We can perform the best kind of yajna if we do all our daily activities as offerings in the service of the supreme God, writes Dr Asha Goswami
The ambivalent term yajna carries multiple connotations in usage in the Indian tradition. Exponents of Indian tradition even deem the creation of the world as an act of yajna on the part of the creator. To strengthen this notion, they refer to the Purushasukta of the Rigveda and the Bhagavad Gita (VIII.3) wherein it is clearly stated that “the act of confining and limiting himself in prakriti (matter) was conducted as an act of sacrifice by the almighty God so that the world may come into existence”
The word sacrifice, which forms an equivalent term to yajna, is made of two terms — sacri and ficus — connoting the act which makes the doer sacred. Hence, the word sacrifice conveys all sacred acts. Its equivalent terms in Indian tradition, which is yajna, is however derived from the root yaj, denoting worship of Gods, reverence and homage paid to the Gods, meeting and uniting with the good and godly people, and doing charitable acts.
In the Vedic age, the term yajna was expressive of gross material activity like cultic practices at terrestrial level as well as the principle of coexistence, harmony, cooperation and partaking together with the Gods. The last implication of the term be attested from the Rigvedic reference to a famous meeting of the sage Vasishta with God Varuna in connection with the performance of a sacrificial ritual.
While in the esoteric sense, yajna may connote inner transcendental action similar to enlightenment, illumination, insight or inner vision which is called dhiyam or dhiyaa in the Vedic terminology. For, the Vedic mantra talks about God Vishvakarma’s act of yajna in the form of dhiyaa, which served as a means for augmenting of his body (tanvam vridhanah) implying a transcendental act of the creator to broaden and expand his subtle body into many.
According to another Vedic notion, yajna is treated as the mainstay of speech, denoting the naadabrahma as is stated that “through yajna, the words were created: Yajnena Vaachahpadaveeyamaayan.
Besides, yajna has some other cognate terms in the Vedas which be counted as aapas, tapas kratu which imply communication with the Gods by cultic practices; satya and rita which denote finite cosmic orders or the eternal immovable basic elements in the world like sun and fire; and adhvara implying cultic practices wherein the oblation of an animal was never made.
While at later stage, the term yajna became synonymous with good actions which lead to prosperity as they say: “Yajnah bhagah.” Yajna is also used as a designate of both Brahma and Vishnu since it is stated: “Brahma hi yajnah, yajna vai Vishnuh.”
In the Indian tradition, yajna is also looked upon as constituting the very centre of the world: “Yajnah bhuvanasya naabhih.” According to the Bhagavad Gita, yajna turns out as one of the manifestations (vibhutis) of the lord. The Gita further deems every act done in the right spirit as equal to yajna since this does not lead the door to bondage.
The Gita also refers to other types of yajna, which may be inculcated through controlling senses; offering the articles in obligation to Gods; practising penances and yoga; learning of scriptures or teaching of scriptures.
Besides in the Gita, five other obligatory acts of a householder are also treated as equivalent to yajna, which are named as aarsha, daiva, pitara, maanusha and bhuta.
later on, in the Puranas, the inculcating of piety towards the needy and performing noble acts were also treated on par with yajna. The forecited prospects on yajna in the Indian tradition reveal that this term is endowed with complex connotations in usage.
Initially it carried the sense of worship of God along with the offering of obligations of material things. While at the next stage, it implied the necessary condition on the part of the supreme God to work out cosmic order. Still further it also conveyed man’s ideal of social and moral values called satya and tapas which, however, serve the means for him to become pure and sacred.
It also conveyed man’s participation in the prayers to the deities and last not the least offering of his individual self unto the higher self which is representative of high level of consciousness called deva. Such a yajna is known as kratu.
Thus, from such varied notions about yajna, it follows that right from the Vedic times, conveying complex connotations, it conveyed the sense of worship of Gods as well as of conversing with the Gods and doing noble acts.
Besides it was also expressive of the principle of cosmos which served as an activity of mechanism on the part of the supreme being for the creation of the world .
However, in the Indian tradition, the word yajna is commonly limited to the sense of worship only. Here, it may be stressed upon that by controlling the mind, if one performs all his daily activities as offerings in the service of the lord, he performs the best kind of yajna.
While concluding it may be asserted that the term yajna in the Indian tradition implies both the materialistic and spiritualistic significations. At the materialistic level, it conveys the sense of cultic practice, a karma for propitiating the Gods. At the spiritual level, just like its cognate term tapas, it denotes the inner principle of co-existence and a process of the human beings which culminates into their purification and self-enlightenment.
The writer is a noted Indologist and an authority on Krishnaite studies
