Pancha Maha Yajya

“यज्ञो वै श्रेष्ठतमं कर्म” (शतपथ ब्राह्मण 1/7/1/5) means “Yajya is the best of all deeds”. Yajya is performing virtuous karmas at all three levels: thoughts, words and deeds as well as helping others achieve the same goal.

In the Rigveda Mantra (1/13/12)

ईश्वर has given a command to perform a Yajya by saying ‘स्वाहा यज्ञं कृणोतन’॥

Manusmriti the first मानव धर्मशास्त्र describes five type of yajya:

अध्यापनं ब्रह्मयज्ञः पितृयज्ञस्तु तर्पणम्।

होमो दैवो बलिर्भौतो नृयज्ञोऽतिथिपूजनम्॥ 3/70

The पंचयज्ञ include Brahmayagya - teaching of Vedas, Pitrayagya - devoted to forefathers, Devyagya - devoted to the gods, Bhootyagya - devoted to charity, and Atithiyagya - devoted to guests.

Maharishi Dayanand ji said on the basis of Vedas, that every human being must do five Mahayajya daily in his life.

Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati in his books describes five types of yajyas one must do.

1. Brahma Yajya

(ब्रह्म यज्ञ) is a daily individual (personal) meditation called ईश्वर - Stuti - Prarthana - Upasana, Sandhya or Sandhya Yog-Upasana.

Brahma-yajya pertains to reading the Vedas and other धार्मिक texts and teaching them to others. The study increases wisdom, and discussion during teaching helps one have a better interpretation of intricate details. This motivates one to go into deeper study.

2. Deva Yajya

(देवयज्ञ) i.e. Havan or Agnihotra is a group activity including family and others as described earlier.

3. Pitri Yajya

(पितृ यज्ञ) is serving with devotion one’s living mother, father and family elders.

4. Balivaishvadeva Yajya

(बलिवैश्वदेवयज्ञ) is offering food and taking care of helpless human beings and other beings e.g. animals, birds who are dependent on us.

5. Atithi Yajya

(अतिथि यज्ञ) is honoring and serving learned virtuous guests who visit us.

Ultimate purpose of all yajyas in life as per the Vedas and related scriptures is attainment of Ishwar realization.

॥ ओ३म् ॥