Yajna
Encyclopedia
In Hinduism
, yajna (Sanskrit ; also Anglicized as Yajna, Yadna) is a ritual
of sacrifice
(Monier-Williams gives the meanings "worship
, prayer
, praise; offering, oblation, sacrifice") derived from the practice of Vedic
times. It is performed to please the gods
or to attain certain wishes. An essential element is the sacrificial fire - the divine Agni
- into which oblations are poured, as everything that is offered into the fire is believed to reach the gods. As the name of the service, the term yajna is linguistically (but not functionally) cognate with Zoroastrian (Ahura
) Yasna
. Unlike Vedic Yajna, Zoroastrian Yasna has "to do with water rather than fire" (Drower, 1944:78; Boyce, 1975:147-191)
A Vedic (Śrauta
) 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. 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 oblation
s in the yajna include large quantities of ghee
, milk, grains, cakes or soma
. The duration of a yajna depends on the type; 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, fruits, flowers, cloth and money are offered, are called homa
or havanam.
A typical Hindu marriage is a hajna, because Agni is supposed to be the witness of all marriages. Brahmins and certain other castes receive a yajnopavita "sacred cord" at their Upanayana
. The yajnopavita symbolizes the right of the individual to study the Vedas and to carry out yajnas or homas.
Temple worship is called agamic, while communication to divinity through Agni, is considered Vedic. Today's temple rites are a combination of both Vedic
and agamic
rituals. The sacrificial division of Hindu scripture is the Karma-Kanda portion of the Vedas
which describe or discuss most sacrifices. The Nambudiri Brahmins of Kerala
are among the most famous Śrauta
Brahmins who maintain these ancient rituals.
Today, only a few hundred individuals know how to perform these sacrifices and even fewer are able to maintain the sacred fires continuously and perform the Śrauta rituals. Only a few thousand perform the Agnihotra
or basic Aupasana fire sacrifice daily .
Out of the 21 nityakarmas, only the Agnihotra
and the Aupasana
are to be performed twice daily, at dawn and dusk. The remaining ones have certain allotted frequencies over the course of the year. The more complicated the yajna, the less frequently it is performed. The most complex ones need to be performed only once in a lifetime. The first seven yajnas are called pākayajnas "cooked sacrifice", the second seven haviryajnas "oblation
, burnt offering", and the third seven are called somayajnas "Soma sacrifice".
yajnas such as Putrakameshti
(for begetting sons), Ashvamedha
(to rule), Rajasuya
(royal consecration) etc. are among the 400 which are not compulsory.
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 son's fire is lit from the father's fire at the time of his wedding . At the time of the individuals demise, cremation is done with the fires that have been preserved during his lifetime and then the deceased individual's fires are extinguished.
The Grhyagni or Aupasanagni is used in the Paka Yajnas; such rituals are described in the Grihasutras, such as in the Ekagni Kanda of the Apastambha Sutra. Normally this fire is located in the centre or north of the hall which accommodates the sacred fires. This fire may be circular or square .
The rituals pertaining to the three Śrautagnis are described in the Śrauta Sutras. Their performers are called Śrautins. Fourteen of the 21 compulsory sacrifices are performed in the Śrautagnis. They are called Garhapatya, Ahavaniya and Dakshinagni and collectively called the tretagni. 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 semi-circular, situated in the south and 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 haviryajnas and all the seven somayajnas are performed in a specially built yajnashala.
Aranyaka
2.10). These sacrifices are to be performed daily by all "householders" (married couples) daily to best of one's ability:
but has become extinct in other parts of India. The grand Yagam was performed for the first time since 1787, in Aluva
, from 25 April till 1 May 2009.
s of the gods (e.g. Indraloka.this is also called agnistome yajna)
. It enables one to achieve Brahmaloka.
s for who are in need of them. The five types of ashrams are: dharma-shala
, anna-kshetra, atithi-shala, anaathaalya, visya-pitha.
. Other examples are that he does not eat certain foods, or does not eat twice a day, or does not leave home (Caturmasya.)
