The Alchemy of Yajña

Śrī-kṛṣṇa in the chapter 4 of Bhagavadgītā says - anyone who experiences the nectar of yajñas will experience a sense of expansiveness and takes control over the existence! Also, He says without performing yajñas, one wouldn’t be able to live happily! यज्ञ-शिष्टामृत-भुजो यान्ति ब्रह्म सनातनम्. नायं लोकोऽस्त्ययज्ञस्य कुतोऽन्यः कुरुसत्तम. Before we understand the word yajña in detail, let’s listen to this anecdote from the Mahābhārata. Bhṛgu-Maharṣi cursed Agni-Deva to be a "consumer of everything - Sarva-Bhakṣaka - a glutton”. Eat everything without discrimination - the pure and the impure, the sacred and the profane, the beautiful and the foul. Agni, unable to bear this humiliating curse, concealed himself. Earth experienced an unprecedented crisis in the absence of Agni-Deva. Lord Brahmā intervened upon the request of Devatās and modified the curse and transformed it into a boon: Agni would indeed consume everything, but in doing so, would purify everything, yet, remaining unblemished himself. This long symbolic story, cut short, establishes the power of Agni-Deva - The Purifier. Fire is often seen as a force of destruction, but let me tell you, it’s also a superhero in the world of metals! Imagine this: when we dig deep into the earth, we unearth metals tangled in a chaotic mix of rocks and unwanted elements. That’s where the incredible power of fire steps in! The intense heat it generates isn’t just a blaze; it’s a vital-energy-source that triggers transformative separation processes. From the initial stages of processing raw ores to the exciting final refinements, heat is the unstoppable force that helps us create those stunning pure shiny metals we cherish daily. The same fire serves as the heart of Yajñas! In facts the Vedas categorically say - यज्ञो वै विष्णुः - Every Yajña is a personification of Lord Viṣṇuḥ Himself! Keeping aside its Divinity, what is a Yajña for a commoner and how can we practice it as a routine? In the words of my Guru, Yajña, is any constructive action performed repetitively yet mindfully. Over a prolonged period these constructive actions produce beautiful memories and generate a productive knowledge-base, which is useful for humanity at large. Now as we chant the Swāhā-kāra Mantras, I request you all to contemplate on the meaning of Yajña which can help us enhance our sense of expansiveness