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Hinduism Portal Hindu Mythology Portal v · d · e In Hinduism, Yagya (Sanskrit यज्ञ wikt:yajna; also Anglicized as Yajna, Yadna) is a ritual of sacrifice (Monier-Williams gives the meanings "worship, prayer, praise; offering, oblation, sacrifice") derived from the practice of Vedic times. It is performed to please the gods or to attain certain wishes. An essential element is the sacrificial fire - the divine Agni - into which oblations are poured, as everything that is offered into the fire is believed to reach the gods. As the name of the service, the term yagya is linguistically (but not functionally) cognate with Zoroastrian (Ahura) Yasna. Unlike Vedic Yajna, Zoroastrian Yasna has "to do with water rather than fire" (Drower, 1944:78; Boyce, 1975:147-191) A Vedic (shrauta) yagya is typically performed by an adhvaryu priest, with a number of additional priests such as the hotar, udgatar playing a major role, next to their dozen helpers, by reciting or singing Vedic verses. Usually, there will be one or three fires in the centre of the offering ground and items are offered into the fire. Among the items offered as oblations in the yagya include large quantities of ghee, milk, grains, cakes, or soma. The duration of a yagya depends on the type; some can last a few minutes, hours or days and some even last for years, with priests continuously offering to the gods accompanied with sacred verses. Some yagyas are performed privately, others with a large number of people in attendance.

Post-Vedic yagyas, where milk products, fruits, flowers, cloth and money are offered, are called "yaga",1 homa or havana. A typical Hindu marriage is a yagya, because Agni is supposed to be the witness of all marriages. Brahmins and certain other castes receive a yagyopavita "sacred cord" at their upanayana rite of passage. The yagyopavita symbolizes the right of the individual to study the Vedas and to carry out yagyas or homas. Temple worship is called agamic, while communication to divinity through Agni, is considered Vedic. Today's temple rites are a combination of both Vedic and Agamic rituals. The sacrificial division of Hindu scripture is the Karma-Kanda portion of the Vedas which describe or discuss most sacrifices. The Nambudiri Brahmins of Kerala are among the most famous Shrauta Brahmins who maintain these ancient rituals. Today, only a few hundred individuals know how to perform these sacrifices and even fewer are able to maintain the sacred fires continuously and perform the shrauta rituals.2 Only a few thousand perform the Agnihotra or basic Aupasana fire sacrifice daily . Contents 1 Yagyas in the Vedas 2 Aupasana 3 The various sacred Agnis 4 Pancha Mahayagyas 5 Other Yagyas 5.1 Agnistoma 5.2 Jyotistoma 5.2.1 Pitrloka Yagya 5.2.2 Panchagni Yagya 5.3 Dravyamayar Yagya 6 Candrayana and Caturmaasya 7 See also 8 References 9 External links Yagyas in the Vedas

There are 400 yagyas described in the Vedas. Of these, 21 are theoretically compulsory for the Twice-Born (Dvijas: Brahmin, Ksatriya and Vaisya). They are also called nityakarmas. The rest of the yagyas are optional, which are performed kamyakarma (for particular wishes and benefits). The Aupasana is not part of the above list, but is also compulsory . Out of the 21 nityakarmas, only the Agnihotra and the Aupasana are to be performed twice daily, at dawn and dusk. The remaining ones have certain allotted frequencies over the course of the year. The more complicated the yagya, the less frequently it is performed. The most complex ones need to be performed only once in a lifetime. The first seven yagyas are called pākayagyas "cooked sacrifice", the second seven haviryagyas "oblation, burnt offering", and the third seven are called somayagyas "Soma sacrifice". Yagyas such as Putrakameshti (for begetting sons), Ashvamedha (to rule), Rajasuya (royal consecration) etc. are among the 400 which are not compulsory. Aupasana This is the basic simple fire sacrifice that is to be performed at home twice daily. The Aupasana agni is lit at the time of the groom's wedding from his father's fire. The aupasana can be performed by all four varnas. It is also compulsory. However, it is not part of the 21 compulsory fire sacrifices, and is to be performed in addition to those. The various sacred Agnis

