Connection Between Yugas and Yajnas
• In Satya Yuga, yajna was internal—through meditation and tapas (austerity).
• In Treta Yuga, elaborate yajnas were crucial for maintaining cosmic order.
• In Dvapara Yuga, temple worship and rituals took prominence.
• In Kali Yuga, yajnas in the traditional sense decline, and chanting the divine name (Hari Nama Sankirtan) becomes the primary form of sacrifice (as stated in scriptures like the Bhagavata Purana).
saha-yajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā
purovāca prajāpatiḥ
anena prasaviṣyadhvam
eṣa vo 'stv iṣṭa-kāma-dhuk
purovāca prajāpatiḥ
anena prasaviṣyadhvam
eṣa vo 'stv iṣṭa-kāma-dhuk
“In the beginning of creation, the Lord of all creatures sent forth generations of men and demigods, along with sacrifices for Viṣṇu, and blessed them by saying, "Be thou happy by this yajña [sacrifice] because its performance will bestow upon you everything desirable for living happily and achieving liberation.”
[Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, 3.10]
In the Bhagavad Gita (3.10) states that yajna was given to humanity by the creator (Prajapati) as a means to sustain the world, showing its timeless relevance across Yugas.