regularly would be called an anāhitāgni brāhmaṇa – anāhitāgniḥ niravacchinnāhgnihotra-rahitaḥ.

According to Vāyupurāṇa (Vayupurana), the ones among pitṛgaṇa (pitrigana; the souls of the departed ancestors) not to have performed agnihotra regularly become known as agniṣvātta (agnishwatta) pitṛgaṇa – 

agniṣvāttāḥ smṛtānte vai pitaro’nāhitāgnayaḥ.