The Missing Link of Hinduism in Modern Times --- Swami Samarpanananda The great riddle of Hinduism Picture three

cousins: One lives in Modai, an Indian village, the second living in Mumbai, and the third in Manhattan. The cousin living in Manhattan is approached by his American friend, 'You are a Hindu. Tell me what is your essential ritual? I have been a non believer all my life, but I now want to be a practising Hindu.' The Manhattan cousin is not able to answer clearly. He thinks he is a Hindu, and practises what the local community of Hindus practise, but knows nothing more. He calls up his cousin in Mumbai for clarification, who replies that he goes to occasional satsanga of babajis, watches mythological serials, goes occasionally to temples, considers the cow sacred, and that is how he thinks himself to be a religious Hindu. Now both these cousins call up their cousin in Modai. This cousin says that he is a devout Hindu. He considers Gaya, Ganga, Gayatri, Go (cow), and Guru sacred, treats the Vedas as the sacred book, believes Aum to be the sacred symbol of God, and practises all that his villagers have been practising for thousands of years. But, beyond that he know nothing. The Manhattan friend finds it amusing that neither of the cousins is clear about what might make him a practising Hindu. He is further amused to know that neither of the cousins has even seen a copy of the Vedas, which they consider sacred. When it comes to himself, he may never get a chance to visit Gaya or Ganga, and he does not want to have a Guru right away. Considering the cow holy, and practising caste are also out of question for him. "In any case", he concludes, "even if I consider those five "g" as sacred, that would be only one time affair. What must I do everyday to feel myself a Hindu? And, what would really set me apart from say, a Muslim, or a Christian?" This makes the cousins serious about their roots. They now want to search for a direct connection with their ancestors who practised Hinduism (call it by any name) eight to ten thousand years ago, or more, "Is there a link that will connect us with the sages of the past? What ritual would thread us into becoming practising Hindus?" This is the famous riddle regarding Hinduism: 'What does it take to be a Hindu?' And, the corollary to this question is: 'How a Hindu is different from a Muslim or a Christian in his essential practises? After all they too go to their respective places of worship, follow a sacred book, and have great devotion towards their chosen ideals.' Many consider rituals too be irrelevant in today's world, and also conclude that personalities like Swami Vivekananda did not want to encourage these practises. But no, it is not so. When Swamiji was in London in 1895, two visitors came to meet Swamiji, about whom he wrote excitedly to E.T. Sturdy, "...Both of them want to know, the rituals of my creed! This opened my eyes. The world in general must have some form. In fact, in the ordinary sense religion is philosophy concretised through rituals and symbols. It is absolutely necessary to form some ritual and have a Church. That is to say, we must fix on some ritual as fast as we can....We will fix something grand, from birth to death of man. A mere loose system of philosophy gets no hold on mankind." (Complete works of Swami Vivekananda: Vol VIII, page: 356). Later, Swamiji talked about having a new code of conduct (Smriti) framed for the present age. Although no new Smriti has yet been codified, one may always get curious to know about the missing links, and the important rituals of Hinduism. However, before that let us first have a look at the core of Hinduism. Essentials of Hinduism Sri Ramakrishna said that (in Hinduism) the religion of the sages alone is eternal . And, defining the essential trait of Hinduism, Swami Vivekananda said, 'If a Hindu is not spiritual I do not call him a Hindu.' These two statements taken together imply that despite all the changes and reforms that keep taking place in Hinduism at regular intervals, the true Hinduism is a) what leads one to direct spiritual growth, and b) what continues as sacred tradition from the time of the ancient sages. These traditions can be found out from the various types of sacred literature of Hinduism, which are also known as pillars of religion.

