Radhika: What is agnihotra?
Swami Ram Swarup: How to do havan
Please sit in the morning to perform havan. Havan must be in sunlight then it is more beneficial. Then half a bowl of fresh water with a tablespoon must be with you with small twigs especially of mango tree if possible, havan samagri, ghee, camphor and match box must be there with you. Please sit on sukh asan on four times folded blanket and blanket must be on mat.
Sukh asan i.e., sit on duly folded feet in comfortable position. Then first close your eyes and concentrate between two eyebrows and chant Gaytri mantra three times within heart and not by mouth. Then open your eyes.
Take one spoon of water in right palm. Chant this mantra, OM AMRTO UPASTRANMASI SWAHA and drink the water which you have put in your palm. Then again take the spoon of water in right palm then chant the next mantra, OM AMRITA APIDHANMASI SWAHA, and drink the water. Then again take the water in right palm and chant the mantra, OM SATYAM YASHAH SHRI MAYI SHRI SHRAYTAAM SWAHA, and drink the water. Then wash the right palm while sitting, with the same water kept in bowl.
Then put the twigs into havan kund with one piece of camphor and burn it. During this process chant the Gayatri mantra again and again till such time the fire is lighted sufficiently. Then chant the Gayatri mantra and at the last add the word Swaha and offer ghee with tablespoon, quantity equivalent to 4 to 5 drops. And if you are alone then also offer in fire pinch of havan samagri from your right hand’s finger and thumb avoiding forefinger. So this offering may be of 11 times, 21 times or 51 times as the time suits. It is the simplest way and I have not quoted the complete method of Yajna. The havan with Ved mantras are always offered as the best worship of God only please. Do havan daily and both times.
Importance of Yajyen
Clouds cause rain and grow food grains, clouds are formed as a result of Yajyen and Yajyen is performed, under the guidance of a learned Acharya of Vedas, through pious deeds. In Shrimad Bhagwad Geeta, Yogeshwar Krishna preaches to men and women, to be industrious and hard working so as to perform Yajyen. As a result of this timely rains shall occur leading to growth of enough food grains. Otherwise, inadequacy or scarcity of food grains and water shell retard the growth of human beings and end their lives. At present, due to non performance of Yajyen, the growth and nutrition of human –beings is not in conformity with the required standards. Long, happy lives are also not being attained.
In Samveda mantra 594, food grain says symbolically-
“I have been created before the creation of devtas and nobody can survive without consuming me. Those who donate me in yajyen etc., I protect them and bestow them with the result of pious deeds.[punya] ”
Samveda is acclaimed most, glorified and praised for preaching the worship of God through Yajyen and practice of Ashtang Yoga that is, Samveda states especially about worship (upasana) in detail.
Sri Krishna himself states in Geeta shloka 10/22 that – “I am Samveda among four Vedas.” The underlying meaning of this statement is that Samveda is liked the most by Yogeshwar Sri Krishna because in Samveda, most of the preach has been given on worship and worship of God is the main motto of human life.
We all need to understand the seriousness of Vedas. Most of the mantras of Samveda preach to perform Yajyen. Yajyen, besides shower in the benefit of timely rains, bestows innumerable benefits on the aspirant, which cannot be enlisted here due to shortage of time and space. However, let us restrict our discussion to few hints regarding “The Importance and Benefits of Yajyen”-
Samveda Mantra 942 states that offerings given in the pious fire of Yajyen “Vacham Janayan” generates sweet voice within offerer. Due to lack of such offerings, mostly people utter bitter, harsh and unsweet speech. This is not being digested in the families now a days.
Samveda Mantra 952 says that Yajyen generates divine merriment “Madaye Chakaanaha” and bestows eternal satisfaction on the soul. Let us all peep within ourselves to check whether we are experiencing merriment or are facing day to day problem of sorrows, sickness etc. Is not it that we are against Samveda and have left worship of God by performance of daily havan/Yajyen.
Yajyen/ havan is the order of God and non-compliance of man to such divine order is due to his indulgence in illusion.
Samveda mantras 981, 1355 state that Yajyen bestows wealth and assets on the aspirant. Now mostly the people are poor and rich are not satisfied.
Samveda mantra 948 states “Yajyen Vajihee Naha Upaagamat” i.e., Yajyen bestows all wealth, assets on the aspirant and increases the agricultural yield and food stock of the performers of Yajyen.
Samveda mantra 975 states “Saubhaga Parisrava” i.e., Yajyen showers good fortune on the aspirant.
Samveda mantra 884 explains “Ritasya Dhiyam” i.e., Yajyen generates pious “Vedic” intellect (Pure mind) within aspirant. [We see mostly the minds of both elders and children are full of bad habits].
Samveda mantra 886 states that when the offerings are given in the pious fire of Yajyen by the aspirants and learned /Rishis, then the particles offerings, in minutest form, reach the space and cause timely rains as a result, they control pollution and make the atmosphere pure.
