YAJNA
THE ONE WHO IS THE ESSENCE OF THE THREE LOKAS AND THREE STATES OF MIND, NATURE AND EXISTENCE, THAT ONE WHO LIGHTS UP OUR PATH AND IS THE ETERNAL FATHER, HIS VERY NATURE IS YAJNA. HE ALONE IS THE ENJOYER OF ALL YAJNAS. HE, THE LORD OF YAJNAS, REPRESENTS THE VEDIC INJUCTIONS OF FIRE OFFERINGS AND ALL LIMBS OF YAJNAS, HE BESTOWS THE REWARDS OF SUCH YAJNA.
HE, THE RULER OF YAJNAS, IS THE ONE PERFORMING FIRE OFFERINGS (THROUGH ME FOR, HE'S ONE WITHOUT A SECOND, HE ALONE EXISTS). THE SOLE ENJOYER AND THE ONLY RECIPIENT OF ALL OFFERINGS MADE IN THAT FIREPIT. HE, THE FINAL OFFERING, FULFILLS ALL YAJNAS AND REMAINS THE GREATEST MYTICAL REALIZATION OF A YAJNA. HE'S SUSTENCE (FOOD) AND THE ENJOYER OF SUCH SUSTENANCE.
(VISHNU SAHASRANAMAM, 104, 105, OWN TRANSLATION.)
IF THERE'S ONE THING WITHOUT WHICH NO RELIGIOUS RITE IS EVER PERFORMED IN SANTANA DHARMA (COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE HINDU RELIGION), THAT WILL BE THE USE OF FIRE. WHETHER THAT FIRE IS IN THE FORM OF A LAMP OF OFFERINGS IN A FIREPIT OR EVEN LIBRATIONS (ARGHYAM), TO THE GREATEST FIREBALL, THE SUN, OFTEN THE PRESENCE OF FIRE MARKS THE BEGINNING AND END OF LIFE. THE FIRE OF PASSION IS THE SEED OF OUR BODY, THE IN A MOTHER'S WOMB SUSTAINS US, THE FIRE OF OUR DESIRES PROPELS US, THE FIRE IN OUR BELLIES DEGESTS OUR FOOD, THE FIRE IN OUR BODIES AGES US AND ULTIMATELY, IT IS TO FIRE THAT WE ARE GIVEN AT THE TIME OF CREMATION.
THEREFORE, A YAJNA NOT ONLY REPRESENTS FIRE OFFERINGS MADE IN A FIREPIT, BUT AN EXPRESSION OF GRATITUDE TOWARDS ALL THINGS THAT GOVERN OUR LIVES. IN SANATANA DHARMA, THERE ARE FIVE TYPES OF YAJNA:
1. OFFERINGS TO ALL LIVING BEINGS (BHUTA-YAJNA): THIS INVOLVES FEEDING BIRDS AND ANIMALS, PLANTING TREES, WATERING PLANTS AND MINDFUL USAGE OF NATURAL RESOURCES.
2. CHARITY AND MUTUAL RESPECT (MANUSHYA-YAJNA). TO RESPECTFULLY RECEIVE A GUEST, TO RESPECT OTHER PEOPLE'S SPACE, EXISTENCE AND FREEDOM, TO HELP OTHERS TO THE BEST OF ONE'S ABILITIES IS MANUSHYA-YAJNA.
3. OFFERINGS TO OUR ANCESTORS (PITR-YAJNA): THIS INVOLVES DONATING FOOD, MONEY, CLOTHES AND SO ON IN THE MEMORY OF OUR ANCESTORS TO THANK THEM. AFTER ALL, EVEN IF THEY LEFT NO MATERIAL LEGACY FOR SOMEONE, THEIR SEED IS THE REASON WHY WE ARE HERE.
5. OFFERING TO THE UNIVERSE (BRAHMA-YAJNA): THIS IS DONE BY CHANTING VEDIC MANTRAS. THEREFORE, IN MANTRA YOGA NO FIRE OFERRINGS ARE MADE WITHOUT ASSOCIATING A MANTRA WITH THEM. FOR ON THE PATH OF MANTRA SADHANA, SOUND (MANIFEST OR SILENCE) IS OUR FIRST CONNECTION WITH THE DIVINE ENERGY.
THAT WHICH HELPS US REALIZE THE TRUTH (JNA) OF NOW, THE PRESENT MOMENT (YA), IS YAJNA. OUR LIFE IS A SERIES OF PRESENT MOMENTS.
THE YAJNA THAT HAS FIRE OFFERINGS IS ALSO CALLED HOMAM OR AGNIHOTRA. IT CAN BE AS ELABORATE AS EASILY LASTING EIGHT HOURS OR MORE, OR IT CAN BE CONCISE ENOUGH TO BE WRAPPED UP WITHIN 15-20 MINUTES. WHAT KIND OF YAJNA YOU DO DEPENDS ENTIRELY ON THE NATURE AND PURPOSE OF YOUR SADHANA. IN THIS CHAPTER, AS FAR AS MANTRA YOGA IS CONCERNED, TO MAKE EFFECTIVE FIRE OFFERINGS, I PRESENT TO YOU THE SHORT BUT SUFFICIENT STEPS OF A YAJNA.
INGREDIENTS REQUIRED FOR FIRE OFFERINGS
- BRICKS AND SAND IF YOU ARE MAKING YOUR OWN ELEVATED PLATFORM (VEDI).
- AN OIL LAMP. INCENSE IS OPTIONAL.
- GHEE (OR ANY SPECIFIC OIL AS PRESCRIBED IN THE SADHANA)
- ANY SPOON OR WOODEN SPOONS TO MAKE OFFERINGS OF GHEE.
- A SMALL WATER POT. (YAJNA INGREDIENTS ARE DIFFERENT FOR VARIOUS SADHANAS. ONCE AGAIN, FOR THE SADHANAS LISTED IN THIS BOOK. I'VE SPECIFIED THE INGREDIENTS.)
- FIREWOOD (SMALL STICKS USUALLY SUFFICE UNLESS YOU ARE DOING A LARGE YAJNA).
- A DRY COCONUT. THIS IS USED IN THE END TO OFFER THE LAST OBLATION (AHUTI). THE COCONUT IS PUNCTURED (IF IT'S WITH SKIN) OF CUT AT THE TOP (IF IT'S WITHOUT SKIN) AND A BIT OF GHEE AND YAJNA INGREDIENTS ARE PUT IN THAT (THE LID IS PUT BACK ON THE TOP IF IT'S WITHOUT SKIN).
- A BUCKET OF WATER (I'VE DONE THOUSANDS OF YAJNAS IN MY LIFE AND NEVER NEEDED TO DOUSE THE FIRE. BUT, IF YOU ARE STARTING OUT, YOU MAY WANT TO KEEP A BUCKET OF WATER CLOSE BY IN CASE OF ANY FIRE HAZARD.)
