Talk:Yajña and Havana
From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia
By Vishal Agarwal
Yajña is an ancient Vedic way of worship. The salient features of this ceremony are:
- It is performed with the chanting of mantra-s, and worshippers offer ghṛta (ghee) and other items into a fire altar. In modern times, Vedic mantra-s are often substituted with japa or stotra-s from other scriptures.
- Agni (fire) symbolizes Bhagavān and carries the offerings to the deva-s.
- Yajña purifies the environment. Some believe that it brings rain.
- Major rites of passage in the life of a Hindu involve a yajña – such as the wedding or cremation.
Hindus believe that when yajña-s are performed with faith and the correct procedure, they purify the mind, making it more inclined toward spiritual disciplines like bhakti. Even though pūjā has overtaken yajña and havana as the more common forms of worship among Hindus in the last 2000 years, the latter are still performed on major occasions.
Some Hindu traditions such as the Ārya Samāj and the Nāmadhārī Sikhs emphasize yajña and havana exclusively, as they completely avoid image worship, which forms the core of pūjā.