Yajña

Upon first impressions a yajna is just a fire ceremony with offerings cast into the flames. But there is much more to this ancient, global ritual, in fact it is a symbol of creation itself. The true meaning, value and spirit of yajna is the unity of God and humanity. The word yajna translates into English as sacrifice, self-denial for the welfare of another, or others. It is this attitude of denying one's self, of offering up, which strengthens love and releases creativity.

Throughout time, fire has been venerated as a symbol of spirit. The first sloka in the Rig Veda is to Agni, to fire:

अग्नि मिदे पुरोहितं यज्ञस्य देवं रत्विजं होतारं रत्न धतमं 

Agni mide purohitam yajnasya devam ritvijam; hotaram ratna dhatamam

"I offer my humble prayer to Agni, who is the Absolute Divine, the awakener of the inner energy and the giver of prosperity."

Sacred fire acts as a link between man's consciousness and the cosmic consciousness. Sacred fire has the ability to convert the material offerings into psychic components, as offerings to the deities presiding over the yajnas.

The underlying factor common to all yajnas is that through this ritual the invisible forces (devatas), which are interspersed in the atmosphere, consolidate and collect in the area where it is conducted. It is for this reason that a yajna is considered a very powerful and potent means for positively influencing the atmosphere which surrounds us. Yajnas are known to ward off malefic events. A yajna is an esoteric act and thus penetrates deep into the area of mysticism. There is always an element of mystery in them. This is because the effects of a yajna are felt not just on the physical, mental, psychic or spirituals levels but on the supramental levels as well.” 

Yajna in Vedic Scriptures: 

Yajna and its implications have been dealt with in great detail in various Indian scriptures. Among these are the Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana, Srimad Bhagavatam and other Mahapuranas.

The Vedas, comprising Rig, Sama, Yajur and Atharva, maintain yajna to be the ultimate spiritual act. The Yajur Veda (3:63) describes yajna as the greatest benefactor of the human race, bestowing life, wealth, food, energy, prosperity and happiness. In yajna lies the secret of achieving excellence in life, it says.

The various Upanishads which constitute an integral part of Vedanta deal with the significance of yajna in various contexts. In the Kathopanishad (chapter 1) there is a conversation between the protagonist, Nachiketa, and Yama, the god of death. The fundamental question raised by Nachiketa is: “How can man conquer death and attain bliss?” Yama proceeds to reveal the secret of the science of the fire ritual or yajna that enables an aspirant to experience heavenly bliss and attain the highest goal in life. After explaining the methodology of yajna, Yama enumerates the positive results acquired through it. He says that a devotee can establish a link with the Vedas through yajna alone. The Vedas symbolize the unending flow of knowledge, and by performing yajnas the aspirant becomes the manifestation of absolute knowledge. So, symbolically, yajna represents this unending creative flow. The aspirant can accomplish miracles, just as Sage Vishwamitra created a parallel world for his beloved disciple, King Trishanku.

In the Bhagavad Gita, yajna is related to the law of cause and effect. Sustenance of life depends on ample production of food crops and fruits, and this is possible only when there is abundant rainfall. (Even today people attribute scanty rainfall to inauspicious deeds committed by humankind.) Hence, yajna is accepted as a way of life in that it is performed as an act of gratitude for the blessings received, and the performers of yajna offer part of their earnings as havi to the gods. Krishna tells Arjuna that the results of yajna are equivalent to nectar, which when drunk by yogis elevates them to a state of perennial bliss. It is said that all actions, excluding yajna, are the cause of bondage and it is only through performance of yajna that one attains liberation from the bondage of karma (3:9). Yajna is also related to the act of creation by Brahma (3:10). The whole cosmos is created out of agni tattwa (the fire element), which is the greatest scientific application of yajna, establishing the fact that fire or light is the quintessence of creation.

The epic Mahabharata is replete with examples testifying that yajna was an indispensable activity for kings and emperors. In the Shanti Parva, there are numerous stories of ashvamedha yajna being performed by virtuous kings and emperors. Dushyanta, son of Bharata, completed 100 ashvamedha yajnas, Bhagiratha performed several more, and King Dilip completed 1000 such rituals of fire. King Yudhishthira too conducted an ashvamedha yajna.

