Hinduism's Online Lexicon - A-z Dictionary

Y

yajna: (Sanskrit) "Worship; sacrifice." One of the most central Hindu concepts--sacrifice and surrender through acts of worship, inner and outer. 1**)** A form of ritual worship especially prevalent in Vedic times, in which oblations--ghee, grains, spices and exotic woods--are offered into a fire according to scriptural injunctions while special mantras are chanted. The element fire, Agni, is revered as the divine messenger who carries offerings and prayers to the Gods. The ancient Veda Brahmanas and the Shrauta Shastras describe various types of yajna rites, some so elaborate as to require hundreds of priests, whose powerful chanting resounds for miles. These major yajnas are performed in large, open-air structures called yagashala. Domestic yajnas, prescribed in the Grihya Shastras, are performed in the family compound or courtyard. Yajna requires four components, none of which may be omitted: dravya, sacrificial substances; tyaga, the spirit of sacrificing all to God; devata, the celestial beings who receive the sacrifice; and mantra, the empowering word or chant.

While puja (worship in temples with water, lights and flowers) has largely replaced the yajna, this ancient rite still continues, and its specialized priestly training is carried on in schools in India. Yajnas of a grand scale are performed for special occasions, beseeching the Gods for rain during drought, or for peace during bloody civil war. Even in temples, yajna has its Agamic equivalent in the agnikaraka, the homa or havana ceremony, held in a fire pit (homakunda) in an outer mandapa of a temple as part of elaborate puja rites.

2**)** Personal acts of worship or sacrifice. Life itself is ajivayajna. The Upanishads suggest that one can make "inner yajnas" by offering up bits of the little self into the fires of sadhana and tapas until the greater Self shines forth. The five daily yajnas,pancha mahayajna, of the householder (outlined in the Dharma Shastras) ensure offerings to rishis, ancestors, Gods, creatures and men. They are as follows.--brahma yajna: (also called Veda yajna or rishi yajna) "Homage to the seers." Accomplished through studying and teaching the Vedas.--deva yajna: "Homage to Gods and elementals." Recognizing the debt due to those who guide nature, and the feeding of them by offering ghee and uncooked grains into the fire. This is the homa sacrifice.--pitri yajna: "Homage to ancestors." Offering of cakes (pinda) and water to the family line and the progenitors of mankind.--bhuta yajna: "Homage to beings." Placing food-offerings, bali, on the ground, intended for animals, birds, insects, wandering outcastes and beings of the invisible worlds. ("Let him gently place on the ground [food] for dogs, outcastes, svapachas, those diseased from sins, crows and insects" Manu Dharma Shastras 3.92).--manushya yajna: "Homage to men." Feeding guests and the poor, the homeless and the student. Manushya yajna includes all acts of philanthropy, such as tithing and charity. The Vedic study is performed in the morning. The other four yajnas are performed just before taking one's noon meal. Manu Dharma Shastras (3.80) states, "Let him worship, according to the rule, the rishis with Veda study, the devas with homa, the pitris with shraddha, men with food, and the bhutas with bali." Mystics warn that all offerings must be tempered in the fires of kundalini through the power of inner yajna to be true and valuable, just as the fire of awareness is needed to indelibly imprint ideas and concepts on one's own akashic window. See: dharma, havana, homa, puja, sacrifice.

Yajnavalkya Smriti: (Sanskrit) A Hindu code of law, one of the Dharma Shastras, regarded second in authority only to the earlier Manu Dharma Shastras. See: Dharma Shastra, smriti.

Yajnavalkya Upanishad: (Sanskrit) A metrical rendering of the Jabala Upanishad, which expounds on sannyasa, renunciation of worldly life in the quest for liberation.

Yajnopavita: (Sanskrit) "Sacred thread." See: upanayana.

Yajur Veda: (Sanskrit) "Wisdom of sacrificial formulas." One of the four compendia of revelatory texts called Vedas (Rig, Sama, Yajur and Atharva). When used alone, the term Yajur Veda generally refers to this Veda's central and oldest portion--the Samhita, "hymn collection." Of this there are two recensions: 1) the Krishna ("black") Yajur Veda (so-called because the commentary, Brahmana, material is mixed with the hymns); and 2) the Shukla ("white or clear") Yajur Veda (with no commentary among the hymns). The contents of these two recensions are also presented in different order. The Yajur Veda Samhita is divided into 40 chapters and contains 1,975 stanzas. About 30 percent of the stanzas are drawn from the Rig Veda Samhita (particularly from chapters eight and nine). This Veda is a special collection of hymns to be chanted during yajna. The Krishna Yajur Veda Samhita exists today in various recensions, most importantly the Taittiriya Samhita and the Maitrayani Samhita. The Shukla Yajur Veda Samhita is preserved most prominently as the Vajasaneyi Samhita. See: Vedas.