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
, yajna (Sanskrit ; also Anglicized as Yajna, Yadna) is a ritual
Ritual
A ritual is a set of actions, performed mainly for their symbolic value. It may be prescribed by a religion or by the traditions of a community. The term usually excludes actions which are arbitrarily chosen by the performers....
of sacrifice
Sacrifice
Sacrifice is the offering of food, objects or the lives of animals or people to God or the gods as an act of propitiation or worship.While sacrifice often implies ritual killing, the term offering can be used for bloodless sacrifices of cereal food or artifacts...
(Monier-Williams gives the meanings "worship
Worship
Worship is an act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity. The word is derived from the Old English worthscipe, meaning worthiness or worth-ship — to give, at its simplest, worth to something, for example, Christian worship.Evelyn Underhill defines worship thus: "The absolute...
, prayer
Prayer
Prayer is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional rapport to a deity through deliberate practice. Prayer may be either individual or communal and take place in public or in private. It may involve the use of words or song. When language is used, prayer may take the form of...
, praise; offering, oblation, sacrifice") derived from the practice of Vedic
Historical Vedic religion
The religion of the Vedic period is a historical predecessor of Hinduism. Its liturgy is reflected in the mantra portion of the four Vedas, which are compiled in Sanskrit. The religious practices centered on a clergy administering rites...
times. It is performed to please the gods
Deva (Hinduism)
' is the Sanskrit word for god or deity, its related feminine term is devi. In modern Hinduism, it can be loosely interpreted as any benevolent supernatural beings. The devs in Hinduism, also called Suras, are often juxtaposed to the Asuras, their half brothers. Devs are also the maintainers of...
or to attain certain wishes. An essential element is the sacrificial fire - the divine Agni
Agni
Agni is a Hindu deity, one of the most important of the Vedic gods. He is the god of fire and the acceptor of sacrifices. The sacrifices made to Agni go to the deities because Agni is a messenger from and to the other gods...
- into which oblations are poured, as everything that is offered into the fire is believed to reach the gods. As the name of the service, the term yajna is linguistically (but not functionally) cognate with Zoroastrian (Ahura
Ahura
Ahura is an Avestan language designation for a particular class of Zoroastrian divinities.-Etymology:Avestan ahura derives from Indo-Iranian *asura, also attested in an Indian context as RigVedic asura...
) Yasna
Yasna
Yasna is the name of the primary liturgical collection of texts of the Avesta as well as the name of the principal Zoroastrian act of worship at which those verses are recited. The Yasna, or Izeshne, is primarily the name of the ceremony in which the entire book is recited and appropriate...
. Unlike Vedic Yajna, Zoroastrian Yasna has "to do with water rather than fire" (Drower, 1944:78; Boyce, 1975:147-191)
A Vedic (Śrauta
Srauta
' traditions are conservative ritualistic traditions of the historical Vedic religion in Hinduism, based on the body of Śruti literature...
) yajna is typically performed by an adhvaryu priest, with a number of additional priests such as the hotar
Vedic priesthood
Priests of the Vedic religion were officiants of the yajna service. As persons trained for the ritual and proficient in its practice, they were called '...
, udgatar playing a major role, next to their dozen helpers, by reciting or singing Vedic verses. 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 oblation
Oblation
Oblation, an offering , a term, particularly in ecclesiastical usage, for a solemn offering or presentation to God.-Bible usage:...
s in the yajna include large quantities of ghee
Ghee
Ghee is a class of clarified butter that originated in South Asia and is commonly used in South Asian cuisine....
, milk, grains, cakes or soma
Soma
Soma , or Haoma , from Proto-Indo-Iranian *sauma-, was a ritual drink of importance among the early Indo-Iranians, and the subsequent Vedic and greater Persian cultures. It is frequently mentioned in the Rigveda, whose Soma Mandala contains 114 hymns, many praising its energizing qualities...
. The duration of a yajna depends on the type; 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, fruits, flowers, cloth and money are offered, are called homa
Homa (ritual)
Homa is a Sanskrit word which refers to any ritual in which making offerings into a consecrated fire is the primary action...
or havanam.