In ancient Bharat, yajna was accepted as a part of everyday life. No householder took food without appeasing Agni or other gods. It was only fitting then that the various Puranas and other spiritual literature extolled the glory of yajna. In the popular epic Ramayana as well as the Ramacharitamanas, King Dasharatha is depicted performing a putreshti yajna on the advice of his family preceptor, Sage Vashishtha, and council of ministers to beget progeny. As a result, he was blessed with four sons, the eldest being Rama.

The eighteen Mahapuranas, through the narration of simple stories, inspired the common people to perform yajnas. In the Koorma Purana, the demon king Bali is seen worshipping Lord Vishnu through yajna. In the Narada Purana, there is a description of the ashvamedha yajna performed by King Bahu where Indra was propitiated and in return bestowed power and prosperity on the king. In the Bhavishya Purana, Rishi Chyavana appeased the Ashvini Kumaras.

The Srimad Bhagavatam says that yajna caused the entire creation to come into being. There are also several stories of yajnas being performed. King Ambrisha performed many ashvamedha yajnas and acquired the beauty and splendour of the gods until the only desire he was left with was to acquire heavenly bliss. However, in the final stage Ambrisha became absolutely desireless. This confirms that yajna ultimately brings about inner purification.

Different Kinds, Types & Forms of Yajna:

there are 1008 different yajnas with many kinds of offerings. Dravya yajna relates to the offering of physical, material objects. Tapo yajna is the offering of psychological processes. And yoga itself is turned into sacrifice. The principle of yoga is to sublimate the lower activities to the higher aims. The Bhagavad Gita points out that sacrifice of knowledge is the highest offering. One does not rest in knowledge; one offers the knowledge to the source of knowledge, which is why Lord Krishna says: "All action culminates in the highest knowledge." The idea is to convert every output of the energy of life on every level, physical, vital, mental and spiritual, into offerings to the divine. So one who performs yajna with awareness undergoes a process of purification.

Yajna means to offer and this offering happens at many levels. In anna yajna there is offering of grains and food. In dana yajna there is offering of material wealth. The sadhana, the austerities you perform to transform and uplift yourself, in which you offer all your negative qualities to the fire and become pure, is known as tapah yajna

yajnas took on different forms indicating a process by which human beings could purify themselves and also ensure purity in the environment, purity of speech, thought and action, and the ability to understand the link that exists between an individual and nature, between nature and the cosmos. So the seed of yajna was sown when human beings heard the divine message: "Give, offer, do not accumulate."

In the course of time, yajnas became part of the tantric and vedic traditions. On culmination of a sadhana, yajna is performed in order to share the attainments and the spiritual and material prosperity that has been gained. Yajnas were also used to propitiate the natural forces and cosmic energies, the natural luminous beings which govern the elements, different celestial events and the different expressions in life. Through mantra and yantra, yajna awakens the power contained within the natural forces and makes them beneficent and auspicious for the development and growth of life on earth as well as in heaven and hell.

There are other forms of yajna which individuals from different strata of society could also perform in order to establish their authority in society.

Many other forms of yajna are mentioned in the Gita:

Some yogis, who are devoted to karma yoga, offer their actions to the gods; while others, who are devoted to jnana yoga, and who have realized the Self, offer the Self in the fire of Brahman, just as one offers samagri to the sacred fire. (4:25)

Some again offer their ears and other sense organs into the fire of restraint, thus bringing their senses under control; others offer sound and other objects of perception into the fires of the senses. (4:26)

Others offer the functions of the senses and those of the breath (vital energy) in the fire of the yoga of self-restraint kindled by knowledge. (4:27)

Some offer their wealth for the welfare of the needy; some offer their austerities as sacrifice; some practise the eight limbs of raja yoga and offer this yoga (equanimity) as sacrifice; while others observe austere vows and offer study of the scriptures and knowledge as sacrifice. Thus sacrificial duties take many forms. (4:28)

The spirit of yajna is love, sacrifice and service. Yajna is a gift from the creator and a way to honour the creator. It is a symbol of life and all the processes of life. It is a symbol of creation and a method to honour creation. It is the esoteric science of life. The true meaning, value and spirit of yajna is the unity of God and humanity. This is what our life is all about - unity with the divine.

