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In Hinduism, Yajna (Devanagari यज्ञ IAST yajña; also anglicized as Yagna, Yagya or Yadnya) is a ritual of sacrifice (Monier-Williams gives the meanings "worship, prayer, praise; offering, oblation, sacrifice") derived from the practice of Vedic times. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Hinduism is an umbrella term for a wide variety of related religious traditions native to India. Within Hinduism a large number of personalities or 'forms' are worshiped as Murtis. Hinduism comprises numerous Sects or denominations The main divisions in current Hinduism are Shaivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism Hindu mythology is the large body of Mythology related to Hinduism, notably as contained in Sanskrit literature, such as the Sanskrit epics and Hindu philosophy is divided into six Sanskrit ''{{IAST|āstika}}'') schools of thought or darshanas (literally "views" Sankhya The Sanskrit term ( Devanāgarī: धर्म Pali transliteration dhamma) is an Indian spiritual and religious Artha ( Devanagari: अर्थ is a Sanskrit term meaning "purpose cause motive meaning notion" In Indian religions, Moksha ( Sanskrit: sa मोक्ष mokṣa) or Mukti ( Sanskrit: sa मुक्ति literally "release" Karma is a concept in Hinduism which explains Causality through a system where beneficial effects are derived from past beneficial actions Yoga ( Sanskrit: योग, IAST: yóga, joːgə refers to traditional physical and mental disciplines originating in India, to the Bhakti ( Devanāgarī: भक्ति) is a word of Sanskrit origin meaning devotion. Maya ( Sanskrit sa माया māyā) in Indian religions, has multiple meanings This article is about Hinduism. Puja or "pooja" may also refer to certain devotional practices performed by Balmikis Buddhists (see A Hindu temple or Mandir ( Sanskrit: मंदिर is a house of worship for Hindus followers of Hinduism. Literature regarded as central to the Hindu literary tradition was predominantly composed in Sanskrit, Indeed much of the morphology and linguistic "Veda" redirects here For other uses see Veda (disambiguation. The Upanishads ( Devanagari: उपनिषद् IAST: upaniṣad also spelled "Upanisad" are Hindu scriptures that constitute the core teachings The Rāmāyaṇa ( Devanāgarī: sa रामायण is an ancient Sanskrit epic attributed to the Hindu sage ( Maharishi) Valmiki For other meanings see Purana (disambiguation. The Puranas ( Sanskrit: sa पुराण purāṇa, "of ancient times" The following is a bibliography of Hindu scriptures and texts. The percentage of Hindu population of each country was taken from the US State Department's International Religious Freedom Report 2006. These are some of the most noteworthy Gurus and Saints of Hinduism (in alphabetical order A Hinduism is going through a phase of regeneration and reform through the vehicle of several contemporary movements collectively termed as Hindu reform movements. Ayurveda ( Devanāgarī: आयुर्वॆद the 'science of life' is a system of Traditional medicine native to India, and practiced in other The Hindu calendar used in ancient times has undergone many changes in the process of regionalization and today there are several regional Indian Calendars, as This article deals with social and cultural criticism of Hinduism The following is a glossary of terms and concepts in Hinduism. Jyotiṣa ( Sanskrit jyotiṣa, from jyótis- "light heavenly body" also spelled Jyotish and Jyotisha in English Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. The International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration ( IAST) is a popular Transliteration scheme that allows a lossless Romanization of Indic A ritual is a set of actions often thought to have Symbolic value the performance of which is usually prescribed by a Religion or by the Traditions Sacrifice (from a Middle English verb meaning "to make sacred" from Old French, from Latin sacrificium: sacr, "sacred" Sir Monier Monier-Williams (1819&ndash1899 studied documented and taught Asian languages in England, and compiled one of the most widely-used Sanskrit This article refers to the religious act For the album by Michael W Prayer is the act of attempting to communicate with a Deity or spirit This article discusses the historical religious practices in the Vedic time period see Hinduism and Indian religions for details It is performed to please the Devas or to attain certain wishes (Kamya rituals). Deva (देव in Devanagari script pronounced as /'d̪evə/ is the Sanskrit word for "god Deity " An essential element is the sacrificial fire (the divine Agni) into which oblations are poured, as everything that is offered in the divine Agni is believed to reach the Devas. Agni is a Hindu and Vedic deity. The word agni is Sanskrit for "fire" (noun cognate with Latin ignis Agni is a Hindu and Vedic deity. The word agni is Sanskrit for "fire" (noun cognate with Latin ignis
The meaning of Yagna is not confined to this sacrificial ritual. It has a much wider and deeper meaning. The word Yagna is derived from the Sanskrit verb yaj, which has a three-fold meaning: worship of deities (deva-pujana), unity (sangatikarana) and charity (daana). The philosophy of Yagna teaches a way of living in the society in harmony and a lifestyle which promotes and protects higher human values in the society, which is indeed the basis of an ideal human culture.
