| Title : Vedic Yadnya A wonderful social and spiritual practice |
Author : Shri Kishore Parshuram Limaye. |
|
Read In Hindi
http://www.vedpradip.com/articlecontent.php?aid=359&linkid=1&catid=&subcatid=0&vedid=5
Agnimile Purohitam Yadnyasya Devatrutvijam"
In the Vedic culture the importance of Agni or fire has been repeatedly stressed.
The best form of worshipping God in the Vedic times, was supposed to be worshipping Agni. One who worshipped Agni attained Salvation. This was very old belief. From this arose a wonderful social practice called Yadnya.
The word Yadnya portrays a typical picture in the minds of common people, like sacrifice, oblations, chanting of hymns, offerings, meals, etc. This is a very natural and obvious picture that one gets of the Yadnya. It is beyond imagination of the common man that the Yadnyas means anything more than this. They cannot comprehended that Yadnya can contribute to the moral and spiritual upliftment of the society. The form of Yadnya has now restricted to only the ritual of performing it. Yadnya has lost its meaning, in the true sense of it.
The 'Yadnyas' that were being performed in the Vedic times were different from their present form. Their form was totally different in the olden times. The practice of Yadnya did not have a base of superstitions to it. The then existing form of Yadnya made the social scientists and intellectuals think about it. One needs to understand that form with an open mind.
A very common happening can generally explain the motive or purpose of the Yadnya. In ancient times whenever the Yadnya was being performed the Asuras or the demon interrupted the Yadnya and destroyed it. Why did these demons have to interrupt the Yadnyas? Why would it have bothered the demons of the sages were performing Yadnyas only to attain a place in heaven? Those who do not appreciate the concept of heaven and those who are only concerned about the material progress, should not have bothered about the practice of Yadnya. But the answer to this question is very obvious. The demons were certainly at a loss. The word 'Rakshaka' means the protector. These so called protectors ruled over the society and they were notorious people. The person like 'Bakasur' harassed the common folk.
The sages used to challenge these rude/people by giving near the common folk through the practice of Yadnya. They used to inspire confidence in the common people. You are yourself very strong and you are capable of taking case of yourself, this message was propagated by the Sages. They told the common people not to be afraid of anyone. God will certainly give you enough strength to fight the bad, was their message.
The sages inspired confidence and daring attitude in the minds of a society which was helpless. The Sages told these people not to fear the demons. Demons of course never liked this preaching of the Sages, as it was totally against them. As a result the demons were against the practice of Yadnya.
The word 'Yadnya' raises eyebrows of many acclaimed social activists. They feel that Yadnya is only a ritual and the society is not going to benefit from it. Only the deep study of ancient Vedic Yadnya can prove its major contribution towards the social upliftment. Today unity is the word, which is strongly propagated, but unity is not perceived anywhere in the true sense of it. In India there is no unity in any two religions or any two languages. There is also a lack of united strength in the political parties propagating a common platform.
The form of ancient Vedic Yadnyas and Vedic literature or culture is consistent as compared to contemporary India.
This fact stresses the importance of Yadnyas.
The sages tried to achieve different purposes through the medium of 'Yadnyas' at one and the same time. To begin with the sages grouped people believing in the same God or Goddess. These groups worshipped different Gods like Naga, Rudra, Bullocks, Trees, etc. The sages discoursed the following message in order to bring them together - "All of you come together, stay together, work together, let your minds think along same lines, in the same way as your Gods are looking after their work properly by staying together with each other" (Rigveda 10/191/2)
"Sangchhadhwam Sanvadadhwam Sam Vo Manasi Janatam |
Deva Bhagam Yatha Purve Sanjanana Upasate || (Rigved 10/191/2)
et your hymns, mind, thought and intellect converge into one and the same, let your offerings to the God be also the same." Rigveda 10/191
"Samano Mantraha Samitihi Samani Samanam Manaha Sahya
Chittamesham |
Samanam Mantram Abhimantraye Vaha Samanen Vo Havisha
Juhomi || 3 || Rigveda 10/191
These were not mere challenges, but they were a reality. It was a very difficult task to embed all the human groups believing in different things into one single unit. The sages tried to achieve this magnanimous task with the help of Yadnya.
The Vedas are always criticized, as it is believed that animals are offered as oblations. There are references of such things found in the Vedas. The social experts of today rush to conclude that violence started with the Vedas itself. But this accusation is totally baseless and invalid. On the contrary Yadnyas propagated new way towards non-violence.
Many groups of people used the medium of offering animals as oblations to please their Gods and Goddesses. Sometimes they even offered human life. It is known today only after some research. Thus the sages were forced to come out with a solution to stop this horrible practice. In doing so the sages could not hurt the feelings of the common people who believed in such offerings. The role of the sages was not to destroy practices, but to show them a clear and correct path. To achieve this the sages tried to convince people about the idea of 'One God' instead of people believing in different member of Gods.
