I have written that the Chinese are reported to have descended from the son of Pururava.
Shiva Linga, Ganesha Worship in China.
Mahabharata refers to this.
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The word/race of Chins as rulers of eastern and northern kingdoms is mentioned in Mahabharata too (composed around 3100 BCE).
Cinas of yellow color, are said to ‘look like a forest of Karnikaras”.
In the Arthashashtra of Chanakya, China is mentioned as well. It is theorized that the name China is based upon the name of the kingdom, Ch’in, which was established by Shih Huang Ti in year 221 BC.
However, the name China comes from an ancient Sanskrit name for “the regions to the East”.
The Chin Indians did not only name a great country but also created the Chinese nation.
Regardless of the origins of the Chinese, the evidence reveals that ancient Chinese culture was Vedic in nature.’
Chinese origins may be traced to two tribes .
One from Kashmir.
And another is from South India,what is now called as Tamil Nadu.
Shiva Nandi Carving in China.
The original Chin race of India dwelling in Kashmir, and several parts of South India colonized Shensi, a province of Central China and subsequently subjugated all other petty kingdoms and thus became the emperors of perhaps the one of the largest empires of the world.
The name China and the Chinese were after the Chins of India and hence the scholars are unanimous about the Indian origin of the name of China.
A Chinese source states that in 720 AD the Pallava King Narasimhavarman II constructed a temple (in Tamil Nadu, India) on account of the empire of China, and another text cites the existence of three Hindu temples in southern China where ‘Brahmans’ resided during the 8th century.
Shiva Carving in Quanzhou .
The temple in Quanzhou is now in ruins, but over 300 carvings are still within the city.
Many are currently on display in the Quanzhou museum, and some have become a part of Buddhist temple—Kaiyuan Temple.Behind its main hall “Mahavira Hall”, there are some columns decorated by some Hinduism carvings. The carvings are dispersed across five primary sites in Quanzhou and the neighboring areas.
They were made in the South Indian style, and share close similarities with 13th-century temples constructed in the Kaveri Delta region in Tamil Nadu.
Nearly all the carvings were carved with greenish-gray granite, which was widely available in the nearby hills and used in the region’s local architecture.
Poorly written/formatted tamil wordings on these carvings prove that those were done by a non-native tamilian in China.
“First, I would like to make it clear that the probable language of the Kushana was Tamil. According to Dravidian literature, the Kushana were called Kosars=Yakshas=Yueh chih/ Kushana. This literature maintains that when they entered India they either already spoke Tamil, or adopted the language upon settlement in India.
The Kushana and the Yueh chih were one and the same. In addition to
North Indian documents the Kushana-Yueh chih association are also
discussed in Dravidian literature. V Kanakasabhai, The Tamils Eighteen
hundred years ago, note that in the Sanskrit literature the Yueh chih were called Yakshas, Pali chroniclers called them Yakkos and Kosars< Kushana.”
They allegedely arrived in India during the 2nd century BC. He makes it clear that the Yueh chih/ Kushana as noted on their coins worshipped Siva as seen on the coins of Kanishka. This is why we have a coin of a Kushana king from Taxila, dated to AD 76 that declares that the king was maharaja rajatiraja devaputra Kushana “Great King, King of kings, Son of God, the Kushana”.
Vedic Presence in China.
The Vedic tradition has undoubtedly been best preserved in India yet the universality of Vedic culture is such that none can claim to be the sole inheritors or originators of the Vedic traditions.
These traditions are part of the basic fabric of nature and the universe and can be accessed by anyone anywhere at any time.
The same ‘eternal’ vedic tradition known as Santana Dharma is at the very core of Chinese civilization.
For example, Imperial Tang dynasty (618–907 AD) used the Hindu/Vedic calendar a long side with the Chinese calendar.
Amongst the Gods, the Lord of Death and the Underworld known in Vedas as Yama is called ‘Yanmo Wang’ within the Chinese tradition.
Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang (ruled 712–56) called upon the Indian monk Vajrabodhi (671–741) to perform ‘Tantric’ rites to avert a drought in the year 726 AD.
In the Fujiyan province, in the Xinmen area of Quanzhou, there are the remains of a Siva Temple.
It still has a Siva lingam over five meters tall.
An ancient stone that still stands today; it has been widely identified as a Siva Linga.