A Vedic (Shrauta) yajna is typically performed by an [Adhvaryu] priest, with a number of additional priests such as the hotar, udgatar playing a major role, next to their dozen helpers, by reciting or singing Vedic verses. Śrauta ( Devanagari sa श्रौत traditions are conservative Ritualistic traditions of Historical Vedic religion in Hinduism, based on Priests of the Vedic religion were officiants of the ''yajna'' service Priests of the Vedic religion were officiants of the ''yajna'' service The Rigveda ( Sanskrit sa ऋग्वेद ṛgveda, a compound of ṛc "praise verse" and veda "knowledge" Usually, there will be one or three fires in the centre of the offering ground and items are offered into the fire. Among the items offered as oblations (Aahuti) in the Vedic Yajna include large quantities of ghee, milk, grains, cakes, animal meat or Soma. Oblation, an offering Latin ''oblatio'' from ''offerre'' ''oblatum'' to offer a term particularly in ecclesiastical usage for a solemn Offering or presentation to Ghee ( Hindi घी ghī, Urdu گھی ghī, Punjabi ਘਿਉ/گھیو ghiu, Kashmiri ग्याव/گیاو Soma ( Sanskrit: सोम) or Haoma ( Avestan) from Proto-Indo-Iranian * sauma-, was a ritual drink of importance The duration of a yajna depends on the type of yajna; some can last a few minutes, hours, or days, and some even last for years, with priests continuously offering to the gods accompanied with sacred verses. Some Yajnas are performed privately, others with a large number of people in attendance. Post-Vedic Yajnas, where milk products (ghee or yogurt), fruits, flowers, cloth, and money are offered, are called "yaga", homa or havana. A Havan is a sacred purifying ritual ( Yajna) in Hinduism that involves a fire ceremony
A typical Hindu marriage, too, is a yajna, because the fire deity Agni is supposed to be the witness of all marriages. Agni is a Hindu and Vedic deity. The word agni is Sanskrit for "fire" (noun cognate with Latin ignis Brahmins and certain other castes receive a yajnopavita (sacred cord) at their upanayana rite of passage. Upanayana, sometimes known outside India by the name "sacred thread ceremony" is commonly known for being a Hindu rite-of-passage ritual The yajnopavita symbolizes the right of the individual to study the Vedas and to carry out yagnas or homas.