The Aupasana Agni lit at the time of the grooms wedding is then divided into two in a sacrifice called Agnyadhana. One part becomes the Grhyagni the other becomes the Srautagni. These two fires are to be preserved throughout the individual's life. The son's fire is lit from the father's fire at the time of his wedding . At the time of the individuals demise, cremation is done with the fires that have been preserved during his lifetime and then the deceased individual's fires are extinguished. The Grhyagni or Aupasanagni is used in the Paka Yajnas; such rituals are described in the Grihasutras, such as in the Ekagni Kanda of the Apastambha Sutra. Normally this fire is located in the centre or north of the hall which accommodates the sacred fires. This fire may be circular or square . The rituals pertaining to the three Srautagnis are described in the Shrauta Sutras. Their performers are called Srautin. Fourteen of the 21 compulsory sacrifices are performed in the Srautagnis. They are called Garhapatya, Ahavaniya and Dakshinagni and collectively called the tretagni. The Garhapatya is circular in shape and is situated in the west of the offering ground. Fire is taken from the Garhapatya and kindled in the remaining two fires. The Dakshinagni is semi-circular, situated in the south and used for certain rituals, mainly for offerings to the forefathers. The Ahavaniya is square, situated in the east, and is used as the main offering fire of most Srauta sacrifices. The last three haviryagyas and all the seven somayagyas are performed in a specially built yagyashala. Pancha Mahayagyas This section may contain original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding references. Statements consisting only of original research may be removed. More details may be available on the talk page. (April 2009)

Hindu tradition has the Pancha Mahayagyas ("Five Great Yajnas", Taittiriya Aranyaka 2.10). These sacrifices are to be performed daily by all "householders" (married couples) daily to best of one's ability: Devayagya- worship of the gods (devas) through the twilight prayers (sandhya), aupasana, and agnihotra Pitryagya- offering libations to ancestors or pitrs Bhutayagya- offering food ("bali") to animals Manushyayagya- charitable offerings of food to fellow humans Brahmayagya- recitation of a section of one's Veda ("bráhman") in rotation Other Yagyas Agnistoma This is form of Somayagam has been continued by the Nambudiri Brahmins in Kerala but has become extinct in other parts of India. The grand Yagam was performed for the first time since 1787, in Aluva, from 25 April till 1 May 2009.3 Jyotistoma This yagya is meant for the elevation of the yajamana to heaven, the lokas of the gods (e.g. Indraloka.this is also called agnistome yagya) Pitrloka Yagya This yagya is for obtaining the world of the ancestors and Yama. Panchagni Yagya This sacrifice is addressed in the Chandogya Upanishad. It enables one to achieve Brahmaloka. Dravyamayar Yagya This is where people open ashrams for who are in need of them. The five types of ashrams are: dharma-shala, anna-kshetra, atithi-shala, anaathaalya, visya-pitha.citation needed Candrayana and Caturmaasya

These are several vows for conducting life according to certain rigid rules For example, a sacrificer does not shave for four months during year (usually in the July–October time period.) Other examples are that he does not eat certain foods, or does not eat twice a day, or does not leave home (Caturmaasya.) A yagya during a Hindu wedding See also Ganapati Homa or Yagya Nambudiri Yajurveda Ashvamedha Yasna Ashram Śrauta Historical Vedic religion Pooja Homam Abhisheka References ^ http://sanskrit.safire.com/Sanskrit.html ^ F. Staal, Agni, Berkeley 1983, vol. II ^ http://somayagam.com Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend (ISBN 0-500-51088-1) by Anna Dallapiccola Hindu Dharma by Chandrshekara Saraswati , Paramacharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam . Hindu Samskaras by Pandey . External links Jala Yajna: a rare Yajna where the sacred fire burns with water rather than Ghee Maha Sapta Yagam Introduction of Yagya Significance of Athi Rudra Maha Yajnam Agnihotra Fireritual Importance of Yagya from a Scientific perspective An institution for Yagya Studies yagya Science Research Center http://www.lokakshemayagna.org Organization for propagation of Yagnas, based in India] Yagyopathic Research Paper Procedure of yagya - By Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya yagya on Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia Shiva temple in Moscow. yagyas and other rituals yagya And Vedic Astrology Research Institute