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CHAPTER IV
YAJÑA-THE ARYAN TRIBAL ACTIVITY
1. THE ORIGIN
Yajna is the most important Aryan institution. Yajña, from its very inception, had been the foundation of the Yajña-The foun- Aryan culture and civilization. It has been dation of Aryan
Culture and equated with the Aryan Way of life and Civilization had become a symbol of their culture and civilization.1
Its
Word Yajña has been traced by Yaşka to Yaj 'to worship'. Its Europaryan parallel is rag 'to honour'. Avestan parallel 'Yazaiti' means 'he worships'. MonierWilliams means by 'Yaj' 'to worship, adore, honour, to consecrate, hallow, offer." Worship and offer carry the sense of surrender. In the context of Gana Society, it carries the meaning of surrender or submission to the Gaņa. Yajña, thus appears to be the activities, in economic and social context, of the primitive Aryans pursued for and surrendered to the society.
Yajna is and was the Aryan activity around Fire. Fire is the spirit of Yajña. Yajña is Agni. Agni is the originator and regulator of Yajña.1
The discovery of Agni was a great social revolution in the primitive Aryan life. Agni originally was not known to them. Agni was hidden in secret. It took refuge from wood to wood. It was churned with great force; hence the Agni is called the son of strength. Agni was discovered by Angiras". We have earlier noticed that in the original home of the Aryans, mass fires
Birth of Agni
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