Chinese records reveal that it was cut in half in the year 1011 AD and then rebuilt in the 1400s.
Even as late as 1950, childless mothers would go to it to invoke the blessings of the deity for motherhood.
In Hsuan-wu, Lo-yang district there is a pillar with Sanskrit writings from top to bottom and right to left. Besides Buddhism, Saivism was also popular in Yunan as is manifest from the prevalence of the cult of Mahakala there.
This ancient Indian colony in the south of China was a strong link in the Sino-Indian cultural relationship.
Shiva Temple may have already been in existence, which is highly likely, and it is only the Deity of Lord Shiva that was new.
Shiva temple had originally been built in 685 AD during the Tang Dynasty but was rebuilt by the Tamil Hindu community in the city in the late 13th century who dedicated it to Lord Siva.
There is direct evidence of that there were indeed Hindu temples in China as early as the 6th century AD.
Iran was apart of Hindu Empire during the Vedic Period.
This continued to be so till Vikramaditya’s period.
The Faravahar, believed to be a depiction of a fravashi
The customs and cultural behaviour of the Zoroastrians indicate the Vedic roots of Zoroastrianism.
A treaty signed by the Hittites and Mitannis dating to the fourteenth century BC calls upon Indara/Indra, Mitras(il)/Mitra, Nasatianna/Nasatya and Uruvanass(il)/Varuna, all known to Rig-Veda and Avesta.
I had posted articles about the Vedic /Tamil origin of these people.
Though there are similarities the roles of the Devas seem to have been reversed.
(haoma (soma), daha(dasa), hepta (sapta), hindu (sindhu), and Ahura (Asura) in Avesta)
Indra and the devas are demonic in Avesta,and Ahura/asura is considered the highest deity.
“At the time of composition of the Vedas, Varuna was losing his importance to Indra. In Avesta, Ahura Mazda is the main divinity and some people think that he is thesame as Varuna. Varuna sat with his spies who flew all around the world and bought back reports on the conduct of mortals. He abhorred sin and loathed evil deeds prompted by anger, drink and gambling.”
Probably a sect left on this issue and had a role in this difference.
Rig Veda is dated around 5000 BC while Avesta is dated around 1000 BC.
The Chief God worshiped in the Vedas is Agni,Fire.
Zoroastrians are Fire worshipers.
Another important connection is Upanayana ceremony which is the primary duty of a Hindu.
Zoroastrians have a similar Ceremony ‘Navjote’
‘The Navjote[pronunciation?] (Persian: سدرهپوشی, Sedreh pushi) ceremony is the ritual through which an individual is inducted into theZoroastrian religion and begins to wear the Sedreh and Kushti. The term navjote is used primarily by the Zoroastrians of India (theParsis), while sedreh pushi is used primarily by the Zoroastrians of Iran. Zoroastrians from Pakistan consisting of both Parsis andIranis use both terms…
Although there is no upper limit to the age of the individual for which the ceremony takes place, in common practice it occurs before a girl or boy reaches maturity. Under no circumstances is it permitted to be done for a child less than seven years of age since the child at that age range cannot comprehend the significance of the event.
In Vendidad 18.54, individuals above the age of 15 (once considered the age at which one attained adulthood) who are not yet been invested are said to be likely to fall into evil ways. In the 9th-12th century texts of Zoroastrian tradition, the same group are said to bekushad davarashni, literally “running about improperly clothed”. So for instance Menog-i Khrad 2.35 and the Book of Arda Viraf(25.6.10). The latter considers such a thing to be a service to demons (the daevas). Other texts of tradition that define adulthood as the boundary include the Sad-dar 10.1 and Shayast na-Shayast 10.13. ,.
The ceremony is traditionally the first time a Zoroastrian wears the sedreh undershirt and kushti belt, which they then continue to wear for the rest of their life. The sacred clothing signifies parental responsibility as well as responsibility for the one who is undergoing this ceremony. When the child wears the sacred clothes, it means the parents are now obligated to morally and religiously educate the child. If the child commits a wrongful act, it is their responsibility, as they may also take some pride in themselves when their child commits a righteous act. The sacred thread and shirt also teach the child responsibility, as they are to be untied before certain practices, such as prayer, bathing, and before meals, and re-tied shortly after the task is completed.
The shirt has a construction extremely specific to this culture.
