Right from the very beginning, man has been making sacrifices. Many used fire for this purpose. In the old Testament, we come across so many instances where burnt offerings are made to the Almighty---Genesis 8/20, Exodus 24/5,1Samuel 7/9, Deu.33/10. The Hebrew name is TANGOKORBAN OLAH.The word literally means to rise, to go up in smoke and the smoke goes to the Lord. By the Greeks, sacrifice was named as ‘holocaust disambiguation’ where the animal is fully burnt. These ancient people like the Aryans also used the agency of fire to take offerings up to the Gods. Fire is, therefore, called ‘messenger of god's’ ‘mouth of god's’ -Shatpath Brahaman3/7/2/6. Fire is also old called the tongue of Lord Vishnu - Bhagwat 3.14.9. The very first Mantra in Rigved, oldest of the Vedas, praises fire God Agni (अग्नि).
When Hindus hear the word yagya (यज्ञ), pictures of fire, mantras (मंत्र) and ovulations by ritviks ऋत्विक, who are experts in conducting sacrifices come to their mind. An apt definition of yagya : It is a ritual /action /method /performance performed by incantations, that is, sacred formulae called Mantra[मंत्र] for the purpose of appeasing gods; materials used are rice, oil, butter, milk, serials et cetera; it is in order to get the fruits of the Yagya which are mostly ascension to heaven and other higher planes, to gain a kingdom, wealth, male progeny, rain, good harvest or other material things. It originates from word >dhatu-yaj यज; when suffix nud (नड़) is added the full word we get is yagya (यज्ञ). In a yagya offerings are made to the gods देवता through the good offices of fire god, Agni (अग्नि). The sacred word is Swaha स्वाहा which is the name of the wife of Agni. Oblation (आहुति) is poured into the fire. The world swaha also means, “I offer myself and my all.’’ Prayer is made to fire God Agni in order to convey offerings to the specific gods -Rigved7/11/5. If Gods are satiated, they give the desired fruits to the Yajman(यजमान), that is, the person on whose behalf the sacrifice is being conducted by experts and who is paying for the Yagya.
Information about yagya in Sanatan Dharam (सनातन धर्म) comes from Yajurved (यजुर्वेद) which has a compilation of incantations for purpose of sacrifices. We are informed by the Purusha Suktam (पुरुष सूक्त) that the foremost yagya (प्रथम या आदि यज्ञ) in the universe is of the divine manifesting as the world. Padam Puran (पदम पुराण) informs us that in the very beginning human beings were created for the purpose of performing yagya -3/123. Yagya is an Incarnation i.e. avatar (अवतार) of God -appearing from Akuti wife of Rishi Ruchi. Eighteen types of yagya are described in Mundaka Upanishad (मुंडक उपनिषद्) 1/2/7. Such Sacrifices are daily, monthly, four monthly and so on. Most sacrifices are for the purpose of getting a fruit (कामनापूर्ति). At the most they can take you to Swarg (स्वर्ग) that is heaven, for a little while only; you stay there for some time [which can be from a few to trillions of years] and then are thrown back to this earth These do not free you from the cycle of births and rebirths.
3. For conducting a yagya four types of Ritvik, that is, experts who perform sacrifices with fire, are needed. Brahma [ब्रह्मा] is the head under whose supervision the others work; Hota [होता] puts ahotis [आहुतियां]; Udhgeeta [उधगीता ] who is an expert in samved, sings songs from his Ved (वेद); Adhvaru (अध्वर्य) has mastery over Yajurved (यजुर्वेद). With the help of all the four, a yagya is performed. For such performance, certain matters like a place, time, material, doer, mantra and the act itself have to be kept in mind -Bhagvat 11.21.15. The time should be auspicious (शुभ मुहूर्त); if the time has not been properly selected the yagya may not bear any fruit or may give an unwanted result; place, where it is to be performed, must be carefully chosen, there should be no disturbance due to the elements of nature; It should be clean and clear without disturbances, it should not be near crowded places, noisy environment. The material used should, first of all, be free from impurities, then it should have been obtained by scripture - ordained means and not by any other means forbidden by scriptures and the sages, example, theft robbery extortion deceit etc. This is for the simple reason that gods do not accept impure material or unholy things; likings of the particular god who is being appeased should be respected. The money used to buy such material should not have been ill gotten. Experts conducting the yagya should have the twelve Virtues directed by the Shastras like comeliness of form, self-endeavour, intelligence, keenness of senses, wisdom, piety, learning, mastery of his art, good pedigree, bodily