Homa to be monitored by scientists!

An interesting news report is given here

on a proposed homa

that is going to be put under scientific monitoring.

Earlier in 1975,

the Athiraathra homa was followed by scientists

who recorded it by Kirlian photography.

A detailed coverage was done by The Hindu at that time.

One of the amazing findings of the research then was

the appearance of a huge image of dancing Shiva

in the homa-smoke that covered the air

when the final ahuthi (oblations)

was being done to accompaniment of

the chorus chanting of Shiva’s name

The Kirlian photography captured this image.

It was as though the Lord appeared in person to accept the offerings!

The rationale of homas is that the lord who is worshiped by the homa

appears at the end (poorna ahuthi)

to accept the offerings.

The vedic seers did not worship the images of gods.

The vedic period did not recognise images

but only homas as means of doing meditation.

It was only in the last 2000 years,

vigraha vazhipaadu (image- worship) came into vogue,

probably with the diminution in adhering to homa worship.

On the day before his proposed coronation,

Rama worshiped his kula-daiva, Sriman Narayna,

with the help of sage Vasishta.

This worship is described in Valmiki Ramayana.

It was in the form of a homa

followed by meditation.

Image- worship came much later only.

The seers who probably had the dhrushti (vision)

to see the gods associated with respective homas

had formulated codes for making the images and worship.

That is how we can explain the formation of Shiva’s imagery in

the Kirlian recordings.

I happened to see a photograph of

the Maha shankatahara chathurthi homa

in which the fire at the time of purna ahuthi

was in the shape of lord Vinayaka.

I have seen another photo of a homa

in which the image of Hanuman was seen.

This can be viewed at

http://www.anjaneya.org

With the advent of Kaliyuga,

the potency to do the homas deteriorated and

homa was replaced by consecrating images

by installing the energy of the deity in the images.

The view that the yAgashala of the Vedic period

gradually got metamorphosed into temples

owing to the cults of devotion is

widely accepted by researchers and scholars.

(request to readers -

please don't miss the related articles mentioned at the end of this post)

- jayasree

Scientists back ancient yaagam

http://www.deccan.com/chennaichronicle/home/homedetails.asp#Scientists%20back%20ancient%20yaagam

chennai Aug. 10: This is one yaagam that has got even the scientific community interested. Hundreds of scientists from many countries will be converging in Thirunavaya, a little village on the banks of the river Bharata Puzha in Kerala for the Vaajapeya Soma Yaagam that is being performed to mitigate the effects of global warming.

Thirunavaya, 100 kms north of Kochi, is already reverberating with the chantings of slokas and mantras by the Namboodiris (Kerala Brahmin scholars) who are practising for the big event. “The Yagam, a rare Vedic ritual will start on April 3, 2009 and conclude on April 14,” said Dr T.I. Radhakrishnan, chairman, Vaajapeya Yajna Samithi.

Dr K M Jathavedan Namboothiri, general convener, told Deccan Chronicle that the last Vaajapeya Yaagam was held more than 400 years ago.

“The Rishis have said that a Yaagam of this kind would bring timely rainfall and profound agricultural production. The 12-day Yaagam will see Vedic scholars simultaneously reciting mantras and slokas from Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva Vedas round-the-clock,” said Dr Namboothiri, a clinical psychiatrist and organiser of the school to teach Vedas to Dalits and women.

He said that the Yaagam was meant for the welfare, peace and prosperity of the world. Matha Amritanandamay-idevi, the hugging saint from Kerala, told this reporter that Yaagas had the scientific power to make visible changes in the universe. “The synchronised chanting of mantras produce vibrations in the environment resulting in positive energy. In fact there is more science than religion to the Vedas,” observed the Matha.

Dr Radhakrishnan, a leading neurologist, said that Vaajapeya Yaaga was being held as per the teachings of the rishis, whom he described as the world’s pioneer scientific researchers. The Vedic culture of Kerala shot into prominence with the Athiraathra Yajna in 1975. Dr Frits Staal of the University of California had documented the ritual, which culminated in torrential rains during the peak of summer. A team of leading scientists which include Dr C S P Iyer (Department of Atomic Energy), Dr U Krishnakumar, Dr Prabhoth Kumar Poddar (specialist in energy and quantum physics), Dr Mukundan (genetic scientist) and Dr Prasad Rao (meteorologist) would evaluate the Yaaga, according to Dr Radhakrishnan. “We are awaiting the final confirmation letters from some of the leading physicists from universities in the USA. Then only we can reveal their names,” said Dr Namboodiri.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yajna

Related articles:-

Details of Athirathra homa mentioned in the above article

can be read in the following link.

http://sankaranna.com/index_files/yagam.htm

Scientific effects of Agnihotra homa can be read in the following link

http://www.agnihotra.org/science.htm

http://www.akhandjyoti.org/ArticlesMarApr03/Truth.html?Akhand-Jyoti/2003/Mar-Apr/
ScientificAspectsofYajna/

Scientific study on different aspects of homa can be read here:-

http://blessed7.blogspot.com/2008/06/eternity-of-sound-science-of-mantras.html