This is the transcript of a talk given over Radio Demerara, in
Georgetown Guyana, South America on Sunday 29 May, 1960, BY DEO NARAIN
PERSAUD.
(transcript prepared by his late son Bans Narain Persaud)
YAJNA
(SACRIFICE)
FRIENDS,
I am grateful to the sponsors of this program and the management of Radio Demerara for the opportunity to say a few words to you on the subject of YAJNA.
Now, YAJNA means sacrifice. The records of history show that all peoples at all times performed sacrifice of some form or another. Even the primitive man felt this urge to do sacrifice and often waged wars to obtain victims for this purpose. Some people sacrifice animals, some make burnt offerings of grain and in various ways. Mankind as a whole has given expression to this urge for propitiating some power greater than his own little self.
The question arises then: For what reason, all men, whether civilized or uncivilized, of whatever race or creed and in all countries and all conditions of living have from time immemorial to this day shown this irresistible urge to do sacrifice? The answer is found in the Rig Veda, Chapter 10, Hymn 90, which states that all creation is the result of an act of sacrifice by the creator himself. The allegory is that the one, Purusha, was offered as a sacrifice and his limbs were scattered to all the quarters of space. By this great sacrifice the world's pattern is kept up. As man is the product of sacrifice it is his nature to perform sacrifice and in that he finds satisfaction and great joy. It is for this reason also, that those who perform the greatest of all sacrifices - the sacrifice of their lives that others may live - are loved and revered as the records of history show.
In our own traditions, we find that the Vedas prescribed sacrifice of various kinds for various purposes, and some of these traditions survive to this day.
In the MANUSMRITI man is enjoined to perform sacrifice for his prosperity and this is repeated in the BHAGVAD GITA which says in Chapter 3, verse 10:-
" In ancient days the Lord of Creatures
" Created men along with sacrifice and
" said, 'By this shall ye bring forth and
" this shall be unto you that which yield
" the milk of your desires' ."
In the fourth chapter of the Bhagvad Gita, verses 23 to 33, the various forms of sacrifices are outlined, the sacrifice to the Devatas, the pouring of libations into the sacred fire, the sacrifice of self discipline and the acquisition of knowledge, the sacrifice of austerity, and severe vows, the sacrifice of material possession such as money, food and other objects, and the greatest of all, the sacrifice of knowledge.
In this country, at the present time, when we do our YAJNAS such as the Satya Narayan Puja and the Shri Mad Bhagvat, we combine several of these sacrifices. We do the sacrifices of wisdom or knowledge by inviting a learned pandit to expound the scriptures, we do the sacrifice to the Devatas, and pouring the libations into the sacred fire (HAVAN), we perform the sacrifice of austerity by fasting and the sacrifice of food and material possession by giving feasts and largesse (DAKSHNA) to Brahmins and donations of money etc. to the poor and needy.
Some people do these sacrifice to celebrate some success or achievement, others with a desire for a place in heaven, or for wealth, prosperity or children, and some do it for fear, but the very best way of doing any sacrifice is to do it without any self interest as an offering to God without any aspiration or hope for reward. In that we
will find the greatest joy.
We should always endeavour to make our whole life one of unalloyed joy by translating this spirit of sacrifice into all our actions. We could make every act an act of sacrifice. If whatever we do we do it without self interest and for the welfare of others it becomes an act of sacrifice. No matter how humble or how exalted our station may be, we could find, the opportunity of making this form of sacrifice. The student at school should consider that he is learning his lessons not for the purpose of self glorification, but as a means of qualifying himself/herself for greater services to the world. The farmer should consider that he is making a humble contribution to the relief of hunger and famine. The professional man, the man of wealth, the humble labourer, could all bring into their actions this spirit of sacrifice by dedicating them to the welfare of others.
Even the humble things in the lower order of creation have this form of sacrifice, for example the cow produces milk which is used by man and trees give fruit which is enjoyed by man. Sacrifice gives great joy.
