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Science and Philosophy of Yagyopathy

Those practicing in the science of Ayurved have been since long, adopting the process of vaporization of medicines to make them more subtle and effective. They were rewarded comparatively with more success in this pursuit. When this new system of vaporization was added to the old traditional system of administration of medicines orally or through blood circulation, it displayed wonderful results.

Treatment through yagya which may be called yagyopathy is a prophylactic device. Its direct and immediate gain is its curative effect, although, it results in high-level spiritual attainment. Nothing special is required to be done it. Medicines according to symptoms of the diseases are offered in the sacred and the patient is required to sit near it where energy is produced, wearing limited clothes. While participating in yagya putting on heavy, thick and tight clothes is prohibited. Minimum clothes ordinarily dhoti (loin cloth) and dupatta should suffice. The clothes should be thin and light so that the pores of skin may not find obstruction. If parts of body remain exposed they get more benefit by the energy produced by yagya.

As in other systems of treatment in yagyopathy also the disease has to be diagnosed before starting treatment. Deficiency of some useful elements or growth of some noxious elements in the body create diseases. All physicians act in their own ways to fulfill this deficiency and neutralize the noxious elements. This has to be done in yagyopathy also. It is examined what is needed to build up the body defense system to make it strong. The quantity in which and the materials through which this deficiency has to be fulfilled is also assessed. The toxic accumulations in metabolism of various organs its nature and quantity and the energy required to neutralize it are all examined along with remedies which are sough to be resorted.

Different herbs as havan samagri are used for different diseased. Ordinary yagya is generally useful uniformly for all. It nourishes all the participants uniformly. Just as mother’s milk does to her child. It does not harm anybody but benefits in general debility and sickness of the patient. This is all about the general prophylactic utility linked with the science of yagyopathy by the next step which is taken keeping in view the condition of the patient is more timely and specific. In the later, the symptoms of the disease are carefully examined and then it is decided what treatment should be given to him and how much and what type of energy should be produced offering particular materials in the sacrificial fire of yagya.

From this point of view yagya of a specific material havishya is prescribed for a patient of specifis diseasie. The elements of both, providing nourishment and prevention of disease are kept in view and coordinated in formulation havan samagri. When cholroquine is prescribed, the patient is advised to take more milk to neutralize side effects of drug. Asthenic patients are given fruit juice and easily digestible nourishing diet. It is extremely important to check debility and maintain strength and vigour. Along with neutralization of toxic effects due to accumulation of poisonous elements, nourishment is equally important. In yagyopathy both these requirements of the patient are kept in view and appropriate havan samagri is prescribed. It is therefore, necessary to have knowledge of the chemical composition of materials used and also the effects of mixing them with other materials.

Articles which are offered in sacrificial fire and which are known as havishya consist of (1) Mixture of medicinal plants (2) ghrit (3) sacrificial fire –wood known as samidha and (4) specific articles offered in final oblation or offering, known as poornahuti. All these four have different properties and effect. Ordinarily Ghrit of cow’s milk is used. Ghrit prepared by milk of other animals too have their own specialty and after examining their chemical composition it is decided which type of ghrit should be used in havan for the treatment of a particular patient .In deciding the components of havishya for a particular disease same basis of chemical analysis is adopted as is being done since long by scientists who treat patients by other systems of treatment. Necessary amendments, Modifications are made in the previous assessments if after use, it is felt necessary to do so.

The burning of sacrificial fire wood which is one of the components of havishya is as effective as offering medicines in havan kund. There are useful or useless chemical elements in smaller or greater quantity in fire wood. Havishya consists not only of medicinal herbs in leaves, flowers, fruits but pieces of wood duly crushed and powdered are also mixed in it. Powdered sandal wood, pine –wood (dev –Daru ) agar, tagar etc. are mixed in havan samagri.They are as effective as other medicines. Wood of only some specific kinds of trees has been prescribed to be used as samisha.

In poornhauti which consists of three parts not havan samagri but specific articles are used .In swishtakrit home sweetmeat is offered. In poornahuti fruits and in vasodhara ghrit in a continuous stream like flow are offered in the sacrificial fire. Combinatrion of these three kinds of offering is said to be poornahuti which is designed mainly to fullill the purpose of nutrition .The offering of havishya in the sacrificial fire prior to poornauti acts as a preventive device. What sweets should be offered, how and with what components they should be prepared are all matters duly prescribed in the yagya-vidhan. Sugar, Mishri or sweetmeat is used as a matter of routine. By way of exception some specific kinds of charu are prepared. In swishtakrit hom. Kheer. Halwa or laddoo are sacrificed. The nutrients element of which are patient is deficient ate kept in view while preparing these sweet articles. In poornahuti.ordinarily coconut,betel nut which are easily available are used. But ripe fruits or dry fruits can also be used. This selection of fruits for poornahuti is also done with due far sightedness as is done in the case of fire –wood, samidha. In vasodhara m ghrit is dropped in a continuous stream like flow in large quantity so that raw havishya in havan kund may burn immediately and the patients body may absorb adequate quantity of fat which it needs. Sugar along with cereals in swishtakrit hom, fruits in poornahuti and grhit in vasodhara are used with a view to providing adequate nourishment to yagya participants. It also becomes necessary to mix camphor, saffron etc. in vasodhara ghrit which turns it into a specific medicine.

