[Advaita-l] idaM na mama

[Venkata sriram P]

Namaste Srikanta,
 
If that is what you have understood from the word 
“yajna” in general and chamaka prashna in particular,
I have nothing more to say about.  
 
That was the reason,  our seers were smarter enough to add
Satarudriya (Namaka) before chamaka and asked us to visualize the Ishwara
in every aspect of creation and perform the yajana (arAdhana).  
 
And one doesn’t require intelligence to say that pouring ghee 
in fire is waste.    The mantra draShTa of chamaka was not 
a dull-headed gourmet.    He asked you to offer your
sense organs (both internal & external), your ego & yourself at the end.
Is not the bhAvana “atmA yajnEna kalpatAM; yajnO yajnEna kalpatAM”, a 
Jnana Yajna.   
 
What is Jnana Yajna?  Is it a mere intellectual enquiry of “Who Am I” 
which gives the answer “The same old fool”.   
 
Mahamahopadhyaya Uppuluri Ganapati Sastry of Andhra Desa, 
who needs no introduction,  was nityAgnihotri.  He was an 
expert in Varuna Yaga and Kanchi Mahaswamigal used to seek
his supervision wherever any Varuna Yaga needs to be performed. 
In 1972, Tirumala hills suffered with famine and the gogarbham
Tank went dry without water.  Shri Ganapati Sastry performed 
Varuna Yaga for 3 days and on 3rd day, there was a heavy downpour
on Tirumala Hills only and nowhere else. 
 
So, what did Ganapati Sastry gain out of this yajna.  Practically nothing!!
But he offered his mantra bala and tapas to save people of Tirumala from
Famine and lack of water.  This is Yajna.  
 
Before making such blatant remarks on yajna, please contemplate
on the verse of bhagavat gita “ekatvena prithaktvena bahudhA 
vishvatomukhaM”.
 
Regs,
Sriram