Upanayana of Hinduism.
Upanayana is an important Samskara, duty of a Hindu.
The three Varnas, Brahmana, Kshatriya and Vaisya must have this performed.
Read my posts on Samskaras.
The wearing of the sacred thread opens the inner eye.
Zoroastrianism was founded by the Prophet Zoroaster (or Zarathustra) in ancient Iran. The precise date of the founding of Zoroastrianism is uncertain. An approximate date of 1500–1200 BCE has been established through archaeological evidence and linguistic comparisons with the Hindu text Rig Veda. However there is no way of knowing exactly when Zoroaster lived, as he lived in what, to his people, were prehistoric times.Depending on different approaches, it is thought that he lived some time between 1700 BCEto 500 BCE .Zoroaster was born in either Northeast Iran or Southwest Afghanistan. He was born into a Bronze Age culture with a polytheistic religion, which included animal sacrifice and the ritual use of intoxicants. This religion was quite similar to the early forms of Hinduism in India. The name Zoroaster is a Greek rendering of the nameZarathustra. He is known as Zartosht and Zardosht in Persian and Zaratosht in Gujarati. Zoroaster’s birth and early life are little documented. What is known is recorded in theGathas—the core of the Avesta, which contains hymns thought to be composed by Zoroaster himself. Born into the Spitama clan, he worked as a priest. He had a wife, three sons, and three daughters. Zoroaster rejected the religion of the Bronze Age Iranians, with their many gods and oppressive class structure, in which the Karvis and Karapans(princes and priests) controlled the ordinary people. He also opposed animal sacrifices and the use of the hallucinogenic Haoma plant (possibly a species of ephedra) in rituals, but held the rooster as a “symbol of light”and associated the cock with “good against evil” because of his heraldic actions..
* Cock is associted with Sunbrahmanya.
According to Zoroastrian belief, when Zoroaster was 30 years old, he went into the Daiti river to draw water for a Haoma ceremony; when he emerged, he received a vision ofVohu Manah. After this, Vohu Manah took him to the other six Amesha Spentas, where he received the completion of his vision.[51] This vision radically transformed his view of the world, and he tried to teach this view to others. Zoroaster believed in one creator God, teaching that only one God was worthy of worship. Furthermore, some of the deities of the old religion, the Daevas (Devas in Sanskrit), appeared to delight in war and strife. Zoroaster said that these were evil spirits and were workers of Angra Mainyu, God’s adversary.
Zoroaster’s ideas did not take off quickly, and, at first, he only had one convert: his cousin Maidhyoimanha.The local religious authorities opposed his ideas. They felt their own faiths, power, and particularly their rituals, were threatened because Zoroaster taught against over-ritualising religious ceremonies. Many ordinary people did not like Zoroaster’s downgrading of the Daevas to evil spirits. After 12 years, Zoroaster left his home to find somewhere more open to new ideas. He found such a place in the country of King Vishtaspa (in Bactria). The King and his queen, Hutosa, heard Zoroaster debating with the religious leaders of his land, and decided to accept Zoroaster’s ideas and make them the official religion of their kingdom. Zoroaster died in his late 70s. Very little is known of the time between Zoroaster and the Achaemenian period, except that, during this period, Zoroastrianism spread to Western Iran. By the time of the founding of the Achaemenid Empire, Zoroastrianism was already a well-established religion.
Humata, Hukhta, Huvarshta (Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds) are the basic tenets of the religion.
Faravahar (or Ferohar), one of the primary symbols of Zoroastrianism, believed to be the depiction of aFravashi (guardian spirit)
In Zoroastrianism, Ahura Mazda is the beginning and the end, the creator of everything that can and cannot be seen, the Eternal, the Pure and the only Truth. In the Gathas, the most sacred texts of Zoroastrianism thought to have been composed by Zoroaster himself, the prophet acknowledged devotion to no other divinity besides Ahura Mazda.
Daena (din in modern Persian) is the eternal Law, whose order was revealed to humanity through the Mathra-Spenta (“Holy Words”).Daena has been used to mean religion, faith, law, and even as a translation for the Hindu and Buddhist term Dharma. The latter is often interpreted as “duty” but can also mean social order, right conduct, or virtue. The metaphor of the “path” of Daena is represented in Zoroastrianism by the muslin undershirt Sudra, the “Good/Holy Path”, and the 72-thread Kushti girdle, the “Pathfinder”.
