Yajna means sacrifice, sacred rite, or any action done with a pure and unselfish motive. Yajna also means Ishwara, or God. In the Taittiriya Samhita (1:7--4), it says: "Yajna is verily Vishnu." In the Bhagavad Gita (3:14-15), it says: "From food comes forth living beings; from rain food is produced. From yajna, sacrifice, arises rain, and sacrifice is born of action. Action comes from Brahma, and Brahma comes from the Imperishable. Therefore, the all-pervading Brahma ever rests in sacrifice." In Manu Smriti (3-76), it says, "The offering given into the fire reaches the sun; from the sun comes the rain; from rain comes food; and from this food all creatures." In this way, the wheel of life is set in motion by the Creator on the basis of sacrifice.* * *
There are five great daily sacrifices to be performed by every householder: (i) Brahma Yajna, also called Rishi Yajna, sacrifice to Brahman, the Vedas or the rishis and sages; (ii) Deva Yajna, sacrifice to the celestials; (iii) Pitri Yajna, sacrifice to the ancestors; (iv) Bhuta Yajna, sacrifice to all beings; and (v) Manushya Yajna, also called Atithi Yajna, sacrifice to persons, such as a guest.
The performance of these five yajnas is conducive to our spiritual growth or evolution. In this way, we gradually learn that man is not a separate or isolated entity, but a part of a great whole. We obtain knowledge by studying the sacred scriptures written by the great rishis. We receive support and help from our friends, relatives and fellow beings. Our parents give us the physical body, which is comprised of the five elements. This body is sustained by air and water, and nourished by the milk from cows, grains, vegetables and fruits. The devas and pitris bless us and harmonize our environment. So we owe a fivefold debt to nature and we must pay back this debt by performing these five sacrifices daily.
From the rishis, devas, pitris, bhutas and guests, we receive knowledge, illumination, blessings, nourishment and life itself, so they also should receive something back from us. Furthermore, during the course of our life, numerous insects and creatures are killed by us consciousiy and unconsciously. This sin is removed by he performance of sacrifice. Therefore, these five yajnas should be performed daily.
Teaching and studying the sacred scriptures is Brahma Yajna. Everyone should study these texts daily and share this knowledge with others. In this way, we pay our debt to the rishis. Tarpana and shraaddha, regular offering of water and libations to the departed souls, form Pitri Yajna. By relieving their hunger and thirst, we payoff our debt to the ancestors. Homa or agnihotra, offering oblations into the fire, which are wafted to the celestial beings on the smoke, is Deva Yajna. In this way we payoff our debt for the blessings received from the devas.
In the Bhagavad Gita (3:10-13), Lord Krishna says, "In ancient times, having created mankind together with this yajna, the Lord of Creation said, "By this yajna, you shall propagate. Let this yajna be the fulfiller of all your desires. By this yajna you shall nourish the devas, the shining ones, and may the devas nourish you. Thus, nourishing one another, you shall reap the highest good. For, nourished by yajna, the devas shall bestow on you the enjoyments that you desire. He is a thief who enjoys what is given by the devas without returning anything to them."
Bali, or offering of food to all the subhuman creatures such as dogs, cows, birds and fish is Bhuta Yajna. Hospitality to guests and any kind of service to the suffering, such as feeding the poor and hungry, clothing the naked, giving shelter to the homeless, comforting the distressed, are forms of Manushya Yajna. By performing these acts daily, hatred vanishes and we develop kindness and compassion. Our hard egoistic heart .is gradually softened and we cultivate cosmic love. In this. way our heart expands and we develop a broader outlook on life. As we try to feel oneness with all beings, the old feelings of separateness, which develop due to selfishness and egoism, are gradually thinned and eradicated. We learn that we can be happy only by making others happy, by serving and helping others, by removing the suffering of others and sharing what we have with others.
These-five great daily sacrifices teach us to respect our relationship and connectedness with all beings. In truth, we have no separate, individual existence. Our being is connected with the world and with all beings, like a bead on a mala. Therefore, our whole life should become a process of sacrifice and service. Only then will we experience rapid spiritual development. Only then will we experience the supreme bliss of the eternal. Only then will we be freed from the round of births and deaths, and attain immortality.
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The meaning of true life is service and sacrifice. Try your best to make others, as well as yourself, better, wise and happy. Live in peace and harmony with your neighbours and fellows.
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Burn all the impurities of the mind such as egoism, vanity, lust, etc. through the fire of devotion and knowledge. ignite cosmic love, mercy, generosity, selflessness, truthfulness and purity through the fire of yogic practice
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If you want wealth, give in plenty. If you want to become wise, serve old people and spiritual souls. If you want to get rid of sins, do havan. The Bhagavad Gita says, "Yajna, sacrifice, giving and austerity are the purifiers of the wise."