A typical Hindu marriage is a hajna, because Agni is supposed to be the witness of all marriages. Brahmins and certain other castes receive a yajnopavita "sacred cord" at their Upanayana
Upanayana
Upanayana is the initiation ritual by which initiates are invested with a sacred thread, to symbolize the transference of spiritual knowledge .- Significance of the sacred thread :...
. The yajnopavita symbolizes the right of the individual to study the Vedas and to carry out yajnas or homas.
Temple worship is called agamic, while communication to divinity through Agni, is considered Vedic. Today's temple rites are a combination of both Vedic
Historical Vedic religion
The religion of the Vedic period is a historical predecessor of Hinduism. Its liturgy is reflected in the mantra portion of the four Vedas, which are compiled in Sanskrit. The religious practices centered on a clergy administering rites...
and agamic
Āgama (Hinduism)
Agama means, in the Hindu context, "a traditional doctrine, or system which commands faith".In Hinduism, the Agamas are a collection of Sanskrit scriptures which are revered and followed by millions of Hindus.-Significance:...
rituals. The sacrificial division of Hindu scripture is the Karma-Kanda portion of the Vedas
Vedas
The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism....
which describe or discuss most sacrifices. The Nambudiri Brahmins of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
are among the most famous Śrauta
Srauta
' traditions are conservative ritualistic traditions of the historical Vedic religion in Hinduism, based on the body of Śruti literature...
Brahmins who maintain these ancient rituals.
Today, only a few hundred individuals know how to perform these sacrifices and even fewer are able to maintain the sacred fires continuously and perform the Śrauta rituals. Only a few thousand perform the Agnihotra
Agnihotra
Agnihotra is a Vedic yajña performed in orthodox Hindu communities. It is mentioned in the Atharvaveda and described in detail in the Yajurveda Samhita and the Shatapatha Brahmana . The Vedic form of the ritual is still performed Nambudiri Brahmins of Kerala and by a small number of Vaidiki...
or basic Aupasana fire sacrifice daily .
Yajnas in the Vedas
There are 400 yajnas described in the Vedas. Of these, 21 are deemed compulsory for the Twice-Born (Dvijas: Brahmin, Ksatriya and Vaisya). They are also called nityakarmas. The rest of the yajnas are optional, which are performed kamyakarma (for particular wishes and benefits). The Aupasana is not part of the above list, but is also compulsory .Out of the 21 nityakarmas, only the Agnihotra
Agnihotra
Agnihotra is a Vedic yajña performed in orthodox Hindu communities. It is mentioned in the Atharvaveda and described in detail in the Yajurveda Samhita and the Shatapatha Brahmana . The Vedic form of the ritual is still performed Nambudiri Brahmins of Kerala and by a small number of Vaidiki...
and the Aupasana
Aupasana
Aupasana is a yajna performed on a daily basis by Hindus who have been initiated during marriage for this.Hindu marriage is conducted with offerings made in the fire. Aupasana, which must be performed every day, is commenced in this fire and it must be preserved throughout one's life...
are to be performed twice daily, at dawn and dusk. The remaining ones have certain allotted frequencies over the course of the year. The more complicated the yajna, the less frequently it is performed. The most complex ones need to be performed only once in a lifetime. The first seven yajnas are called pākayajnas "cooked sacrifice", the second seven haviryajnas "oblation
Oblation
Oblation, an offering , a term, particularly in ecclesiastical usage, for a solemn offering or presentation to God.-Bible usage:...
, burnt offering", and the third seven are called somayajnas "Soma sacrifice".
- Seven are pakayajnas (aṣtaka, sthālipāka, parvana, srāvaṇi, āgrahayani, caitri and āsvīyuji). They involve consecrating cooked items.
- Seven are Soma Yajñas (agnistoma, atyagnistoma, uktya, shodasi, vājapeya, atirātra and aptoryama). The yāgā that involves the extraction, utility and consumption of Soma (in the general sense nectar, but extract of a particular tree specifically) is called a Soma Yajña. Others are usually referred to as haviryañnas.
