Purpose of Marriage - Pancha Mahayagna

In Hindu dharma, the role of grihastha ashrama (householdership) is pivotal, often misunderstood as less significant on the path to moksha. Contrary to popular belief, moksha—liberation from samsara, the endless cycle of birth and death—is not achieved by renouncing worldly life. Instead, it is through fully engaging in life that we find the way out of it.

To comprehend this journey towards moksha, we must first understand why we take birth. Our birth is driven by desires and capabilities, encapsulated in three shaktis: ichashakti (desire to do), kriyashakti (ability to act), and gnanashakti (knowledge of action). These forces dictate our rebirth, shaping our destinies according to our attachments. For instance, a penchant for non-vegetarian food might lead one to be reborn as a creature that partakes in such diets, like a hyena.

In Hindu dharma, life’s aim is to achieve the four purusharthas—dharma, artha, kama, and moksha. Marriage allows us to pursue artha (wealth) and kama (desire), education fosters dharma (duty), and moksha (liberation) is realized once we relinquish our attachments to these worldly elements, the root of our existence. This cycle of debt and repayment, known as rnanubandhana, binds us to various forms of indebtedness: pitru rna to our ancestors, deva rna to the natural forces, manushya rna to our fellow humans, bhuta rna to all living and non-living entities, and rishi rna to the sages who have laid down the spiritual foundations of our civilization.

This indebtedness, which we accumulate by simply being, necessitates a life dedicated to clearing these debts, a task uniquely suited to the grihastha ashrama. This stage of life supports all others: nurturing the brahmacharis (students) in their learning, the vanaprasthis (forest dwellers) in their retreat from worldly life, and the sanyasis (renunciants) in their spiritual quests. Without the grihastha, no other ashrama could thrive.

The mechanism for resolving these debts lies in the practice of pancha mahayagnas, the five great sacrifices, which encapsulate the spirit of selflessness advocated in the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita. As Lord Krishna advises in this poignant verse:

श्रेयो हि ज्ञानमभ्यासाज्ज्ञानाद्ध्यानं विशिष्यते |

ध्यानात्कर्मफलत्यागस्त्यागाच्छान्तिरनन्तरम् ||

"Better than mechanical practice is knowledge; better than knowledge is meditation. Better than meditation is renunciation of the fruits of actions, for peace immediately follows such renunciation."

In practical terms, this dharma of sacrifice manifests vividly in Hindu households. Contributions to temples and community feasts, regardless of one’s financial status, embody the principle that one should not cling solely to the fruits of their labor. This overarching principle of sacrifice defines the grihastha’s duties across the five yagnas:

Deva yagna: Offering rituals and sustaining religious practices, regardless of personal gain, as a tribute to the divine.

Pitru yagna: Honoring ancestors through rituals and remembrances, acknowledging their role in our existence.

Nara yagna: Extending hospitality and care to guests with profound respect and love, reflecting the virtue of generosity.

Rishi yagna: Engaging with and propagating spiritual wisdom, reading sacred scriptures, and supporting spiritual leaders, thus preserving the teachings that guide civilization.

Bhuta yagna: Nurturing the environment and all living beings within it, from feeding street animals to caring for plants.

By living a life dedicated to these sacrifices, grihasthas actively work towards clearing their cosmic debt, gradually detaching from worldly bindings and moving towards moksha. Such a life not only fulfills one’s duties but also elevates the atma, preparing it for ultimate liberation.

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Namaskaram.