Samarpan/ Five great sacrifices/ 1/5

The edifice of every religion stands on its sacred scripture, and also on its four pillars: philosophy, mythology, rituals, and social conduct. In religions other than Hinduism, these pillars are mixed inextricably in their respective sacred book(s). But, the four classes of literature of Hinduism: Upanishads, Itihasa-Purana, Tantra, and Smritis are distinctive, although they have their roots in the Vedas. Thus, every Hindu considers the Vedas sacred, although he may never have seen a copy of it. However, to understand the core of Hinduism one need not study the Vedas, rather, one has to only know the cardinal principle of any one of its four pillars, and he will be able to achieve his spiritual goal. Stated simply, the cardinal principles are: i) the philosophical conclusion of the Upanishads is that God (call it by any name) alone is Real; ii) the mythologies have been raised around the idea that God incarnates as beings (gods, human, and sub human); iii) the rituals have been codified with the idea that the identification of an individual with worldliness may get cleansed; iv) the code of conduct has been developed with the specific purpose of uniting the individual with the universal. The philosophy laid down in the Upanishads can never change, but can be reiterated, as in Gita. Similarly, nothing new can be added to the mythological stories of the Puranas and Mahabharata, but they can be told and retold variously. Same is the case with the rituals associated with worship: they are more or less fixed, but can undergo cosmetic changes whenever needed. It is due to this that Hindus have no confusion regrading the philosophy, mythology, or the ritualistic worship. The problem lies only with the actions connected with the daily life, since the society keeps changing rapidly. Holding on to non essential practices would be considered a sign of backwardness, and yet, it is these daily rituals that make a person Hindu, Christian, or Muslim. To understand the particulars of ritual, we need to understand the dynamics of action as understood in Hinduism. Types of action Religions prescribe five types of action for its votaries: Nitya (daily rituals), Naimittika (performed on special occasions), Prayaschitta (penances), Kamya (related to worldly desires), and Nisiddha (prohibited actions). These five kinds of action form the visible rituals of a religious practitioner. The Upanishads (which form the philosophical base of Hinduism), do not discuss these issues, since according to them, actions constitute only the preparatory ground for realising the Real. One who wants to be one with the Supreme, has to give up all actions, both good and bad. The remaining three pillars (Itihasa-Purana, Tantra, Smriti) detail the dos and don'ts, sometime through assertions, and at other times through examples. Interestingly, values in Hinduism are not static as many wrongly believe. Even the highest values like truth and non-violence at times come to loggerheads in Ramayana and Mahabharata because of their inherent contradictions. One value that remains unchanged through entire Hindu auxiliary religious literature is not at all a value but an attitude. And, that is unselfishness or detachment in action. Personalities like Sri Krishna and Sri Rama were completely detached, and that is why the results of actions, good or bad, did not touch them. Sri Rama's killing of Vali, and Sri Krishna's role in the great Mahabharata war belong to this category of detachment. To instil this great principle of unselfishness in everyday life of a common man, the sages prescribed mandatory performance of the five great sacrifices, known as Pancha Mahayajna everyday. Through the daily performance of these great sacrifices, a householder can easily get out of the clutches of self-centredness. These five can also be performed in different formats to make them Naimittika (by performing one of these on a large scale on special days) and Prayaschitta (performing one of these as atonement for some past mistake), apart from their being Nitya. The remaining two types of action, Kamya and Nisiddha are also the fallouts of these five great yajna (sacrifices) only. Yajna: What are they