Temple worship is called agamic, while communication to divinity through the fire god, Agni, is considered Vedic. Agni is a Hindu and Vedic deity. The word agni is Sanskrit for "fire" (noun cognate with Latin ignis There are 1028 hymns in the Rigveda, most of them dedicated to specific deities. Today's temple rites are a combination of both Vedic and Agamic rituals. This article discusses the historical religious practices in the Vedic time period see Hinduism and Indian religions for details The sacrificial division of Hindu scripture is the Karma-Kanda portion of the Vedas which describe or discuss most sacrifices. "Veda" redirects here For other uses see Veda (disambiguation. The Nambudiri Brahmins of Kerala are among the most famous Shrauta Brahmins who maintain these ancient rituals. The Nambudiri Brahmins ( Malayalam: ml നമ്പൂതിരി ml-Latn nambũdiri, also transliterated Namputiri, Namboothiri) are the Kerala ( Malayalam: {{Kerala in Malayalam}}; Śrauta ( Devanagari sa श्रौत traditions are conservative Ritualistic traditions of Historical Vedic religion in Hinduism, based on
Today, only a few hundred individuals know how to perform these sacrifices and even less are able to maintain the sacred fires continuously and perform the Shrauta rituals. [1] Only a few thousand perform the Agnihotra or basic Aupasana fire sacrifice daily . Agnihotra (अग्निहोत्र is a Vedic Yajña (ritual or sacrifice performed by Orthodox Hindu communities
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Yajnas in the Vedas
There are 400 Yajnas described in the Vedas . Of these, 21 are (theoretically) compulsory for the Twiceborn (Dvijas: Brahmin, Ksatriya, Vaisya). They are also called Nitya Karmas that are to be performed over a lifetime. The rest are optional, which are performed as "Kamya Karma " i. e. for particular wishes and benefits. "Nitya" does not mean that all 21 rituals are to performed daily. Only the Agnihotra is to be performed twice daily, at dawn and dusk. Agnihotra (अग्निहोत्र is a Vedic Yajña (ritual or sacrifice performed by Orthodox Hindu communities The remaining ones have certain allotted frequencies over the course of the year. The more complicated the Yajna, the lesser the frequency. The largest ones need to be performed only once in a lifetime. The first seven yajnas are called Paka Yajnas, the second seven Havir Yajnas, and the third seven are called Soma Yajnas. Yajnas such as Putrakameshti (for begetting sons), Ashvamedha (to rule 'the earth'), Rajasuya (royal consecration), etc. are among the 400 which are not compulsory.
Aupasana
This is the basic simple fire sacrifice (in theory) that is to be performed at home twice daily. The Aupasana agni is lit at the time of the bridegroom's wedding.
The various sacred Agnis
The Aupasana Agni lit at the time of the grooms wedding is then divided into two in a sacrifice called Agnyadhana. One part becomes the Grhyagni the other becomes the Srautagni. These two fires are to be preserved throughout the individual's life. The Grhyagni or Aupasanagni is used in the Paka Yajnas; such rituals are described in the Grhyasutras, such as in the Ekagni Kanda of the Apastambha Sutra.
The rituals pertaining to the three Srautagnis are described in the Shrauta Sutras. Śrauta ( Devanagari sa श्रौत traditions are conservative Ritualistic traditions of Historical Vedic religion in Hinduism, based on Their performers are called Srautin. Fourteen of the 21 compulsory sacrifices are performed in the Srautagnis. They are called Garhapatya, Ahavaniya and Dakshinagni. The Garhapatya is circular in shape and is situated in the west of the offering ground. Fire is taken from the Garhapatya and kindled in the remaining two fires. The Dakshinagni is semicircular (halfmoon-shaped), is situated in the south and is used for certain rituals, mainly for offerings to the forefathers. The Ahavaniya is square, situated in the east, and is used as the main offering fire of most Srauta sacrifices. The last three Havir Yagnas and all the seven Somayajnas are performed in a specially built Yajnashala.
Three kinds of Yajnas
In the category of nitya-karma there are 21 sacrifices, included in the forty saṃskāras (mostly rites of passage), which are required to be performed at least once in a lifetime of a Dvija. Nitya karma refers to those karmas (or rituals which have to be performed daily by Hindus Samskaram ( Sanskrit saṃskāraṃ "accomplishment embellishment consecration" Hindi Sanskar) are Vedic Rites of passage finding Dvija ( Sanskrit twice born) is one of the members of the first three Varnas in Hindu Dharma. These are divided into groups of seven - paaka-yajnas, havir-yajnas, and soma-yajnas.
Pakayajnas
Pakayajnas are minor sacrifices and are performed at home. On every Prathama (first day of the lunar fortnight), a pakayajna and a haviryajna have to be performed in the grhyagni and shrautagni respectively. The first is called sthalipaka. "Sthali" is the pot in which rice is cooked; it must be placed on the aupasana fire and the rice called "Charu" cooked in it must be offered into the same fire.