Yama: (Sanskrit) "The restrainer." Hindu God of death; oversees the processes of death transition, guiding the soul out of its present physical body. See: death.

yama-niyama: (Sanskrit) "Restraints-observances." The first two of the eight limbs of raja yoga, constituting Hinduism's fundamental ethical codes, the yamas and niyamas are the essential foundation for all spiritual progress. They are codified in numerous scriptures including the Shandilya and Varuha Upanishads, Hatha Yoga Pradipika by Gorakshanatha, the Tirumantiram of Tirumular and the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. All the above texts list ten yamas and ten niyamas, with the exception of Patanjali's classic work, which lists only five of each. The yamas are the ethical restraints; the niyamas are the religious practices. Because it is brief, the entire code can be easily memorized and reviewed daily by the spiritual aspirant. Here are the ten traditional yamas and ten niyamas. --yamas: 1)ahimsa: "Noninjury." Not harming others by thought, word, or deed. 2)satya: "Truthfulness." Refraining from lying and betraying promises. 3)asteya: "Nonstealing." Neither stealing, nor coveting nor entering into debt. 4)brahmacharya: (Sanskrit) "Divine conduct." Controlling lust by remaining celibate when single, leading to faithfulness in marriage. 5)kshama: (Sanskrit) "Patience." Restraining intolerance with people and impatience with circumstances. 6)dhriti: "Steadfastness." Overcoming nonperseverance, fear, indecision and changeableness. 7)daya: "Compassion." Conquering callous, cruel and insensitive feelings toward all beings. 8) arjava: "Honesty, straightforwardness." Renouncing deception and wrongdoing. 9)mitahara: "Moderate appetite." Neither eating too much nor consuming meat, fish, fowl or eggs. 10) shaucha: "Purity." Avoiding impurity in body, mind and speech. --niyamas: 1)hri: "Remorse." Being modest and showing shame for misdeeds. 2)santosha: "Contentment." Seeking joy and serenity in life. 3)dana: "Giving." Tithing and giving generously without thought of reward. 4) astikya: (Sanskrit) "Faith." Believing firmly in God, Gods, guru and the path to enlightenment. 5) Ishvarapujana: "Worship of the Lord." The cultivation of devotion through daily worship and meditation. 6)siddhanta shravana: "Scriptural listening." Studying the teachings and listening to the wise of one's lineage. 7)mati: "Cognition." Developing a spiritual will and intellect with the guru's guidance. 8)vrata: "Sacred vows." Fulfilling religious vows, rules and observances faithfully. 9)japa: "Recitation." Chanting mantras daily. 10)tapas: (Sanskrit) "Austerity." Performing sadhana, penance, tapas and sacrifice. Patanjali lists the yamas as: ahimsa, satya, asteya, brahmacharya and aparigraha (noncovetousness); and the niyamas as: shaucha, santosha, tapas, svadhyaya (self-reflection, scriptural study) and Ishvarapranidhana (worship). See: raja yoga.

yantra: (Sanskrit) "Restrainer," "limiter." A mystic diagram composed of geometric and alphabetic figures--usually etched on small plates of gold, silver or copper. Sometimes rendered in three dimensions in stone or metal. The purpose of a yantra is to focus spiritual and mental energies according to computer-like yantric pattern, be it for health, wealth, childbearing or the invoking of one God or another. It is usually installed near or under the temple Deity. Psychically seen, the temple yantra is a magnificent three-dimensional edifice of light and sound in which the devas work. On the astral plane, it is much larger than the temple itself. --Sri Chakra: The most well known yantra and a central image in Shakta worship. Consisting of nine interlocking triangles, it is the design of Siva-Shakti's multidimensional manifestations. Yantras are also used for meditation and sadhana, especially in the Shakta tradition. Installing them beneath Deities is a fairly modern practice, while the Agamas prescribe the placement of precious gems. For Saivites the Tiru-ambala chakra, representing Lord Nataraja, is most sacred. See: murti.

yea: Yes, indeed, truly.

yield: To produce as a result of cultivation, such as fruit. To profit or give.

