On 5th January 2015, the beautiful auspicious cultural complex of Srimant Sankardev Kalakhetra became the witness of National seminar on ‘Vedic Yajna Paddati’ at Guwahati (Assam) India. The seminar was organize by BLUE HOPE a local NGO of Gauhati, Assam in collaboration with the Maharishi Sandipani Rastriya Vedvidya Prtisthan (under the Ministry of Human Resource and Development, Government of India) Ujjain, MadhyaPradesh, India. From 5th – 7th of January 2015.
Introduction
At today’s time where lots of threat are surrounding and in the name of Modernity and science people are questioning on the validation, authenticity, practicality and scientific nature of the great treasure of our eternal Vedic heritage and wisdom. In recent centuries where world is becoming a witness of modern and scientific advancement many branches of knowledge are now being looked from the eyes of science millions of books is being written. Thousands of scientists are doing research on numerous subjects and claiming to make peoples life happy and comfortable.
But despite of such tireless effort where every day there is a new research and upgrade version of every old invention is coming every tomorrow is becoming yesterday today leaving people thirsty for becoming up to date or modern. After thinking on this the question comes in mind what is modernity? What is modern?
If we think Modernity is what is today, so in this regard what is old for us today was modern for yesterday’s people. Just take example, Hollywood actors of 1960’s were super star and they were youth icon for youth of that time but now they are outdated and odd.
The wisdom of Veda were practised by the people of highest class and character that wisdom were not in the track of development and experiment because it was not develop by any human beings it is given directly by the creator of the creation as an manual that’s why it is perfect and complete and those wisdom were practise by the great authorities in their life who in turn given it in understandable format for common people in form. That wisdom is recorded in four Vedas and the teaching is universal and eternal.
Later due to influence of certain theories and systematic anti Vedic culture and knowledge by then rulers this knowledge become unpopular and became limited to certain people only. And now again in name of revival of that knowledge the modern face of Vedic wisdom is getting popular which again will be proofing to be dangerous to the real culture and practice of Vedic wisdom.
The Seminar
This seminar ‘Vedic Yajïa Paddhati’ gave a platform where academicians and scholars of many universities of India such as Santi Niketan Central university, Jammu university, Gauhati university, coochbihar university, Tamil Nadu university etc were participated. On this one topic along with Profesers, assistant professors many research scholars also presented their paper and total numbers of paper were sixty-four.
The three day seminar was started with inaugural session where many noted personalities gave their presence in which Prof. Dipak Kumar Sharma, who was the also the president of organizing committee & Vice chancellor of Kumar Bhaskar Barma Sanskrit and Ancient University, Assam was the president and as a Inaugurator Dr. Mukundakam Sharma, former justice Supreme Court of India and Chancellor of Lal Bahadur Rastriya Vidyapeeth and as a chief guest Prof. Radha Ballav Tripathi, President Oriental Society, India and former Vice chancellor, Rastriya Sanskrit Sansthan, New Delhi as a Guest of Honour Prof. Kedarnath Sharma from department of Sanskrit, Jammu University and other dignitaties were presented.
After the lighting ceremony post lunch sessoion started which was divided into two session from 2.00 – 4.00 PM and 4.00 – 6.00 PM.
Next day there were total of four session two before and two after lunch each session were chaired by two expert panels and after presentation of each paper by individual experts paper oped for discussion in which everybody participated well and many good things came into light. Each session were very interactive and all the papers were nicely researched and full of information’s and nicely presented by the participants.
The Practical aspect
From the research papers many nice things came out such as what is the meaning Yajna, what are the types of Yajna, how Yajna can solve the social problem of modern society, how it is universal not related to or for only one class of people it is for all class of people etc.Yajna people normally believe that the fire rituals were some priest burn some woods and burn rice, sesame and dry fruits with chanting of certain mantra on some occasion or festival of Hindu people. But from presentation and discussion of papers it become more clear that Yajna real meaning is duty. A duty of individual, society and nation for the benefit of entire creation, where Yajna support environment protect agriculture, save humanity and teaches how to live in harmony with fellow creature be they animal of plants.
The duty of all
Veda sanctions the performance of Pancha MahaYajna means five great sacrifices, these are Brahma Yajna, Deva Yajna, Pitra Yajna, Bhuta Yajna and Atithi Yajna. If we see the meaning of each on we can understand the universality and broadness of teaching of Veda, and we can easily understand the importance, practicality, modernity and scientific aspect of Vedic wisdom.
The brief of these five great Yajna’s are Brahma Yajna means- development of one’s own consciousness by regular study of good books keeping one self in good association of saintly people and practicing spirituality, Deva Yajna means duty toward the higher living entities and giving respect in form for worshiping and glorification such as of Sun God, Moon God, Rain God etc as they are direct in-charge of life in earth without their cooperation live cannot be made possible, similarly is the Pitra Yajna were respected duty is performed for our mother, father and for father, Bhuta Yajïa tells us to respect every living entities be they insect, bird or animal and providing them proper support and protection, Atithi Yajna tell us to perform our duty toward any one who comes to us by giving them proper respect and help.