Chinna Katha

YAGNAS AND YAGAS ARE HIGHLY VALUABLE

Good deeds done in dedicatory spirit do not add to the length of Yama's rope; they give shanthi and santosha, in plenty. Why, you have a very good illustration of this just today. The final offering of sacred objects in the sacrificial fire of the Rudra Yaga was done here at 10 A.M. and, there was a welcome downpour of unexpected rain at 10:45 A.M.! Those who do not know the true values of Yagna and Yaga ridicule these rites and shout that they involve the loss of precious ghee and fuel, which could be put to better use. They do not realize that the food they themselves consume is a colossal waste, for, they do no good to the world or for themselves. The cigarettes are a waste, indeed, a dangerous waste; the bush coats, the films they see the radio-hours they listen to are all waste. You are sculptor working away at a rock with his chisel of precious time, and valuable stone. You do not know that one day a form of divine beauty will emerge. You see the ryot scatter valuable stone on the mushy field; you blame him for wasting eatable stuff! You do not realize that he will harvest it a hundred folds in a few months. Your criticism is born of ignorance and short sight. The rain that fell this morning and surprised everyone did not surprise me, for it is the inevitable consequence of the Yaga. It is special sciences, which pundits know, honor them for it.