Panchamahayajnas (पञ्चमहायज्ञाः)

A very important part of the daily functions of a householder consists of a set of fivefold duties called पञ्चमहायज्ञ Pancha-Mahayajnas (five great sacrifices). The performance of these five yajnas is conducive to the spiritual evolution or growth of a man. An individual in Sanatana Dharma observes these mahayagnas on a daily basis and gradually learns that he is not a separate entity or isolated creature or isolated unit, but is a part of a great whole.

परिचय || Introduction

Dharma sastras proclaim that samskaaras are a series of sacrifices and ceremonies indicating the passage of various stages of the human life and to signify entry to a particular ashrama. All human beings, especially the Dvija (after upanayanam) or twice born and grihasthas are required to perform a number of sacrifices with oblations for gods, ancestors and guardians in accordance with the vedic mantras laid down for a righteous living. Scholars differ in the number of samskaras being forty and a few saying 25 and 16.

संस्कारम् || Samskaram

Forty samskaras that have been prescribed by Goutama Smriti, as a part of purificatory activities, for not just the physical body but the Jeevatma and for removal of paapam or sins accrued in different ways. They are the Samskaras (11 of the Shodasa samskaras), Vedavratas (4), Panchamahayagnas (5) Paakayagnas (7), Haviryagnas (7), and Somayagnas (7).

Panchamahayagnas are performed by a person in the Grihastha ashram. As a student he obtains knowledge by studying the sacred scriptures given by great Rishis and since he lives in a group or society he is helped and associated with fellow-beings like friends and relatives. The main goal of students of Brahmachaari ashram is to absorb all the knowledge, during which time he is supported by the persons already in Grihastha ashrama for food, clothing and shelter and needs of everyday life. The great seers and ancestors (pitris) have to be remembered with gratitude for their contribution to his spiritual development.

Once a Brahmachari crosses this ashram his duties become multifold as he enters the Grihastha ashram. The physical body constitutes the panchabhutas and is obtained from his parents, nourished by the milk of cows, grains, vegetables and fruits. The Devas and the Pitris bless him in his endeavors and activities of daily life. The five sense organs, with whose help he conducts his life are a blessing of the Devas and thus he learns to be grateful to the Devas who gave him the ability and intellect.

Protecting subhuman beings such as cattle, dogs, ants, birds, medicinal plants and trees has been an integral system of Sanatana Dharma. The householder on whose shoulders rest the responsibility and well-being of all animate and inanimate, is thus entrusted to care for these speechless beings with due dignity towards them. Food, milk and grains are all provided by this bountiful nature and man owes gratitude to plants and trees with reverence. Thus, in the spiritual evolution of man he learns humility and compassion by providing for and protecting them. Garuda Purana details the importance of Cow not only for providing the material things required for sustenance in this world but greatly stresses the absolute requirement of a Cow, which helps cross the Vaitarini river (a river which is very difficult to cross on the way to Yamaloka), when the soul is transiting from the material world to the spiritual world.

Therefore, he owes a fivefold debt to Nature - to his parents and ancestors (for the physical body and lineage), the rishis (for the knowledge of the Vedas), devas (for their blessings), nature (including the animate (plants and animals) and inanimate (panchabhutas)) and fellow human beings (for their support in society). He must pay back his debt by performing these five sacrifices daily. Further, numerous insects are killed by him unconsciously during walking, sweeping, grinding, cooking, etc. This sin is removed by performance of these five sacrifices.  

In addition to these daily rites, the householder has also to perform certain monthly ceremonies such as offering oblations to the ancestors on the new-moon day and the observance of the vow of Ekadasi or fast on the eleventh day of every lunar fortnight.  

पञ्चमहायज्ञ || Panchamahayajnas

For a grihastha (householder) five apparatus namely a sifter, a grinding stone, a broom, a mortar and a water-pot are unavoidable. It is believed that when these instruments are used for daily activities a householder incurs paapam or sins (attributable to killing of numerous small beings such as ants, insects and such minute organisms unconsciously). The ancient rishis have prescribed these Panchamahayagnas as given in Taittiriya Aranyaka (2.10) for removal of these sins.

Brahma Yagna : The first of the Mahayagnas, this sacrifice is dedicated to the Vedas and their seers (Rishis) in the form of regular study (svadhyaya) of the holy scripture and the teaching of it to deserving students (adhyapana).

Deva Yagna : The second, Deva-Yajna, is the sacrifice offered to the celestial beings in the form of ghee, herbs, and camphor offered into the Agnihotra (sacrificial fire). Homam or Havan promotes rains which give good crops and harvest.

Pitru Yagna : The third is Pitri-Yajna where the tarpana or offering of water and pinda or offering of rice is made to the ancestors.

Maanushya Yagna : This is the fourth yagna and includes providing hospitality, food and water to hungry uninvited guests (atithi). 'Atithi devobhava' is the humane concept wherein any person irrespective of their birth, age and gender are offered essential items such as food and clothing without accepting anything in return.

Bhuta Yagna : Also called Vaisvedeva yagna, it starts with the offering of food to Agni, without which food cannot be cooked. The fifth yagna being Bhuta-Yajna further involves feeding of animals, especially cows, ants and birds and the ritual is called Bali. Every temple in the past had 'Bali peetam' on which the prasad (food which is offered to the god) is placed on it for feeding the hungry animals and birds.

These five functions are imperatives on every householder and they are rightly regarded as great sacrifices (Maha-Yajnas).  These are the dharmas of a person in Grihastaasrama. A share of food is given to them as a token of one's remembrance of them. The quantity that is offered is not important; it is the mental state of expressing gratitude and feeling that is associated with it that is of consequence in conducting these yagnas.

Even if at times one is incapable of doing Maanushya yagna one must perform the Brahma and Deva yagnas . The offerings given to gods in the sacrificial fire gi to the Sun and he sends rains to the earth which enable the plants to grow. Thus food is obtained and Vedas say thus the living beings increase. Just as how all animals and objects depend on the life-breath for living, Brahmachaari, Vaanaprastha and Sanyasi are dependent on the Grihastha for sustenance. Therefore, the Grihastha ashrama is the best of all ashramas according to Manusmriti (chap 3).

सम्वाद || Discussion

These, in ordinary religious parlance, are called the Panchamahayajna, or the five great sacrifices which a householder, especially in India, has to perform. These sacrifices mean the way in which one recognises one’s own self in the variety of creation that he sees before him, by means of sympathy, consideration and feeling for others. That is the first step that one takes before moving on to the difficult task of complete identification with the Inner Being or Atma of all things.

The sympathy and compassion that one psychologically exercises in respect of others is the first step. The identity with others is a more difficult thing to feel and maintain that bhavana. To feel for others is easier than to become others though that is the ideal. So, the Upanishad tells us, try to feel for others first and manifest this feeling in your actions before you totally become, or aspire to become one with them.

References

1. http://www.kamakoti.org/kamakoti/articles/INITIAL%20SAMSKARAS.html
2. http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/hist/hist_8b.html
3. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad by Swami Krishnananda (Discourse-12) 9
4. http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/practice/Process.of.Spiritual.Practice.pdf
5. https://archive.org/details/puranicencyclopa00maniuoft