The following hymns stress this principle -
"Indram Mitram Varunam Agnimahu Yatho Divyaha Suparno Gurutmanam |
Ekam Sad Vipra Bahuda Vadanti Agnim Yamam Matarishwanmahu ||
(Rigved 1/164/46)
"All the Gods like Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni, Suparna, Yama are actually one and the same, these Gods are expressed by the intellectuals in different ways". - (Rigved 1/164/46)
These sages were revolutionists. Their motto was to give and teach culture to the human groups and unite them together. These groups has a ritual wherein they offered animals as oblations to please their Gods and Goddesses. This created a rise in violence in the society. The sages found out a way to avoid these practices and they gave animals a very important position in the practice of Yadnya. This is animal sacrifice in Vedic Yadnya.
People finding fault in the Vedas say that the Vedas have given animal - slaughter a place in their scriptures. So Vedas did propagate violence. But this is a false statement. These things need a deeper analysis, keeping in mind the then existing situation.
If the sages would have told the people to stop offering animals in oblation, it would have fallen on deaf ears. The sages could not have continued with their work of spreading culture. Thus they first stopped the animal slaughter carried out all over by giving it a place in Yadnya. Thus they could stop eighty percent violence in the country. This convinced the people of the practice of Yadnya and people were also happy that their Gods or Goddesses were also happy. The sages kept a ritual in the Yadnya where he could invite the respective or all Gods and Goddesses. The sages had in mind to totally eradicate violence from the society. The animal which was offered in oblation was called as 'Manyuhu Pashuhu'. That is the violence is to be burned away.
The sages performed these Yadnyas at various placed to inspire confidence in the society. They tried to bring together the various groups present in the country. They propagated Vedic literature. They showed a new light to the society. They tried to remove ignorance from the minds of the people. They tried to give the nation a certain level of dignity.
The present form of Yadnya today is far different than the previous one. The people caught in the rites and rituals performed it and the intellectuals totally ignored it and thought that it was worthless. It is necessary that the intellectuals with faith in their mind should do more research on the aspect of social importance of Yadnyas. They should develop a form of Yadnya relevant to today's world. Even if methods of performing the Yadnya are different, the underlying principle is the same, that is social equality and fraternity.
dd
Read In Hindi
http://www.vedpradip.com/articlecontent.php?aid=359&linkid=1&catid=&subcatid=0&vedid=5
Agnimile Purohitam Yadnyasya Devatrutvijam"
In the Vedic culture the importance of Agni or fire has been repeatedly stressed.
The best form of worshipping God in the Vedic times, was supposed to be worshipping Agni. One who worshipped Agni attained Salvation. This was very old belief. From this arose a wonderful social practice called Yadnya.
The word Yadnya portrays a typical picture in the minds of common people, like sacrifice, oblations, chanting of hymns, offerings, meals, etc. This is a very natural and obvious picture that one gets of the Yadnya. It is beyond imagination of the common man that the Yadnyas means anything more than this. They cannot comprehended that Yadnya can contribute to the moral and spiritual upliftment of the society. The form of Yadnya has now restricted to only the ritual of performing it. Yadnya has lost its meaning, in the true sense of it.
The 'Yadnyas' that were being performed in the Vedic times were different from their present form. Their form was totally different in the olden times. The practice of Yadnya did not have a base of superstitions to it. The then existing form of Yadnya made the social scientists and intellectuals think about it. One needs to understand that form with an open mind.
A very common happening can generally explain the motive or purpose of the Yadnya. In ancient times whenever the Yadnya was being performed the Asuras or the demon interrupted the Yadnya and destroyed it. Why did these demons have to interrupt the Yadnyas? Why would it have bothered the demons of the sages were performing Yadnyas only to attain a place in heaven? Those who do not appreciate the concept of heaven and those who are only concerned about the material progress, should not have bothered about the practice of Yadnya. But the answer to this question is very obvious. The demons were certainly at a loss. The word 'Rakshaka' means the protector. These so called protectors ruled over the society and they were notorious people. The person like 'Bakasur' harassed the common folk.
The sages used to challenge these rude/people by giving near the common folk through the practice of Yadnya. They used to inspire confidence in the common people. You are yourself very strong and you are capable of taking case of yourself, this message was propagated by the Sages. They told the common people not to be afraid of anyone. God will certainly give you enough strength to fight the bad, was their message.
The sages inspired confidence and daring attitude in the minds of a society which was helpless. The Sages told these people not to fear the demons. Demons of course never liked this preaching of the Sages, as it was totally against them. As a result the demons were against the practice of Yadnya.
