***हिंदी हिन्दू हिंदुस्तान***

=====Three Gunas and Yajna(Sacrifice)======
“Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevayah”

Yajna(Sacrifice) one of the ways to liberation and the core principle of Karma Yoga. Any actions done by binds human to its fruits, except the action done as Yajna(Sacrifice). Writing about Yajna Bhagvan Krishna says as follows:

Ch3:Sh9
yajnarthat karmano 'nyatra loko 'yam karma-bandhanah
tad-artham karma kaunteya mukta-sangah samacara

O Arjuna! This whole world is bound by the actions except to the actions done as Yajna(Sacrifice) to the Lord. Sacrificing all your actions unto the Supreme Lord, without being bounded int it, becomes the reason for the benediction of the doer.
(Yajna is of different types and is a big subject. The detail posts on the subject would be given sometime later)
Since Yajna(Sacrifice) is done by human and using the physical material, is automatically under the periphery of Three Gunas, because three Gunas are born of material world. There Yajna is a way of liberation but under the effect of Gunas a human may perform Yajna in different way.
Based upon Gunas, Yajna is of three types. i.e. 1. Sattva, 2. Rajasika and 3. Tamasika.
True Yajna is the one which is performed in prescribed way and then only it can be liberated. Yajna performed in un-prescribed way or with corrupted intentions cannot liberate. Sattvik Yajna is the purest way to perform Yajna and liberates human from the bounds of actions.
Bhagvan Shri Krishna defines these three types of Yajna as follows:
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Ch17:Sh11
aphalakanksibhir yajno vidhi-disto ya ijyate
yastavyam eveti manah samadhaya sa sattvikah

Sacrifice performed as per the regulation of scriptures, by those, who don’t desire the rewards of the sacrifice and with resolute mind consider the performance of the sacrifice as their duty, is of the mode of goodness.

Ch17:Sh12
abhisandhaya tu phalam dambhartham api caiva yat
ijyate bharata-srestha tam yajnam viddhi rajasam

O best of Bharata! The sacrifice that is performed with expectation of reward or for the sake of flaunt, know it is to be in the mode of passion.

Ch17:Sh13
vidhi-hinam asrstannam mantra-hinam adaksinam
sraddha-virahitam yajnam tamasam paricaksate

Sacrifice not performed as per the regulation of the scriptures, where there is no distribution of food(anna), which is performed without the chanting of the Vedic hymns, where no donation is given to the priest and is without any faith, is in the mode of ignorance.
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Lets have the summary of above shlokas:

Satvik Yajna(Sacrifice)
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Satvik Yajna has following characteristics:
1. performed as per the regulation of scriptures.
2. Performed without the desires of reward from Yajna.
3. Performed with a resolute mind.
4. Performed as the duty.

Any Yajna which is performed by following above is called as Satvik Yajna. Yajna should be performed in specific manner and our scriptures define how to perform Yajna(Sacrifice). Not following the methods as prescribed in our scriptures make the Yajna susceptible to errors which may corrupt Yajna. Hence it is much prescribed to perform Yajna as prescribed in Vedas and other scriptures.
Second characteristic of Satvik Yajna is that the performer of Yajna does have not desire of rewards from it. Satvik Yajna are performed with resolute mind and constant faith in Lord. Satvik Yajna is performed considering it as duty.

Rajasik Yajna
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Those Yajna which are performed with the specific desires of reward or as a display of wealth, power etc is called as Rajasik Yajna. Such Yajna may still be performed as per the methods prescribed in scriptures, but those who performing Yajna possesses desires rewards from Yajna. They might wish Lord to grant them material benefit or fulfill their desires and hence they perform Yajna. Some other may want to perform Yajna to show off. Yajna performed in this way is called as Rajasik Yajna.

Tamasik Yajna
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Tamasik Yajna has following characteristics:
1. Not performed as per the regulation of the scriptures.
2. No charity done
4. Performed without faith in Lord

Those Yajna which are done without following scriptures, without any charity and without faith in Lord is called as Tamasik Yajna. In fact such Yajna are not even real Yajna, as when Yajna is not done as per the scriptures automatically lose its validity. Further if there is no charity and faith in Lord, it lack any substance of Yajna. Such Yajna holds only external identify and no element of Yajna. Such Yajna never produce any benefits for anybody and hence has no purpose to perform such Yajna.

Out of three types of Yajna, The Satvik Yajna are the best and the true Yajna. Satvik Yajna, free human from the bounds of Karma. Such Yajna liberates human from the cycle of death and birth.
Rajasik Yajna is of medium type. They are performed as per the regulations of Vedas but they are done for the personal desires. They might produce the benefits but are not liberating, as when a human has the desires of rewards, he automatically bounded with the results and hence falls into the cycle of birth and death.
Tamasik Yajna are worst type of Yajna. In fact they do not qualify to be called as Yajna as they are not performed as per the regulations of Vedas. Further the performer of such Yajna does not have faith and do not do charity. Then logically it contains no element of Yajna. Tamasik Yajna do no good to anybody nor it produce any benefit. Such Yajna should be avoided.
Satvik Yajna is best and we all should try to be involved in Satvik Yajna.

“Shri Hari Om Tat Sat”