[Advaita-l] bahu kriShNAjinam...

[Venkata sriram P]

Dear Yadu,
 
Bahu kriShNAjina 
 
Yaska says “yadyadra driShyatE prativishiShTaM sAdhanaM kinchit tat tat kriShNAjinaM iti tallakShNOpalakShitaM karma yajna iti upamanyava achAryO manyatE”
 
Here, that word should be taken as Yajna Upakaranas / Sadhanas.  
 
kriShNAjina is a symbolic representation / vedic symbolism for 
Kratu /Yajna.   So, all the upakaraNAs & sAdhanas integrally & wholistically perceived
as a Single Entity called Yajna.  
 
Even your explanation can also be taken here ie., many yajna dIkShitAs having donned the
kriShNAjina assembled to perform the Yajana prakriya and their assembly of yajamAnIs is called 
“bahu kriShNAjina”.  “yajamAnEpyajidvayamityAdi evam asau bahu kriShNAjino bhavati iti”.
 
But this depiction of “kriShNAjina” on the body of the dIkShitAs (yajna dIkShitAs) is also to be taken poetically and that is the beauty of our sAstra bhASha.
 
“saiShA trayI vidyA yajnaH / tasyA EtatcchilpaM – Esha varNaH – tadyat kriShNAjinaM bhavati”
 
The Yajna Purusha is called “kriShNAjina”.  The 3 colours of the kriShNAjina are contemplated to be Rg, Yajus & Sama Vedas.   So, kriShNAjina is veda-trayi swarupa.   Since, the kriShNAjina is having 3 colours, the Yajna being kriShNAjina svarupa,  is also vEda-trayi rupa.   So, “kriShNAjIna-dhAraNa” by dIkShitArs implies that   they are all highly educated in  Vedas and experts in Karma Kanda.   The symbolic representation of wearing the Krishna Jina implies that they are donning the veda vidya in the form of mantras and chandas.  There is a mantra to wear the kriShNAjina which says “sa cchandAMsi pravishati”.  The moment the yajamAna wears the kriShNAjina, that is the 2nd birth for them and they are compared with the embryo in the mAtru-garbha.   Just as the child in the mother’s womb sleeps with folded hands, the yajamAna should fold his fists in similar fashion (nyaknAnguLiH muShTin kurutE).  During that period of
 diksha, the kriShNAjina protects them from external influences just as the Mother protects  her child in the womb.  
 
Atha kriShNAjina mAdatte sharmasi iti – charma vA Etat kriShNasya tadasya tanmAnuShaM sharma dEvatrA tasmAt dAha – sharmAsi
 
Just becauses the kriShNajina rUpa vEda-traya mantras protect (sharmasi) the yajamAna / yajna dIkShita he is of the form of sharma (sharmasi sharma mE yaccha”).   Since, the yajamAna, having assimilated the  veda-traya vidyA protects the entire universe having donned the “kriShNAjia vastra” (the vastra is veda chandas rupa here).  
 
And hence, to remember the “sharma-tattva” (responsibility to protect the  worlds),  the brahmachAri at the time of upanayana ceremony dons this “kriShNAjina vastra” and changes his dikSha nAma to “sharma” and utters the pravara since then as:
 
“……………………..trayArshEya pravarAnvita……….gOtrOtbhavasya…….shAkha adhyAyi ……sUtraH ……….SHARMA nAma dhEyasya ahaM bhO abhivAdayE”
 
Note that the word “sharma” follows after the name.  Also "paramAnandarUpatvAt sharma" ie., sharma is paramAnanda rUpa.  
 
This is the responsibility which should be shouldered by every brAhmaNa ie, to protect the world with veda, yajna & kratus.  
 
So, yajna is not an activity where time, money, energy is wasted.  It is the responsibility of every smArta brAhmaNa to protect the yajnas /kratus as he adds the qualification "sharma" before his name.
 
Regs,
Sriram