Daena should not be confused with the fundamental principle asha (Vedic rta), the equitable law of the universe, which governed the life of the ancient Indo-Iranians. For these, asha was the course of everything observable—the motion of the planets and astral bodies; the progression of the seasons; and the pattern of daily nomadic herdsman life, governed by regular metronomic events such as sunrise and sunset. All physical creation (geti) was thus determined to run according to a master plan—inherent to Ahura Mazda—and violations of the order (druj) were violations against creation, and thus violations against Ahura Mazda. This concept of asha versus the druj should not be confused with the good-versus-evil battle evident in western religions, for although both forms of opposition express moral conflict, the asha versus druj concept is more systemic and less personal, representing, for instance, chaos (that opposes order); or “uncreation”, evident as natural decay (that opposes creation); or more simply “the lie” (that opposes truth and righteousness). Moreover, in his role as the one uncreated creator of all, Ahura Mazda is not the creator of druj, which is “nothing”, anti-creation, and thus (likewise) uncreated. Thus, in Zoroaster’s revelation, Ahura Mazda was perceived to be the creator of only the good (Yasna 31.4), the “supreme benevolent providence” (Yasna 43.11), that will ultimately triumph (Yasna 48.1).
A Parsi Wedding, 1905
In this schema of asha versus druj, mortal beings (both humans and animals) play a critical role, for they too are created. Here, in their lives, they are active participants in the conflict, and it is their duty to defend order, which would decay without counteraction. Throughout the Gathas, Zoroaster emphasizes deeds and actions, and accordingly asceticism is frowned upon in Zoroastrianism. In later Zoroastrianism, this was explained as fleeing from the experiences of life, which was the very purpose that the urvan (most commonly translated as the “soul”) was sent into the mortal world to collect. The avoidance of any aspect of life, which includes the avoidance of the pleasures of life, is a shirking of the responsibility and duty to oneself, one’s urvan, and one’s family and social obligations.
Central to Zoroastrianism is the emphasis on moral choice, to choose the responsibility and duty for which one is in the mortal world, or to give up this duty and so facilitate the work of druj. Similarly, predestination is rejected in Zoroastrian teaching. Humans bear responsibility for all situations they are in, and in the way they act toward one another. Reward, punishment, happiness, and grief all depend on how individuals live their lives.
You would have noticed that at the end of every Mantra, Pooja and at temples Om Shanti Mantra Om Shanti is chanted thrice.
Om Shanti means May There Be Peace.
Shanti Mantra.
One witnesses disturbances in the world and in one’s Mind body.
Some are due to factors within one’s control and some beyond one.
It is the Hindus way of pacifying these my chanting and thereby attempting to appease them.
Disturbances/Calamities come from,
Through one’s body,
Through the forces of Nature and
due to past actions and the Will of God.(Stains on the soul as Jains put it)
These three are classified as.
Adi Bhautikam.
Adi Daivikam and
Adiathmikam.
”
Adhi-daivikam literally means “mental disturbances that come from God”—i.e. things that are utterly beyond our control: hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, tsunamis, etc. We have no control over these types of disturbances. So when we say the first shanti, we are praying, “O God, may we be protected from these obstacles that are beyond our control.”
Adhi-bhautikam literally means “disturbances that come from the world.” That means anything stemming from the world around us—mosquitoes, noisy neighbors, barking dogs, the phone ringing, family arguments. As opposed to the first category, we have some control over this second category of disturbances. We can use mosquito repellent, we can call the police on our neighbors, we can turn off the phone, we can leave the place altogether, etc. So this shanti means, “O God, may we be protected from the people and surroundings.”
The third type of disturbance is the most powerful and, at the same time, the only one over which we have total control. Adhyatmikam means “disturbances stemming from the self.” For one who is still identified with the ego, the people, places and things of this world stimulate one of two reactions in the mind—attachment or aversion. Whether we physical see someone we consider our enemy as we walk down the street or remember him during meditation, the mental turbulence that results is the same. Lust, jealousy, anger, sorrow, hatred destroy our peace’
Shanti Mantras are to be chanted and the Vedas have a separate section for Shanti Mantras.