Samveda mantra 1186 states that Som Yajyen increases the intensity of rainfall and production of food grains. Now, there is food problem.
Samveda mantra 1363 clearly states that he who loves/ adores Yajyen, he only is capable to concentrate/meditate in omnipresent God. In the absence of performance of Yajyen, mostly people do not know the real form of the God as per Vedas. As a result, they do not love God and mostly the worship is converted into formality.
Samveda mantra 1280 states that Yajyen purifies mind and intellect.
Samveda mantra 1105 states that Yajyen devastates and conquers the enemies. The place where Yajyen is performed is sacred that is “Tirath”. Whereas people have made their own Tirath against Vedas.
Samveda mantra 1060 says that Yajyen bestows 30,000 merriment or happiness immediately on the aspirant. In other Samveda mantra it is stated that when aspirant performs Yajyen, his 810 sins are burnt. So if we perform Yajyen for whole of our lives’ like Shri Ram, we can be free from sins.
Samveda mantra 881 states that Almighty God establishes Himself in Yajyen.
In Samveda mantra 873 God states that He is fond of Yajyen and He loves those who perform daily Yajyen.
Hence, misled by saints who are against Vedas , innocent public has given up performing Yajyen, as a result of which, the whole earth is facing the shortage of rains, water, long life, food stock, wealth, merriment, brotherhood, peace etc. God states in Rig-Veda mantra 9/15/2 and Samveda mantra 1266 that for performing Yajyen, one must do pious deeds accompanied by hard work otherwise Yajyen cannot be performed. These mantras prove that lazy, uninspired, non-deligent, non-listener of Vedas cannot perform Yajyen. Sri Krishna Maharaj states in Geeta shloka 3/10 that God has created eternal worship by means of Yajyen and has ordered to perform Yajyen.
Benefits of Yajyen
Yajurveda gives knowledge to do pious deeds. The first mantra of Yajurveda (1/1) says that human beings must perform Yajyen in which offerings are put in burning fire with Ved mantras. Then mantra says it will prevent the infectious disease and will give constant pleasure. Samveda mantra 534 says that the matters like ghee and samagri when poured in fire while performing Yajyen, then these matters go in sky and cause rain and make the atmosphere pure.
Samveda mantra 536 says that in YAJYEN, the matters (aahuti/offerings) go up to sun and give strength to sun to cause rain. Samveda mantra 537 tells the offerings in a Yajyen must touch the ray of light of sun. Samveda mantra 539 says that the offerings in a Yajyen, go to the sky to create rain so that the animal, birds etc., are increased in number. Samveda mantra 1379 says that Yajyen must be performed while chanting Ved mantras and mantra 1380 says that age is increased by Yajyen.
Samveda mantra 1363 says that one who loves Yajyen, he only concentrates/meditates. Samveda mantra 1270 says that the offerings in Yajyen go in the sky through ray of light of sun. Yajurveda mantra 1/2 says that Yajyen purifies the earth. It reaches to ray of light of sun and goes to sky and sun through air. Yajyen purifies the air and holds the universe spreading pleasure all over. When Yajyen is performed then air touches the burning fire and scientifically is purified just as water is boiled on fire and becomes purified. Then the pure air goes up (on being heated) and the impure air starts touching the fire and after becoming purified goes to sky and this procedure is continued till the end of Yajyen.
Yajyen is basically performed by using a stick of mango tree. A scientist named Trelle of France did experiments on Yajyen. He found that Yajyen is mainly performed by using mango tree. When the wood is burnt then a gas, “formic aldehyde” comes out which destroys the harmful bacteria and makes the atmosphere pure. Then only, the scientists made “formalin” from “formic aldehyde” gas. He also did experiment on jaggery Gur (in Hindi raw sugar) and found that on burning the jaggery, jaggery also generates “formic aldehyde” gas.
A scientist named Tautlik came to know that if we stay in a Yajyen and its smoke for half an hour then the germs of typhoid are destroyed and all these matters are used in Yajyen.
Yajurveda says that four types of things mainly used to prepare offerings for a Yajyen:
1. Sweet Like honey, jaggery, raw sugar etc.,
2. Antibiotic herbs like gyol, etc.,
3. Nutrition like pure ghee, dry fruits etc.,
4. Fragrant materials like elaichi (cardamom) dried petals flowers etc.
When all these are offered then it happens that just as a household lady in her kitchen fries chilli in ghee then you know the effect of the chilli through air even goes to a far distance like drawing room and other rooms too. So is the case of Yajyen and similarly the offerings of all the things goes to the sky and to sun making contact with air and ray of light of sun.
