Yajna

Yajna is the central concept of Vedic religion. Yajna means sacrifice. It involves making an offering for a specific purpose.

The Theory of Yajna

Agni (the God of Fire) is called the face of all Gods and is the central deity for Yajna. Oblations are offered in the fire and Agni is said to carry those (havis) to the Gods. Havis is the food for Gods. Gods grow on havis and bring the well-being of men (through rains and so on). Thus Gods grow on man's offerings and man's elevation is brought by the Gods.

All life is said to be a yajna. Every action, when made as an offering to the God, is a yajna. Worshipping, eating food, fighting war, creating wealth, contributing to human knowledge, running family, each of these is a yajna. Doing these as offerings to derive something greater, makes these actions yajnas. When these actions are not done for material gain but with a selfless motive, that is the highest form of yajna. Sacrifice brings transcendence. Transcendence through sacrifice is the meaning of life in the Vedic religion.

There are two directions of movement in life, pravritti and nivritti. Pravritti is accumulating and indulging. Nivritti is clearing debts and transcending. In pravritti, Yajna brings material possessions, righteousness and heavenly bliss. This helps man fulfill his aspirations as well as contribute to social living. Man gradually grows over desires and becomes more impersonal. This is how he enters nivritti phase. During nivritti, yajna is done without any desire, merely as a duty. This helps in clearing past karma, but this greatly helps the well-being of surroundings (loka kalyana). This is the way realized soul performs yajna. In nivritti, yajna brings eternal bliss. Brahmandavalli of the Taittireeya Upanishad (chapter 8) expounds the gradation of happiness experienced by men, manes, gods, lord of gods, teacher of the gods, creator of gods and the creator of the universe in the ascending order, increasing hundred fold for each level. At each level, the bliss is equated to that of a veda-wise person (srotriya) who overcame his desire (kama hatasya). In pravritti one experiences the bliss of gods. In nivritti one grows over desires and experiences the bliss of Brahman. In nivritti, yajna brings liberation.

Texts

Purva Mimamsa deals extensively with the philosophy of yajna. This is also called Karma Mimamsa. Jaimini gave the Purva Mimamsa darsana with 12 chapters. It is primarily an inquiry into the Brahmana portion of the Veda. It deals with various sacrifices, their purposes and methods.

It has a four chapter supplement called sankarsha kanda, by Jaimini. It is also called Madhyama Mimamsa, Madhyama Kanda, Devata Kanda and Upasana Kanda. It deals with purpose of mantras, the nature and essence of devatas, purpose of worshipping devatas.

Yajna in Daily life - The Panca MahaYajnas

A Grhastha is supposed to do five yajnas every day. These are called panca mahayajnas. These are offerings to Gods, Rishis, Pitris (departed fathers), creatures and men. They are called deva yajna, rishi yajna, pitru yajna, bhuta yajna and manushya yajna respectively. Apastamba Dharma Sutras mention these (1.13).

Man has four debts, to gods, pitris, rishis and fellow-men. These are called deva runa, rishi runa, pitru runa and manushya runa. By doing the above yajnas, man repays those debts and fulfills his purposes in life.

By praying to gods and offering oblations to them, and through sacrifices one clears his debts to gods. This is called deva yajna.

By gaining Vedic knowledge, by teaching, sharing and passing it on to subsequent generations one clears his debts towards the seers. This is called rishi yajna.

By offering oblations to pitris, and by continuing the race by begetting progeny, raising them properly, by getting good name for the lineage, one clears his debts towards the pitris. This is called pitru yajna.

By showing compassion towards fellow men, by treating the guests well, by helping those in need, by excusing those by which one has been wronged, by doing actions that are beneficial to men, one clears his debts towards his fellow men. This is called manushya yajna.

Bhuta yajna is showing compassion towards living beings in general. This includes abstaining from inflicting violence and killing, living as a part of nature without harming it.