Yagyavashishtha (residual articles of yagya) are used in various forms. The residual charu of swishtakrit hom is taken by the yajman in the form of divine blessings, prasad. The queens of Dashrath had taken charu of yagya by Vashishtha and were blessed with sons. Some of the fruits used in the poornahuti are given to the yajman by way of blessings ans he is asked to eat them at home .The residual ghrit collected in water pot and remnant of vasodhara is smelt and applied on the face, head, heart etc. Although these uses of yagyashishta are physical, their effect is subtle just as it is created in the form of energy by offering havishya in sacrificial fire.

It is prescribed that the yagya shala should be covered so that the energy generated by yagya may remain restricted for sometime within that limited area. The participants sitting in yagya shala are obviously benefited as compared to those sitting at some distance. The practice of performing yagya under a shade and not in open sky is based on the fact that the participants may get maximum benefit of energy due to slight obstruction because the yagya flame has a tendency to shoot up immediately in the sky. The upward movement of energy gets checked on account of the shade and its effect is maintained in the atmosphere comparatively for more time. Yagya can be performed in a closed room also but it is not in keeping with its basic sentiments According to which prominence has to be given to universal good. Public welfare and feeling of self –sacrifice .If it is sought to derive benefit for one’s own self it will not remain a yagya which is sacred pious device of public utility but will remain an individual treatment with the aid of fire.

This is all about material aspect of yagya .The thing beyond it is extremely subtle and is of causal level. Like human beings matter too has three stages, physical, subtle and causal. The body which eats, sleeps, walks, acts, which consists of blood, flesh etc. and is visible is man’s physical body. Subtle body is that which thinks, considers and controls the physical body. Causal body is that in which faith, convictions, aspirations etc, are deeply rooted. Each one is better and more capable than the other respectively. The subtle body is much more powerful as compared to physical body. Causal body too, is several times more powerful than the subtle body. This analysis applies to matter also. The physical form can be seen and touched. The subtle form of matter can be known only by chemical analysis in a laboratory. The milk of buffalo contains more fat and is more tasteful as compared to cow’s milk but in the preparation of panchgavya preference is given only to cows milk. There are several plants which yield fruits in abundance. They are also useful from economic point of view as also on account of taste but they do not command as much divine faith and reverence as the plants of tulsi, amla and pipal do.

The causal energy underlying all the articles used in yagya is stimulated in yagya process. Then alone it is possible to effect desired changes in the mind and consciousness of the participants .If this is not done, the effect of yagya will be limited to vaporization .No doubt several benefits can be derived by burning fire. The smoke of yagya will also discharge that function. It will fulfill the ordinary purpose of dispelling foul smell and poisonous ness of atmosphere and spreading fragrance. It can also help in getting perspiration and in controlling virus infection and promoting health, but his is insignificant achievement importance of yagya lies in subtle power of articles which are offered in sacrificial fire and the selection or prohibition of a particular wood or havan samagri to be used in it is done on that basis so that keeping in view their chemical components the desired purpose may be fulfilled.

To create and stimulate the causal energy, the help of the science of mantras is taken. Udgata –Adhvarya take all precautions to ensure that the mantras are uttered pronounced and appropriate correctly in the voice, rhythm and tone duly prescribed. Discipline should be maintained .and there should be no deviation . Sound is said to be brahama. Ordinarily it is used for advancing knowledge and exchanging of thoughts but at higher-level sound plays the role of getting transformed into energy. The entire basis of mantra shashtra stands on the footing that the selection interlocking and appropriation of word in mantra should be done in such a way that it may be possible to get miraculous advantage of making its consciousness specifically powerful.

Mantras are pronounced in yagya in accordance with the prescribed methods and rules. It benefits the persons concerned and makes it possible to stimulate useful vibrations and excitement in the atmosphere. Besides it is also possible to stimulate the causal energy of the materials used in yagya to such an extent that the hidden potentialities underlying them may be revealed. Articles made sacred and pious with the help of mantras if given by way of blessing act more effectively than even medicine. It is therefore obvious that by invoking t the causal energy of havishya before it is sacrificed in the sacrificial fire exemplary successful results are produced to such an extent that even an ordinary matter or article proves to be of extraordinary specific power. If havishya is simply dropped in the fire it will only create fragrant smell and will be useful to that extent only. In that case it will not be possible to derive benefits which are created by performance yagya.

All the pots and even water used in yagya are purified though mantras and they are used thereafter only. Fire wood (samidhas) are obtained washed, dried and used after they are duly processed by mantras .To make the havan kund (pits of sacrificial fire) live, full of energy, the process vedi poojan and yagya shala-poojan are resorted to. This, as a whole is the scientific basis of Agnihotra process which in fact is a mass medication.