Dr.Commander Selvam Siddhar

YAGNA - The Foundation of Vedic Culture

Gayatri mantra and Yagna constitute the foundation of the Vedic Culture. While Gayatri mantra imparts wisdom and pure intelligence, Yagna inspires corresponding creativity and actions. 

In talking of the Vedic age the images of the great rishis performing agnihotra-yagnas instantly flashes before our sight. In those days, apart from the rishis, the rich and the poor, the kings and citizens also had an equally deep faith and respect for Yagna and they used to sincerely participate in and lend wholehearted support for different kinds of Yagnas. The rishis used to spend at least one-third of their lives in conducting Yagnas.

It was a common belief and an observed fact in the Vedic Indian society that Yagna was essential for the refinement of human life from a shudra (i.e. a person living a life driven by animal instincts) to a Brahmin (i.e. a wise, knowledgeable, charitable person), and ultimately to a divine, great personality. Yagnas played an essential role in the all-round progress, prosperity and happiness in the Vedic age. This was indeed natural, as the philosophy and science of Yagna and the different modes of performing agni-yagna were discovered and developed by the rishis based on their deep understanding and in-depth research of the human psyche, the intricacies of the social fabric and the mysteries of Nature. 

The brilliance and purity of agni (fire) appears to be a universal symbol for worship. The rituals of different religions affirm this fact. The first mantra of Rigaveda – the most ancient scripture of knowledge on Earth, quotes “agnimiÃe purohitam”, signifying agni as a sacred symbol of God. This is what is referred to in different religious and spiritual scriptures as Brahmateja, Divine Flame, Sacred Glow, Divine Light, Latent Light, etc. The Vedic hymn “agne supathá ráye” prays to this omnipotent, supreme power to enlighten and inspire us towards the righteous path. The same is meant in the phrase “dhiyo yonah prachodayát” of the great Gayatri Mantra.

Meaning of Yagna:

In its gross form, Yagna is a spiritual experiment of sacrificing and sublimating the havana sámagri (herbal preparations) in the fire accompanied by the chanting of Vedic mantras. This is only the outer physical process or ritual of Yagna, which has scientific importance and beneficial effects. This agni-yagna 

when performed on a small scale is also known as havan, homam or agnihotra. 

The meaning of yagna is not confined to this sacrificial ritual. It has a much wider and deeper meaning. The word yagna is derived from the Sanskrit verb yaj, which has a three-fold meaning: worship of deities (devapujana), unity (saògatikaraña) and charity (dána). The philosophy of yagna teaches a way of 

living in the society in harmony and a lifestyle which promotes and protects higher human values in the society, which is indeed the basis of an ideal human culture.

Scientific Aspects of Yagna:

The four Vedas signify the philosophy of the eternity and complementarity of Gayatri and Yagna in the divine creations. Further, the Atharvaveda also deals with the sound therapy aspects of the mantras. They can be used for the treatment of the ailing human system at the physical, psychological and spiritual levels. The Samaveda focuses on the musical chanting patterns of the mantras and the subtle form of yagna 

by defining the latter as the process of mental oblation on the surface of internal emotions through the cosmic radiations of the omnipresent subtle energy of sound. The Yajurveda contains the knowledge of the principles and the methods of performing yagnas as a part of the spiritual and scientific experiments for 

global welfare.

The effects of yagna include treatment of various diseases and the removal of atmospheric pollution (discussed in detail in the coming issues). Another prominent effect is parjanya. Parjanya implies sublime showers of vital energy and spiritual strength from the upper cosmic planes (higher space). As 

the natural fertilizers add to the fertility of soil, the unique confluence of the power of mantra, thermal force and sublimated herbal energy in yagna increases the vital energy (práña)1 in the atmosphere while purifying the air. This práña is inherent in the air. The sádhaka, having prepared himself through práñáyáma, is able to inhale this parjanya along with oxygen through inner determination (samkalpa). The flow of fresh air in the morning has been found to be rich in práña. The larger the scale of yajgns and the longer their duration, the 

greater would be these effects. 

The parjanya generated by yagna augments the level of práña in the air. This effect is condensed around the yagnashálá (the area where is yagna performed) but is also prevalent in the wider space and continues to expand with the flow of air with the process of yagna. If we pour some oil drops in a pot containing water, the oil separates itself from water and spreads on the surface of water. In a similar way, the energy of yagna 

expands all around in the open space. Its práña, its essence, its energy, is also present in the water contained in the clouds. This is showered in the form of rain and thus gets absorbed in the soil, crops and vegetation. 