As the holy verse says:-
" Save work done as and for sacrifice
" this world is in bondage to work
" Therefore O Son of Kunti, do thy work
" as a sacrifice, becoming free from all
attachment."
FRIENDS,
I am grateful to the sponsors of this program and the management of Radio Demerara for the opportunity to say a few words to you on the subject of YAJNA.
Now, YAJNA means sacrifice. The records of history show that all peoples at all times performed sacrifice of some form or another. Even the primitive man felt this urge to do sacrifice and often waged wars to obtain victims for this purpose. Some people sacrifice animals, some make burnt offerings of grain and in various ways. Mankind as a whole has given expression to this urge for propitiating some power greater than his own little self.
The question arises then: For what reason, all men, whether civilized or uncivilized, of whatever race or creed and in all countries and all conditions of living have from time immemorial to this day shown this irresistible urge to do sacrifice? The answer is found in the Rig Veda, Chapter 10, Hymn 90, which states that all creation is the result of an act of sacrifice by the creator himself. The allegory is that the one, Purusha, was offered as a sacrifice and his limbs were scattered to all the quarters of space. By this great sacrifice the world's pattern is kept up. As man is the product of sacrifice it is his nature to perform sacrifice and in that he finds satisfaction and great joy. It is for this reason also, that those who perform the greatest of all sacrifices - the sacrifice of their lives that others may live - are loved and revered as the records of history show.
In our own traditions, we find that the Vedas prescribed sacrifice of various kinds for various purposes, and some of these traditions survive to this day.
In the MANUSMRITI man is enjoined to perform sacrifice for his prosperity and this is repeated in the BHAGVAD GITA which says in Chapter 3, verse 10:-
" In ancient days the Lord of Creatures
" Created men along with sacrifice and
" said, 'By this shall ye bring forth and
" this shall be unto you that which yield
" the milk of your desires' ."
In the fourth chapter of the Bhagvad Gita, verses 23 to 33, the various forms of sacrifices are outlined, the sacrifice to the Devatas, the pouring of libations into the sacred fire, the sacrifice of self discipline and the acquisition of knowledge, the sacrifice of austerity, and severe vows, the sacrifice of material possession such as money, food and other objects, and the greatest of all, the sacrifice of knowledge.
In this country, at the present time, when we do our YAJNAS such as the Satya Narayan Puja and the Shri Mad Bhagvat, we combine several of these sacrifices. We do the sacrifices of wisdom or knowledge by inviting a learned pandit to expound the scriptures, we do the sacrifice to the Devatas, and pouring the libations into the sacred fire (HAVAN), we perform the sacrifice of austerity by fasting and the sacrifice of food and material possession by giving feasts and largesse (DAKSHNA) to Brahmins and donations of money etc. to the poor and needy.
Some people do these sacrifice to celebrate some success or achievement, others with a desire for a place in heaven, or for wealth, prosperity or children, and some do it for fear, but the very best way of doing any sacrifice is to do it without any self interest as an offering to God without any aspiration or hope for reward. In that we
will find the greatest joy.
We should always endeavour to make our whole life one of unalloyed joy by translating this spirit of sacrifice into all our actions. We could make every act an act of sacrifice. If whatever we do we do it without self interest and for the welfare of others it becomes an act of sacrifice. No matter how humble or how exalted our station may be, we could find, the opportunity of making this form of sacrifice. The student at school should consider that he is learning his lessons not for the purpose of self glorification, but as a means of qualifying himself/herself for greater services to the world. The farmer should consider that he is making a humble contribution to the relief of hunger and famine. The professional man, the man of wealth, the humble labourer, could all bring into their actions this spirit of sacrifice by dedicating them to the welfare of others.
Even the humble things in the lower order of creation have this form of sacrifice, for example the cow produces milk which is used by man and trees give fruit which is enjoyed by man. Sacrifice gives great joy.
As the holy verse says:-
" Save work done as and for sacrifice
" this world is in bondage to work
" Therefore O Son of Kunti, do thy work
" as a sacrifice, becoming free from all
attachment."
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