The word 'Yadnya' raises eyebrows of many acclaimed social activists. They feel that Yadnya is only a ritual and the society is not going to benefit from it. Only the deep study of ancient Vedic Yadnya can prove its major contribution towards the social upliftment. Today unity is the word, which is strongly propagated, but unity is not perceived anywhere in the true sense of it. In India there is no unity in any two religions or any two languages. There is also a lack of united strength in the political parties propagating a common platform.
The form of ancient Vedic Yadnyas and Vedic literature or culture is consistent as compared to contemporary India.
This fact stresses the importance of Yadnyas.
The sages tried to achieve different purposes through the medium of 'Yadnyas' at one and the same time. To begin with the sages grouped people believing in the same God or Goddess. These groups worshipped different Gods like Naga, Rudra, Bullocks, Trees, etc. The sages discoursed the following message in order to bring them together - "All of you come together, stay together, work together, let your minds think along same lines, in the same way as your Gods are looking after their work properly by staying together with each other" (Rigveda 10/191/2)
"Sangchhadhwam Sanvadadhwam Sam Vo Manasi Janatam |
Deva Bhagam Yatha Purve Sanjanana Upasate || (Rigved 10/191/2)
et your hymns, mind, thought and intellect converge into one and the same, let your offerings to the God be also the same." Rigveda 10/191
"Samano Mantraha Samitihi Samani Samanam Manaha Sahya
Chittamesham |
Samanam Mantram Abhimantraye Vaha Samanen Vo Havisha
Juhomi || 3 || Rigveda 10/191
These were not mere challenges, but they were a reality. It was a very difficult task to embed all the human groups believing in different things into one single unit. The sages tried to achieve this magnanimous task with the help of Yadnya.
The Vedas are always criticized, as it is believed that animals are offered as oblations. There are references of such things found in the Vedas. The social experts of today rush to conclude that violence started with the Vedas itself. But this accusation is totally baseless and invalid. On the contrary Yadnyas propagated new way towards non-violence.
Many groups of people used the medium of offering animals as oblations to please their Gods and Goddesses. Sometimes they even offered human life. It is known today only after some research. Thus the sages were forced to come out with a solution to stop this horrible practice. In doing so the sages could not hurt the feelings of the common people who believed in such offerings. The role of the sages was not to destroy practices, but to show them a clear and correct path. To achieve this the sages tried to convince people about the idea of 'One God' instead of people believing in different member of Gods.
The following hymns stress this principle -
"Indram Mitram Varunam Agnimahu Yatho Divyaha Suparno Gurutmanam |
Ekam Sad Vipra Bahuda Vadanti Agnim Yamam Matarishwanmahu ||
(Rigved 1/164/46)
"All the Gods like Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni, Suparna, Yama are actually one and the same, these Gods are expressed by the intellectuals in different ways". - (Rigved 1/164/46)
These sages were revolutionists. Their motto was to give and teach culture to the human groups and unite them together. These groups has a ritual wherein they offered animals as oblations to please their Gods and Goddesses. This created a rise in violence in the society. The sages found out a way to avoid these practices and they gave animals a very important position in the practice of Yadnya. This is animal sacrifice in Vedic Yadnya.
People finding fault in the Vedas say that the Vedas have given animal - slaughter a place in their scriptures. So Vedas did propagate violence. But this is a false statement. These things need a deeper analysis, keeping in mind the then existing situation.
If the sages would have told the people to stop offering animals in oblation, it would have fallen on deaf ears. The sages could not have continued with their work of spreading culture. Thus they first stopped the animal slaughter carried out all over by giving it a place in Yadnya. Thus they could stop eighty percent violence in the country. This convinced the people of the practice of Yadnya and people were also happy that their Gods or Goddesses were also happy. The sages kept a ritual in the Yadnya where he could invite the respective or all Gods and Goddesses. The sages had in mind to totally eradicate violence from the society. The animal which was offered in oblation was called as 'Manyuhu Pashuhu'. That is the violence is to be burned away.
The sages performed these Yadnyas at various placed to inspire confidence in the society. They tried to bring together the various groups present in the country. They propagated Vedic literature. They showed a new light to the society. They tried to remove ignorance from the minds of the people. They tried to give the nation a certain level of dignity.
The present form of Yadnya today is far different than the previous one. The people caught in the rites and rituals performed it and the intellectuals totally ignored it and thought that it was worthless. It is necessary that the intellectuals with faith in their mind should do more research on the aspect of social importance of Yadnyas. They should develop a form of Yadnya relevant to today's world. Even if methods of performing the Yadnya are different, the underlying principle is the same, that is social equality and fraternity.
|
|
Tag Names : Rugveda |
