Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c8.43

c8.43

This Divine Yajña shows creation in its three processes, *Sṛishṭi* (Beginning), *Sthiti* (Evolution), and *Pralaya* (Dissolution and Emancipation), as indicated in Rigvedic hymns like x, 81 cited above. The human *Yajñas* were so modelled as to symbolize and signify this mystery and meaning of creation. They were based on sacrifice as the essence of Yajña, but man’s sacrifice could not be as complete as God’s. Instead of offering himself up as sacrifice, he thought of symbolic and vicarious sacrifice. An animal was seized for sacrifice on behalf of the sacrificer. This kind of ceremony was called *Paśu-yāga*. But Vedic religion did not countenance such bloody sacrificing of animals by violence. As the *Chhāndogya Upanishad* [iii, 6] puts it: “Na vai Devā aśnanti na pivanti etadeva amṛitaṁ dṛishṭvā tṛipyanti”; “the gods who do not eat or drink should not be offered meat tainted with violence.” Thus sacrifice at a *Yajña* meant self-sacrifice.