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SRIMATHE  RAMANUJAYA NAMAHA.

 

Continuing from part -5, there are two crucial aspects of Nature and the way 
Nature works, as ordained by Lord, that one must know in order to understand 
why and how tarpanam ritual has been given to mankind.

 

The first one is about the spirit of sacrifice or yajna in everything that is 
being done.


The second one is about the basic spheres that exist in layers of 3 +1  and 
exist as such for many things in creation. There are many levels of 5 and 7 
frequently spoken by the Upanishads. But the levels of 3 +1 are too crucial and 
the basic 4 of 4 (3+1) have been referred  to as Vyahruthis by Taittiya 
upansihad. 

 

Taking up the first one in this mail, everything in creation from the four 
-faced Brahma deva onwards has been  created with sacrifices or yajna. 
(described in BG and  at many places in Maha bharatha)

 

>From  the BG we get three definitions of Yajna. All these three can be found 
>in chapters 3 & 4 , starting from 3-10 to 4-32

Definition 1: Yajna is worshiping the divine, for, the root word 'yaj' in 
Sanskrit means worship.

Definition 2: Yajna is something which arises from Karma ( Karma samudbhavaha - 
3-14) and  it is  karma-jaan vidhi (4-32)

Definition 3: Yajna is that by doing which, the doer attains liberation  ( 
vimokshayasE - 4-32) 

The basic idea from these three definitions which we can derive from BG is that 
Yajna is a divine act which arises as a result of an action of the doer  and it 
ultimately leads one to liberation.

-------------------------------------------------------

What  happens in yagna (1)?

There are essentially four components in a yagna. This is spelt by Lord Himself 
in verse 4-24.

There is something called arpanam, which is an instrument to offer with.

Then there is oblation, which is the havis offered into the yagna.

Then there is the very important fire which takes up the offerings .

And finally there is a fruit or the result of yagna.

In this verse, Bhagavaan says, the act of doing arpanam is Brahman, the one who 
is in the process of offering is Brahman. The havis or rice offered is Brahman. 
The agni is Brahman. The result attained also is Brahman.  Outwardly this would 
look very simple to read but it is about a complex process happening in Nature.

To elaborate this, let me arrange the inputs that lord Himself has given  into 
some order to get the import better. 

Idea / input  1: As per 3-10 'pra-savishyatvam' happens  the people who do 
yajna,  they grow and prosper.

Input 2: How it happens is explained in 3-11 - by mutual support - 'parasparam 
bhaavayanta:' ie., the one who receives the offering and the one who gives,  
benefit mutually.

Input 3: Not only that , the receiver of offerings will satisfy the wishes of 
the giver as per 3-12

Input  4: This is how yajna becomes Kaamadhenu 3-10 (giving whatever one wishes 
or desires)

Input 5: The one who eats the remnants of this yajna prospers as he is released 
from sins whereas the one who does not  offer at all will be a thief.

>From all these, the following clues emerge.

Every act involves 'giving' be it to the gods or anyone. (the relevant portion 
from Chandogya given at the end of this mail)

This giving always ends with nama -shabdam. In His upadesa to Narada, Bhagavan 
says (MB - Shanti parvam) that  a mere 'namaskaaram' is enough to enable the 
person get all that he wants. The ' na mama' in nama:  means 'not mine'. When 
something is offered with na mama clause, that means that definitely belongs to 
the other. Such an offering will definitely go to the other provided the giver 
'understands' and whole heartedly accepts that he is giving. The sankalpa for 
homas end with nama: and na mama. That is, all the materials that are going to 
be offered into  the Homa kunda are His (the devatha for whom the homa is being 
done and Brahman Himself who ultimately receives them)  The pithrus are offered 
with the same note - 'namas tarpayaami'. Thus there is complete renunciation of 
that which is offered, which in other words mean sacrifice, which otherwise  
means worshipping the receiver by giving something.

When the offering is done exclusively for the sake of the receiver,  sins 
cease. When Arjuna offered his services in Kurukshetra in the spirit of yajna 
or sacrifice for the sake of receiver, dharma, he did not incur sin. The same 
act done by Dhuryodhana in kurukshetra was for 'aham', for him self and so it 
could not absolve him of any sin. It is on this basis, sacrifice of animals was 
justified by the Chandogya Upanishad. In the concluding passage where ahimsa or 
non violence is extolled we also find these words, "Anyatra tirthebhyah". It 
means ahimsa must be practised except with regard to Vedic rites. It is because 
the offering has been made not for one self but for the receiver of the 
offering of the yajna which is none other than the Brahman though by devas  
entrusted with  finite responsibilities

--------------------------------------------------

What happens in a yajna (2)?