The soil irrigated by it is found to be more fertile and the grains, fruits and vegetables grown there 

are tastier and have higher nutritive value. The milk of the cows which graze the grass grown on such lands is also of excellent quality. Drinking the milk and eating the fruits and vegetables energized by yagna increases our stamina, resistance against infections and diseases, and mental astuteness.

In fact the cosmic flow of práña is omnipresent in the subliminal realms of Nature. It enables all activities, movements and evolution of living beings. All creatures possess práña and therefore they are called práñi. Práña is the source of our vital strength. If it were present in substantial amount in the body, an apparently lean and skinny person would be very strong and healthy (e.g. Mahatma Gandhi).

 Its elevated levels are expressed in mental radiance, intellectual sharpness and talents. Its reduction on the contrary would render a physically robust person weak, lethargic and dull. Reduction of this subtle energy in plants and trees would diminish the shining beauty of flowers, and nutrient quality of fruits, vegetables and grains. Decreased levels of práña in the air, despite the presence of substantial amounts of oxygen, would lessen its vitality. Even deep breathing of this otherwise ‘fresh’ air would not have the 

desired healthy effects. People living at such places are found to lack vital strength, immunity and mental sharpness. The parjanya extracted by yagna compensates for these deficiencies.

Types of Yagnas:

A variety of yagnas are described in the scriptures. The seva yagna, meaning service to the society, is a noble example of yagna. The jóána yagna corresponds to the service of people by enlightening their lives with the glow of knowledge and education. The práña yagna implies the selfless service of saving the lives of people from sufferings and agonies and inspiring liveliness and reverence for life in them. 

Modern times and ignorance towards a great tradition:In the tides of time we lost and forgot the original purpose, relevance and importance of yagna in our life. It won’t be an exaggeration to conclude that this negligence has been a major cause of our fallen and miserable state today. Nevertheless, there is a hope of reviving the yagna in its original form, as we have somehow continued the tradition of yagna as a holy custom and occasionally perform it, in some form at least, as a symbolic ritual. Although lifeless and deformed, a feeble and hazy image of this ancient tradition is still with us.

 All important ceremonies, including the shoÃaÌ samskáras (sixteen rituals that are performed at various stages of life from birth till death), are conducted with yagna. For instance, the Vedic mode of the wedding ceremony (viváha samskára) takes place in the presence of the sacred flames of yagna. As the melting heat of the fire welds and binds two metal pieces, the pious glow and the spiritual warmth of the yagyágni (the fire of yagna) conjugate the souls of the bride and the groom through the sacred knot of marriage. The cremation rites (dáha or aòtyeÌÚi samskára) is also a yagna. The significance of yagna in the thread ceremony (upanayana samskára) is selfevident, as the sacred thread donned to symbolize the initiation of an enlightened life is called “yajóopavita”.

 This thread is always worn in the auspicious presence of yajóágni. Yagna is also performed during the programme of katha-kirtan (the recital of an allegoric story along with devotional songs), religiouscelebrations and the occasions of special festivals. 

For example, Holi, which is celebrated these days as a colour festival was originally a festival of yagna to celebrate the harvesting of ripe crop every year. A handful of fresh grains is required to be sacrificed in the “holi- yagna” as a mark of expressing gratitude to God’s grace. It also signifies the spirit of purifying the grain in yajóágni before using it in food preparations. 

Yagna is also performed on religious functions like Satya Narayan Katha, Bhagvat Katha, Ramayan Parayan, etc. Specific yagnas are also invariably linked with the Vedic as well as the tántrika sádhaná-anusthánas. Gayatri sádhaná is regarded incomplete without yagna. The number of áhutis offered in the havans or yagnas organized to mark the end of Gáyatri anuÌÚhána or mahápurascarañas should at least equal the tenth or hundredth fraction of the number of japas completed everyday in these sádhanás. Worshipping various manifestations of God is also required to be carried out with specific kinds of yagna, as described in the holy places of pilgrimage. 

The prominence of tirthas, the places of pilgrimage, is also associated with yagna since the Vedic Age. The places where grand yagnas were organized and conducted by the rishis became tirthas and are still revered as holy destinations of pilgrimage in India.

