[Advaita-l] Sava yajnas

[Anand Hudli]

One may remember the saying:

pitRdevAtithipUjAyAM iti mAnavam.h|
madhuparke ca pitRdaivatakarmaNi|
atraiva pashuM hiMsyAn nAnyathetyabravIn manuH||

One may kill an animal only for the specific purposes of worshipping the
Pitrs, Gods, and to honor guests, and in rites relating to Pitrs, Gods
(Yajnas), and the Madhuparka. Not otherwise.

Also, there is the famous saying, "yAge vadho avadhaH". The killing of
animals in a Yajna is not to be considered as killing.

However, the practice, at least in recent times, is to avoid killing
animals even in the above mentioned circumstances. A substitute for a live
animal is used, made of vegetarian ingredients. This has been the case for
Yajnas that have been conducted in Bangalore and other places in the south.
This is certainly the case for events that have been publicized and have
been covered by the press. It is possible that Yajnas involving real
animals are being performed, but these are performed with no publicity and
probably even in secrecy.

Anand