strength, glory, and yoga ie. control over breath; the incantations or Mantra should be carefully chosen, the pronunciation has to be precise. Lastly, doer i.e. Yajman on whose wishes yagya is being performed should have full faith in the gods/God and in the ability of the persons conducting the yagya. An example of an unwanted and fatal consequence of sacrifice by fire, that is, yagya is the one performed for creating Vratasur [वृत्रासुर] demon to kill the king of Swarg Indra [स्वर्ग का राजा इंद्र]. SageTvashta (त्वष्टा), with the intention of eliminating Indra [इंद्र], performed a yagya. His pronunciation was slightly incorrect; the original words meant that enemy of Indra should increase in glory (इंद्र के शत्रुओं! तुम्हारी अभिवृद्धि हो). This conveyed the meaning that the demon, who was being created an increase in glory. However with the changed- pronunciation, anudat (अनुदात्त स्वर) was changed to antyodat अन्त्योदात्त) without changing any word) the new mantra meant Indra, who is enemy increase in glory (इन्द्र ,जो शत्रु है की वृद्धि हो). As a result of the altered incantations, the entity that came into being was not an enemy of Indra but body of Vratasur whose enemy was Indra. --Shrimad Bhagavatam by Prabhupadji 6. 9 .11. This demon died at the hands of Indra, though Tvashta was created Vritasur for killing Indra. If the hota, priest who calls gods has a wrong Sankalp (संकल्प) ie., thought, the desired fruit may not follow as in the case Vavavastya Manu (वैवस्त्य मनु) who wanted a son but got, Ila -a daughter-Bh 9/1/20. Another example is from Devi Bhagwat. About the Pandas, it is said that they were virtuous but suffered a great deal in their lives. Why? We are informed that money used by them in their various sacrificial rites was not gotten as envisaged by the scriptures--Devi Bhagvat, book 3 Chapter 12. To overcome the various difficulties and hardships in sacrifices Devi Bhagwat advocates mental yagya [मानसिक यज्ञ]. The fruit of such is never exhausting (अक्षय). Such a type of yagya is performed in the mind only -no physical activity in the material world is required. There is no danger of it going awry for none of the essential conditions of a material yagya can be violated. No special time to be chosen, for the mental activity can be done at all times, no particular time is auspicious or inauspicious. The place is always good -one’s own mental realm. You don't have to worry about the material being impure, no substance is needed, everything is done in the mind, no finances, no Ritviks. But such a yagya is only for The Almighty whether it is done with a desire for fruit or without any desire for fruit. If it is for any material desire or for any entity other than Almighty Himself, then of course we need physical substances for the rule with the gods devta (देवता) is “you please me by giving me my desired offerings, if I am pleased I will give you the desired fruits for which I am authorised by God Almighty”. Lord Krishna says in Geeta, “these worshippers get the fruits of their desires from such gods as ordered by me,” but Krishna calls such persons “of little understanding” for they get only perishable fruits . -Gita 7/23
Some yagyas ordained by scriptures are -
Rishiyagya (ऋषियज्ञ), which is performed by studying the scriptures and teaching them to others; by this the due of the sages is paid back .
Dev yagya (देव यज्ञ ) is complete by making offerings to the gods which may be through fire that is Agni (अग्नि) or other means.
Pitri yagya पितृयज्ञ is accomplished by begetting children, performing shrad (श्राद), turpan (तर्पण) et cetera.
Manushya yagya (मनुष्य यज्ञ) or human yagya is performed by feeding beggars, giving alms to the poor, honouring guests et cetera.
Another form of sacrifice that is Booth yagya (भूत यज्ञ) is performed by giving food to the cows, dogs, crows and water to the trees plants etc.
We are all In the know of Rajsu, Ashwamedh and Putreshti yagya [राजसू ,अश्वमेध ,पुत्रेष्टि यज्ञ] ]. Puran and epics are full of them.
Now something spritual. According to Ishavasya Upnishad (ईशावास्य उपनिषद) : doing duties as ordained by scriptures without attachment is yagya and God ‘s worship--2 .
Sexual union is also a type of yagya : where the woman is fire, vulva is flame, desire is smoke, pleasure is sparks [चिंगारी ], man's semen is the substance by which ahuti (आहुति) is given, and the fruit is conception, that is, Garbhadhan(गर्भाधान) -छान्दोग्य उपनिषद Chandogaya Upnishad 5.8.1-2 .
In Kali Upnishad (कलि उपनिषद) we find that the whole world is described as yagya, Serva Yag Meiy Jagat (सर्व यज्ञ मय जगत). All actions: breathing, eating, sleeping, walking, reading scriptures, going on pilgrimage, jap, tap… all are yagya .
