The Five Yajnas

Birth occurs owing to Karma 
Karma is the cause of pleasure and pain
It is the cause of good and evil
The world is made of Karma stuff. 

The world is permeated by Brahman. It is equally permeated by Karma. Creation itself is the outcome of action. Man as a part of creation is also a product of this process.

Man represents the jiva shakti (vital force) encased in the body. The body is the result of karma (deeds in one’s previous life). All activities associated with the body, speech, and mind are karma. In the performance of karma, five factors are involved. One is the body. The second is the doer. The third comprises the sensory organs. The fourth covers the varied actions. The fifth is the common factor in all beings, the Divine Principle.

The Divine underlies all things. Forgetting this fact and attributing all activities to the sense organs, man is engaged in actions for achieving desired results. Man is reborn to reap the fruits of his actions. He is thus caught up in the cycle of birth and rebirth. So, man should aim at performing actions without concern for the fruits thereof.

Acts of Sva-dharma and Para-dharma

There are two types of actions—described in the Gita as Sva-dharma and Para-dharma. Sva-dharma is generally regarded as duties related to one’s vocation or stage in life and it is considered meritorious to perform these duties. But, Sva-dharma is not related to community, caste, or creed. "Sva" refers to Atma (the Self) and Sva-dharma means duties relating to the Atma. It is not liable to change in character or form. It is based on the eternal verities. It is unchanging. Sva-dharma enjoins man to perform the duties relating to the Atma as the primary obligation.

Para-dharma refers to actions related to the physical entity. Such actions are based on likes and dislikes, on ideas of "mine" and "thine." They are fraught with danger and, hence, the Gita has cautioned against them. We are continually worried about what may happen in the future. All that we do in the present have their consequences in due course. Hence, we must engage ourselves in good actions to ensure good results later.

In all these actions, there are three categories; Satvika karma, Rajasika karma and Tamasika karma. Satvika actions are those which are done without any selfish or egoistic motives, with no concern for the fruits and as an offering to the Divine. Satvika deeds serve the Divine and win the Grace of God. All actions done out of self-interest and conceit for the sake of the rewards therefrom are Rajasika. Most actions done by common people in ordinary daily life belong to this category. Almost everyone in the world indulges in Rajasika actions. One must strive to convert them into Satvika actions.

The third type of action is Tamasika in nature. They are deeds done out of selfish motives, causing harm to others and inflicting pain on them. They lack compassion and are impelled by narrow-mindedness, stemming wholly from self-interest. They are pregnant with evil.

Five Yajnas Prescribed by Shastras

In the ordinary course of life, man does many actions which, wittingly or unwittingly, cause harm to other beings. To atone for such actions, five Yajnas—propitiatory rites—have been prescribed by the shastras. These are: Deva Y_ajna_, Pitru Yajna, Bhuta Yajna, Manushya Yajna and Rishi Yajna or Brahma Yajna. The inner significance of each of these Yajnas should be clearly understood by everyone.

Deva Y_ajna_: In numerous daily activities like walking, breathing, and others, people unconsciously cause the death of many creatures like ants, insects, and micro-organisms. To atone for these sins committed unknowingly, Deva Yajnas have been prescribed to propitiate various deities. Moreover, in our body, in every organ and limb, there are presiding deities present in the form of rasa (a subtle fluid). Hence, these deities are called Angirasas (the presiding deities of the Angas or limbs). Because these deities in the subtle form protect the organs concerned, gratitude has to be expressed to them in the form of Deva Yajnas. During states like sleep, these deities take care of the body. As the body has been given to man for the performance of his duties, man should be grateful to the deities who protect it. The body is essential for the fulfillment of dharma. To meditate on the Anga Devas, to worship them, and express gratitude to them is man’s first duty.