Samarpan/ Five great sacrifices/ 2/5

Broadly speaking, any religious acts of an individual or of a group is yajna (religious sacrifice), but Yajnas are invariably associated with the Vedas, where they act as prayer to the divine in anticipation of something in which the offering effects the communication between the mundane and the sacred, and the priest acts as the agent of the sacrificer as well as the mouthpiece of the gods. Under normal condition, every act of a person is mundane, and at times, even profane. But when those very acts are performed with a religious outlook, they becomes yajna. Even the simple act of breathing can be transformed into a sacrifice (Gita, IV.29) when it is performed with proper attitude. Thus yajna (sacrifice) is the consecration of the mundane to the divine. It is the transformation of the profane into the sacred; is the bridge between the material and the spiritual; and is the instrument to convert the belittled to the exalted. For a person to be spiritual, his acts have to be spiritualised, and for that his every act has to become a yajna. That is why even the act of creation by Purusha (God) was perceived as a yajna by the Vedic sages, and was described so (Purusa Sukta, Rig Veda X. 90) . However, it is impossible for a common man to treat every act of his as a yajna. So, an easier way has to be found for his upward journey towards spirituality. It was to solve this problem that the Vedic sages came up with the solution of public and private yajna for all. Soon they had framed methods by which the life of an individual and the society could be regulated by sacrificial acts. In birth, death, marriage, acquisition, renunciation, sorrow, joy, victory, loss -- there came up a yajna. Slowly these yajnas diversified into sacraments (samskaras), and sacrifices (offerings and oblations). The yajnas which were not sacramental (i.e. not a samskara) were characterised by offering of oblations to various deities and personalities. The oblations (havih) meant for gods were poured as ahuti into fire, known as homa , whereas the offerings made to the ancestors and the demigods (Nirriti and the Rakshasas) were known as bali and were placed on the strewn grass, or put in water. The Panca Pahayajna (lit. five great sacrifices), practised in Hindu homes since time immemorial, is a unique combination of i) the Vedic sacrifices, ii) the concept of sacrifices as presented in Gita (chapter IV), and also iii) the ritualistic worship that replaced Vedic sacrifices from daily life Panca Mahayajna : Beyond the bondage of time and space The concept of these daily sacrifices was already in the Vedic period, but the first clear mention of the term Pancha yajna is found in Mahabharata. In the famous debate between Ashtavakra and Bandi, the court priest of king Janaka, the number five is extolled because of the great sacrifices being five in number. In the same book Yuddhisthira replies to Yaksha that a person who does not perform the five sacrifices is like a living dead. Law books like Manu Smriti are emphatic about the the duty of every householder to perform these yajna daily. While commenting on the importance of yajna in human life, Acharya Shankara in his commentary on Gita says that Pancha Mahayajna must not be given up. Coming to our own times, Swami Vivekananda while commenting on the method and the means of Bhakti-Yoga says that, 'And then as to sacrificial work, it is understood (underline added) that the five great sacrifices (Panchamahayajna) have to be performed as usual.' Swamiji takes it for granted that every Hindu will be performing these rituals. Indeed, it has been the custom of most Hindu homes to practise these five rigorously. Thus we see that Panca Mahayajna is one particular ritual that has been recommended from ancient times to date. And it is this distinctive ritual of Hinduism, which in modern times has become the missing link of the ancient religion for the younger generation. Here it must be mentioned that different sects of Hinduism practise thousands of different rituals, like taking a sip of Ganga water daily, eating tulasi leaves, taking prasad (sacramental offering) etc., but when it comes to panca mahayajna, they are all united, irrespective of locality, caste, gender, and sect. The five great Sacrifices Coming back to the three cousins, we find that irrespective of who is living where, each one of

Samarpan/ Five great sacrifices/ 3/5

them is indebted to five sets of beings for his existence: The sages gave them culture; the nature gods give him sustenance, the ancestors gave him the genetic material, the society nurtures him, and the lower forms of life make his living possible. So, a person with sensitivity will invariably feel indebted to these five sets of beings, and will be happy to express his gratefulness to them. It is in the backdrop of this grand practicality that the concept of Pancha Mahayajna was developed and practised daily. And, it is only through the practise of these five that one can feel connected with his ancestors who lived tens of thousands of years ago. The yajnas are: Brahma Yajna (also known as, Rishi Yajna ) dedicated to sages. The rituals consist of daily japa, meditation and study (Svadhyaya) of scriptures. The individual has the freedom to choose his ideal for meditation, and can also choose prayers and scriptures of his liking for daily recital and study. Deva Yajna is dedicated to the divine beings, and is performed by the ritualistic worship at home, or the temple. Most Hindu families have a griha devata, or a kula devta towards whom worship is offered daily, or more than once a day, but one has the freedom to choose the deities, or gods to whom one will offer such worship. One may even opt to worship the Supreme God Himself, but the ritualistic worship like offering flowers, incense stick etc. must not be neglected. Pitri Yajna is meant for the ancestors. It is offered at the time of noon food by placing a little food and water outside the eating plate in their name. Later, this offering is left for birds or stray animals. Nri Yajna (also known as Manushya-Yajna) is for the humanity, and is performed by feeding guests, beggars, and holy men. In Mahabharata Yuddhisthira is told that even if a householder has no food to offer these categories of people, one can always offer them water, a seat, or at least kind words. Swami Vivekananda's idea of service to the humanity is only an elaboration of this yajna. Bhuta Yajna is the offering to lower species like birds and animals. It is performed by daily feeding of insects, birds and animals, including pets. Indians have been practising these five sacrifices since prehistoric times. Nearly every Hindu home practises these, knowingly or unknowingly. It is only the ultra modern generation that has lost its link with the past, and for which it has already started paying a price. In today's multi storey flat culture and fast life, it may not be possible for everyone to practise these five fully, but if one is conscious of his sacred duties, one can find ways to perform them. For example, one can keep aside some money everyday for Nri yajna and Bhuta yajna separately, which he can donate to institutions that serve poor people, and look after birds and beasts. Here it must be added that these rituals are not meant for the sannyasins. Monks focus only on the first two of these practices. Everyone else has to follow these rituals, since these have a cleansing effect, and also are the connecting link with the cosmos. Why these yajnas in modern times? The Microcosmos and the macrocosmos: In one of the earliest prayers of Rg Veda (8.83.8), we find a prayer to the gods of the heaven : " -- -- "O Great Ones, we have established now our perpetual brotherhood, with harmony, in the mother's womb. " This prayer to gods by the sage indicates that to be born is to become one with the whole nature. This means that all existence forms a complete whole, and emphasis on "individuality" is an aberration. During his travels, Swamiji had a revelation at Almorah, when he discovered the great unity between the micro and the macro. Later, he used to emphasise on the essential unity of the two in his lectures. But a common man can't even link his petty existence with the great unity that surrounds him. What to say of feeling the oneness! As mentioned earlier, these sacrifices act as an individual's rendezvous with cosmos. Sacrifices, prayer, meditation and japa are one's personal connect with God, but these daily yajna link up a person with the entire universe. It is only through the practise of these that one feels the oneness of the micro with the macro. And that is why these were mandatory for the householders, irrespective of their caste or age. Non-Indic religions like Islam and Christianity do not subscribe to these daily rituals.

