Panchamahayajnas (पञ्चमहायज्ञाः)

A very important part of the daily functions of a householder consists of a set of five-fold 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 सनातन धर्म || 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 द्विज || Dvija (after upanayanam) or twice born and grihasthas are required to perform a number of sacrifices with oblations for devatas, 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 सम्स्काराः || samskaras 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

सम्स्काराः || Samskaras (11 of the Shodasa samskaras)

वेदव्रताः || Vedavratas (4)

पञ्चमहायज्ञाः || Panchamahayagnas (5)

पाकयज्ञाः || Paakayagnas (7)

हविर्यज्ञाः || Haviryagnas (7)

सोमयज्ञाः || 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 पितृ || pitris (ancestors) 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 पञ्चभूत || 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.  

पञ्चमहायज्ञाः || Panchamahayajnas

• Manusmriti gives the definitions and essence of Panchamahayagnas in the 3rd Chapter (slokas 67 to 83).

  पञ्च सूना गृहस्थस्य चुल्ली पेषण्युपस्करः । कण्डनी चोदकुम्भश्च बध्यते यास्तु वाहयन् । । ३.६८ (Manu Smri. 3.68)

  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).
• Panchamahayagnas have been described in Grhyasutras.

  अथातः पञ्चयज्ञाः १

  देवयज्ञो भूतयज्ञः पितृयज्ञो ब्रह्मयज्ञो मनुष्ययज्ञ इति २

  तद्यदग्नौ जुहोति स देवयज्ञो यद्बलिङ्करोति स भूतयज्ञो यत्पितृभ्यो ददाति स पितृयज्ञो यत्स्वाध्यायमधीयते स ब्रह्मयज्ञो यन्मनुष्येभ्यो ददाति स मनुष्ययज्ञ इति ३

  तानेतान्यज्ञानहरहः कुर्वीत ४ १ (Asva. Grhy. Sutr. 3.1.1 to 4)

  Meaning : Now the Panchayagnas. The yagna for devatas, yagna for (other living) beings, yagna for forefathers, yagna for Brahma, yagna for human beings. Here when offerings are made in Agni, this yagna is for the devatas. That which is offered as bali, is the yagna for other beings. That (pindas) which is given for forefathers, is the pitru yagna. That study (of the vedas) is the brahma yagna, and that which gives to men, is the manushya yagna. These five yagnas are to be performed everyday. 

• The ancient rishis have prescribed these Panchamahayagnas in Taittiriya Aranyaka (2.10) for removal of these sins.

  तद्विधिप्रसङ्गेन पञ्चमहायज्ञान्विधत्ते - The procedure to perform panchamahayagnas is now given

  पञ्च वा एते महायज्ञा: संतति प्रतायन्ते सतति संतिष्ठन्ते | देवयज्ञ: पितृयज्ञो भूतयज्ञो मनुष्ययज्ञो ब्रह्मयज्ञो इति-, इति ||

  Meaning : Five of these mahayagnas are observed and completed day after day, on a daily basis. They are Devayagna, Pitruyagna, Bhutayagna, Manushyayagna and Brahmayagna.

देवयज्ञः || Deva Yagna 

"तत्र देवयज्ञस्य लक्षणमाह - यदग्नौ जुहोत्यपि समिधं तद्देवयज्ञ: संतिष्ठते - इति ||"

"पुरोडाशादिहविर्मुख्यं तदलाभे समिधमप्यग्नौ देवानुद्दिशञ्जुहोतीति यत्सोऽयं देवयज्ञः ||" (Saya. Bhas.)

Meaning : The characteristics of Devayagna are now said - Wherein the समिधम् || samidha (sacrificial material ) are offered into Agni, that completes Devayagna. According to Saayana, "पुरोडाश || Purodaasha" ( a special kind of sacrificial offering) is to be offered primarily as a sacrificial offering, however when that is unavailable, samidha are offered for Devatas and such a practice is called Devayagna.

