In every religion, God is revered as light (Fire). In fact, in every religion fire finds a place in rituals as it is the symbol of God. Yajna (which means Sacred Fire Ceremony) is the most ancient form of worship from time immemorial. Vedas invoke fire to offer worship to various Gods. Zorathustra worshipped Ahura Mazda as fire which is the main altar in every Zorathustran temple. Moses witnessed God as fire in Mount Sinai and the Jews worship their God as a pillar of fire. The Christians declare that their God is a consuming fire. In the Bible (John 9:5) it is said, "While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." "God is light." Fire symbolizes the brilliance of the Lord. Fire stands purification, sacrifice, effulgence and illumination. Fire is symbolic of the supreme wisdom and the sacrificial offering is symbolic of transformation from changing to the changeless.
The Vedas are the oldest scriptures of mankind. Vedas refer to the supreme effulgence, the very basis of the entire cosmos and creation, a pillar of fire that pervades the entire cosmos without a beginning or end, as Rudra. Hence, the source of creation is the divine energy and effulgence referred to as Siva and extolled in the Vedas by a specific hymn as Sri Rudram. Sri Rudram is the centre piece of the entire Vedas and appears in the fourth kaanda of the Thaittireeya Samhita of Yajur Veda. According to Sanatana Dharma, this supreme hymn Sri Rudram has the power to attract divine positive energy (which means Siva), for the benefit of the practitioner, his or her household, the world, and the universe at large. All Vedic hymns, particularly Sri Rudram, stands out for the majesty of diction and the sweetness and vibrations of the sound heals the body and mind.
Sri Rudram, the Vedic homage to Lord Rudra is remarkable for its phonetic grandeur and universality of approach to the Divine. ‘Rudra’ in fact is not a sectarian deity, but the Supreme Being, who is omnipresent and manifests in different forms for the sake of divine spiritual aspirants. Changeless and formless, Siva is in essence the self in our hearts, infinite, and all pervasive. Sri Rudram declares that Rudra is in the fire, in the water, and in the herbs, and has entered into creation. According to Sri Sankara Bhagavadpada, Siva is of measureless majesty and unequal splendor, who is the refuge of the saintly souls and who is a source of great solace. He is smaller than the smallest and yet greater than the greatest!
Sri Rudram conists of 11 chapters (Anuvakams) of Namakam and Camakam. Namakam extols the divine light of creator reflected in the creation. Camakam is prayer that invokes the grace of the divine in various material and spiritual powers which are in turn offered to the Supreme Being in surrender and sacrifice. Chanting Sri Rudram purifies the individual at all levels including the body, mind, and the intellect. Purification of the self leads to unity with the creation and creator, and ultimately realizing the divinity within ourselves and the entire creation.
The positive energy and light of Sri Rudram is invoked by two most powerful rituals; a) Yajna or homa or sacred fire, b) abhisheka, an offering that includes worship using holy waters and other liquids such as milk, honey, etc. Doing these rituals along with the chanting of the divine mantras amplifies the power of the mantras several thousand fold. For example, chanting Sri Rudram while offering into the sacred fire is believed to amplify the energy of the mantra at least 100,000 fold.
Significance of Ati Rudra Maha Yajnam
Ati Rudra Maha Yajnam is the highest form of worship to ‘Lord Siva’. Sage Bodhayana identifies Japa (repetition), Homa (sacred fire), Archana, (worship), and Abhisheka (cleansing) as the rituals to offer respectful prayers to Lord Siva.
‘Japanga Rudra’ is repeated chanting of Namaka and Camaka. “Archananga Rudra’ is done with offering ‘Bilva” leaves or even “Akshatha (sacred rice) with repeated chanting of Namaka and Camaka. ‘Abhishekanga Rudra’ is done with offering liquids such milk, ghee, water, etc. to the ‘lingam’ with repeated chanting of Namaka and Camaka. ‘Homanga Rudra’ is offering ghee and other materials into the sacred fire while chanting Namaka nad Camaka. Though there are several procedures, the usual and ideal procedure as suggested by Sage Shatapata in his ‘Maharnava Karma Vipaka’ is to offer one tenth of the ‘parayana’ (repeated chanting) into the ‘homa’ (sacred fire); ‘Dasamsa Paddhati’.