Samarpan/ Five great sacrifices/ 4/5

Ritualistic offering to ancestors is not permitted in these religions, although they may visit graveyards and tombs occasionally. Similarly, compassion to people and animals are practised in every religion, but treating them as objects of worship is something inconceivable in any religion other than Hinduism. That is how Panca Mahayajna is the distinctive feature of Hinduism. Expansion is life: People have become too self centred today, because of which they suffer from sleep disorder, depression and self destructive moods. To overcome these maladies, the wise ones recommend practising unselfishness, and service to others. And, what can be a better method to do this than the performance of the five great sacrifices? Even a practice of only a few days only would reveal the power of these practices. That is why even today majority of the Hindus practise these rituals. Environmental issues: These sacrifices not only take care of environmental issues, but also show why we must practise non violence. Destruction and wastage of any kind is strictly prohibited in Hinduism. When we know that every morsel of food that goes inside our mouth, goes at the cost of others, then we would learn to be humble. It is then that we would learn not to be wasteful, and also learn to repay our debts to all those who make our life possible. Synthesis of Yoga: The practise of these yajnas are also the synthesis of the four yogas, as preached by Swami Vivekananda. In the modern times, the synthesis of yoga is the benchmark for the correctness of any religious practise. Brahma Yajna/ Rishi Yajna is based on Jnana Yoga and Raja Yoga, Deva Yajna is all about Bhakti Yoga, and the other three are related to Karma Yoga. Conclusion: The sudden burst of consumerism, unbridled freedom, and senseless embracing of dirt culture have made Hindus restless and rootless. They keep drifting from meaningless orthodoxy to a complete condemnation of age old values. Of course there is no way to set the clock back and take the society to the days of yajna and gods. Nor is it advisable to bring back the localised customs that were practised by a bunch of ill informed Brahmins in the previous century. What can be really done is to softly guide the drifters (and the uninformed) towards a higher way of life. As mentioned earlier, there is no confusion among the Hindus regarding the sacredness of the Vedas, or the profundity of its philosophy as found in the Upanishads and the Gita. The only missing link of the present day Hindus with respect to their past, is the conscious identification with the cosmos, which can be easily done by performing Panca Mahayajna. Indeed, it is only through a daily practise of these five great sacrifices that a Hindu living a worldly life can be a practising Hindu, and can feel connected with the ancient sages. And, this is what would satisfy the three cousins of our story, and also the Manhattan friend. ***

Samarpan/ Five great sacrifices/ 5/5