Glory of yagya

The Indian vedic rishi culture is 1, 96, 8, 53, 120 years old ‘sa prathama sanskritirvishvavara’ and universal scientific and secular culture which contain precious knowledge and ways like yoga, ayurveda and yagya. They are very basis of this tradition. It revolves around the Veda.
The yagya has prominent place in the Indian culture. It’s the identity and symbol of our culture. The yagya is the backbone of this culture. At the one hand, there is a tradition of festivals, celebrations, etc entire year, on the other there are 16 refinement-four caste and religion apart from yagya. Moreover, yagya is performed for fulfilling wishes. Putreshthi yagya, gomedh yagya, rajsuya yagya, vrishti yagya were performed for getting best offspring, high quality of cattle, farm products, prosperous kingdom respectively. Apart from these, yagya was also performed for heavenly happiness, freedom from bondage, mind purification, repentance, strength, riddhi-siddhi, etc. The human being gets various materialistic, spiritual, eternal benefit, etc.

Yagya word thought

The word yagya itself is of great importance. Whatever was thought, said and done regarding yagya, reflects religion, spiritualism, soul development apart from universal welfare.

•    There are various synonym of yagya like—yagya, yag, ishti, hom, havan, agnihotra, etc.

•  Vedic dictionary Nighantu mentions 15 synonym of yagya—yagyah, venah, ashvarahmeghah, vidadhah, savanam, hotra, ishtih, deity, makhah, vishnuh, induh, prajapatih, religion iti panchadasha yagyanamani. Nighantu 3.17

•   Amarakoshakar believes savah, yagah, saptatantuh and kratu as the synonym of yagya.  Amarkoshah, 

•    Great Veda scholar Acharya Yask has defined the word yagya variously-

  1)    Prakhyatam yajatikarma iti nairuktah—The word yagya is yajanarhak according to nirukta.

  2)    Yancho bhavatiti va—This is done for getting particular result. The people can observe this yagya.

  3)    Yajurunno bhavatiti va—It’s conducted through yajurmantra. Therefore, it’s called yagya.

  4)    Yajushi anam nayanti iti va—Yajurmantra brings success for this yagya.  Niruktam, 3.4.1

  

   

• ‘Yaj devapuja-sangitikaran-daneshu ityasmaddhato yayachetiashtadhyami, 3-3-90 sutrenaghpriyaye yagyashabdo nishpadyate—It means that sangatikaran danatmak metal ‘yaj’ proves nadpratyaya word ‘yagya’. It has been defined by Bhuddhadeva Vidyalankar who wrote Shatapath Brahman—‘Samudayikam yogakshemamuddishya samudayangataya kriyamanam karma yagyah—

•  The work which is done by becoming the part of the society for its welfare is called yagya. National Anthem of Veda, Priyavrata Vedavachaspati, Page—41

•  Amarkosh writer has defined the word yagya as antonym ‘ijyate asau anena yatra va’—That which can be done yajan and that through which can be done and the place from where yajan is performed is called yagya. Amarkosh. 2.7.13 Ramashrami Tika, Page—329

•  Yagya mimansakar has defined yagya variously like—

  1)    Ijyante (pujyante) deva aneneti yagyah. Through which deities are worshiped is called yagya.

  2)    Ijyante sampujitah triptimasddante deva atreti yagyah. The work in which the deities can be satisfied is called yagya.

  3)    Yena sadanushthane indraprabhritayo devah suprasannah suvrishtim kuryastat yagya padamidheyam. The anushthan through which deities like Sun provide rain is called yagya.

  4)    Yena sadanushthanena svargadipraptih sulabha syat tat yagya padamidheyam. The anushthan which provides prosperity is called yagya.

  5) Yena sadanushthanena sampurna vishwam kalyanam bhavedadhyatmikadhidaivikadhibhautika tapatrayonmulanam sukaram syat tat yagyapadamidheyam. The anushthan which provides welfare for the entire world, eradicates three obstacles and makes it simple is called yagya.

  6)  Vedamantredevatamudidshya dravyasya danam yagah. Yagya is to donate material aiming at deities through veda mantra. Yagya Mimansa, Pt. Veniram Sharma Gaur, Page—8

•    The modern researchers have also defined the word yagya—With the use of the word ‘yagya’, whatever simple meaning emerges, is nothing but to provide samidajya havi in the fire with mantra for deities.

      Descriptive study of Purushsukta, Dr Kusumlata, Page—159

•     The nirukti of word ‘yagya’ has been presented in the Hindi dictionary—Ijyate havirdiyateatra, ijyante devata atra idi va yagah—The process in which all the deities are worshipped or havan is conducted through ghee, etc, is called yagya.

      Hindi dictionary, Nagendranath, 

      Part-18, Page—444 (Respectively)