The clue for this is available in verse 3-14 (BG) which explains the cyclical 
connection between bhoothani (life) , yajna , rain, food and ending in 
bhoothani itself. I take up this verse as the core verse to explain what 
happens in a sacrifice.

When actions are done for the sake of sustaining life, that is, not for one's 
own selfish benefits, the natural happenings such as evaporation forming into 
cloud go on in an orderly way. Perhaps this might include not polluting the 
atmosphere by man-made things for gratification of self interest or not  doing 
any act that goes against sustenance of other life forms. When this happens 
cloud formation and rain formation are also orderly, not heavy, nor deficient. 

In those days there used to be 3 spells in a month which will continue month 
after month. (Sangam literature in Tamil speaks of this nature). There were no 
excess or dry spells. It was because the actions by mankind were of un selfish 
goals and what was done was to sustain nature. So the result of doing anything 
as 'na mama' leads to the proper functioning of the natural forces around us. 
This is the paraspara or the mutual benefit between man and nature. Needless to 
say every aspect of nature is an ati devata or the deva or the Lord that 
Aitareya upanishad speaks about.

On receiving moisture, the rain gives back to the earth what it has received. 
This offering to the earth is again offered to the plant life, which in turn  
offers it as food. This comes back to the life forms as their nourishment.

Keeping in mind the different aspects discussed so far, we find hat when man 
does karma in the spirit of yajna or  sacrifice,  the deva such as rain deva is 
benefited, who in turn becomes potent enough to give back more to man kind. Now 
read the verses 3-11 and 12 and relate the above.

Similarly in the agnihotra  mentioned  in an earlier post, ghee and rice are 
offered in agni which are  taken up by  vaayu deva because scientifically  more 
than hundred types of oxides are released due to this act. These oxides nourish 
the vaayu deva who then becomes highly potent when we inhale him or even 
otherwise by himself, the vaayu deva   keeps the surrounding layer of air 
potent enough to withstand poisonous and radio active substances. This is the 
idea behind ' you nourish the devas and they in turn nourish you' .

Taking this to the foremost verse 3-10 in this series, we find that  right from 
the beginning of creation  something is offered into something which results 
into something else which in turn becomes the basis of some other thing good 
for propagation and  sustenance of Life. The collision of sub atomic particles 
in the Homa kunda of hydrogen gas mass, might perhaps be the first yajna 
initiated by Brahma deva. From then onwards  at every step, we find yajna or 
sacrifice continuing, there by sustaining creation.

 Even in the very heart of supernova from which our solar system was born, it 
received offerings by hydrogen onwards to many other elements ( one giving rise 
to the other) till the iron core was born. This iron core given back as a 
result of the homa in the supernova is what stands as earth as a bar magnet, 
giving it a shield,  capable of withstanding many a hazardous radiation from 
outer space.

It is by this principle of one sustaining the other, the worlds do not get 
destroyed after each kalpa- pralaya. Science is still not sure how the universe 
will be after billions of years. But Vedic knowledge says that continuous 
re-alignment will happen after each manvanthra- pralaya and  kalpa-pralaya 
(upto only one kalpa -pralaya is what science is able to hypotheses) and will 
continue to exist for trillion of years till Brahma completes another 50 years 
of his age (at the end of Para). The kind of one offering something to the 
other , as outlined earlier, given to Brahma by the Lord at the very beginning 
of Creation, maintains the equilibrium in created universes - whatever be the 
new system that is emerged as a result can continue to sustain life. 

>From this external world to the internal world of man , our scriptures teach 
>us how to do the sacrifice at every level. While it is about doing every karma 
>with na mama spirit, there is a particular type of sacrifice  which is crucial 
>for sustenance for  mankind itself. It is the supreme of all yajnas, the 
>Pancha maha yajna. 

This  has been given prime importance by Bhagavan Himself (in BG). One of the 
names worshipped by the sage Narada in his sthuthi on Narayana  before 
receiving the upadesa on Pancharathra, is 'Pancha yajna:' - the one who is 
Himself the 5 yajnas. Pithru yajna is one among the 5 maha yajnas. (Not going 
into details of them, in the assumption that  readers must have already been 
aware of them) These are  the Yajnas that are not only about getting some 
tangible results but also for sustaining the link of mankind itself and 
attaining the ultimate equilibrium so that mankind can continue its sojourn. 
The ultimate creation is  Man. His lineage, his knowledge must live on. And  
this can happen only by Pancha maha yajna. This has to be done as nithya karma. 