Haviryajnas
The haviryajnas are more elaborate, though not as large in scale as the somayajnas. The haviryajna performed on every Prathama day is "darsa-purna-isti", "darsa" meaning the new moon and "purna" the full moon. The two rituals are also referred to merely as "isti". The Darsapaurnamasa isti is the prakrti (archetype) for the haviryajnas. The first four haviryajnas - adhana, agnihotra, darsa-purna-masa and agrayana - are performed at home. Agnihotra (अग्निहोत्र is a Vedic Yajña (ritual or sacrifice performed by Orthodox Hindu communities The last three haviryajnas - caturmasya, nirudhapasubandha and sautramani - are performed in a yajnasala.
Somayajnas
The name somayajna is called after the juice of the Soma plant, said to be relished by the devas, that is offered as an oblation. Soma ( Sanskrit: सोम) or Haoma ( Avestan) from Proto-Indo-Iranian * sauma-, was a ritual drink of importance In these sacrifices, Samans are sung, and all Shrauta priests - the hotar, adhvaryu, udgatar and the brahman as well as their 12 or 13 helpers take part: each priest is assisted by three others. Śrauta ( Devanagari sa श्रौत traditions are conservative Ritualistic traditions of Historical Vedic religion in Hinduism, based on The Agnistoma, the first of the seven somayajnas is the prakrti (archetype) for the six others that are its vikrti. These six are: atyagnistoma, uktya, sodasi, vajapeya, atiratra and aptoryama. Vajapeya is often regarded as particularly important. When its yajamana (sacrificer) comes after the ritual bath (avabhrtha snana) at the conclusion of the sacrifice, the king himself holds up a white umbrella for him. "Vaja" means 'price of a race' (but is nowadays also taken as rice, food) and "peya" means a drink, thus 'drink of victory'. This sacrifice consists of the offering of soma-rasa (juice), pasu-homa (offering of 23 animals) and anna- or vaja-homa. The sacrificer is "bathed" in the rice that is left over. Since the rice is "poured over" him like water, the term "vajapeya" is apt. [1]
Pancha Mahayajnas
Hindu tradition has the Pancha Mahayajnas ("Five Great Yajnas", Taittiriya Aranyaka 2. The Taittiriya Shakha is a notable Shakha ("rescension" of the Black Yajurveda. The Aranyakas (Sanskrit आरण्यक āraṇyaka) are part of the Hindu śruti, the four Vedas these religious texts were composed in 10) namely:
- Devayajna- consists of offering ahutis to devas
- Pitryajna- consists of offering libations to ancestors or pitrs
- Bhutayajna- consists of offering bali or food to all (departed) creatures
- Manushyayajna- consists of feeding guests
- Brahmayajna- consists of reciting of bráhman, i. A libation (spondee in Greek) is a Ritual pouring of a drink as an offering to a god. e. the stanzas of the Vedas, namely Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda
Other Yajnas
Jyotistoma
This yajna is meant for the elevation of the yajamana to heaven, the lokas of the gods (e. "Veda" redirects here For other uses see Veda (disambiguation. The Rigveda ( Sanskrit sa ऋग्वेद ṛgveda, a compound of ṛc "praise verse" and veda "knowledge" The Yajurveda ( Sanskrit यजुर्वेदः, a Tatpurusha compound of yajus "sacrificial formula' + veda The Samaveda ( Sanskrit: सामवेद sāmaveda, from sāman "melody" + veda "knowledge") is third (in the usual The Atharvaveda ( Sanskrit: अथर्ववेद atharvaveda, a Tatpurusha compound of {{IAST|atharvan}}, an ancient Rishi Loka, a word in Sanskrit, in Hinduism and Hindu mythology, means world dimension plane abode and/or place or plane of existence. g. Indraloka. )
Pitrloka Yajna
This yajna is for obtaining the world of the ancestors and Yama.
