Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c8.47

c8.47

‘Pañcha-Mahāyajñas.’ The principle of *Yajña* was that of sacrifice by which man, like his Maker, is to build up and uphold the system he brings into being in this world. He must in his own life go through the eternal creative processes of “Beginning, Development, and Dissolution”. Sacrifice is the process of his self-expansion leading to his final dissolution in the Absolute, emancipated from his narrow self. This self-expansion is achieved by a series of *Yajñas* the performance of which Vedic religion makes obligatory upon its votaries. The first of these is called *Deva-Yajña* symbolizing man’s approach towards the gods, the creative forces of which he is the outcome. This is called *Svāhā*, expression of *Sva* or Self, which is uttered after the offer of oblations to the *Devatās*. Just as spiritually Man is the outcome of the gods to whom he thus makes sacrifices, physically he is the outcome of his ancestors, the *Piṭris*, to whom he prays by *Piṭri-Yajña*, by uttering the word *Svadhā*, “placing of his own self, *Sva*,” in the *Piṭris*. Then he has to perform what is called *Brahma-Yajña* which consisted, as we have seen, in the study and teaching of Veda and meditation on its Mantras (*Japa*). He has also to perform a fourth *Yajña* called *Bhūta-Yajña* by offering *bali* (oblation) to all created beings with whom he realizes his oneness. “One touch of Nature makes the whole world kin.” Lastly, he has to perform the *Nṛi-Yajña* by which he offers worship to all his fellow-men in a spirit of universal brotherhood. This worship is in the form of the offer of daily hospitality by the entertainment of guests as a part of religious duty. It will thus be seen how this hierarchy of five *Yajñas* (known as *Pañcha-Mahāyajñas*) was planned as a scheme of progressive approach towards the Infinite with which they provide so many links with the finite.