The Yajur Veda :
The Mystic Ritual
The Yajur Veda seen by the outer
vision is the Veda of ritual. On an inner level, it sets forth a
yogic practice for purifying the mind and awakening the inner
consciousness. Several versions of the Yajur Veda exist, which
differ in a number of respects. It was the main Veda used by the
priests in ancient India and has much in common with the Egyptian
Book of the Dead.
Its deities are the same as the Rig
Veda. The purpose of the ritual is to put together and recreate
within ourselves the Cosmic Man or Indra. The ritual is to recreate
the universe within our own psyche and thereby unite the individual
with the universal. Its series of sacrifices culminate in the
Atmayajna or the self-sacrifice wherein the ego is offered up to the
Divine. While the lesser sacrifices win the lesser worlds, the
Self-sacrifice wins all the worlds and gains the greatest gift of
immortality.
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