Ati Rudram involves chanting of 14,641 Namaka and 1,331 Camaka. Along with offering one tenth of the parayana, that is 1,465 chantings, as Homam completes Ati Rudra Maha Yajnam. Specifically, 121 ritwiks (individuals well versed with chanting) along with 15 priests (that are well versed in the homam and other rituals) will be chanting Sri Rudram 11 times a day for 11 consecutive days along with performing Abhishekam and Homam.
The entire offering is dedicated for the peace and prosperity of all the beings in all the worlds.
Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba is the embodiment of Shiva Shakti, the Divine principles of Father and Mother in one form.
Chandi is a synonym for the feminine aspect of Divine Consciousness (Shakti) that is omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent. Chandi is the worship of Shakti in a structured way that helps in cleansing of various negative traits resulting in purity and unity of the inner and outer nature of one’s own Self.
Devi Mahatmyam (Glory of the Divine Mother) from the Markandeya Purana (Epic conceived by Sage Markandeya) consists of 700 mantras extolling the glory of the Divine Mother. These powerful mantras annihilate the evil tendencies within oneself and thus conferring peace and prosperity.
Devi Mahatmyam recitation was done in Bhagawan’s physical presence for over 50 years during the Dussera Veda Sapthaha Jnana Yajnam in Puttaparthi and continues to date in His cosmic presence. Please view the following short video regarding the importance and reading Procedure of Devi Mahatmyam released by the Sri Sathya Sai Official channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQ47nc-trl8
Sri Rudram and Chandi are thus invoked in this Yajna together to worship Shiva Sakti Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. In doing so, there is tremendous spiritual synergy and the related spiritual benefits to the universe are immeasurable and incomprehensible. Shata Chandi involves recitation of the entire Devi Mahatmyam for 100 times along with 10 recitations as offerings into the sacred fire as Homa. This would require 100 Ritwiks reciting the 700 mantras one time and 10 priests offering in the sacred fire one time.
Ati Rudra Maha Yajnam is the highest form of worship to ‘Lord Siva’. Sage Bodhayana identifies Japa (repetition), Homa (sacred fire), Archana, (worship), and Abhisheka (cleansing) as the rituals to offer respectful prayers to Lord Siva.
‘Japanga Rudra’ is repeated chanting of Namaka and Camaka. “Archananga Rudra’ is done with offering ‘Bilva” leaves or even “Akshatha (sacred rice) with repeated chanting of Namaka and Camaka. ‘Abhishekanga Rudra’ is done with offering liquids such milk, ghee, water, etc. to the ‘lingam’ with repeated chanting of Namaka and Camaka. ‘Homanga Rudra’ is offering ghee and other materials into the sacred fire while chanting Namaka nad Camaka. Though there are several procedures, the usual and ideal procedure as suggested by Sage Shatapata in his ‘Maharnava Karma Vipaka’ is to offer one tenth of the ‘parayana’ (repeated chanting) into the ‘homa’ (sacred fire); ‘Dasamsa Paddhati’.
Ati Rudram involves chanting of 14,641 Namaka and 1,331 Camaka. Along with offering one tenth of the parayana, that is 1,465 chantings, as Homam completes Ati Rudra Maha Yajnam. Specifically, 121 ritwiks (individuals well versed with chanting) along with 15 priests (that are well versed in the homam and other rituals) will be chanting Sri Rudram 11 times a day for 11 consecutive days along with performing Abhishekam and Homam.
The entire offering is dedicated for the peace and prosperity of all the beings in all the worlds.