Panchagni Yajna
This sacrifice is addressed in the Chandogya Upanishad. The Chandogya Upanishad is one of the "primary" ( Mukhya) Upanishads Together with the Jaiminiya Upanishad Brahmana and the Brihadaranyaka It enables one to achieve Brahmaloka.
Dravyamayar Yajna
This is where people open ashrams for who are in need of them. An Ashram in ancient India was a Hindu hermitage where sages lived in Peace and tranquility amidst Nature. The five types of ashrams are: dharma-shala, anna-kshetra, atithi-shala, anaathaalya, visya-pitha.
Tapomaya Yajna
Candrayana and Caturmaasya
These are several vows for conducting life according to certain rigid rules For example, a sacrificer does not shave for four months during year (usually in the July-October time period. ) Other examples are that he does not eat certain foods, or does not eat twice a day, or does not leave home (Caturmaasya. )
Svadhyaya Yajna
This sacrifice is engaging in studying of the Vedas (Hindu scripture. Hindu wedding ceremonies are traditionally though not always conducted at least partially in Sanskrit, the language in which most holy Hindu ceremonies are )
Prasastekarmani Yajna
This sacrifices means carrying out one's duties. Whatever varna is in one's nature, if one carries out the person is performing this sacrifice. Varna (sa वर्ण varṇa) is a Sanskrit term derived from the root meaning "to enclose"
Harer namanukirtanan Yajna
This sacrifice is hearing or chanting the glories of the Lord Hari.
Vivaha Yajna
This is the marriage ceremony.
Scientific Aspects of Yagna
The effects of Yagna include treatment of various diseases and the removal of atmospheric pollution. Another prominent effect is parjanya (sublime showers of vital energy and spiritual strength from the upper cosmic planes).
The four Vedas signify the philosophy of the eternity and complementarity of Gayatri and Yagna in the divine creations. The Atharvaveda deals with the sound therapy aspects of Mantras. They can be used for the treatment of the ailing human system at the physical, psychological and spiritual levels. The Samaveda focuses on the musical chanting patterns of Mantras, and the subtle form of Yagna. It defines Yagna as the process of mental oblation on the surface of internal emotions, through the cosmic radiations of the omnipresent subtle energy of sound. The Yajurveda contains the principles and the methods of performing Yagnas as a part of the spiritual and scientific experiments for global welfare.
Experimental studies have shown that Yagna or agnihotra creates a pure, hygienic, nutritional and healing atmosphere. Researchers from the field of microbiology have observed that the medicinal fumes emanating from the process of agnihotra are bacteriostatic in nature, i. e. they eradicate bacteria and micro-organisms, which are the root causes of illness and diseases. The following quotes by renowned scientists are noteworthy:
- “Burning sugar and its smoke has a significant effect in purifying the atmosphere. It kills the germs of T. B. , measles, smallpox and cow-pox” – remarks Prof. Tilward.
- A Russian Scientist named Dr. Shirowich mentions – “if cow’s ghee is put into the fire, its smoke will lessen the effect of atomic radiation to a great extent”.
The following example further illustrates the scientific benefits of Yagna.
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh, India) Gas Tragedy and Agnihotra The tragic incident occurred on the night of December 3, 1984 when the poisonous MIC gas leaked from Union Carbide factory at Bhopal. Hundreds of people died and thousands were hospitalized, but there were two families – those of Shri Sohan Lal S. Khushwaha and Shri M. L. Rathore, living about one mile away from the plant, who came out unscathed. These families were regularly performing agnihotra (havan). In these families nobody died, nobody was even hospitalized despite being present in the area worst affected by the leakage of the toxic gas. This observation implies that agnihotra is a proven antidote to pollution. (English Daily – “The Hindu” of 4th May 1985; news item under the heading ‘Vedic Way to Beat Pollution’. )
See also
References
- Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend (ISBN 0-500-51088-1) by Anna Dhallapiccola
External links
- Significance of Athi Rudra Maha Yajnam
- Agnihotra Fireritual
- Importance of Yagya from a Scientific perspective
- An institution for Yagya Studies
- Yagna Science Research Center
- Yagyopathic Research Paper
- Procedure of Yagna - By Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya
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