Yajna can be broadly classified as vedic or tantric, depending on the rituals employed. A yajna can be performed with a specific desire in mind (sakama yajna), or without any desire, for the benefit of humanity in general (nishkama yajna). According to vedic scholars, the main kinds of yajnas are: paka yajna, havi yajna, (pancha) maha yajna, ati yajna and shiro yajna. Each yajna offers a way to purify the senses, mind, mental archetypes, tattwas (elements), gunas or the entire ecological system.

Paka yajna (in which food is offered as oblationary material) was considered a daily ritual for householders. In havi yajna, oblation material consists of stuff other than food.

The pancha maha yajnas include Brahma yajna, deva yajna, pitri yajna, manushya yajna and bhoota yajna. In Brahma yajna the body, wealth, mind and emotions are surrendered to the creator; in deva yajna offerings are made to various deities like Indra, Varuna, Shiva, Devi, etc.; in pitri yajna obeisance is paid to forefathers and superiors; in manushya (or nri) yajna the essence is service to humanity (represented by service to guests); and bhoota yajna is appeasing lower species.

There were other yajnas such as Vishvadeva yajna in which the entire cosmos (vishva) is considered the divine manifestation and is worshipped as such. Purushamedha yajna was performed as self-sacrifice, gomedha yajna was performed for the welfare of cattle, and sarvamedha yajna involved sacrificing the interests of a smaller community for a broader and nobler cause.

Principle Elements of Yajna:

Although a yajna has many implications, it broadly includes three significant elements: worshipping the gods as an act of gratitude, realizing a close proximity with the divine or supernatural beings and, embracing daan or giving as a way of life.

An act of gratitude: We owe nature, our environment, the pancha bhootas (five elements) and the gods for our existence and sustenance in the form of the food that we eat, the air that we breathe and the water that we drink. In return for these blessings, people in ancient times performed yajna as an act of worship with offerings, reverence and gratitude.

In the vedic age, several gods were invoked as the many forms of the one paramatman. They included Agni (the fire god), Indra (the rain god), Vayu (the wind god) and Varuna (the water god), to name a few. Solar energy fused with thought power was the force that transferred the worship to the gods through ether.

An act of connection: As finite beings, we cannot have direct access to the infinite on account of our many limitations. It is only through subtle means that we can relate with the divine. Yajna was truly a miraculous discovery with its various ways and means to reach out to the higher realms of consciousness. It was for this reason that the ancient rishis included yajna as an integral part of their daily activities.

An act of giving: Yajna reflects giving as a way of life. The notion of giving in a yajna pertains to the desire and ability to offer both material and spiritual benefits to fellow beings. In this context, offering food to the hungry is yajna. Inspiring others to follow the path of purity and righteousness is yajna, and so on.

Sankalpa & Spiritual Evolution:

A yajna must have a purpose, a sankalpa, which defines its aim. As the host of the yajna, Paramahamsaji gave the sankalpa of 'peace, prosperity, plenty and spiritual upliftment', which was not confined to one person or one community but to the entire world. On the first day the sankalpa was taken, the acharyas conducting the arati prayed for the fulfilment of the sankalpa. On the second day, the rural community of Rikhia county was represented and they prayed for the fulfilment of the sankalpa. On the third day, the nation was represented by different families from the north and south, east and west of India. On the fourth day, the world was represented by people of different nationalities. On the final day, all the energies that had been invoked were released.

So the yajnashala was like a body; it became a living being, a living entity. On the first day the prana, the life force, was infused. On the last day that life force was released and what remained was only an empty shell, like a dead body. You will not notice the results of the yajna now, but in three months, six months, maybe in one year's time, you will see that your life has turned around and it has become much better, happier, more blissful. It is something you will experience and notice as time goes by.

The acharyas chant the mantras with a sankalpa, for a reason and a purpose. All their energies and efforts are directed to the fulfilment of that purpose, not for their personal gain. They become the medium, humanity is the winner.