A visit to Geeta[गीता] is long overdue. Let us see what God himself has to say about it. After creating humans with their duties the creator ordered, “you shall prosper by this; may this yield the enjoyment you seek, foster the gods through sacrifice (यज्ञ) and let the gods be gracious to you -Geeta vs. 10, 11 of chapter 3. Some sacrifices enumerated in Gita, chapter 4 vs 24 to 33 and chapter 18 vs 70] are:
1] Dev yagya (देव यज्ञ) which is performed by the senses.
2] Braham yagya (ब्रह्मयज्ञ) where self is offered to self by self.
3] Indriya yagya that is control over senses .
4] Mano yagya (मनोयज्ञ) control over mind.
5] Atma Sanyam (आत्मसंयम) Control of ego.
6] Dravyamey yagya (द्रवमय यज्ञ) which is done with the help of materials like oil, rice, cereal, coconut, ghee at cetera.
7] Tap (तप) that is devotion to God.
8] Gyan (ज्ञान) offering of that which is the truth and denying which is not .Reading and understanding gita [गीता ]is Gyan Yag and is superior to drivamaya yagya (द्रव्यमय यज्ञ).
Some Learned people say that all duties enjoined by scriptures are yagya, these duties are with respect to one’s status in society and stage of life which is dependent on one's age .A person not offering sacrifice cannot be happy in this or another world; while those who eat the leftovers after the performance of Yagya attain God--- Geeta chapter 4 verse 31 .
No writing describing yagya and its fruits can be complete without paying tribute to Rta (ऋत). Vedic pandits have calculated that this word is used 390 times in Rigved (ऋग्वेद). The meaning of the word is order, rule, truth properly joined. Previously it meant Universal Order now it denotes the actual conducting of sacrifice -Yagy, and its proper rhythm. Sacrifice keeps balance in nature. From understanding Brahma (ब्रह्म) come Vedas (वेद); Vedas teach karma that is action; by karma that is action yagya is done which brings rain; from rain comes grain that is ann (अन्न) and all eatables that sustain life -Gita3/14-15. Thus yagya keeps order, from the movement of the galaxies to the movement of electron in an atom--- both on macro and micro levels . In Rigved (ऋग्वेद) there is a prayer to Indra to lead humans to rhythm of sacrifice that is of path of Rta -Rig .10/133.6.
It is common knowledge that prayers are accomplished by mantras (मंत्र). Mantra is the form or the roop (रूप) of the particular diety, i.e. Devata (देवता) to whom the prayer is being offered. Every Mantra has a sage, that is, Rishi (ऋषि) who was the first one to realise or see the mantra of the god i.e. Devta in deep meditation. These are Mantradrishta Rishes (मंत्रदृष्टा ऋषि). The mantra has to be recited in a particular manner which is governed by Chand छंद example Gayatri (गायत्री), Jagati (जगति), Trishtoop (त्रिष्टुप). Invariably all mantras have a Rishi , a Chhand (छंद) and Viniyog (विनियोग), that is, the result which is desired from the god ,Devta.
Sacrifice is an action -Karma,कर्म. It can be Saatvik (सात्विक), Rajsik(राजसिक), Tamsic (तामसिक) according to the intent of the person performing it. If it is done without the feeling of doership (कर्तापन) , without Desire of fruit, without any love or hate it is said to be Saatvik. if done with the intention of enjoyment with strain and with egotism, it becomes Rajsik. If it is undertaken through ignorance without taking stock of one's abilities without counting the upshot, with loss to oneself, injury to others, it is Tamsiik. For example: the sacrifice to end all snakes and serpents undertaken by king Jaanamejaya was Tamsik(तामसिक ; Ashwamedha yagya, that is horse sacrifices, to attain the kingship of Heaven- Swarg, स्वर्ग- by king Prithu(पृथु) - he did 99 of them, the hundredth one being disturbed by Indra- was Rajsik-- Bhagwat book 4 chapter 20.
According to Aniruddh Acharya, Venkat Acharya, relationship of two elements is yagya - one is deposited or placed into the other; he says that the vedi of the Yagya -यज्ञवेदि- is God ‘s body; the different fires -अग्नि- His body parts like heart, stomach etc; the sacrificial animals are kaam (काम), Krodh (क्रोध) , Lobh (लोभ), Ahamkar (अहंकार) etc; jivatma (जीवात्मा) is the dedicated material (हव्य); the five senses and their five subjects ; five Gyan (ज्ञान), five karmendriyan (कर्मइंद्रियाँ) are ten weapons of God. God’s sixteen arms are the sixteen priests (ऋत्विक) performing the sacrifice. Protection of the devotee is the purpose, ie, diksha (दीक्षा) of the sacrifice. Mercy (दया) is the fee (दक्षिणा) given to the performing priests( ऋत्विक).