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"Brahman is the oblation; Brahman is the melted butter (ghee); by Brahman is the oblationpoured into the fire of Brahman; Brahman shall verily be reached by him who always sees Brahman in action." (Bhagavad Gita 4:24) This is jnana yajna or the sacrifice of wisdom. When one attains Self- realization his whole life becomes a sacrifice of wisdom in which the oblation, the ghee or the offering, the performer of the sacrifice, the action and the goal are all Brahman.
"Some karma yogis perform sacrificial rites to the devatas or shining ones alone. Others (who have realized the Self) offer the Self as sacrifice by the Self in the fire of Brahman alone." (Bhagavad Gita 4:25) The second yajna is jnana yajna. The oblation in the sacrifice is the Self. Yajna here means the Self. To sacrifice the Self in Brahman is to know through direct cognition that the individual soul is identical with Brahman. This is the highest yajna. Those who are established in Brahman, who have realized their oneness with the supreme soul, perform this kind of yajna. This is superior to all other sacrifices.
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"Some offer hearing and other senses as sacrifice in the fire of restraint; others offer sound and other objects of the senses as sacrifice in the fire of the senses." (Bhagavad Gita4:26) Someyogis are constantly engaged in restraining the senses. This is also an act of sacrifice. "Others sacrifice all the functions of the senses and those of the breath (prana) in the fire of the yoga of self- restraint kindled by knowledge." (Bhagavad Gita 4:27) Just as a lamp is kindled by oil, so also the fire of the yoga of self-control is kindled by knowledge. When the yogi fixes his mind on Brahman or the Self, the senses and the breath cease to function.
"Others offer wealth (dravya yajna), austerity (tapa yajna) and yoga (yoga yajna) as sacrifice, while ascetics of self-restraint offer study of scriptures and knowledge as sacrifice." (Bhagavad Gita 4:28). Some do sacrifice by distributing their wealth to the deserving as charity; some offer their austerities (tapas) as sacrifice; some practise the eight limbs of raja yoga and offer this yoga as a sacrifice; some study the scriptures and offer it as a sacrifice.
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"Others offer as sacrifice the outgoing breath in the incoming, and the incoming in the outgoing, restraining the course of the outgoing and the incoming breaths, solely absorbed in the restraint of the breath." (Bhagavad Gita 4:29) If the prana is controlled, the mind, the intellect and the senses cease to function. "Others who regulate their diet offer life breaths in life breaths. All these are knowers of yajna whose sins are destroyed by sacrifice." (Bhagavad Gita 4:30) By taking food in moderation, they control the passions and appetites by weakening the functioning of the organs of action. Yogis pour the life breaths as sacrifice in the controlled life breath. The former becomes merged in the latter. Performance of this sacrifice leads to purification of the mind and destruction of sins.
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"Those who eat the remnants of the sacrifice, which are like nectar, go to the eternal Brahman. This world is not for the man who does not perform sacrifice; how then can he have the other?" (Bhagavad Gita 4:31) They go to the eternal Brahman in the course of time after attaining knowledge of the Self through purification of the mind by performing these sacrifices. One who does not perform any of these sacrifices is not fit even for this miserable world.' How then can he hope to get a better world than this?
"Thus manifold yajnas are spread out before Brahman. Know that they are born of action,because the Self is beyond action, and thus knowing you will surely be liberated." (Bhagavad Gita 4:32) Various kinds of sacrifices are spread out at the mouth of Brahman; they are known as the Vedas. Know that they are born of action, because the Self is beyond action. If you realize that "these actions do not concern me, they are not my actions, and I am actionless," you will surely be liberated from the bondage of samsara by this right knowledge.
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Selflessness is a denial of the individual self and a ceaseless effort to transformit into infinity.
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Love is sacrifice. To love is to share and serve. Self- sacrifice is the guidepost to emancipation.
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Havan is the fire ceremony at which various articles are offered into a specially prepared fire.Daily havan is one of the most important rites laid down in the vedic scriptures for householders. It is part of the eternal Sanatana dharma. Some people today do not find any meaning in the performance of this sacred ceremony, and even feel that it is a waste of food materials. Thisis an error. The more you give, the more you will get. This is the universal law. No one can gain anything without giving. "Give and it shall be given unto you." Making offerings to the divine beings is more effective than offering to mortal man. Whatever desire a person may have while doing havan will be fulfilled.
Further, the materials offered during the havan are great disinfectants and they purify the body. Inhaling the smoke from the havan purifies the lungs. There have been cases where patients were cured of long-standing ailments. The blessed smoke of the havan purifies the entire atmosphere.
