Mahayajna, Mahāyajña, Mahāyajñā, Maha-yajna: 14 definitions
Introduction:
Mahayajna means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, the history of ancient India, Marathi. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Mahāyajña (महायज्ञ).—Five in number: could be done by śūdras without mantras; fruitful in several ways; one failing to do them becomes indebted; the oblation to be offered in the North-east; first the offering of Piṇḍa and then the feeding of guests; Dharmic guests not to be sent away and useless ones fed.*
- * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 12. 16-20; Vāyu-purāṇa 76. 17, 26, 30.
The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Mahāyajñā (महायज्ञा) refers to one of the thirty-two Bhairavīs (also Dūtis) embodying the syllables of the goddess’s Vidyā, according to the Manthānabhairavatantra, a vast sprawling work that belongs to a corpus of Tantric texts concerned with the worship of the goddess Kubjikā.—The thirty-two Bhairavīs [i.e., Mahāyajñā] are the consorts of the Bhairavas presiding over the sonic energies of the thirty-two syllables of her Vidyā. [...] Notice that like there are Yoginīs in this group who are also worshipped independently as the Great Goddess. Moreover, several also appear in other groups.
Shakta (शाक्त, śākta) or Shaktism (śāktism) represents a tradition of Hinduism where the Goddess (Devi) is revered and worshipped. Shakta literature includes a range of scriptures, including various Agamas and Tantras, although its roots may be traced back to the Vedas.
India history and geography
Mahāyajña.—(IE 7-1-2), ‘five’. See pañca-mahāyajña. Note: mahāyajña is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary” as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.
The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
mahāyajña (महायज्ञ).—n (S) A great sacrifice: also a common term for five special oblation-services, which see under pañcamahāyajña.
Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.
Sanskrit dictionary
Mahāyajña (महायज्ञ).—'a great sacrifice', a term applied to the five daily sacrifices or acts of piety to be performed by a house-holder; अध्यापनं ब्रह्मयज्ञः पितृयज्ञस्तु तर्पणम् । होमो दैवो (adhyāpanaṃ brahmayajñaḥ pitṛyajñastu tarpaṇam | homo daivo) (or devayajñaḥ) बलिर्भौतो (balirbhauto) (or bhūtayajñaḥ) नृयज्ञोऽतिथिपूजनम् (nṛyajño'tithipūjanam) || Manusmṛti 3.7,71, (for explanation, see the words s. v.).
2) Name of Viṣṇu.
Derivable forms: mahāyajñaḥ (महायज्ञः).
Mahāyajña is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms mahā and yajña (यज्ञ).
Mahāyajña (महायज्ञ).—m.
(-jñaḥ) An essential sacrifice, a sacrament of the Hindu religion; five acts are enumerated of this description, severally considered as due to the Vedas, to the gods, to man, to the manes, and to all created beings; they are respectively, study of scripture, offering of sacrifice to the gods, hospitable treatment of guests, libation of water, &c. to deceased progenitors, and the casting of food on the ground or in water as an offering to the gods, to spirits, &c. E. mahā great, yajña sacrifice or act of worship.
Mahāyajña (महायज्ञ).—m. an essential ceremony, a sacrament, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 1, 112; 2, 28.
Mahāyajña is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms mahā and yajña (यज्ञ).
Mahāyajña (महायज्ञ).—[masculine] great or chief sacrifice.
1) Mahāyajña (महायज्ञ):—[=mahā-yajña] [from mahā > mah] m. a great sacrifice or offering, a principal act of devotion (of these there are 5 [according to] to [Manu-smṛti iii, 69-71, viz.] brahma-, deva-, pitṛ-, manuṣya-, and bhūta-yajña; cf. [Indian Wisdom, by Sir M. Monier-Williams 194 etc.; Religious Thought and Life in India 411]), [Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa] etc. etc.
2) [v.s. ...] Name of Viṣṇu, [Mahābhārata]
3) [v.s. ...] [plural] (with pañca) Name of [work]
Mahāyajña (महायज्ञ):—[mahā+yajña] (jñaḥ) 1. m. An essential sacrifice; one of the 5 sacraments.
