By Swami Harshananda
Baliharaṇa literally means ‘distributing the balis or offerings’.
‘Baliharaṇa’ is the same as ‘bhuta-yajña’, one of the pañcayajñas or five daily sacrifices to be performed by every householder. The balis or offerings of cooked rice are kept on the ground, properly cleaned, to be accepted by the domestic deities, by the deities of water, of herbs and others. As a part of this rite, food is to be offered to other human beings in need and animals, out of compassion.
References[edit]
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore