In Itharēya Brahmana the process of Yagna is described as follows. The process of Yagna is the most important Karma in the Karmakand of the Vēdas. Starting from Agnihōtra to Aswamēdha every Homam is called Yagna. In these Yagna’s four types of materials are used for putting in fire (Yagna). (1) Scented materials such as Kasturi, Saffron etcetera. (2) Sweet materials such as jaggery, Honey etcetera. (3) Strength producing materials such as Ghee, Milk, Rice etcetera. (4) Health preserving materials such as Herbs. We should acquire all these materials and purify them before using them in the Yagna. We should put them in proper proportions in the Homam. Because of this air and rain water get purified and everyone gets pleasure. The above said materials when put in the fire (Yagna) become minute and mix with the air. Then this mixture purifies poisonous and dirty gases in the air and the rain water. Also the rain water and air obtain good smell from these materials.       

Yagna is performed for benefit of society. Whatever benefit a person does to society that much and more benefit the person receives from the system of God. So Yagna is praised in Vēdas and many Sastras. In Shathapatha Brahmana it is given in the following manner regarding Yagna. When materials are put in the fire (Yagna), hot smoke and steam are produced. The heat produced enters into trees, herbs, plants, air, and water etcetera. Due to heat these materials get dried by releasing the vapors from them. These vapors mixing with the air enters the atmosphere. In that vapor the water part is steam and particles mixed with steam part is smoke. These particles collect together and form clouds. Because of this we get good rains.

Because of two methods we get purified air and good rains and these are respectively, (1) God’s creation and (2) Human’s creation. In the God’s creation due to Sun rays flowers and plants give good smelling vapors and water gets evaporated from oceans.  These two mix well and form clouds. In the second method humans perform Yagna and clouds are formed as described above. According to Maharshi Dayananda Saraswathi the atmosphere is mixed with both good and bad atoms and molecules. Because of this the rains we get and in turn the herbs, fruits and vegetables formed are also having mixed with good and bad atoms and molecules. Due to this the food and in turn the energy and bodies so formed are also of Mediocre in nature. Because of this Budhi, strength, valor, courage etcetera are also Mediocre in nature. The reason for this is that, “the properties present in the materials of the cause are always present in the result. The result cannot be devoid of the properties of the cause”. 

The pollution in the atmosphere is not the mistake of God but it is that of humans. Humans produce all sorts of dirt in the nature and pollute the atmosphere. We bring cattle for the purpose of milk, transport etcetera. When we take benefits and pleasure from these animals then it is our responsibility to remove the dirt these animals produce. We all know that the organic material decomposition produces gases which cause pollution in the atmosphere. Therefore it is the responsibility of humans to remove the pollution and give the society a clean and healthy atmosphere. Where the human population grows there the pollution grows automatically. In modern days we have vehicular pollution to a greater extent. Therefore it becomes absolute necessary to remove the pollution and Yagna is the only way to remove the pollution.

Let us present scientific evidence how the pollution can be averted with the help of Yagna. Gold in its bulk form is known to be chemically inert. However, nanoparticles of gold on a Titania substrate exhibit remarkable catalytic properties such as the ability to decompose the environmentally hazardous gas sulfur dioxide. The efficiency of this material is 10 times greater than that of commercial catalysts used today. Please refer to the following website for evidence of the above information. Please visit http://www.nacatsoc.org/18nam/Orals/105-Activation%20of%20Gold%20Nanoparticles%20on%20Titania.pdf

If you are unable to open the above link then click this pdf

Activation of Gold Nanoparticles on Titania.pdf

So now, the question is how the above information is related to Yagna? The answer is simple. Generally the materials in the nanoparticles form are more effective than the bulk form. In Yagna what we do is convert bulk matter to nanoparticles and help react with pollutes or catalyze the process of decomposing the pollutants. Today’s modern science is publishing hundreds of scientific evidences regarding the effective role played by nanoparticles than the bulk.

Now the question comes why humans should be responsible in removing the pollution? God created human bodies to produce knowledge. That is why we are able to increase our knowledge. So we have become eligible to follow Dharma and leave Adharma. Other living beings cannot do this and therefore we all are responsible in removing the pollution by performing Yagna and benefit the Universe.