Chilli leaves its bad effect to the nose whereas the above said things used in Yajyen leave the best affect in atmosphere according to the qualities of each thing. That is why Samveda mantra 3 says that burning fire is like messenger/ambassador which does work to carry the effect of all above things to the sky i.e., spreads them in atmosphere. Everybody knows that things/matters are never destroyed but change their shape only. There is also a misunderstanding that in a Yajyen/havan, carbon dioxide gas is generated. Carbon dioxide is available in whole of universe. Its huge quantity is harmful but when carbon dioxide comes out from havan, duly mixed with ghee and other things it becomes beneficial to all human beings. Secondly, burning of mango twigs does not liberate much of carbon-dioxide. Scientists also say that carbon dioxide is taken by human beings in soda lemonade which becomes digestible. Therefore the holy Yajyen in addition is a scientific
action which is beneficial to the whole universe.
Dr. Kundanlal (M.D.) was an allopathic doctor, he took twelve test tubes made of glass, duly purified scientifically, six sets of two test tubes each made and each set was filled with milk and food i.e., six were filled with milk and six were filled with food. In six test tubes, there was air of
Yajyen/havan. In other six test tubes there was only ordinary air of garden filled. Now Dr. Kundanlal started regular watch on each set of test tubes. He found the result that the food which was filled by ordinary air of garden started decaying and giving bad smell quickly whereas the food with air of Yajyen/havan started decaying slowly. This experiment was based while performing a single havan but a spiritual havan containing all things (minimum 21 herbs) will give the best result.
Therefore there are unlimited benefits of Yajyen which cannot be explained in full, being very lengthy. I have forgotten about an article I read in a leading newspaper of India about ten years back, in which it was mentioned that in a country, a jungle up to the area of 30 miles started getting dried up due to a disease in herbs and trees. The Govt. tried level best to nurse the jungles but all in vain. The country came to know from somewhere about Yajyen and not Yajyen but a simple havan without Ved mantras was started there and slowly, the whole jungle was recovered and became green, duly free from disease. Yajyen in the night will contain only spiritual effect but the physical effect for causing rain and purification of atmosphere will be decreased as all the things used in Yajyen/havan will be unable to go to sky and even to sun in the absence of ray of light of sun as mentioned in above mantras.
I would also advise you to read my article “Prithivi par Yajyen/Agnihotra ki Mahima.” in my book “Vedic satsang sangrah Pt 1” (in Hindi) which can be sent to you on receipt of your postal address if you so desire.
S: Facing problems from sibling who is creating discord. Both of us are unmarried. Also affecting business and health. I discovered that I am getting bad karma because of the hatred.
Swami Ram Swarup: I recollect that you have also not been married. I don’t know what is the reason behind. But either a boy/girl must be a learned of Vedas, shastras and must be practicing hard Ashtang yoga to realise God, maintain whole life Brahmcharya, as was done by Janak’s acharya Gargi and several other kanyas and boys like Bheeshma Pitamah etc. Nowadays, this practice is not in vogue due to the indulgement in illusion and not knowing the Vedic philosophy. Second path is of married life yet in married life as well, knowledge of Vedas helps to maintain permanent peace. I am afraid that you and your sibling, both are away from both the paths and hence the problem. He who is worried and facing sorrows is actually facing the result of his past lives’ bad deeds. Otherwise, he could be happy. Such deeds can be destroyed if the person takes interest in spiritualism, makes contact with learned acharya of Vedas and yoga philosophy. The person must chant Gayatri mantra, daily both times, with its meaning and must perform havan with Gayatri mantra, daily both times. Vedic spiritual books must also be studied to attain peace. A list of books is also placed below and if you desire, you can select and intimate to us your postal address along with choice of books for sending the books. The above routine would help you to keep yourself away from tensions and to be away from jealousy, hatred etc.
Your business will also flourish in this way, please. You may send your problem immediately on this website, if any and you will sure be helped. I paste my article on karmas’ philosophy.
Three types of Deeds
There are three types of deeds (karmas) – sanchit, prarabhadh and kriyamann. Suppose one soul has to take birth (body). It means he has to face total number of deeds of his all previous lives and these deeds are called sanchit karmas but sanchit deeds are huge/unlimited and cannot be faced in one life. So the karmas which can be faced in one life are called prarabhadh (luck-destiny). So God has not made our luck at His own but Almighty God has taken the deeds which we have already done.
Yajurveda mantra 7/48 clarifies that human being is free to do any deed good or bad but God only awards the result. Now the balance deeds from sanchit deeds will be counted in the next life. Now the deeds which we do in our day today present life are called kriyamann.
If we do pious deeds according to Vedas, shastras and holy books and based on pious preaches of Rishi, Muni/learned saints then our all sanchit deeds are burnt and we can get salvation. Human beings are free in the matter of doing deeds good or bad. But result will be awarded by God. So we must worship and do pious deeds under guidance of a learned Guru. One should go always ahead for hard working, pious deeds, worship to make future bright himself. One should always work hard towards a right path.
Worship does not mean that we are free to discharge only our family duties, education, etc., but rather it is a sin. We have to get progress in both way at a time i.e., spiritualism and worldly progress i.e., science, education, duties towards family etc. God creates the universe according to His eternal law framed in Vedas which are always unchangeable and unchallengeable. So we have to follow the law of God always to get long happy life.
