The Sacrifices of Rajasuya, Vajapeya and Ashvamedha (study)
by Aparna Dhar | 2016 | 61,606 words
This page relates ‘Difference between Yajna and Yaga’ of the study dealing with the Sacrifices such as Rajasuya, Vajapeya and Ashvamedha including their ritualistic and monarchial strata with reference to the Shatapatha-Brahmana. These Brahmanas represent a category of ancient Sanskrit texts dealing with ancient Vedic rituals and ceremonies based on the Vedas.
Difference between Yajña and Yāga
The meaning of the terms Yajña and Yāga is almost same; but the term Yajña has wider denotation having common name, while the term Yāga is a particular name having narrower denotation. The offering of something to a deity is popularly called Yajña; but Yāga signifies some special or particular rite, such as, Iṣṭi-yāga, Paśu-yāga, Soma-yāga and others. Again, Yāga and Homa though superficially of same meaning, yet there is difference between the two. Yāga is derived from the √yaj and Homa is derived from the √‘hu’. In Yāga, oblation is to be offered by standing and saying ‘vauṣaṭ’ at the end of the mantra, while in Homa oblation is to be offered being seated uttering ‘Svāhā’ at the end of the mantra. In Yajña, the oblations comprise milk, ghee, curd, butter, water of butter, liquid ghee and others.