yajna

Yajna, from Sanskrit yaj, meaning "to worship" or "to sacrifice," is a foundational Vedic rite involving offerings into a consecrated fire. In the Vedas it serves to sustain order (rita) and communal welfare. Over time the term also denotes the broader act of offering in religious ceremonies or in daily life.

Typically yajna comprises invoking Agni, reciting mantras, and offering substances such as ghee and grains into the sacred flame. The rite is performed by priests with prescribed roles (for example hotr, adhvaryu, and udgātṛ) within a designated space and liturgy. The fire is viewed as a mediator between humans and the gods, carrying oblations upward.

Yajnas are described in the Vedas and elaborated in Brahmanas and Kalpa literature. They range from large public rites like the ashvamedha and rajasuya to domestic ceremonies such as the agnihotra or havan. While some early rites involved animal offerings, many contemporary practices emphasize symbolic offerings or dairy and plant substitutes.

In philosophy, yajna is used metaphorically to denote selfless action and inner sacrifice. Upanishadic authors describe the yajna of life as aligning action with cosmic order or offering the self as a sacrifice to a higher understanding.

Today yajna survives primarily as havan and other fire rites in temples, homes, and monasteries, and as a symbol of ritual, duties, and spiritual discipline within Hinduism.