Many people have expressed doubts regarding Yagna and its process. The following Question and answers are extracted from Maharshi Dayananda Saraswathi’s Vēd Bhasyam regarding Yagna and its process.

Q.1. When valuable materials like Ghee, Kasturi, Sandal wood etcetera are dropped in fire, they are burnt to ashes and wasted. Instead cannot we use them in our food and houses so that they give good smell inside the house and taste to food?

Ans.1. In general invisibility of a visible object is called destruction. But in truth no material is completely destroyed. When a ball of mud is crushed to minute pieces and blown up in flowing air, the pieces disappear. Then we say that the mud ball has been destroyed. But in essence these minute particles still exist and when joined together can form the mud ball. These minute particles exist in the atmosphere and mixed with air and react with the gases present. Similarly the materials we drop in Yagna are made into minute particles and work towards freeing the atmosphere from the pollutants. Whereas the materials kept in bulk state cannot do the same in the atmosphere. Therefore doing Yagna is essential.

Q.2. If the entire purpose is to purify the air in the atmosphere why should we do such a pompous process such as Yagna? Why not keep scents at home and let the scented vapor spread in the atmosphere?

Ans.2. The benefit obtained from Yagna cannot be obtained from other processes. The scent spread by flowers and plants stays in the atmosphere and gives good smell but cannot separate impurities from the air and make a pollution free atmosphere. Whereas due to Yagna the materials dropped in them become minute particles and get heat from the process. So these particles have capacity to separate the pollutants from the air. Also these Yagna produced particles rise up into the atmosphere and purify the rain water and increase the chances of good rain. Due to this we get purified water as rain and this water gives us purified food and medicinal products. When materials like Ghee are put in the fire of Yagna, the smell of Ghee can be felt even by persons far from the place of Yagna. This means the Ghee kept in the fire is not destroyed but has become minute to do some chemical process.

Q.3. Let us agree that there are benefits in doing Yagna. But why should we chant mantras while doing the Yagna?

Ans. 3. When Yagna is performed we see with eyes, touch the materials with hands and chant the mantras. By chanting mantras we are praising, praying and doing Upāsana of God. The uses of Yagna are present in the sentences of the mantra. Therefore the uses are reminded and remembered. Also due to chanting several times Vēd mantras are memorized. Also people will know about God and will not become atheists. Every good deed should begin with praying God. That is why chanting of mantras is essential.

Q.4. What is wrong if we say the benefits of Yagna in normal words or sentences and not chant mantras?

Ans.4. Vēdas contain mantras and these mantras are in every way illusion free and contain only truth because God is having complete knowledge. Whereas, the sentences compiled by ordinary humans may not contain the complete truth and may not be illusion free. Off course, the sentences given by Āpta (One who has complete knowledge of the subject and is impartial and does benefit to the society) person can be trusted. But such persons depend only on Vēd and not on ordinary sentences.

Q.5. Is it necessary to do Yagna in a specialized device? And is it necessary to have the priests for that Yagna?

Ans.5. All that is useful for the Yagna is necessary. A specially designed furnace is necessary for the Yagna because, doing Homam in that furnace the fire quickly rises and the materials dropped in it will quickly become minute particles, get heated and mix with air. The furnace is necessary because the materials dropped in it will not scatter away. This furnace should be like an open box with its base one fourth that of its opening. This furnace can be made of metals like Gold, Silver, Brass or even mud. The shape of the furnace can be a triangle, a rectangle, a square, a circle or any shape that fits for the Yagna process.  Yagnasāla is necessary for protection from wind and dust. To perform the Yagna with chanting the mantras priests are necessary. (Even a single person can perform Yagna if he knows the process well).

Q.6. What is the meaning of Devatha in the Yagna?

Ans.6. Agni, Vāyu, Sūrya, Chandra, the 8 Vasus, best scholars, 11 Rudras, 12 months, priests, honest people, divine materials, God, Indra or Electricity, honest money, Varuna or water or good material etcetera are referred in Vēd as Devatha. In Karma section of Vēd, in Yagna, Devatha refers to mantra. Gayathri Chanddass is referred by Agni etcetera. Because of these mantras we will know the duties of humans. In which mantra Agni is being appointed, that mantra Devatha becomes Agni. God has given indications about the importance of each mantra by reference to these Devathas.          

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