The tantric and vedic traditions are very clear on the subject of sankalpa. During the yajna many people would come to me asking if they could offer an amulet, some water, a flower or some tikka to the pooja place. I would say no, because when a yajna is being conducted it is for a special reason. If somebody imposes their own reasons on the event, nobody is a winner. Rather everybody is a loser because the main focus is taken away. When people asked me if they could pray for somebody who is ill, suffering from cancer, or HIV+, I would tell them to pray in their minds, not in the yajnashala. Personal wishes or desires are not to be mixed with the purpose of the yajna

This principle also applies to the acharyas who chant the mantras. They also feel transformed while they are chanting, but they are not praying for the fulfilment of their wishes, they are praying for the fulfilment of the sankalpa. So they also derive the same spiritual benefit from the yajna as everybody else.

Beginnings of Yajna:

Yajnas are sacred rituals to invoke and propitiate various deities (energies) using fire as a revered medium for the attainment of various boons and general well-being. The sun (Surya) was the great luminary in the sky who gave light and warmth to the world and was the source of life on earth and its sustenance (Pushan). So people began to offer prayers to Surya in the morning and evening. At night they had to depend on fire (Agni) for heat and light. Gradually the link between Surya, the friend of all beings in the sky, and Agni, who lives among men on earth was established, conceived as different aspects of the one supreme self-luminous deity who also resides in all beings as the warmth of life and assimilates all food offerings poured into the jatharagni (fire in the stomach), which digests all food.

It was observed that the sun drew up the waters with its heat and the vapours rose to the sky to form clouds, returning as rain, and the earth produced vegetation - a circulation between the sky and the earth. It was also observed that when fire burned, the smoke rose to the sky, leaving only ashes, and water heated in vessels also rose to the sky as vapour. So the idea arose that material offerings to the deities in the sky could be made through fire. Fire also had its devata in Agni, and all these devatas were interconnected. If offerings are made to Agni, he would carry it to Surya and other deities in the sky.

With the performance of yajna changes are induced in the atmosphere, which evoke effects in the whole biosphere. Yajnas have been performed from ancient times to purify the natural environment and to secure timely rains so that the crops may be good and there may be prosperity, general well-being and happiness all around.

The Rituals of Yajna:

The Vedas are the original source of information about yajna. Vedic worship of fire is extremely detailed and complicated with many layers of symbol and meaning. Through rituals of purification, consecration and invocation, the entire yajnashala becomes the symbolic representation of the universe, with even the pillars worshipped as the energy that supports the universe. The demons, the negative aspects, also have a place in the divine creation, so they too are worshipped and offered food to their liking.

In these sacred rituals Agni, as fire, is created in the kunda, the sacrificial fireplace, and various deities (energies) are invoked through chanting mantras from the Vedas and performing various hand gestures called mudras and nyasa. These actions have a subtle effect on the energy vibration, both internally and externally, enhancing the effect of the mantras. Mudras are performed at various stages, at the time of invocation and with specific offerings. There are different mudras relevant to each deity. The word mudra has several meanings: seal, imprint, mystery, code and gesture. The term nyasa is derived from the root nyas, which means 'to place'. It refers to the placing of the fingers and palm of the hand on various parts of the body while chanting certain mantras. The purpose is to prepare the physical body for the reception, or awakening, of the divine presence of the deity.

The beginning of the ceremony is an invocation of surrender and light is offered to the divine. The lamp is waved in a series of Om patterns, balancing all aspects of nature and symbolizing the knowledge of God. A bell is rung, representing the inner sound, and the water offered represents the divine nectar of immortality. The sounding of the conch is Om, the primordial sound. Agni is invoked with the lighting of the physical fire. The wood (samidha or samit) is fed to the fire, representing qualities that are not necessary or appropriate. The fire is nourished by the ghee, which symbolizes mental clarity, abundance and spiritual wealth. The herbs offered represent the bliss released in all actions. The fire is made conscious with mantra and the offerings are made to the ishta devata in the fire. Each of the mantras chanted is a name of God. The different aspects of God are called upon with reverence and offerings are made. Those attending a yajna will receive most benefit by keeping a silent, prayerful and respectful attitude, observing each thought, each picture, each emotion that comes to mind and offering that into the fire.