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Commander Selvam Siddhar

Thought Control & God In My Breath

Param Pujya ,His Holiness "Swamiji Sri Selvam Siddhar"

By doing previous awareness exercises, your mind may be distracted. To deal with such situation, you shall keep your eyes half closed resting on an object or one spot three feet ahead of you. You are not to focus on the object/spot. By doing this, you may have trouble with your wandering mind. No cause for alarm. You practice control over your wandering mind with patience and perseverance. Gradually you will succeed.To deal with distraction of mind you may follow any of the two ways:

a) You have to follow your thoughts as a puppy in the streets follows any pair of legs it finds in motion. It does not care for the direction where they are moving. After some seconds, you shall make yourself aware that you are thinking. You may say to yourself interiorly that I am thinking ......... thinking ...... thinking. By this you will be aware that thinking process is going on.

b) The other way to overcome distraction is to observe your thoughts as a man stationed at his window watching passersby on the street. After doing this for a while, you shall keep yourself aware that you are thinking .... thinking .... thinking .... You may do any of the above two exercises for not more than five minutes. Thinking tends to stop by making yourself aware of it. A distraction charged with strong emotion: love, fear, resentment, sorrow will not easily yield to this exercise. Other exercises discussed hereinafter shall help you in that.

God In My Breath

With closed eyes practise the awareness of body sensations for a while. Then come to the awareness of your breathing as done before and stay with this awareness for a few minutes .... Reflect now that this air that you are breathing is charged with the Power and the PRESENCE of God. Think of the air as of an Immense OCEAN that surrounds you .... an ocean heavily coloured with God’s presence and God’s being .... While you draw the air into your lungs you are drawing God in .... Be aware that you are drawing in the Power and Presence of God each time you breathe in... Stay in this awareness as long as you can... Notice what you feel when you become conscious that you are drawing God in with each breath you take ......

ANOTHER REFLECTION

1. While you breathe in, be conscious of God’s Spirit coming into you Fill your lungs with the divine energy he brings with Him ....

2. While you breathe out, imagine you are breathing out all your impurities .... your fears .... your negative feelings .... Your shortcomings and weaknesses.

3. Imagine you see your whole body becoming radiant and alive through this process of breathing in God’s life-giving Spirit and breathing out all your impurities ......

Stay with this awareness as long as you can without distractions.

Breath communication with God

Devotional Prayer may here be called as ‘PRAYER’; whereas ‘Intuitional Prayer’ may coincide roughly with CONTEMPLATION. Both type of prayers lead to union with God. Such of them is more suited to some Sadhakas than to others. According to time and need suitability of these Prayers may change.Any Prayer that limits itself to the thinking mind alone is not prayer really but! at best, a preparation for prayer. Even among Sadhakas there is no genuine personal communication that isn’t at least in some small degree heart communication, that does not contain some small degree of emotion in it. If a communication, a sharing of thoughts, is entirely and totally devoid of all emotion you can be sure the intimate, personal dimension is lacking. Here are some variations of the previous exercise more devotional than intuitional. As the thought content in prayer is minimal—it will easily move from the devotional to the intuitional, from the heart to the heart. Become aware of your breathing for a while. Now REFLECT presence of God in the atmosphere all around you.... Reflect His presence in the air you are breathing—BE CONSCIOUS OF HIS PRESENCE.... Notice what you feel, when you become conscious of His presence in the air you are breathing in and out....Now express yourself to God non-verbally. Frequently, express a sentiment through a look on a gesture .... Then again by breathing. Express first of all, a great yearning for Him without using words, even mentally, say to Him, MY LORD, I long for You .... Just by the way breathe. You may express this by breathing in deeply, by deepening your inhalation.

Now express another attitude or sentiment: ONE OF TRUST AND SURRENDER—NO words—just through breath, “My LORD, I surrender myself entirely to you .... You may do this by emphasizing your exhalation, by breathing out each time as if you were sighing deeply. Each time you breathe out feel yourself letting the whole of yourself go in God’s hand. Then, after sometime, take up other attitudes before your LORD and express these through your breathing such as: LOVE.... CLOSENESS.... and INTIMACY ADORATION.......... GRATITUDE.......... PRAISE.... if you are tired of doing this, return to the beginning of this exercise and just rest peacefully in the awareness of God all around you and in the air you are breathing in and out.... Then, if you tend to get distracted, fall back on second part of the exercise and express yourself to God non-verbally once more.

For More help and to come out of any of your problems in your life please call His Holiness Swamiji Sri Selvam Siddhar for more help. Swamiji is the only Atharva Vedic Scholar in the entire USA. Pleas reach the Toll Free # @ 1-888-808-1418 or email swamiji to  avtemple@aol.com