ॐ सह नाववतु।
सह नौ भुनक्तु।
सह वीर्यं करवावहै।
तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु
मा विद्विषावहै।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
Om, May we all be protected
May we all be nourished
May we work together with great energy
May our intelect be sharpened (may our study be effective)
Let there be no Animosity amongst us
Om, peace (in me), peace (in nature), peace (in divine forces)
Oṁ Saha nāvavatu
Om=supreme god; saha=together; nau=both/ all; avatu=may he protect
saha nau bhunaktu
saha=together; nau=both/ all;bhunaktu= be nourished/ energized
Saha vīryam karavāvahai
saha=together;vīryam=energy; karavāvahai=work (kara=hand; avahai=bring into use)
Tejasvi nāvadhītamastu
tejaswi = having great energy;nau = both ; adhi = intellect/ study; tama = higher degree; astu=so be it
The majority held belief is that women should not perform Sandhyavandana and death Rites.
I differ from this view.
Great Rishis have been women, like Maiteyi,Gargi,Kathyayani.
These Rishis have composed Veda Sutras, Sukthas.
Vedic wisdom is encapsulated in myriad hymns and 27 women-seers emerge from them.
Ghosha, who has a definite human form. Granddaughter of Dirghatamas and daughter of Kakshivat, both composers of hymns in praise of Ashwins, Ghosha has two entire hymns of the tenth book, each containing 14 verses, assigned to her name. The first eulogizes the Ashwins, the heavenly twins who are also physicians; the second is a personal wish expressing her intimate feelings and desires for married life. Ghosha suffered from an incurable disfiguring disease, probably leprosy, and remained a spinster at her father’s house. Her implorations with the Ashwins, and the devotion of her forefathers towards them made them cure her disease and allow her to experience wedded bliss.
The Rig Veda contains about one thousand hymns, of which about 10 are accredited to Maitreyi, the woman seer and philosopher.
Gargi, the Vedic prophetess and daughter of sage Vachaknu, composed several hymns that questioned the origin of all existence. When King Janak of Videha organized a ‘brahmayajna’, a philosophic congress centered around the fire sacrament, Gargi was one of the eminent participants. She challenged the sage Yajnavalkya with a volley of perturbing questions on the soul or ‘atman’ that confounded the learned man who had till then silenced many an eminent scholar. Her question – “The layer that is above the sky and below the earth, which is described as being situated between the earth and the sky and which is indicated as the symbol of the past, present and future, where is that situated?” – bamboozled even the great Vedic men of letters.
One is expected to have Upaveedha to learn the Vedas.
These women composed Veda Sukthas.
They could not have learnt the Vedas without Upaveedha.
Hence they had to perform Sandhyavanda and other Karmic duties.
I have a detailed article on this.
Now there is Reference in the Ramayana and Garuda Purana that Sita offered Pinda to Dasaratha, her father in law at Gaya.
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There is reference to the city of Gaya and the Phalgu in the Ramayana in which it says that Sita had cursed the Phalgu River. There is an interesting story and the mythology states that on account of this curse, the Phalgu lost its water, and the river is simply a vast stretch of sand dunes.According to tradition, in the absence of Rama, his wife Sita offered pinda on its banks to Dasharatha father of Rama.
The story goes that Rama, along with his brothers and Sita, came to Gaya to perform the sacred rites for his father, Dasaratha. When the brothers were bathing in the river, Sita was sitting on the banks, playing with the sand. Suddenly, Dasaratha appeared out of the sand, and asked for the Pindam, saying he was hungry. Sita asked him to wait till his sons returned, so that she could give him the traditional Pindam of rice and til. He refused to wait, asking her to give him pindams made of the sand in her hand.
Having no other option, she gave him the Pindam he desired with five witnesses – the Akshaya Vatam, the Falguni River, a cow, a Tulsi plant and a Brahmin. Soon, Rama returned and started the rituals. In those days apparently, the ancestors would arrive in person to collect their share, and when Dasaratha did not appear, they wondered why. Sita then told them what had happened, but Rama could not believe that his father would accept pindams made of sand. Sita now mentioned her witnesses, and asked them to tell Rama the truth.