The Offerings:

The act of offering is called ahuti or oblation. With each offering 'Swaha' (I offer) is said. Swaha is also the name of the wife of Agni. To honour his wife is to honour him in the highest way. All ritual offerings into the sacred fire are offered with this mantra; sva means 'oneself' and ha means 'to offer'. The implication is the offering of oneself for the sake of others; the oblations are meant as substitutes for oneself. One is reborn through the act of sacrifice, the old being is burnt up and a new, divine being emerges, consecrated to altruism. Thus yajna is truly a transforming rite of passage ritual.

The worship of fire purifies the fire element in the body and also purifies the consciousness by amplifying the mantras. Our many senses and their objects are collectively offered in the fires of self-control (tapas, austerity) and purification. The senses are offered in the yoga of self-control, the higher meaning of yajna. The fire of yajna purifies negativity; thus ego, jealously, hatred, vices, ignorance, superstition and other ignoble aspects of the self are offered.

With the closing of the yajna, thanks are given for all of the many things that were sacrificed in order to make the sankalpa of the ritual. Mantras are chanted to ask forgiveness for any errors made. All are given blessings for their part in this most ancient ritual of worshipping the divine. At the end of the ceremony the light is presented to all and may be taken to fill the heart and mind. This is followed by silent prayer to guru and mother earth and the arati is joyfully sung to the lord of the universe.

There are many aspects to a yajna fire ritual. For example, the timing is important astrologically and the geometry is very important and exact. There are hundreds of little details in the preparations, the offerings, the decorations, and the performance, as well as the proper clean-up and handling of everything involved, including the ashes. As one surrenders to the beauty and holiness of yajna, the 'ancientness' and all-pervading quality of the element of fire becomes deeply moving

The First Yajna:

The initial sacrifice was that of the divine being sacrificing himself to become the universe. The ancient vedic hymn Purusha Sukta tells of the transformation of the eternal, infinite being into the finite cognizable material world, initiating the eternal cycle of creation. So the spirit of sacrifice came to be recognized as the source of creation, the heart of all creative forces.

This yajna was called sarvahut, the offering of all. The Purusha was the object of worship. Brahma, the creative aspect of the Purusha, performed it. The priests were the devas, the Purusha's senses. Brahma was the beast of the sacrifice. The altar was all of nature. The fire was the Purusha's heart. The Purusha himself was sacrificed to bring forth all of creation. This is a message of love, that the Purusha would consume himself in the fire of sacrifice, to create all the worlds. From his mind emerged the moon, the sun from his eyes, Indra and Agni from his mouth, and the cosmic breath, Vayu emerged from his breath (prana). Atmosphere emerged from his navel, the sphere of light (divyaloka) from his head, the earth from his feet, the directions from his ears. The devas created all the spheres (lokas) from his cosmic body. Thus the gods worshipped the god of gods through sacrifice. The original sacrifice, the original yajna, became the law of life.

Perpetual Yajna:

The world is God's offering to all beings; it is his self-sacrifice to us. Therefore, our duty is to reciprocate by offering sacrifice to him in thanksgiving. The essential dynamic of the universe is that of a perpetual ritual of sacrifice. Every living entity is compelled to devour other forms of life in order to survive. The devoured is the sacrificial victim and the devourer is the sacrificer. This transformation of life into life is the very nature of existence. All creation's beings perform yajna: the sun, moon and stars; the animals, fish, insects and birds; the trees, grasses and flowers, all are in a continual process of service and sacrifice. All existence can be reduced to a dichotomy of two factors; food (annam) and the eater (annada). Every being is the eater of another and in turn becomes the food for some other being. This symbiotic relationship is particularly apparent in the fire, which grows immediately when fed with fuel and dies as soon as the fuel is consumed. All aspects of combustion or digestion are subtle forms of fire (vaishvanara agni). We make our offerings to the fire-pit in our bellies; these offerings are transformed into the nutrients that fuel the organs, enabling them to serve the body so that it may carry on with the activities of life and honour the soul within. So life is a process of yajna - service and sacrifice, to achieve the ultimate yoga - union with the supreme consciousness.

Symbology in Yajna:

Various symbols and actions are used to redirect our senses and heighten our sattwic emotions. The fire represents God or truth. The sacrificial food, the samagri (mixture of seeds, plants, resins, grains, etc.) is offered into the fire. The mixture represents our worldly samskaras such as attachment, greed, violence, etc. that bind us to our lower nature and trap us in egocentric thoughts and desires. We offer the seeds of all future actions into this fire of self-knowledge to be completely consumed. Symbolically we are offering our very lives into the fire of purification and sacrifice. While a specific number of people will actually offer the samagri, each of us can participate equally in the ritual by the degree of our sankalpa, awareness and surrender.

