Agnihotra - Ancient Knowledge Validated By Modern Science
According to WHO (2016) about 4.2 million deaths occur every year as a result of exposure to ambient (outdoor) air pollution while household exposure to smoke from dirty cook stoves and fuels causes 3.8 million deaths every year. 91% of the world's population lives in places where air quality exceeds WHO guideline limits. Air pollution is a major environmental risk to health. By reducing air pollution levels, countries can reduce the burden of disease from stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and both chronic as well as acute respiratory diseases, including asthma. The lower the levels of air pollution, the better the cardiovascular and respiratory health of the population will be, in both long- and short-term.
Policies and investments supporting cleaner transport, energy- efficient homes, power generation, industry and better municipal waste management would reduce key sources of outdoor air pollution. But can the air once polluted be reversed by any modem science technology? Perhaps No!!
Agnihotra, as emancipated by Vedas & Vedic sciences is an ancient and validated technology not only to prevent the air from being polluted but also reverse the process once the environment has been polluted.
Vedas & Vedic sciences have made significant contributions to the world civilization, culture and knowledge in all areas of human pursuits. These contributions, mostly unknown to the wider world, are often un-acknowledged and this wisdom often distorted.
Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati heralded the spiritual renascence in modem times. He revived the ancient approach to Vedic concepts. Among other things, he reintroduced five basic duties / Yajnas to be performed by every human being every day.
Agnihotra is one of the five duties / Yajnas (Pancha MahaYagna) to be performed by every householder twice a day. It has been an integral part of the Vedic culture and it is also known by the name: of Deva Yajna, Havana and Homa. All the 16 Sanskara. including marriage ceremony start with Agnihotra.
Agnihotra is not just a spiritual duty or ritual, it is a spirituali enlightening experience. Moreover, it has a great science hidden in it. It is the most ancient science which helps to purify air an environment. But during past several centuries of foreign rule, WI Indians have forgotten and ignored this science. When Maharish Dayanand rekindled the Vedic heritage, people started taken interest in this ancient hidden knowledge. Lot of research has since been conducted and plenty of literature has been brought out on third science in the recent past. There are some good books by eminent scholars like Acharya Vishwa Shravah Vyas, Swami (Dr.) Satyr Prakash and Dr. Ram Prakash on the subject. But this knowledge has not trickled down to the common man and has remained restricted to researchers and scholars. Moreover, many book an out of print and not available. Literature in simple lay-man': language is hard to be found.
