SACRAMENT ,
s.संस्कारः, महायज्ञः. For the twelve sanskāras or sacred symbolical rites,
see RITE. The following are the five mahā-yajnas, or great sacraments of the Hindūs (as explained in Manu III. 70.
et. seq.), appointed to be per- formed every day by the Grihastha, or house-keeper, for the sake of expiating the sin incurred by the involuntary destruction of minute living creatures. They refer re- spectively to what is due to five objects, viz. himself, the gods, his fore-fathers, spirits or ghosts, and men or guests. 1. Study of Scripture, with prayer and medita- tion, called
ब्रह्मयज्ञः or
अहुतः. 2. Offering oblations to the gods in fire, called
देवयज्ञः or
हुतः. 3. Offering libations of water and cakes to the manes of deceased ancestors, called
पितृयज्ञः or
प्राशितं or
श्राद्धं. 4. Casting the residue of oblations on the ground or in water, as an offering to spirits or goblins, called
भूतयज्ञः or
बलियज्ञः or
प्रहुतः or
आहुतः or
बलिःm. 5. Receiving guests, and especially Brahmans, with hospitality, called
नृयज्ञः or
मनुप्पयज्ञः or
ब्राह्म्यहुतं or
ब्राह्म्यं or
ब्रह्महुतं. The Viṣnu-Purāna adds two other sacraments, viz.
‘propagation of offspring,’
प्रजापतियज्ञः,and
‘observance of truth,’
सत्ययज्ञः, but these are com- paratively modern additions. The Christian idea of a sa- crament may be expressed by
संस्कारः or
ख्रीष्टप्रकल्पितसंस्कारः;as,
‘the sacrament of baptism,’
जलसंस्कारः or
जलसेचनसंस्कारःor
मज्जनसंस्कारः; ‘of the Lord's Supper,’
ख्रीष्टभोजनसंस्कारःor
ख्रीष्टमृन्युरमरणार्थकसंस्कारः.
ROOTS:
संस्कारमहायज्ञब्रह्मयज्ञअहुतदेवयज्ञहुतपितृयज्ञप्राशितंश्राद्धंभूतयज्ञबलियज्ञप्रहुतआहुतबलिनृयज्ञमनुप्पयज्ञब्राह्म्यहुतंब्राह्म्यंब्रह्महुतंप्रजापतियज्ञसत्ययज्ञख्रीष्टप्रकल्पितसंस्कारजलसंस्कारजलसेचनसंस्कारमज्जनसंस्कारख्रीष्टभोजनसंस्कारख्रीष्टमृन्युरमरणार्थकसंस्कार