yoga: (Sanskrit) "Union." From yuj, "to yoke, harness, unite." The philosophy, process, disciplines and practices whose purpose is the yoking of individual consciousness with transcendent or divine consciousness. One of the six darshanas, or systems of orthodox Hindu philosophy. Yoga was codified by Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras (ca 200 bce) as the eight limbs (ashtanga) of raja yoga. It is essentially a one system, but historically, parts of raja yoga have been developed and emphasized as yogas in themselves. Prominent among the many forms of yoga are hatha yoga (emphasizing bodily perfection in preparation for meditation), kriya yoga (emphasizing breath control), as well as karma yoga (selfless service) and bhakti yoga (devotional practices) which could be regarded as an expression of raja yoga's first two limbs (yama and niyama). See: austerity, bhakti yoga, danda, hatha yoga, jivanmukta, raja yoga, shad darshana, siddha yoga, siddhi.

yoga pada: (Sanskrit) The third of the successive stages in spiritual unfoldment in Saiva Siddhanta, wherein the goal is Self Realization. See: pada, yoga.

Yoga Sampradaya: (Sanskrit) A term for Siddha Siddhanta. See: Saivism.

Yogaswami: (Tamil) "Master of yoga." Sri Lanka's most renowned contemporary spiritual master (1872-1964), a Sivajnani and Natha siddhar revered by both Hindus and Buddhists. He was trained in and practiced kundalini yoga under the guidance of Satguru Chellappaswami, from whom he received guru diksha. Sage Yogaswami was in turn the satguru of Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, current preceptor of the Natha Sampradaya's Kailasa Parampara. Yogaswami conveyed his teachings in hundreds of songs, called Natchintanai, "good thoughts," urging seekers to follow dharma and realize God within. Four great sayings capsulize his message: Thanai ari, "Know thy Self by thyself;" Sarvam Sivam Ceyal, "Siva is doing it all;" Sarvam Sivamaya, "All is Siva;" and Summa Iru, "Be still." See: Kailasa Parampara.

yoga tapas: (Sanskrit) "Fiery union." Relentless, sustained yoga practice that awakens the fiery kundalini, bringing the transforming heat of tapas and ultimately the repeated experience of the Self God, leading to jnana, the wisdom state. See: Advaita Siddhanta, austerity, danda, jivanmukta, Kadaitswami, karma, jnana, penance, punya, siddhi, tapas, yama, yoga.

Yogatattva Upanishad: (Sanskrit) Scripture of 142 verses based on Advaita Vedanta and yoga practices, ca 1400.

Yoga Vasishtha: (Sanskrit) Poetic work of over 29,000 verses attributed to Valmiki. It is a dialog between Prince Rama and his teacher, Sage Vasishtha, in the form of 50 intriguing stories which present advaita and the concepts and ideals of yoga in elegant Sanskrit. (Variously dated between 500 and 1000 ce.)

yogi: (Sanskrit) One who practices yoga, especially kundalini or raja yoga.

yogini: (Sanskrit) Feminine counterpart of yogi.

yon: That or those (at a distance).

yoni: (Sanskrit) "Source, origin; female genitals, womb." In some tantric sects the Sivalinga is depicted as a phallic symbol, and the base as a vulva, or yoni. While the linga represents the unmanifest or static Absolute, the yoni represents the dynamic, creative energy of God, the womb of the universe.

yore: Of yore: a long time ago, in a distant past. See: Sivalinga, tantrism.

young soul: A soul who has gone through only a few births, and is thus inexperienced or immature. See: evolution of the soul, soul.

yuga: (Sanskrit) "Period, age." One of four ages which chart the duration of the world according to Hindu thought. They are: Satya (or Krita), Treta, Dvapara and Kali. In the first period, dharma reigns supreme, but as the ages revolve, virtue diminishes and ignorance and injustice increases. At the end of the Kali Yuga, which we are in now, the cycle begins again with a new Satya Yuga. It is said in the Mahabharata that during the Satya Yuga all are brahmins, and the color of this yuga is white. In the Treta Yuga, righteousness decreases by one-fourth and men seek reward for their rites and gifts; the color is red and the consciousness of the kshatriya, sovereignty, prevails. In the Dvapara Yuga, the four varnas come fully into existence. The color is yellow. In the Kali Yuga, the color is black. Righteousness is one-tenth that of the Satya Yuga. True worship and sacrifice cease, and base, or shudra, consciousness is prominent. Calamities, disease, fatigue and faults such as anger and fear prevail. People decline and their motives grow weak. See: cosmic cycle, mahapralaya, pralaya.