Mahāyajña (महायज्ञ):—[(ma + yajña)] m. ein grosses Opfer, Hauptopfer [The Śatapathabrāhmaṇa 2, 4, 4, 14.] [Mahābhārata 1, 7661.] [Harivaṃśa 2320.] [Rāmāyaṇa 1, 8, 27. 57, 17.] [Spr. 4418.] pañcaiva mahāyajñāḥ . tānyeva mahāsattrāṇi bhūtayajño manuṣyayajñaḥ pitṛyajño devayajño brahmayajña iti (dieselben heissen [ĀŚV. GṚHY. 3, 1, 1] einfach yajñāḥ) [The Śatapathabrāhmaṇa 11,5,6,1.] [Taittirīyasaṃhitā.2,2,7,5.3,2,2,2.] [Manu’s Gesetzbuch.1,112.2,28.3,69. 71.4,22.6,5. 11,245.] [Yājñavalkya’s Gesetzbuch.3,311.] [Amarakoṣa.2,7,14.] [Hemacandra’s Abhidhānacintāmaṇi 822.] [Oxforder Handschriften 265,a,3. 273,b,35.] haviryajña (Neuund Vollmondsopfer u. s. w.), mahāyajña (Jyotiṣṭoma u.s.w.) [Aitareyabrāhmaṇa 2, 7.] [Śāṅkhāyana’s Śrautasūtrāṇi 14, 8, 15. 15, 11, 12.] [Pāraskara’s Gṛhyasūtrāṇi 1, 2. 2, 9.] aśvamedharājasūyapauṇḍarīkagosavādaya mahāyajñakratavaḥ [Oxforder Handschriften 266,b,41. fg.] mahāyajña und mahāyajñabhāgahara (nur in der ed. Bomb.) Beiww. Viṣṇu’s [Mahābhārata 12, 12864.]
Mahāyajña (महायज्ञ):—m. ein grosses Opfer , Hauptopfer [Āpastamba’s Dharmasūtra] Auch yajakratu m. mahāyaja und bhāgahara unter den Beiwörtern Viṣṇu's.
Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.
Kannada-English dictionary
Mahāyajña (ಮಹಾಯಜ್ಞ):—
1) [noun] a religious sacrifice conducted in a very large scale.
2) [noun] any of five religious sacrificies a householder has to perform daily.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
Mahāyajña (महायज्ञ):—n. 'a great sacrifice' a term applied to the five daily sacrifices or acts of piety to be performed by a house holder;
Nepali is the primary language of the Nepalese people counting almost 20 million native speakers. The country of Nepal is situated in the Himalaya mountain range to the north of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with: Mahayajnabhagahara, Mahayajnah panca, Mahayajnakratu.
Full-text (+32): Pancamahayajna, Mahayajnakratu, Mahayajnah panca, Manushyayajna, Bhutayajna, Brahmayajna, Pitriyajna, Sattra, Mahayajnabhagahara, Apancayajna, Shripadukasmriti, Pancamahayajnavidhi, Makayannam, Atithiyajna, Gosava, Mahamakha, Devayajna, Caruka, Mahakratu, Pancayajna.
Relevant text
Search found 49 books and stories containing Mahayajna, Mahāyajña, Mahāyajñā, Maha-yajna, Mahā-yajña, Mahā-yajñā, Maha-yajnas, Mahayajnas; (plurals include: Mahayajnas, Mahāyajñas, Mahāyajñās, yajnas, yajñas, yajñās, yajnases, Mahayajnases). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Atithi or Guest Reception (study) (by Sarika. P.)
Part 2 - Pañcamahāyajñas (The five daily great observances) < [Chapter 7 - Pañcamahāyajñas]
Impact of Vedic Culture on Society (by Kaushik Acharya)
5. Religious Sacrifices < [Chapter 2]
Mingling of Cultures (L): The Rāṣṭrakūṭas < [Chapter 4]
Land donation < [Chapter 5]
Yajnavalkya-smriti with Mitakshara and Viramitrodaya (by J. R. Gharpure)
Verse 1.102 < [Chapter 5 - Duties of a Householder (Gṛhin)]
Verse 1.104 < [Chapter 5 - Duties of a Householder (Gṛhin)]
Verse 1.103 < [Chapter 5 - Duties of a Householder (Gṛhin)]
Brahmanda Purana (by G.V. Tagare)
Chapter 12 - Rules regarding Śrāddha rituals and the five Mahāyajñas < [Section 3 - Upodghāta-pāda]
Bhagavata Purana (by G. V. Tagare)
Chapter 23 - The Song of a Recluse (Bhikṣu Gītā) < [Book 11 - Eleventh Skandha]
Chapter 14 - The Duties of a householder < [Book 7 - Seventh Skandha]
Chapter 69 - Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s Household Life < [Book 10 - Tenth Skandha]
Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary) (by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyana Gosvāmī Mahārāja)
Verse 1.5.73 < [Chapter 5 - Priya (the beloved devotees)]
Verse 1.2.39-40 < [Chapter 2 - Divya (the celestial plane)]
Verse 1.1.36 < [Chapter 1 - Bhauma (the earthly plane)]
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