Among the five, only the Akshaya Vatam took her side and told the truth, while the others lied, trying to take Rama’s side. In her anger, Sita cursed all of them thus: the Falguni river henceforth would have no water at Gaya; the Cow would no longer be worshipped from the front as all others are- only its backside would be worshipped; there would be no more Tulsi plants at Gaya and the Gaya Brahmins would never be satisfied, they would always be hungry and crave more and more. She then blessed the Akshaya Vatam saying that all who came to Gaya would perform the Pinda pradaanam at the Akshaya Vatam too.
Sri Sita is said to have performed Sandhyavandanam including Dhyaanam and Japam (Vide page 97 of Notes on AyOdhya KhaaNDam of Srimad Vaalmiki Ramayanam by Sri C.R.Srinivasa Iyengar)
View of Kanchi Acharya.
I said that the twice-born must perform sandhyavandana with the well-being of women and other jatis in mind. I also explained why all samskaras are not prescribed for the fourth varna. Now we must consider the question of women, why they do not have such rituals and samskaras.
Even though we perform the punyaha-vacana and namakarana of newborn girls and celebrate their first birthday, we do not conduct their caula and upanayana nor the other samskaras or vows laid down for brahmacarins. Of course, they have the marriage samskara. But in other rites like sacrifices the main part is that of the husband, though she (the wife) has to be by his side. In aupasana alone does a woman have a part in making oblations in the sacred fire.
Why is it so?
The rites performed before a child is born are intended for the birth of a male child (niseka, pumsavana, simanta). Does it mean, as present-day reformers and women’s libbers say, that Hindu women were downgraded and kept in darkness?
What reason did I mention for the fourth varna not having to perform many of the samskaras?
That these were not necessary considering their vocations and the fact that they can work for the welfare of the world without the physical and mental benefits to be derived from the samskaras. If they also spend their time in Vedic learning and in sacrifices, what will happen to their duties? So most of the samskaras are not necessary for them. They reach the desire goal without these rites by carrying out their duties.
“Svakarmana tam abhyarcya siddhim vindati manavah“, so says the Gita. I have spoken to you about this earlier.
Just as society is divided according to occupations and the samskaras are correspondingly different, so too there are differences between men and women in domestic life. Running a household means different types of work, cooking, keeping the house clean, bringing up the children, etc. By nature women can do these chores better than men. If they also take an active part in rituals, what will happen to such work? Each by serving her husband and by looking after her household becomes inwardly pure.
In truth three is no disparity between men and women, nor are women discriminated
against as present-day reformers allege.
Work is divided for the proper maintenance not only of the home but the nation on the whole; and care has been taken not to have any duplication.
There is no intention of lowering the status of any section in this division of labour.
The body, in the case of certain people, is meant to preserve the mantras and there are samskaras which have the purpose of making it worthy of the same.
Why should the same rituals be prescribed for those who do not have such tasks to carry out?
Glassware to be sent by railway parcel is specially taken care of since it is fragile. Even greater care is taken in dispatching kerosene or petrol. If the same precautions are not taken in transporting other goods, does it mean that they are poorly thought of?
There are two types of offerings in the Fire in Hinduism,Yaga and Yagnya.
Yaaga is one conducted with a Purpose, to fulfill a desire.
Yagnya Being performed
Yagnya is conducted because it is to be conducted, a Duty, A Categorical Imperative as Immanuel Kant puts it.
Yagnya is to be performed with a sense of detachment, anticipating nothing in return.
Fire is chosen to perform Yaaga and Yagnya because Fire has Five Unique Qualities , called
‘ Panchagnividya’
The flame of fire always goes upwards.It implies that despite immense pressures of fear and temptations our flame of wisdom, and foresight should ever be kept-alight and up-turned.
Anything coming in contact with fire becomes fire itself, indicating that we , having been a part of Reality,God, become One with It.
Fire accumulates nothing, reminding us that ,in Life we accumulate Nothing
The residue of fire are ashes making us remember that we turn to Ashes thereby reaffirming the Impermanence of Life.
Types of Yagnyas.
The Seva Yagna — altruist service of the society is a noble example of Yagya.
The Gyan Yagya, The Comprehension of True Knowledge.
Vak Yagnya, Speaking Good of others, never ill of others.
Mano Yagnya, thinking of only Noble Thoughts,
Hearing only that which is Good for All (Bhadram karnobi Srunuyaama Devaa-Rig Veda)
Purusha Suktha speaks about the evolution of the Universe.
