The annual Hindu calendar is rich with ceremonies, but there are some that never make the calendar. This weekend we were invited to participate in a 3-day prayer and praise celebration by a Hindu family as thanksgiving for their
many blessings -- and in particular, the blessing of restored health. We were struck by the elaborate mantras and the rituals of fire and the warm, open welcome we were given by the celebration's hosts.
Known as Maha Yajn, the ceremony consisted of the oral
recitation of certain ancient Vedic mantras (hymns) by various clergy
accompanied by sections of the Vedas chanted by the devotees. Over the course of
three days, the clergy, both male and female priests, chanted some of the 400
sacred verses written in Sanskrit and dating from the Vedic period (1500 BC to
500 BC) which preceded modern Hinduism, and is sustained in practice today by
Brahmin Hindus. An essential element of the yaj ceremony is the
sacrificial fire - the divine Agni - as everything that is offered into the
fire is believed to reach God. Among the herbal preparations offered as
oblations in the fire were large quantities of ghee, coconut, and grains.
The Four Vedas
The philosophy of yajna teaches a way of living in society
in harmony. It promotes a lifestyle which protects higher human
values in society and strives to form the basis of an ideal human culture. The
word yajna is derived from the Sanskrit verb yaj, which has a three-fold
meaning: worship of God, unity, and charity.
No comments:
Post a Comment