- Seven are Havir Yajñas (agniyādhāna, agni hotra, Darśa-Pūrṇamāsa, āgrayana, cāturmāsya, niruudha paśu bandha, sautrāmaṇi). They involve offering havis.
- Five are the panca mahā Yajñās.
- Four are Vedavratas, which are done during Vedic education.
- Remaining sixteen are one-time samskāras that are done at different stages in life. They are garbhādhānā, pumsavana, sīmanta, jātakarma,nāmakaraṇa, annaprāśana,chudākarma/caula,niskramana,karnavedha,vidyaarambha, upanayana,keshanta, snātaka and vivāha,nisheka,antyeshti. These are specified by the gṛhya sūtrās.Some gṛhya sūtrās like Vaikhanasa prescribe 2 more samskaras like Vishnu bali and Pravasagamana/Pindavardhana.
yajnas such as Putrakameshti
Putrakameshti
Putrakameshti is a special Yajna performed in Hinduism for the sake of having a child. It is a kaamya-karma.In the Ramayana, upon the recommendation of Sage Vashishta, King Dasharatha of Ayodhya performed the Putrakameshti Yajna under the supervision of Rishishringa Muni, who was an expert in...
(for begetting sons), Ashvamedha
Ashvamedha
The Ashvamedha was one of the most important royal rituals of Vedic religion, described in detail in the Yajurveda...
(to rule), Rajasuya
Rajasuya
Rajasuya was a sacrifice, described in detail in the Mahabharata, performed by the ancient kings of India who considered themselves powerful enough to be an emperor...
(royal consecration) etc. are among the 400 which are not compulsory.
Aupasana
This is the basic simple fire sacrifice that is to be performed at home twice daily. The Aupasana agni is lit at the time of the groom's wedding from his father's fire. The aupasana can be performed by all four varnas. It is also compulsory. However, it is not part of the 21 compulsory fire sacrifices, and is to be performed in addition to those.The various sacred Agnis
The Grhyagni or Aupasanagni is used in the Paka Yajnas; such rituals are described in the Grihasutras, such as in the Ekagni Kanda of the Apastambha Sutra. Normally this fire is located in the centre or north of the hall which accommodates the sacred fires. This fire may be circular or square .
The rituals pertaining to the three Śrautagnis are described in the Śrauta Sutras. Their performers are called Śrautins. Fourteen of the 21 compulsory sacrifices are performed in the Śrautagnis. They are called Garhapatya, Ahavaniya and Dakshinagni and collectively called the tretagni. 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 semi-circular, situated in the south and 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 haviryajnas and all the seven somayajnas are performed in a specially built yajnashala.
Pancha Mahayajnas
Hindu tradition has the Pancha Mahayajnas ("Five Great Yajnas", TaittiriyaTaittiriya
Taittirīya is a shaka of the Black Yajurveda*Taittiriya Samhita , see Black Yajurveda*Taittiriya Upanishad...
Aranyaka
Aranyaka
The Aranyakas are part of the Hindu śruti, the four Vedas; they were composed in late Vedic Sanskrit typical of the Brahmanas and early Upanishads; indeed, they frequently form part of either the Brahmanas or the Upanishads....
2.10). These sacrifices are to be performed daily by all "householders" (married couples) daily to best of one's ability:
- Devayajna- worship of the gods (devas) through the twilight prayers (sandhyaSandhyavandanamSandhyavandanam is a religious practice performed by Hindu men initiated into the rite by the ceremony of Upanayanam, and instructed in its execution by a Guru . Sandhyavandanam consists of excerpts from the Great Vedas that are to be recited thrice daily...
), aupasana, and agnihotra - Pitryajna- offering libationLibationA libation is a ritual pouring of a liquid as an offering to a god or spirit or in memory of those who have died. It was common in many religions of antiquity and continues to be offered in various cultures today....
s to ancestors or pitrs - Bhutayajna- offering food ("bali") to animals
- Manushyayajna- charitable offerings of food to fellow humans
- Brahmayajna- recitation of a section of one's Veda ("bráhman") in rotation
Agnistoma
This is form of Somayagam has been continued by the Nambudiri Brahmins in KeralaKerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
but has become extinct in other parts of India. The grand Yagam was performed for the first time since 1787, in Aluva
Aluva
Aluva , is a suburb of the city of Kochi, situated north of the city center and a municipality in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India. Aluva is also a major industrial center of the state....
, from 25 April till 1 May 2009.
Jyotistoma
This yajna is meant for the elevation of the yajamana to heaven, the lokaLoka
Loka is a Sanskrit word for "world". In Hindu mythology it takes a specific meaning related to cosmology.-Hindu tradition:In the Puranas, and already in the Atharvaveda, there are fourteen worlds, seven higher ones and seven lower ones , viz...
s of the gods (e.g. Indraloka.this is also called agnistome yajna)
Panchagni yajna
This sacrifice is addressed in the Chandogya UpanishadChandogya Upanishad
The Chandogya Upanishad is one of the "primary" Upanishads. Together with the Jaiminiya Upanishad Brahmana and the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad it ranks among the oldest Upanishads, dating to the Vedic Brahmana period....
. It enables one to achieve Brahmaloka.
Dravyamayar yajna
This is where people open ashramAshram
Traditionally, an ashram is a spiritual hermitage. Additionally, today the term ashram often denotes a locus of Indian cultural activity such as yoga, music study or religious instruction, the moral equivalent of a studio or dojo....
s for who are in need of them. The five types of ashrams are: dharma-shala
Dharamshalas
Dharamshalas is the term for a religious resthouse. In Hindi, Dharma means religion, and shala means "sanctuary" hence dharamshala is a 'religious sanctuary' or rest-house for pilgrims, that are primarily created for a religious purpose for pilgrims, or as a religious endowment.Sometimes they are...
, anna-kshetra, atithi-shala, anaathaalya, visya-pitha.
Candrayana and Caturmasya
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 during ChaturmasChaturmas
Chaturmas is a holy period of four months , beginning on Shayani Ekadashi—the eleventh day of the first bright half, Shukla paksha, of Ashadh —until Prabodhini Ekadashi, the eleventh day of the first bright half of Kartik in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.Chaturmas is reserved the...
. Other examples are that he does not eat certain foods, or does not eat twice a day, or does not leave home (Caturmasya.)
See also
- AbhishekaAbhishekaAbhisheka is a Sanskrit term comparable to puja, yagya and arati that denotes: a devotional activity; an enacted prayer, rite of passage and/or religious rite or ritual...
- AshramAshramTraditionally, an ashram is a spiritual hermitage. Additionally, today the term ashram often denotes a locus of Indian cultural activity such as yoga, music study or religious instruction, the moral equivalent of a studio or dojo....
- AshvamedhaAshvamedhaThe Ashvamedha was one of the most important royal rituals of Vedic religion, described in detail in the Yajurveda...
- Historical Vedic religionHistorical Vedic religionThe religion of the Vedic period is a historical predecessor of Hinduism. Its liturgy is reflected in the mantra portion of the four Vedas, which are compiled in Sanskrit. The religious practices centered on a clergy administering rites...
- HomamHomamHomam may refer to:* Homa , a Hindu ceremonial ritual* Traditional name of the star Zeta Pegasi* Heroes of Might and Magic, a series of computer games* Homam , a 2008 Telugu film* Homam-e Tabrizi, a Persian poet...
- Nambudiri
- Puja (Hinduism)
- ŚrautaSrauta' traditions are conservative ritualistic traditions of the historical Vedic religion in Hinduism, based on the body of Śruti literature...
- YajurvedaYajurvedaThe Yajurveda, a tatpurusha compound of "sacrificial formula', + ) is the third of the four canonical texts of Hinduism, the Vedas. By some, it is estimated to have been composed between 1400 and 1000 BC, the Yajurveda 'Samhita', or 'compilation', contains the liturgy needed to perform the...