Yagya Therapy: Holistic Vedic Approach to Control Air Pollution

v You heal the atmosphere and the healed atmosphere heals you.

Do you know that pollution is becoming a critical issue every day? It is very dangerous in some parts of the world- there is so much smog which is dangerous to breath !!! Environmental pollution is a matter of great concern, not only for us but also for mankind as a whole. Pollution is a by-product of the unprecedented industrial revolution that we have seen in the last few decades. The establishment of large scale factories belching out smoke, fumes and chemically hazardous waste, has now started having a telling effect on the environment. Whole environment is overloaded with the waste that has perceptibly destroyed the carrying capacity of the nature. The industrial wastes, rapid urbanization, deforestation, air and water pollution, radioactive waves etc. have destabilized the life cycle of human, animal and plant and ultimately put the biotic ecosystem in peril. Today we find increasing number of diseases due to increasing severity of pollution in the atmosphere. Ozone layer depletion has been causing ailments like sunburn, skin cancer and weakening of the immune system. Viruses are becoming drug-resistant. Thus, the ecological imbalance caused by these acts of so called ‘civilization’ has resulted into disastrous threat not only to human survival but also to the life as a whole on our living planet.

In ancient times, Vedic sages, or Rishis, recognized the pure knowledge of consciousness and law of nature that govern biology, chemistry and physics. The environment used to be well balanced by the smooth functioning of law of Nature. Those Vedic sages used to perform Yagya which created nutritional and medicinal atmosphere which at present is nothing more than a myth. In the name of advancement we are just deriding those cultures and tradition as an obsolete fashion. What we need today is visible evidences in favor of nature. Just like we say are there any scientific reasons behind it? But speaking truly, most of the theories of science are based on hypothesis i.e. yet to be proved. To our great surprise, experimental studies show that Yagya (Agnihotra) is the technical term from the Vedic science denoting the process of removing the toxic conditions from the atmosphere through the agency of fire. This means healing and purifying the atmosphere with fire as the medium. Reading this highlighted line, many readers have been probing into the queries. What? How? Why? Is there any cause and effect relationship ? I think many of these questions remained unanswered in most of the cases. So, let’s get to the point how Yagya therapy furnishes answer to all man’s problems caused by pollution.

Introduction to Yagya therapy:

Yagya is a process of herbal sacrifices in holy fire aimed at the finest utilization of the subtle properties of sacrificed matter with the help of the thermal energy of fire and the sound energy of the mantras. Modern scientific research has also shown significant therapeutic applications of Yagya and also affirmed its potential in purification of environment.  Yagya is basically a healing process. Heal the atmosphere and the healed atmosphere will heal you is the basic principle of Yagya.

Substances used in Yagya:

In order to get an idea of the various chemical changes which take place during Yagya, it is essential to know the various substances offered in it.

·         Odoriferous Substances: These are — saffron, musk, agar, tagar, chandan, illaychi, jayphal, javitri and camphor.

·         Substances with Healthy Constituents:  These are clarified butter (ghee), milk, fruits and cereals like wheat, rice, barley, til, kangu, munga, chana, arhar, masur or peas.

·         Sweet Substances: These usually are — sugar, dried grapes, honey or chhuhara.

·         Medicinal Herbs: These are used as per specific requirement. Some common herbs are — Somalata or Giloya, Brahmi, Shankhpushpi, Nagkesar, Mulhati,Red Chandan, Baheda, Sonth and Harad.

How Yagya therapy works?

 During Yagya the temperature varies between 250°C and 600°C, while in the actual flames it can rise as high as 1200°C to 1300°C. At their boiling points, the volatile constituents vaporize and their gaseous forms get diffused. The vaporized products diffused in the atmosphere are also subjected to photo-chemical reactions in the sunlight. The fumigation, vaporization and sublimation of specific substances in the Yagya fire constitute a verifiable scientific method of sublimation of matter and expansion of its colloidal state generates ions and energy with positive effects in the surrounding atmosphere through the specific sonic waves of the mantras. The vaporized products diffused in the atmosphere undergo photo-chemical decomposition, oxidation and reduction reactions. The partial oxidation of hydrocarbons and decomposition of complex organic substances produce formaldehyde, which is a powerful antiseptic. The chemical reaction is:

                             (In presence of sunlight)

CO2  +  H2O  +  112,000 cal  =  HCHO + O2

Mostly, all fatty substances mainly cow ghee used in Yagya are combination of fatty acids, which volatilize easily. The interesting thing to know is putting a cow’s ghee into the fire, its smoke will lessen the effect of atomic radiation to a great extent and helps in rapid combustion of cellulose of wood and keeps the fire alight. In addition to this, the smoke produced by burning the mixture of ghee and sugar kills the germs of certain diseases; inhaling it from some distance induces secretion from certain glands related to the windpipe that fill our heart and mind with relaxation. Burning sugar and its smoke has a significant effect in purifying the atmosphere. It kills the germs of T.B., measles, smallpox and cow-pox.  Thus, purification of environment through the constituent electrons of the substances fumigated in the Yagya is an obvious effect of this process.

Essence of chanting of Mantra in Yagya:

The power of sound vibrations is long since acknowledged in the field of science. These vibrations can penetrate the energy spheres at the subtle and cosmic levels. The recitation of Gayatri Mantra produces 110,000 sound waves per second. Similarly, it produces vibrations which are soothing to human mind, all plant and animal life and also helps in spreading specific energy waves in the surrounding atmosphere as the oblations are offered in Yagya kund.

Thus, even without going into detailed chemical bacteriology, it can be stated that performance of Yagya leads to purification of air. While the government is setting up enforcement and monitoring agencies for keeping this menace under check, it is also our responsibility to lend a helping hand in this monumental task. So, together we should stop polluting because it is hurting the Earth.

DISCLAIMER: The information in this article is presented for the sole purpose of imparting education on Yagya therapy. Born to a family with religious background I was taught by my father about Vedic approach to health, unified field and several such philosophical ideas in my early childhood. I was very engrossed on this topic as well. After having in depth study, taking reference of various researches conducted by Maharishi University such as Maharishi Vedic Approach to Health (MVAH) I have prepared this article.

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