Sacrifice To The Manes As Atonement

Pitru Yajnas: When a branch is broken, a flower is plucked, or a tree is cut down, many small creatures may lose their lives. Recognizing one’s responsibility for this loss of lives, one should perform Pitru Yajna (sacrifice to the manes) by way of atonement. In addition, one should remember that he owes his body and all that it contains, as well as the food that has nourished him in childhood, to his parents. As long as they are alive, it is one’s duty to serve them and keep them happy. The obsequies and ceremonies that are performed after their death are laid down to honor their memory. By performing Pitru Yajnas, the ancestors are propitiated.

Bhuta Yajnas: When we take a bath, wash our clothes, or sweep the house, many living creatures may lose their lives. To atone for the death of such creatures, Bhuta Yajnas (offerings to the Bhutas) have to be made. This practice has come down from the times of ancient sages. The Rishis used to maintain deer, cows, and other animals in their ashrams and look after them with loving care as an expression of their love for all living beings. Following their example, other people used to scatter sugar or flour near anthills for feeding the ants. To offer the remains of one’s food after a meal to cows or dogs or other creatures is also a form of Bhuta Yajna. Even today, many people keep dogs, parrots, or other pets at home. By showing love towards living things in this way, some atonement is made for the unconscious harm done to various creatures in daily life.

Manava or Manushya Yajna: These Yajnas or rituals are done to atone for many offenses committed against various beings in the course of daily life, in actions done during work or play.

Rishi or Brahma Yajna: Considering human birth as a precious gift, the ancient sages provided through the scriptures, the Upanishads, and the Dharma Shastras a body of principles for guiding man’s life so that he may strive to attain the true goal of life—namely Self-realization. They laid down the four Purusharthas —Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha—as guidelines for humanity. These regulations, which are not applicable to animals or birds, have been prescribed for man alone because he alone is endowed with powers of inquiry and discrimination to choose between right and wrong. All laws and Shastras are intended only for man. Sins, Shastras and Shaapam (curse) are designed only for man. The Rishis laid down the royal road of righteous life, for all humanity. It is our duty to show our gratitude to them by meditating on them and offering worship to them through Rishi Yajnas.

There is No Higher Dharma than Compassion

The practice of absolute non-violence, that is, causing no harm to any living thing, is impossible in daily life, because unconsciously many micro-organisms are being destroyed even in the processes of breathing, walking, talking, or eating. What should be avoided is consciously causing harm. The price has to be paid for conscious offenses by suffering and retribution. There is no escape from the rule: As you sow, so shall you reap. The results of your past deeds, good or bad, will bind you like a chain. It is to atone for all such actions that worship of the three principal deities during dawn, noon, and evening has been prescribed. At dawn, the Sun represents the form of Brahma. At noon, he has the form of Maheshwara. In the evening, he represents Vishnu. The performance of Sandhya worship (of the Sun) in the morning, noon, and evening, thus, becomes worship of the Trimurtis (Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara). Very few are aware of the significance of these rituals.

These five types of Yajnas have to be performed, every day, to atone for the sins committed in the course of daily activities. There is no need to have elaborate arrangements for performing these Yajnas. If you carry out the behests of your parents, meditate on the deities, offer food to the animals in the house or outside, or at least give alms to a beggar, you can propitiate the divine and redeem your life. You would do well to remember that there is no greater gift than the gift of food to the hungry, there are no greater gods than one’s parents, there is no higher dharma than compassion, no more profitable acquisition than the company of the good, no worse enemy than anger, no worse disease than debt, no worse death than infamy, no higher merit than remembering the Lord.

It is futile to expect that merely by reciting a few mantras one can atone for one’s sins. Only through right action can expiation take place. Without a clean heart, all worship is useless. Without spiritual purity, religious observances are valueless. How can you have pure food, if the cooking utensils are unclean?

People indulge in high-sounding talk about spiritual matters. But, without application in practice, such talk has no meaning.

Discourse in Purnachandra Auditorium, Dasara Day, 7-10-1986.