The offerings are substances that sustain life and always the best quality available is offered. Many of the items are natural antiseptics and aromatics. As they burn, the subsequent vapours pervade the atmosphere, destroying pollutants and purifying the environment for many kilometres around. The vibrations of the mantras enhance the beneficial effect of these vapours. This ritual not only benefits the external environment, the participants of yajna also benefit as purification takes place in each individual's internal environment as the vapours and mantras permeate the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual entity.

The outer form of any ritual has an inner corresponding ritual. In yajna, Agni is the divine spark within the human being, the spirit or soul. The ghee or the clarified butter that is offered to Agni is symbolic of the mind. The annam, the sacrificial food, symbolizes the physical body which is the transformed state of annam. Once the divine spark of Agni is invoked, the latent energies or divine powers hidden within man awake to share the fruits of the sacrifice and assist the individual's purification, transformation and spiritual awakening.

Yajna & Devatas:

Yajnas link us with the devatas, the hidden cosmic forces. According to the Rig Vedic mystics, a human being performs an action only through assistance from the devas. The contribution of the human to each action is minimal. The great vedic rishis obtained inspiration from superior planes and their main contribution is in transcribing the revealed verses in appropriate metres or rhythms. Yajna is not a mere rule or ritual, it is any activity that recognizes the collaboration between the deva and the human. A rishi is conscious of the divine's hand in the performance of all activities and conscious of the role of the deva, especially of Agni, so that they request him to perform the yajna on their behalf.

The deities are not only forces of nature, but also forces or energies that exist in the physical body and help the individual's spiritual development. Through yajna we contact the deities within. We prepare for this worship by bathing and wearing clean clothes. The mantras induce waves of energy in the subtle body that purify the subtle elements of the body, mind and environment, there by awakening the latent divine energies. With the help of sounds, forms, rhythms, gestures, flowers, light, incense and offerings, the mind is carried away from its material preoccupations toward a world of divine beauty.

The Ritual Priests:

Every rite has four main priests: hotri, adhvaryu, udgatri and brahman. The hotri chants the hymns of the Rig Veda, calling the devas to come and participate. The adhvaryu chants the hymns of the Yajur Veda, laying down the various steps of performance. The udgatri chants the Sama Veda hymns in the appropriate metres at specific times. The brahman is the supervisor of the ceremony and chants the hymns of the Atharva Veda. The adhvaryu priest is the one who measures the sacrificial ground; builds all that is necessary; prepares the materials and kindles the fire. The success of the yajna is dependent on having the right set-up before the chanting and offering begins.

Ecological Significance of Yajna:

Ecology relates to the interrelationship between living organisms and their environment. Our survival and well-being depend on sound ecological relationships, or a balance between matter and spirit. If matter is polluted, it adversely affects nature or spirit. Maintaining harmony between the two is therefore indispensable. It is this principle that led the ancient rishis to study the scientific aspects of yajna.

The entire process of a yajna, consisting of mantra chanting, lighting the sacrificial fire and offering havi to the gods in the form of ghee, vanaspati (materials from plants and trees) and other objects, purifies the environment significantly. In fact, yajnas have been successfully performed even in modern times to induce rainfall, to check the spread of epidemics, and so on.

Yajna is verily a process of give and take. Offerings are made to gods and they bestow blessings in turn. This is how the cosmic balance and order is maintained. Underlying all of this is the unity between all forms of creation and their essential relationship with the One or supreme soul, realized through the process of yajna. This relationship between the parts and the whole is interpreted as a spiritual relationship, best described by the Upanishads as:

पूर्णत पूर्णमुदच्यते 

Poornat poornamudachyate

From full, the full is taken, the full has come.

It is through the realization and application of this principle in yajna, through a scientific method, that its benefits are reaped. There is rainfall, the air is free from pollution, nature is replete with resources to provide nourishment to all forms of life, and human beings experience peace, prosperity and plenty.