Desa Nirnaya

सरस्वतीदृषद्वत्योः देवनद्योर्यदन्तरम्।

तं देवनिर्मितं देशं ब्रह्मावर्तं प्रचक्षते।। 

Sarasvati and Drishadvati are the divine rivers.  The country between these two rivers is made by Gods.  It is called as Brahmavarta.

तस्मिन् देशे य आचारः पारम्पर्यक्रमागतः।

वर्णानां सान्तराळानां स सदाचार उच्यते।। 

The Achara of various Varnas and branches in that country which is followed for generations together is called as Sadachara.

कुरुक्षेत्रं च मत्स्याश्च पञ्चालाश्शूरसेनकाः।

एष ब्रह्मर्षिदेशो वै ब्रह्मावर्तादनन्तरः।। 

Kurukshetra, Matsyadesa, Panchaladesa, Surasenadesa – These are called as Brahmarshidesa.  These are next to Brahmavarta.

एतद्देशप्रसूतस्य सकाशादग्रजन्मनः।

स्वं स्वं चरित्रं शिक्षेरन् पृथिव्यां सर्वमानवः।। 

All the humans on the Earth are supposed to learn their ways of practices from the noble personalities of this Brahmarshidesa.

हिमवद्विन्ध्ययोर्मध्यं यत्प्राग्विशसनादपि।

प्रत्यगेव प्रयागाच्च मध्यदेशः प्रकीर्तितः।। 

Madhyadesa is present to the south of Himalaya and north to Vindhya.  It is present to the east of Sarasvati’s disappearance and west to Prayaga.

आसमुद्रात्तु वै पूर्वादासमुद्रात्तु पश्चिमात्।

तयोरेवान्तरं गिर्योरार्यावर्तं विदुर्बुधाः।। 

Aryavarta is spread between the eastern sea and western sea.

कृष्णसारस्तु चरति मृगो यत्र स्वभावतः।

स ज्ञेयो यज्ञियो देशो म्लोच्छदेशस्त्वतः परः।। 

Yajnadesa is that country where the black buck wanders by nature.  Other countries are called as Mlecchadesa.

एतान् द्विजातयो देशान् संश्रयेरन् प्रयत्नतः।

शूद्रस्तु यस्मिन् कस्मिन् वा निवसेद्वृत्तिकर्शितः।। 

Dvijas should live in these countries by effort.  There are no such restrictions for Sudras.  They can live any country where they get some livelihood.        

	Desa	Where is it Located
01	ब्रह्मावर्तः	Present between Sarasvati and Drishadvati
02	ब्रह्मर्षिदेशः	It is next to Brahmavarta.  It consists of Kurukshetra, Matsya, Panchala and Surasena Desas.
03	मध्यदेशः	It is present to the south of Himalaya and north to Vindhya.  It is present to the east of Sarasvati’s disappearance and west to Prayaga.
04	आर्यावर्त	Aryavarta is spread between the eastern sea and western sea.
	यज्ञदेशः	Yajnadesa is that country where the black buck wanders in its natural habitat.  Other countries are called as Mlecchadesas.

Yuga Dharmas

चतुष्पात् सकलो धर्मः सत्यं चैव कृते युगे।

नाधर्मेणागमः कश्चिन्मनुष्यान् प्रतिवर्तते।। 

इतरेष्वागमाद्धर्मः पादशस्त्ववरोपितः।

चौरिकानृतमायाभिर्धर्मश्चापैति पादशः।। 

अरोगास्सर्वसिद्धार्थाः चतुर्वर्षशतायुषः।

कृतत्रेतादिषु ह्येषाम् आयुस्त्रसति पादशः।। 

वेदोक्तमायुर्मर्त्यानाम् आशिषश्चैव कर्मणाम्।

फलं त्वनुयुगं लोके प्रभावश्च शरीरिणाम्।। 

अन्ये कृतयुगे धर्माः त्रेतायां द्वापरे परे।

अन्ये कलियुगे नॄणां युगह्रासानुरूपतः।। 

तपःपरं कृतयुगे त्रेतायां ज्ञानमुच्यते।

द्वापरे यज्ञमेवाहुः दानमेकं कलौ युगे।। 

	कृतयुगः	त्रेतायुगः	द्वापरयुगः	कलियुगः
Dharma	Has 4 feet	Has 3 feet	Has 2 feet	Has 1 foot
Satya	Has 4 feet	Has 3 feet	Has 2 feet	Has 1 foot
Gain of Money, Knowledge etc. By following Adharma	Absolutely No one tries to gain	25% of the people try to gain	50% of the people try to gain	75% of the people try to gain
Percentage of the Thieves, Liars and Cheats	0%	25%	50%	75%
Healthy people	100%	75%	50%	25%
Successful people	100%	75%	50%	25%
Life span of the people	400 years	300 years	200 years	100 years
Power in Blessings and Curses	100%	75%	50%	25%
The Best Action	Penance तपः	Knowledge ज्ञानम्	Sacrifice यज्ञः	Donation दानम्