In every day life, 2 of them are done  before sun rise, when the man is  taking 
his bath in a ritualistic way. As and when he is taking bath he is supposed to 
offer oblations to 2 sets of beings, namely Deva-rishis and pithrus. (As per 
the school of thought that one belongs to, this is done while bathing or after 
bathing.). They are done as Deva-rishi tarpanam and pithru tarpanam. It is only 
after doing these, does the man proceeds to wear even his Urdhwa pundram and 
proceed to do sandhya vandanam. The water offered to devas and pithrus with 
mantras reaches them and comes back to us in a cyclical way as knowledge and 
ayush. They are again received during sandhya vandana. Because without 
knowledge, man kind can not get salvation. And without long and disease -free 
life, one can not dream of acquiring knowledge.

How this cycle works with reference to pithru tarpanam will be discuused in a 
future mail. 

But in the present context, there is something else connected to this that we 
must know. 

Living in the midst of theologies and practices of different religions, we find 
many people getting influenced or attracted by the concept 'service'- so  
popular in other religions.

Sanatana dharma does not recognize service to others.

IT RECOGNISES ONLY DUTY.

 Duty is a far superior word than service. When we serve someone, our hand goes 
up and the receiver has to extend his hand below in humility. But when the same 
is done as a duty, the pride of the receiver is never put under stress. The 
doer gives because it does him good and the receiver takes because by so-doing 
he is enabling the doer (giver) receive some benefits (the rationale behind 
charity or dhaana in sanatana dharma is this). The self-respect of the receiver 
is not hurt in this
scenario. So giving is done as a duty and Taittriyam lays rules for how to 
give. All karmas or actions are sacrifices and all sacrifices include the 
component of giving as na mama. The giver has to give with complete detachment 
to the thing given and without motives. (Though yajnas are done with motives, 
the spirit of na mama is maintained, the motiveless yajna is the supreme of all 
which gives Moksham (the essence of Charama slokam - phala tyagam), while all 
the others give finite results  

Manu smrithi says, "Service is a dog's life" which is deciphered as service to 
one who is unworthy. Service to any one is service by finite to the finite. But 
service to the infinite  alone is the best, as the results of such service will 
be infinite, say, Bliss. (Details in Vedartha sangraha)

That is why sanatana dharma  recognizes service only in the context of the 
Almighty. Such service is done by extolling Him, talking about Him, giving to 
others knowledge about Him (note BG 4-34 wherein the Lord says about serving 
the gyanis, in order to know this knowledge - you serve him  and the gyani in 
turn serves the Lord by giving you the knowledge about him and the yajna mode 
of worship)and by upholding this Dharma.

Apart from this every act is to be done as duty in the spirit of yajna.

In that way, Universe can be held in equilibrium.

In that way only, mankind can go on sustaining itself in equilibrium.

 

    Chandogya upanishad - Part 5- 

       Chapter IV - The Five Fires (I)

1 

"Yonder world is the sacrificial fire, O Gautama, the sun the fuel, the rays 
the smoke, daytime the flame, the moon the embers and the stars the sparks.

2

"In this fire the gods offer faith as libation. Out of that offering King Moon 
is born."

Chapter V - The Five Fires (II)

1

"Parjanya (the god of rain), O Gautama, is the fire, the air the fuel, the 
cloud the smoke, lightning the flame, the thunderbolt the embers and 
thunderings the sparks.

2

"In this fire the gods offer King Moon as libation. Out of that offering rain 
is born."

Chapter VI- The Five Fires (III)

1

"The earth, O Gautama, is the fire, the year the fuel, the akasa the smoke, the 
night the flame, the quarters the embers and the intermediate quarters the 
sparks.

2

"In this fire the gods offer rain as libation. Out of that offering food is 
born."

Chapter VII- The Five Fires (IV)

1

O Gautama, is the fire, speech is the fuel, the prana the smoke, the tongue the 
flame, the eye the embers and the ear the sparks.

2

"In this fire the gods offer food as libation. Out of that offering semen 
produced."

Chapter VIII - The Five Fires (V)

1

"Woman, O Gautama, is the fire, her sexual organ is the fuel, what invites is 
the smoke, the vulva is the flame, what is done inside is the embers, the 
pleasures are the sparks.

2

"In this fire the gods offer semen as libation. Out of that offering the foetus 
is formed."

Chapter IX - Birth and Death

1

"Thus in the fifth libation water comes to be called man. The foetus enclosed 
in the membrane, having lain inside for ten or nine months, or more or less, is 
born.

2

"Having been born, he lives whatever the length of his life may be. When he is 
dead, they carry him to the fire of the funeral pyre whence he came, whence he 
arose."

(There are many levels / types  of sacrifices such as these described in 
Chandogya and Brihadaranyaka Upanishad translations of which are available on 
net)

(To be continued )

Regards, 

Jayasree saranathan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]





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