Day 2 Morning: Yajna: The Sacred Gateway to Higher Knowledge

In the modern age of Kali Yuga, life is fast-paced, fragmented, and largely driven by material aspirations. The higher values that once guided humanity—love, compassion, selflessness, and harmony—have become rare. Families are breaking apart, people eat their meals in isolation, glued to their mobile phones, disconnected not just from each other but from their own inner selves. Societies are plagued by hunger and poverty, and even those who have material wealth suffer from emotional emptiness. In such a world, where can we turn for true knowledge and fulfillment? The answer lies in rediscovering the age-old practice of Yajna.

Yajna: More Than a Ritual

Yajna is not merely a mechanical ritual of offering materials into the sacred fire. It is a profound spiritual and cosmic process that accelerates positive change, brings about harmonious coexistence, and invites divine energies into our lives. It is the living embodiment of the highest principles of unity, love, and shared prosperity—Anbe Shivam—love is indeed the highest manifestation of the Divine.

In ancient times, Yajnas were not just religious ceremonies but grand gatherings where sages, seekers, and even kings assembled to access higher realms of knowledge. These were not just intellectual conferences but spiritual convocations where the devatas themselves were invited, and the sciences they governed—both Para (transcendental) and Apara (worldly)—were shared with worthy recipients.

The True Meaning of ‘Saha Naavavatu’

This deeper dimension of Yajna is beautifully captured in the famous Vedic chant:

**सह नाववतु।

सह नौ भुनक्तु।

सह वीर्यं करवावहै।

तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै।

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः॥

(Saha Naavavatu, Saha Nau Bhunaktu, Saha Veeryam Karavavahai, Tejasvinavadhitamastu, Ma Vidvishavahai)**

This is not merely a prayer recited at the beginning of classes or gatherings. It is a declaration of the life we should strive to live:

Saha Naavavatu – May we be protected together: This speaks of mutual protection, not just physically but emotionally and spiritually. True living is when we safeguard each other’s well-being.

Saha Nau Bhunaktu – May we enjoy together: Eating together, celebrating together, and finding joy in shared experiences. Sadly, even this simple act has become rare in modern families.

Saha Veeryam Karavavahai – May we work together with great energy: This encourages collective effort towards noble goals, not selfish pursuits.

Tejasvinavadhitamastu – May our learning be filled with brilliance: The purpose of education should be to light up our intellect with wisdom, not just to secure employment.

Ma Vidvishavahai – May we not have hatred towards each other: Harmony in relationships is the cornerstone of a meaningful life.

This chant is not a distant ideal—it is lived here, in the Yajna Shala, where people come together to work, eat, learn, and grow as one family. It is a living reality, though difficult to achieve in today’s fragmented society.

Yajna as the Supreme Knowledge Exchange

In the modern world, we have international conferences and academic summits for knowledge exchange. But what is forgotten is that the Vedas described an even greater form of conference—where the devatas themselves are invited. These devatas are not mythological characters but the cosmic intelligences that govern the laws of nature, from the smallest atom to the vast galaxies. The Vedas are a sophisticated manual for communicating with these intelligences and receiving higher knowledge.

Just as nations share technologies and knowledge across borders, the devatas share their sciences with qualified recipients during a Yajna. This includes not only spiritual wisdom but also advanced sciences, some of which are far beyond modern comprehension. Astras (divine weapons), strategies for social organization, and even technologies that can empower space travel were part of this knowledge exchange. Arjuna, in the Mahabharata, accessed higher astras by going to the celestial realms—a divine form of technology transfer through the grace of the devatas.

How Does This Knowledge Transfer Happen?

One of the primary purposes of Yajna is to invite the devatas and create the right conditions for this divine communication. This requires high prāṇa shakti (life energy), which is why participants in such Yajnas undergo disciplines like food control, sensory restraint, and mental purification. Agni (the sacred fire) acts as the vehicle (vāhana) that carries our intentions to the divine realms. In return, divine knowledge flows into the minds of those who are prepared—those who have become supātra (worthy vessels).

This preparation is known as developing Adhikāra—the eligibility to receive higher knowledge. Without this preparation, even if divine knowledge is available, it cannot be understood or applied correctly. Who should be entrusted with nuclear technology? Only those who have the wisdom and values to use it responsibly. Similarly, divine knowledge is entrusted only to those with the right bhāva (inner attitude), humility, and gratitude.

The Crisis of Modern Education and the Need for Yajna

Modern sciences have failed to provide a holistic understanding of life. They create salaried employees but not enlightened individuals. The science of the mind is still primitive, and society is left chasing fleeting moments of happiness without understanding the nature of the mind itself.

Even the organization of society today lacks higher wisdom. Economics dominates decision-making, but it does not lead to well-being. Neeti, Artha, and Dharma Shastras—the ancient sciences of ethics, wealth management, and righteous living—have divine origins and offer models of social harmony and sustainability. Krishna himself declares, “Chāturvarṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ”—the Varna system was created by me, a framework for harmonious social organization based on qualities and capacities.

Without higher knowledge, how can humanity create a just and prosperous world? Yajnas were performed not just for personal benefit but for the well-being of society, to invite the flow of divine knowledge that can uplift civilizations.

Becoming Receptive to Higher Knowledge

The path to receiving this divine wisdom starts with preparing our body and mind. Living in harmony with nature stabilizes our lower chakras—the foundations of our existence. Only then can we handle higher, daivi knowledge without becoming unstable or arrogant.

This is why humility, gratitude, and service are emphasized. When the mind becomes tuned through such practices, the devatas naturally respond. In such a sacred space, even advanced sciences—technologies unknown to modern researchers—can be accessed, not through exploitation but through divine grace.

In a world starving for purpose and drowning in superficiality, Yajna offers a luminous path forward. It is a timeless method for restoring harmony, accessing higher knowledge, and transforming both individuals and societies. It is not just a ritual—it is the very foundation of living a life of shared joy, collective progress, and divine grace.

Let us once again open the doors of the Yajna Shala, invite the devatas, and prepare ourselves to receive the wisdom that can heal the planet and elevate humanity. For when we live not just for ourselves but for the greater good, the universe responds, and divine knowledge flows unimpeded.

Anbe Shivam—Love is the highest truth. Let us live it fully.