Pancha Maha Yajnas

Our scriptures lay down five obligatory duties on every house-holder and his family. These go by the name of Pancha Maha Yajnas, the five great sacrifices, to be done by every home. These are :

(i) Deva Yajna / Daiva Yajna

(ii) Rishi Yajna

(iii) Pitru Yajna

(iv) Atithi Yajna

(v) Bhuta Yajna

Although these have been dealt with in some way in the duties we have already discussed, however, let us try to understand the significance of these further.

Man owes his five-fold debt to Nature. He must repay his debt by performing the above said five sacrifices daily, and through these sacrifices, he can expiate some of the sins he daily commits involuntarily, such as causing the death of insects during walking, sweeping, cutting vegetables, cooking food, etc., Besides this, these sacrifices chasten the soul and aid in its spiritual ascent. These help to sublimate one’s ego and to still the sensory tumult to some extent, permitting one to achieve an ever increasing identity with cosmic consciousness and universal spirit.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba explained about these yajnas as under:-

(1) Deva yajna/Daiva yajna

In every home, we usually have a shrine room where members of the family, singly or together, adore God. Idols and pictures of Gods / Goddesses are kept in the shrine room as symbols to remind us of the Vast Immeasurable Entity in its various facets. Daily worship is offered at this shrine, prayers are poured forth before it, meditation is done in that quietness, the Name of God is taken on the tongue and its sweetness enjoyed. This is the Daiva Yajna. It purifies the house-hhold and helps men to remember God through all their activities throughout the day.

(2) Rishi yajna

Rishi yajna is the term used for the activities of man that propitiate the sages. They are mostly the study and practice of sacred scriptures, that are the treasure of wisdom gained by the arduous asceticism of the Sages (Rishis/Seers) and bequeathed to all posterity. The vedas are the earliest, the most compendious, philosophically the deepest texts, the most practical all the scriptures, and the most universal. Then we have the Ramayana, the MahaBharata, the Bhagavata and other narratives, portraying the eternal struggle between right and wrong, between the righteous and evil forces, and the ever present Grace of God which helps the triumph of the right. These and other books cleanse and console, elevate and uplift, correct and convince, and fill the mind with devotion, humility and also confidence and courage. It is, indeed a tragedy that these vitalizing springs of strength are neglected and people read, instead, books that are rabid and ribald, debasing and vulgar, describing the insane behavior of demented unfortunates, without being aware of the harm they are causing to their own progress and mental health. These trash-books slowly bog man into the mire of passions and sin; they turn man back into bestial ways. Asserting that one is “man” is only half the task of life; one has also to prove through one’s actions, speech and thoughts, that one is not a beast. That is the obverse (second half) of the first assertion and is not to be ignored. Be human; keep away the beast; control your senses, passions and emotions with the reins of discrimination and detachment. That is what the good books teach. Go to them for counsel and inspiration.

(3) Pitru yajna

This is on behalf of our parents (and ancestors). The command of the Vedas is Matru Devo Bhava, Pitru Devo Bhava – “May the mother be your God, may the father be your God.” This injunction is repeated ad nauseam by all, but, there is no sign of reverence towards the parents anywhere. A generation that does not respect and foster its parents is bound to end in disaster. Parents suffer great hardships, and deny themselves all comforts and even essential necessities in order to put their children through school and college; but the children are ungrateful; they taunt and tease; they cause mental pain and anguish to their parents by ridiculing their habits and attitudes, and dismissing their advice with neglect. When those who have gifted you this physical body and mental make up are thus treated with sacrilege, how can one expect you to adore the unseen God who is beyond all mental concept. Honour your parents so that your children will learn to honour you. There is a good story mentioned in the Puranas about this.

The Divine parents, Siva and Parvati, once laid down a test for their sons Ganapathi and Subrahmanya. They were to go round the whole world and return to them; he who did it quicker would be the winner of the prize. Subrahmanya started quick and fast, and was pacing through highlands and low lands; but Ganapathi walked around the parents (Pradakshina) and claimed the prize. He said that the parents alone are all the world and everything for the son. Siva and Parvati accepted Ganapathi’s version and installed Him as the Deity supervising the acquisition of knowledge and as the Deity who shall save all aspirants from obstacles on their path. The moral of this story is that the parents have to be cared, obeyed and respected foremost and first. This is the real Pitru Yajna. They represent renunciation, tradition, the accumulated culture of the past, the eternal and lasting values, as contrasted with the fleeting vanities. That is the reason why Siva is addressed as Samba-Siva; “Sa” “Amba” “Siva”, Divine Mother and Father – Amba, meaning mother and Siva, meaning Father, and Sa indicating Sathya, Sarvavyapi (omni-present), Sarvajna (Omniscient) and Sakshatkara (Self- Relisation).

(4) Atithi yajna

This means acts done to please comfort the “Atithi” (He who comes only for a day), that is to say, the stranger who comes to your door, seeking food or shelter. Give him these as an act of worship. Treat him as having been sent by God or as God Himself. This is a sacred task enjoined by the Vedas. Share your meal with whoever asks for food when you are about to eat it. Appease his hunger before you appease your own.

(5) Bhuta yajna

This yajna is meant to comfort and keep happy the animal collaborators and companions one has around him, like the bullocks, cows, goats, horses etc., which help you by their toil, and dogs, cats and other pets which make your home pleasant. You should not keep them hungry or overwork them. If any animal depending on you for love and care sheds a tear in your home or farm, remember you will suffer greatly therefore.

Love and reverence – these are the real springs for sacrifice and yajna. Let all our acts, words and thoughts be filled with love and reverence. Then we will have unshakeable joy and peace.

Begin like a lamp at home;

Then carry the light outside,

And be like a street light

Shining, and giving light to,

And guiding, other.

[Source: The Path Divine, Sri Sathya Sai Balvikas, Dharmakshetra, Mumbai]