The Concept of Sacrifice (Yajna/Yasna) in Ancient India and Iran

Subject Areas : Christianity

محمدرضا  عدلی ¹ (ندارد)

Received: 2014-10-18 Accepted : 2014-10-18 Published : 2008-09-22

Keywords: Yajna, Yasna, soma, haoma, medha, myazda, Brahmanas,

Abstract :

In the ancient times, sacrifice was the most important rite in India andIran. In India, sacrifice gradually became a sophisticated rite, to such adegree that its performance required the attendance of several priests.There was a rigid doctrine that the cosmic order was in accordance withthe rite of sacrifice. The detailed description of the ritual was collectedin several books which are called Brahmanas. In fact, Brahmanasreflect the age of ritualism, in which the priests were the most powerfulmen in India. In ancient Iran, for the orthodox Zoroastrianism, sacrificewas a religious obligation and its obligatory character is traceable fromYasna.Comparing the Indian and Iranian traditions, reveals manysimilarities: Firstly, in both traditions, sacrifice grew out of a commonIndo-Iranian root. Although there are some references to the ritual inRgveda, its full development occurred in the later scriptures (inBrahmanas). On the other side, in the Gathas of Zoroaster, sacrifice isdescribed as an undesirable act, but later (in Yasna) it became thecentral rite of Zoroastrianism. In later periods, the glorious rite ofsacrifice declined in both lands, in India because of esotericism and inIran due to the external factors (i.e. the advent of Islam).