Pancha Yajnas - Manusmriti

पञ्चसूना गृहस्थस्य चुल्लीपेषण्यवस्करः।

कण्डनी चोदकुम्भश्च बध्यते यास्तु वाहयन्। 

While using the following, a House holder may cause some harm to other living creatures and involve himself in committing 5 sins –

01	चुल्ली	Winnowing basket –
02	पेषणी	Hand grinder –
03	अवस्करः	Hand mortar –
04	कण्डनी	Utensil-Cleaning cloth –
05	उदकुम्भः	Water pot –

तासां क्रमेण सर्वासां निष्कृत्यर्थं महर्षिभिः।

पञ्चकॢप्ता महायज्ञाः प्रत्यहं गृहमेधिनाम्।। 

The Kind-hearted Sages suggested Five-Yajnas (to be done every day) as an atonement of those five sins.

अध्यापनं ब्रह्मयज्ञः पितृयज्ञस्तु तर्पणम्।

होमो दैवो बलिर्भौतो नृयज्ञोऽतिथिपूजनम्।। 

	Name of Yajna	How is it done?
01	ब्रह्मयज्ञः	अध्यापनम्       - Teaching
02	पितृयज्ञः	तर्पणम्            - Satisfying Pitri Devatas
03	दैवयज्ञः	होमः               - Offerings into the Fire
04	भूतयज्ञः	बलिः               - Offering food to the living creatures
05	नृयज्ञः	अतिथिपूजनम्   - Honouring the Guests

पञ्चैतान् यो महायज्ञान् न हापयति शक्तितः।

स्वगृहेऽपि वसन्नित्यं सूनादोषैर्नलिप्यते।। 

देवतातिथिभृत्यानां पितॄणामात्मनश्च यः।

न निर्वपति पञ्चानामुच्छ्वसन्न स जीवति।। 

A person who does not break the directive of performing these 5 Yajnas according to his personal capability is not affected by the 5 sins.

A person who does not satisfy Gods, Guests, Servants, Pitri Devatas and Self as well, is considered dead even while breathing.

अहुतं च हुतं चैव तथा प्रहुतमेव च।

ब्राह्म्यं हुतं प्राशितं च पञ्चयज्ञान् प्रचक्षते।। 

जपोऽहुतो हुतो होमः प्रहुतो भौतिको बलिः।

ब्राह्म्यं हुतं द्विजाग्र्यार्चा प्राशितं पितृतर्पणम्।। 

Another division of 5 Yajnas:

01	अहुतः	जपः	Repeated Chant of the instructed Mantra
02	हुतः	होमः	Offerings into the Fire
03	प्रहुतः	भौतिकः बलिः	Offering food to the living creatures
04	ब्राह्म्यहुतः	द्विजाग्र्यार्चा	Honouring a Brahmin scholar
05	प्राशितम्	पितृतर्पणम्	Satisfying the Pitri Devatas

ऋषयः पितरो देवा भूतान्यतिथयस्तथा।

आशासते कुटुम्बिभ्यः तेभ्यः कार्यं विजानता।। 

Sages, Pitri Devatas, Gods, Living creatures and Guests expect something from a Householder.  A wise Householder should live up to their expectations by satisfying them.

स्वाध्यायेनार्चयेतर्षीन् होमैर्देवान् यथाविधि।

पितॄन् श्राद्धैश्च नॄनन्नैर्भूतानि बलिकर्मणा।। 

	Who are to be satisfied? के तर्पणीयाः?	With what they are to be satisfied? कथं तर्पणीयाः?
01	ऋषयः  Sages	स्वाध्यायेन  By Self study
02	देवाः  Gods	होमैः  By Offerings into the Fire
03	पितरः  Pitri Devatas	श्राद्धैः  By Offerings with Respect
04	नरः  Humans (Guests)	अन्नैः  By Offering food
05	भूतानि  Living Creatures	बलिकर्मणा  By Offering of food

देवानृषीन्मनुष्यांश्च पितॄन् गृह्याश्च देवताः।

पूजयित्वा ततः पश्चात् गृहस्थः शेषभुग्भवेत्।। 

A Householder should honour Gods, Sages, Humans, Pitri Devatas, and Household Gods.  Then only he should eat, whatever is left over for him.

अघं स केवलं भुङ्क्ते यः पचत्यात्मकारणात्।

यज्ञशिष्टाशनं ह्येतत् सतामन्नं विधीयते।। 

A Householder who gets food cooked for him alone is considered as if he is eating the sin but not food.  Leftovers of the food at the end of 5 Yajnas is considered to be the food of the Noble.