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==== पञ्चमहायज्ञाः ॥ Panchamahayajnas ====

==== पञ्चमहायज्ञाः ॥ Panchamahayajnas ====

The Manusmrti states that a grhastha should perform grhya rites in the Vaivahika agni (the agni in whose presence one's marriage has taken place) as well as the Panchamahayajnas and Nitya Paka.<ref name=":13" /><ref name=":15">Girija Prasad Dvivedi (1917), [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.343659/page/n217/mode/2up?view=theater The Manusmriti], Lucknow: Newal Kishore Press.</ref><blockquote>वैवाहिकेऽग्नौ कुर्वीत गृह्यं कर्म यथाविधि । पञ्चयज्ञविधानं च पक्तिं चान्वाहिकीं गृही । । ३.६७ । ।<ref name=":0" />

The Manusmrti states that a grhastha should perform grhya rites in the Vaivahika agni (the agni in whose presence one's marriage has taken place) as well as the Panchamahayajnas and Nitya Paka.<ref name=":13" /><ref name=":15">Girija Prasad Dvivedi (1917), [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.343659/page/n217/mode/2up?view=theater The Manusmriti], Lucknow: Newal Kishore Press.</ref><blockquote>वैवाहिकेऽग्नौ कुर्वीत गृह्यं कर्म यथाविधि । पञ्चयज्ञविधानं च पक्तिं चान्वाहिकीं गृही । । ३.६७ । ।<ref name=":0" /> vaivāhike'gnau kurvīta gr̥hyaṁ karma yathāvidhi । pañcayajñavidhānaṁ ca paktiṁ cānvāhikīṁ gr̥hī । । 3.67 । ।</blockquote>The hearth (place of cooking, the oven, etc.), the grinding-stone (the stone-slab and the grinding piece), household implements (such as the pot, kettle and other such household requisites), mortar and pestle (by which corn is thumped) and water-jar are known as the five slaughter-houses for the householder by using which one becomes stricken as they are sources of Papa. And in order to expiate or remove the evils proceeding from their use as in smearing of the hearth, scraping of the grinding-stone and so forth, the great sages have ordained the performance of the Panchamahayajnas daily for the householders.<ref name=":13" /><blockquote>पञ्च सूना गृहस्थस्य चुल्ली पेषण्युपस्करः । कण्डनी चोदकुम्भश्च बध्यते यास्तु वाहयन् । । ३.६८ । ।

 

vaivāhike'gnau kurvīta gr̥hyaṁ karma yathāvidhi । pañcayajñavidhānaṁ ca paktiṁ cānvāhikīṁ gr̥hī । । 3.67 । ।</blockquote>The hearth (place of cooking, the oven, etc.), the grinding-stone (the stone-slab and the grinding piece), household implements (such as the pot, kettle and other such household requisites), mortar and pestle (by which corn is thumped) and water-jar are known as the five slaughter-houses for the householder by using which one becomes stricken as they are sources of Papa. And in order to expiate or remove the evils proceeding from their use as in smearing of the hearth, scraping of the grinding-stone and so forth, the great sages have ordained the performance of the Panchamahayajnas daily for the householders.<ref name=":13" /><blockquote>पञ्च सूना गृहस्थस्य चुल्ली पेषण्युपस्करः । कण्डनी चोदकुम्भश्च बध्यते यास्तु वाहयन् । । ३.६८ । ।

तासां क्रमेण सर्वासां निष्कृत्यर्थं महर्षिभिः । पञ्च क्ल्प्ता महायज्ञाः प्रत्यहं गृहमेधिनाम् । । ३.६९ । ।<ref name=":0" />

तासां क्रमेण सर्वासां निष्कृत्यर्थं महर्षिभिः । पञ्च क्ल्प्ता महायज्ञाः प्रत्यहं गृहमेधिनाम् । । ३.६९ । ।<ref name=":0" />

pañca sūnā gr̥hasthasya cullī peṣaṇyupaskaraḥ । kaṇḍanī codakumbhaśca badhyate yāstu vāhayan । । 3.68 । ।

pañca sūnā gr̥hasthasya cullī peṣaṇyupaskaraḥ । kaṇḍanī codakumbhaśca badhyate yāstu vāhayan । । 3.68 । ।

tāsāṁ krameṇa sarvāsāṁ niṣkr̥tyarthaṁ maharṣibhiḥ । pañca klptā mahāyajñāḥ pratyahaṁ gr̥hamedhinām । । 3.69 । ।</blockquote>Hence, the Mahabharata states that a grhastha should purify his mind by performing the Panchamahayajnas.<ref name=":12" /> According to Manusmrti, as per the law, a grhastha should worship the sages by Vedic studies, deities by the homa-offerings, the pitrs by shraddha offering, human beings by offering food and the elements by offering bali.<ref name=":13" /><blockquote>स्वाध्यायेनार्चयेत र्षीन्होमैर्देवान्यथाविधि । पितॄञ् श्राद्धैश्च नॄनन्नैर्भूतानि बलिकर्मणा । । ३.८१ । ।<ref name=":0" />

tāsāṁ krameṇa sarvāsāṁ niṣkr̥tyarthaṁ maharṣibhiḥ । pañca klptā mahāyajñāḥ pratyahaṁ gr̥hamedhinām । । 3.69 । ।</blockquote>Hence, the Mahabharata states that a grhastha should purify his mind by performing the Panchamahayajnas.<ref name=":12" /> According to Manusmrti, a grhastha should worship the sages by Vedic studies, deities by the homa-offerings, the pitrs by shraddha offering, human beings by offering food and the elements by offering bali.<ref name=":13" /><blockquote>स्वाध्यायेनार्चयेत र्षीन्होमैर्देवान्यथाविधि । पितॄञ् श्राद्धैश्च नॄनन्नैर्भूतानि बलिकर्मणा । । ३.८१ । ।<ref name=":0" /> svādhyāyenārcayeta rṣīnhomairdevānyathāvidhi । pitr̥̄ñ śrāddhaiśca nr̥̄nannairbhūtāni balikarmaṇā । । 3.81 । ।</blockquote>These Panchamahayajnas are further described in the Manusmrti (3.70 and 3.74)<ref name=":0" /> as follows:

 

svādhyāyenārcayeta rṣīnhomairdevānyathāvidhi । pitr̥̄ñ śrāddhaiśca nr̥̄nannairbhūtāni balikarmaṇā । । 3.81 । ।</blockquote>

Also called as Rshi yajna or Ahuta, it refers to an offering  to the brahman or rshi in the form of teaching and studying of the vedas<ref name=":5" /> - अध्यापनं ब्रह्मयज्ञः | adhyāpanaṁ brahmayajñaḥ. Here, the offering is not given into the fire, rather it is in the form of chanting of vedic texts - जपोऽहुतो | japo'huto | (Manu 3.70 and 3.74)<ref name=":0" />

 

 

* Tarpana (ablutions to the departed) - they are offerings to pitrus done with water and food. पितृयज्ञस्तु तर्पणम् । pitr̥yajñastu tarpaṇam, (Manu 3.70 and 3.74)<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">The Laws of Manu, Translated by G.Buhler, [http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/manu/manu03.htm Chapter 3]</ref>

 

Also called as Huta ( होमो दैवो | homo daivo), Devayajna refers to offering oblations to Devas, with recitation of Vedic Mantras<ref name=":5" /> -  हुतो होमः | huto homaḥ | (Manu 3.70 and 3.74)<ref name=":0" />

=== भूतयज्ञः ॥ ===

* '''ब्रह्मयज्ञः ॥ Brahma Yajna'''  Also called as Rshi yajna or Ahuta, it refers to an offering to the brahman or rshi in the form of teaching and studying of the vedas<ref name=":5" /> - अध्यापनं ब्रह्मयज्ञः | adhyāpanaṁ brahmayajñaḥ. Here, the offering is not given into the fire, rather it is in the form of chanting of vedic texts - जपोऽहुतो | japo'huto |<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":13" />

In general, [[Bhuta Yajna (भूतयज्ञः)|Bhuta Yajna]] refers to distribution of food to cows, crows and animals.<ref name=":5" /> Also called as Prahuta - प्रहुतो भौतिको बलिः । prahuto bhautiko baliḥ ।, it refers to the Bali offering given to the Bhutas - बलिर्भौतो | balirbhauto | (Manu 3.70 and 3.74)<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

=== नृयज्ञः ॥ ===

* '''पितृयज्ञः ॥ Pitru Yajna'''  The term Prashita literally means 'eaten'. It is said that, प्राशितं पितृतर्पणम् । prāśitaṁ pitr̥tarpaṇam । It is a daily oblation to Pitrus. Prashita refers to

Also called Brahmya-huta or the respectful reception of guests, - ब्राह्म्यं हुतं द्विजाग्र्यार्चा | brāhmyaṁ hutaṁ dvijāgryārcāis |, the Nruyajna refers to the hospitality offered to guests -  नृयज्ञोऽतिथिपूजनम् | nr̥yajño'tithipūjanam । (Manu 3.70 and 3.74)<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

** Tarpana (ablutions to the departed) - they are offerings to pitrus done with water and food. पितृयज्ञस्तु तर्पणम् । pitr̥yajñastu tarpaṇam<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":13" />

** Shraddha or annual religious rites performed for departed.<ref name=":5" />

As it involves giving food to guests and honouring them, it is also known as Atithi yajna.<ref name=":5" />

* '''नृयज्ञः ॥ Nru Yajna'''  Also called Brahmya-huta or the respectful reception of guests, - ब्राह्म्यं हुतं द्विजाग्र्यार्चा | brāhmyaṁ hutaṁ dvijāgryārcāis |, the Nruyajna refers to the hospitality offered to guests -  नृयज्ञोऽतिथिपूजनम् | nr̥yajño'tithipūjanam ।<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":13" /> As it involves giving food to guests and honouring them, it is also known as Atithi yajna.<ref name=":5" />

According to Manusmrti, an oblation duly offered into the fire, reaches the sun; from the sun comes rain, from rain food, there from the living creatures derive their subsistence (3.76)<ref name=":1" /> Hence, it says, <blockquote>स्वाध्याये नित्ययुक्तः स्याद्दैवे चैवेह कर्मणि । दैवकर्मणि युक्तो हि बिभर्तीदं चराचरम् । । ३.७५ । ।

According to Manusmrti, an oblation duly offered into the fire, reaches the sun; from the sun comes rain, from rain food, there from the living creatures derive their subsistence (3.76)<ref name=":1">The Laws of Manu, Translated by G.Buhler, [http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/manu/manu03.htm Chapter 3]</ref> Hence, it says, <blockquote>स्वाध्याये नित्ययुक्तः स्याद्दैवे चैवेह कर्मणि । दैवकर्मणि युक्तो हि बिभर्तीदं चराचरम् । । ३.७५ । ।

पञ्चैतान्यो महाअयज्ञान्न हापयति शक्तितः । स गृहेऽपि वसन्नित्यं सूनादोषैर्न लिप्यते । । ३.७१ । ।

पञ्चैतान्यो महाअयज्ञान्न हापयति शक्तितः । स गृहेऽपि वसन्नित्यं सूनादोषैर्न लिप्यते । । ३.७१ । ।