Deva-Yajna, is the sacrifice offered to the celestial beings in the form of milk, ghee, herbs, and camphor offered into the अग्निहोत्र || Agnihotra (sacrificial fire). Havis are the offerings for Devatas made with the utterance of "स्वाह || Svaaha" at the end of the mantra. Homam or Havan promotes rains which give good crops and harvest.

पितृयज्ञः || Pitru Yagna 

"तत्र पिण्डदानासंभवे जलमात्रमपि पितृभ्यः स्वधाऽस्त्विति स्वधाशब्देन यद्ददाति सोऽयं पितृयज्ञः ---"|| (Saya. Bhas)

According to Saayana, Pitri-Yajna, is where Pindapradhana (offering of pindas made of rice) is made into fire with the chanting of "स्वधा || svadha", but when that is not possible even water offered to Pitrus with "स्वधाकारः || svadhakaara" (i.e using the mantras with svadha in the end) or offering anything into the fire with "svadha" constitutes the Pirtuyagna.

Generally तर्पण || tarpana (offering of water and pinda or offering of rice) is made to the ancestors with the utterance of "Svadha". Offering of Tila (sesame) to pitrudevatas is also present.

भूतयज्ञ: || Bhuta Yagna 

भूतयज्ञस्य लक्षणमाह - यद्भतेभ्यो बलिँ् हरति तद्भूतयज्ञ: संतिष्ठते -, इति ||

Meaning: Characteristics of Bhutayagna is now said - that bali offered to Bhutas (other life forms) that completes the bhutayagna.

वैश्वदेवानुष्ठानादूर्ध्वं बहिर्देशे वायसादिभ्यो भूतेभ्यो यद्बलिप्रदानं सोऽयं भूतयज्ञ: || (Saya. Bhas)

वैश्वदेव || Vaisvedeva is the offering of food to Agni, without which food cannot be cooked. Bhuta-Yajna involves feeding of animals, especially cows, ants and birds like crows that are present in the outside environment (not domesticated) and the ritual is called बलिप्रदानं || Balipradanam.

Every temple in the past had 'बलिपीठम् || Bali peetam' on which the food (after Vaisvedava offering) is placed on it for feeding the hungry animals and birds.

मनुष्ययज्ञ: || Manushya Yagna 

"मनुष्ययज्ञस्य लक्षणमाह - यद्ब्रांह्मणेभ्योऽन्नं ददाति तन्मनुष्ययज्ञ: संतिष्ठते -, इति" ||

Meaning : Characteristics of the Manushyayagna is now said - when annam (food) is given to Brahmanas, that completes the Manushyayagna.

This is the fourth yagna and includes providing hospitality, food and water to hungry uninvited atithi अतिथि || (guests). अतिथि देवोभव || '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.

ब्रह्मयज्ञ: || Brahma Yagna 

"ब्रह्मयज्ञस्य लक्षणमाह - यत्स्वाध्यायमधीयीतैकामप्यृचं यजु: सामं वा तद्ब्रह्मयज्ञ: संतिंष्ठते - , इति" ||

"स्वस्यासाधारणत्वेन पितृपितामहादिपरम्परया प्राप्ता वेदशाखा स्वाध्यायः | तत्र विद्यमानमृगादीनामन्यतममेकमपि वाक्यमधीयीतेति यत्सोऽयं ब्रह्मयज्ञः---" || (Saya. Bhas)

Meaning : The characteristics of Brahmayagna are now said - when स्वाध्यायः || svaadhya (regular study) of at least one of the Rig, Yajus and Sama vedas are performed, that completes the Brahmayagna.

According to Saayana, स्वाध्यायः || svaadhya is that where the vedashaka (veda) is conventionally handed down according to tradition by the forefathers (such as father and grandfather). A study of at least one word in such traditionally handed down veda is said to be Brahmayagna.

This sacrifice is dedicated to the Vedas and their seers (Rishis) in the form of regular study (svadhyaya) of the sacred vedas and the teaching of it to deserving students (adhyapana).

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 goes to Surya 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 recognizes 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 भावना || bhavana (feeling). 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.