The Prana Yagya implies — the service of saving the lives of people from suffering and agonies and inspiring liveliness and respect for life in them. A variety of such Yagyas are described in the Shastras.
Benefits of Yagnya.
Yagya is also glorified as “Yajóoaya Sarvakaamdhuk” meaning, “Yagya is the source of fulfilling all desires”.
“Agni Mºde Purohitam” The first revelation of Rig Veda of is said to have given knowledge of kindling fire toYagya is also glorified as“Yajóoaya Sarvakaamdhuk” meaning, “Yagya is the source of fulfilling all desires”. .
Yagnya is the primordial source of the Forces of Nature and this is explained in the Purusha Suktha.
The efficacy of Yagnya, Scientific study Results.
3. Purification of Environment by Yagna
The industrial wastes, rapid urbanization, deforestation, air and water pollution,
disturbances in the ozone layer -formation, radioactive waves etc., have
destabilized the human, animal and plant life cycles. The ecological imbalance
caused by these acts of ‘civilized men’ has resulted into disastrous threat not only
to human survival but to the life as a whole on our planet.
Till recently it was accepted that research into science can furnish answer to all of
man’s problems. Today we find increasing number of diseases including
malfunctioning of body organs due to increasing severity of pollution in the
atmosphere. Ozone layer depletion has been causing ailments like sunburn, skin
cancer, cataracts and weakening of the immune system. Viruses are becoming
drug-resistant and showing consistent growth trends.
Experimental studies show that the incidence of physical ailments, sickness and
disease are reduced in the houses, where the
Yagna (Agnihotra) is regularly performed because it creates a pure, nutritional and medicinal atmosphere. Itrenews the brain cells, revitalizes the skin, purifies blood and prevents growth of pathogenic organisms.
Agnihotra is basically a healing process. ‘Heal the atmosphere and the healed
atmosphere will heal you’— is the Modus Operandi
Purification of environment through the constituent electrons of the substances
fumigated in the Yagna is an obvious effect of this process [2-4]. The observation
of some distinguished scientists is note worthy in this regard.
Dr. Hafkine has mentioned that — “mixing ghee and sugar and burning them
creates smoke which kills the germs of certain diseases and secretion takes place
from some glands relate to the wind-pipe, which fill our heart and mind with
pleasure.
Sugars present in Havishya have great power to purify the atmosphere. It kills
the germs of T.B., measles, smallpox and cow-pox — remarks Prof. Tilward.
According to Dr. Shirowich, a Russian scientist has remarked that (i) Cow’s milk
contains great power of protection from atomic radiation; (ii) Houses having
cow-dung covered floors enjoy complete protection from atomic radiation; (iii) If
cow’s ghee is put into Yagna fire, its fumes lessen the effect of atomic radiation to
a great extent.
The medicinal fumes emanating from Agnihotra have been observed by
researchers in the field of microbiology to be clearly bacteriolethal in nature.
These eradicate bacteria and other micro-organisms, which are the root cause of
illness and diseases. This must be the reason why the incidence of physical
ailments, sickness and diseases becomes less in the households, where
Agnihotra is regularly performed.
Even without going into detailed chemical bacteriology, it can be stated that
performance of Yagna leads to purification of air. This takes place in the
following four ways .
3.1. Removal of Foul Odors:
As already stated, under steam volatilization, the various volatile oils get diffused
in the surrounding atmosphere along with steam and smoke. Since these oils have
distinct good smell, the foul odors are automatically replaced. This aroma can be
experienced easily in the surroundings when
Yagna is performed due to diffusion of substances like thymol, eugenol, pine, terpinol and oils of sandal-wood, camphor and clove.
3.2. Removal of Bacteria:
As stated under products of combustion, the partial oxidation of hydrocarbons
and decomposition of complex organic substances produce formal aldehyde
which is a powerful antiseptic. It is also interesting to note that germicidal action
of formaldehyde is only effective in the presence of water vapor which is also
produced in large quantities in Yagna.
The use of formaldehyde spray for disinfecting of walls, ceiling etc., is common and such a spray is automatically produced when
Yagna
is performed.
The oxidation of hydrocarbons also produces formic acid and acetic acid both of
which are good disinfectants. Use of formic acid for preservation of fruits and that
of acetic acid in preserving vinegar is a common practice.