Killing of animals in sacrifices was not in general practice in vedic times and was looked down upon. Even the fire which was impure was thrown away before the start of the sacrifice -Rigved 7/6/21-9. Those who opine that animals’ sacrifice was mandatory in Yagya are, perhaps, misled by the language of vedas (वेदभाषा). Vedic Samskrit is alokik (अलौकिक) and sufficiently different from lokik (लौकिक) samskrit. Some Illustrations will make our point clear. One word can have many meanings. Word varah [वराह] can be -rain, pig, mountain etc.The word aan (अन्न) is given different names which gives the impression of animals and meat. From Atharvaved 18/4/32, dhan=rice, it also means dhenu= cow; til तिल=calf बछड़ा. Again in the same Ved we find rice= horse, rice=cow, black part of rice=meat, red part=blood,-----11/3/5,7. Likewise in Shatpath Brahman (शतपथ ब्राह्मण) we find flour=hair i.e.lom [लोम ], when mixed with water it is called skin that is charma [चर्म], when well- set it is called meat, when heated it is called usti [अस्थि ] that is bones, when fully cooked it is called Pakt Pashu [पक्तपशु] that is cooked animal. Similarly Aj [अज ] means Aan[अन्न] as well as goat. Goghn (गोघ्नः) is donee who receives cow. It has been translated “cow killer”. Medh (मेध) =to understand, kill, add to, conjoin. Hence Ashmedh -Gomedh did not necessarily involve killing horse and cow- slaughter. In Greek the word “astheneo” means ‘sick’ in James 2:14 and ‘weakness’ in 2 Corin.12:9,10. Interpretation is always with reference to the context. It appears that people of Tamsik nature [तामसिक प्रकृति ] Gita chapter 14 verse 8 and people with an aasuri bent of mind [आसुरीमन] Geeta chapter 16 vs 7 to 20 gave wrong meanings to Vedic verses for their selfish ends. “Cut the head of the person who eats the meat of man, cow and horse and steals the milk of cow” -Rigved 8/4/8-16. If in ancient times animal sacrifices were looked upon with approval, why would wise Narad (नारद) admonish King Prachinbarhi (प्राचीनबर्हि), “King! look, animals you sacrificed are waiting to take revenge upon you; when you go to the next plane after death they will pierce you with their iron -like horns-” -Bhag 4/25/7-8 . Those indulging in animal-sacrifices go to vaishas narka (वैशासनर्क), a type of hell-Bhag.5/26/25. Samved advocates non violence, it is against animal sacrifices for Sam 32 [साम वेद] says, “Those doing a sacrifice that is yagya without sacrificing animals should worship fire-god-Agni,अग्नि.” Krishna himself explains in Bhagvat how his vedvani (वेदवाणी) which shows true Dharma (धर्म) has been distorted and misinterpreted by various people as per their basic nature--- Satvik, Rajsic orTamsic -Book 11 chapter 14 vs. 3 to 7. It is so unearthly and supernatural(अलौकिक) that different interpretations are but natural. It seems that animal sacrifices were existent, though not so popular; they were tolerated but not appreciated “Where animals are sacrificed, one should not eat food given by such Yajman and in Sautramani yagya (सौत्रामणि यज्ञ) ...’’-Bh10/23/8 ..This is Krishna’s advice to his mates. Lord krishna was against wanton animal sacrifice. -Bh11/21/30-31. Chetan Mahaprabhu is of the view that first the sacrificial animal was killed and then by mantras brought to life again. Bringing it back to life was the litmus test of the success of the yagya. Thus no life was lost.
Right from the advent of man, he has been making sacrifices to please, appease and propitiate the Almighty and other gods. Fire was used by most cultures and civilizations. Sacrifice or Yagya is an action and is, therefore, karma [कर्म ]. If done without attachment, no desire for fruit and to please God only, it is capable of liberating; otherwise, it brings bondage. We finish by concluding yagya is a form [रूप] of god i.e. omnipotent coming in a form, which the wise call Vishnu, Ram, Krishna….Rig Ved 1/164/46. In Bhagvat, we come across God’s own view that yagya is his loving form.
After discussing this much about yagya, we cannot refrain from stating the law about our age : that the fruits attainable in Treta-yug (त्रेता युग) by yagya can easily be obtained now, in kaliyug (कलियुग) by chanting Lord’s name (नाम संकीर्तन) -Bhagvat 12.3.52. Sankirtan is far easier than yagya.
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