Mahayajna, Mahāyajña, Maha-yajna: 11 definitions
Introduction
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)
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana IndexMahāyajña (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.
India history and geography
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Indian Epigraphical GlossaryMahāyajña.—(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 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
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionarymahāyajña (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
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryMahāyajña (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) || Ms.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).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryMahāyajña (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.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryMahāyajña (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).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryMahāyajña (महायज्ञ).—[masculine] great or chief sacrifice.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) 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]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryMahāyajña (महायज्ञ):—[mahā+yajña] (jñaḥ) 1. m. An essential sacrifice; one of the 5 sacraments.
[Sanskrit to German] (Deutsch Wörterbuch)
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Böhtlingk and Roth Grosses Petersburger WörterbuchMahāyajña (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.]
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.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with: Mahayajnabhagahara, Mahayajnah panca, Mahayajnakratu.
Ends with: Pacamahayajna, Pancamahayajna, Panchamahayajna.
Full-text (+24): Mahayajnakratu, Pancamahayajna, Bhutayajna, Manushyayajna, Pitriyajna, Brahmayajna, Mahayajnabhagahara, Apancayajna, Pancamahayajnavidhi, Sattra, Shripadukasmriti, Gosava, Atithiyajna, Pancayajna, Caruka, Caru, Mahakratu, Atithi, Devayajna, Rishiyajna.
Relevant text
Search found 17 books and stories containing Mahayajna, Mahāyajña, Maha-yajna, Mahā-yajña; (plurals include: Mahayajnas, Mahāyajñas, yajnas, yajñas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
The Brahmanda Purana (by G.V. Tagare)
Chapter 12 - Rules regarding Śrāddha rituals and the five Mahāyajñas < [Section 3 - Upodghāta-pāda]
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)]
Shrimad Bhagavad-gita (by Narayana Gosvami)
Verse 3.12 < [Chapter 3 - Karma-yoga (Yoga through the Path of Action)]
Paraskara-grihya-sutra (by Hermann Oldenberg)
Manusmriti with the Commentary of Medhatithi (by Ganganatha Jha)
Verse 2.86 < [Section XVII - Rules of Study]
Verse 2.27 < [Section VIII - Duties and Sacraments]
Vasistha Dharmasutra (by Georg Bühler)