The antiseptic and antibiotic effects of fumes of
Yagna
have also been examined
by conducting suitable experiments on rabbits and mice and it has been
established that fumes emitted in Yagna are powerful antibiotic.
Agnihotra ash purifies and cleanses the water making it fit for drinking
3.3. Removal of insects:
There are non-bacterial parasites like flies, ringworm, dice, fleas etc., which are
immune to bactericides, which are also harmful to other living beings.
Such insects which are generally immune to ordinary reagents. However they
either get killed or are driven away, when they come in contact with the fumes of
volatile oils like camphor diffused in the environment.
3.4. Effects on Plants and Vegetation:
The disinfection of air is not only useful to animal life but also helps plant’s life
though the bacteria responsible for diseases in both may be different. The
aromatic substances during Yagna get diffused in the air and offer protection to
plant life against harmful organisms. This ensures healthy plant growth.
Agnihotra’s atmosphere and ash can be used as adjutants in the ‘Natural
farming’ methods — also known as the Agnihotra farming methods. It is a
holistic concept of growing plants in healthy atmosphere and maintaining
ecological balance by performingAgnihotra(Yagna) in the middle of the farm
and using theYagna – ash as a fertilizer. It is not only safe and productive but also
holistic in its approach towards environment.
3.5. Role of CO2 generated in Yagna:
Consignment of the wood and other organic maters to flames has been always
controversial because of generation of CO and CO 2 and increase
in consequent ‘green house’ effect. It had been argued that performance of
Yagna also produces CO and CO2. It should be noted here that the way in which theSamidhas and Havishyaare burnt in. Yagna is a process of slow combustion at higher
temperature. While the burning of coal in factories or in the household fire
involves rapid combustion. where oxygen is sucked in large quantities and
enormous CO2 is emitted. In the slow combustion taking place in the process of
Yagna, small quantity of O2is utilized meager CO2 is emitted that poses no threat
to the environment. In fact whatever CO2 is generated it is readily absorbed by the
surrounding vegetation and CO 2 cycle is strengthened [4].
The other important aspect is the fact that CO 2produced in
Yagna is not alwaysfree CO 2 but it remains mixed with other aromatic oils and antiseptic products. It therefore, acts as a vehicle in transporting such products to distant surroundings.
The use of CO 2 as a cerebral stimulant to assist the patients suffering from lack of
ventilation is common in medical world. Its use to control and cure many mental
disorders is also known to medical science. Small amounts of CO 2 inhaled by the
persons performing Yagna acts as a stimulant and more and more aromatic
fumes are inhaled which help in curing mental disorders.
Particularly effective results with respect to the elimination or reduction in
radiation were achieved through Yagna fire and ash. These observations are
made by Dr. L. Maela Anatoninhowska of Poland after using P.S.I. techniques.
Results of Some Recent Experiments:
A group of scientists led by Dr. Manoj Garg, Director, Environmental and
Technical Consultants and the Uttar Pradesh pollution control board conducted
experiments during the Ashwamedha Yagna at Gorakhpur, U.P. These
experiments were set up at about 20 meters east from the
Yagnashala. The samples of 100 ml each of water and air collected from the surroundings were analyzed using high volume envirotech APM-45 and other sensitive instruments.
A summary of their results ( [1] – Akhand Jyoti, Sept. ‘97 p.22) is presented below:
In Air Samples (unit mg per average sample)
Instant Level of Sulphur dioxide Level of Nitrous Oxide Before Yagna 3.36 1.16
During Yagna2.82 1.14 After Yagna 0.80 1.02
Bacteria Count in Average Water Samples
Before Yagna 4500
During Yagna 2470
After Yagna 1250
Minerals in the Ash (Bhasm) of Yagna
Phosphorous 4076 mg per kg. Potassium 3407 mg per kg. Calcium 7822 mg per kg.
Magnesium 6424 mg per kg. Nitrogen 32 mg per kg. Quispar 2% W/W
These results clearly support the claims made about the role of
Yagna in control
of air pollution. The Deputy Director, Agriculture had submitted a technical
report based on such results, recommending the use ofYagna’s ash as an
effective fertilizer.
Comparable results were also obtained by the scientific experiments conducted in
about 27 large scale Yagnasorganized by Shantikunj, Hardwar in India and
by A. L. Basham. See Also: 
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