Purva or Karma Mimansa Darshan – The Vedic Rituals

Purva or Karma Mimansa Darshan (Chapters 12, verses 2731) is biggest darshan and was founded by Rishi Jamini in 4th century BC. Karma Mimansa has several sub-schools viz. Prabhakara sub-school & Bhatta sub-school (of 7th century BC).

Karma  Mimansa refers to examination of Vedic texts and stressed on Karmakanda (rituals) based on Vedas. It held that Vedas are eternal, authorless, and dharma means rituals & social duties. Ethics for this life and efficacious action for heaven (स्वर्ग) cannot be derived from sense-perception, and can only be derived from experience, reflection and understanding of past teachings.

The ultimate aim of Karma Mimansa is achieving heaven. Deeds (कर्म) without aspiring for fruits and spiritual knowledge are means to get Heaven. By mastering the above two means, past deeds extinguish and man become liberated.    

Karma Mimansa has three parts viz. tools of knowledge (Perception, Inference, Analogy & Comparison, word, Postulation and non-perception), Spiritualism and Duty decider.

Yajna (also called karma) are done for the achievement of a fruit like 'Heaven. Yajnas are performed on daily, fortnightly, monthly, annually and once in life time. Agnihotra is the homa done thrice a day. Yajna means worshipping, sacrifice & offering. The main constituents of Yajna are desire of doer (bhāvana), learning (svādhyāya), rites involved (karma), offerings i.e. Yaga-sacrifice, Dana-giving & Homa-offerings in fire (tyāga), devata and the results (phala). The ingredients used in a yajna are called dravya. Samskāra is a rite that involves mantra. There are forty samskāras or rites performed in one’s lifetime.

The three parts of Karma Mimansa as under:

1. Tools of knowledge – In Karma Mimansa, Six means are reliable to gain knowledge:-
   1. Perception (प्रत्यक्ष) – Direct knowledge gained through five sense organs after interaction with worldly objects and internally by mind. (Chapter 1 & foot 1)
   2. Inference (अनुमान) – it is arrived on based on observations, reasoning, positive & negative examples and conclusion.
   3. Analogy & Comparison (उपमान) – By means of comparison & analogy, conditional knowledge is derived.
   4. Word or testimony (शब्द) – By means of already spoken or written knowledge from reliable source to rapidly acquire it.
   5. Postulation (अर्थापत्ति) – Based on circumstances and other direct perceptions, knowledge can be derived.
   6. Non-perception (अनुपलब्धि) – Knowledge acquired based negative proof or non-existence.
2. Spiritualism – Karma Mimansa darshan believes that Physical Universe (जगत) and Soul (आत्मा) are real & permanent. After death, soul enters in new body based on past deeds. Souls are many. Souls bind with deeds and get liberation (मोक्ष). 
3. Duty decider – According to Karma Mimansa, Vedas are eternal, authorless, complete and supreme. One needs to perform duties as duties, according to Vedas. Even no fruits are attained or pain inflicted, one should not leave one’s duties. (chapter 1, foot 1 & 3) 

The main features of Karma Mimansa:
 continued........

1. The deeds which are ordered in the Vedas, for the welfare of human life, are called Dharma. (chapter 1, foot 1)
2. Knowledge of Dharma requires the knowledge of the Vedas. The word has a natural or permanent relationship with the meaning. Word is permanent. Every word gives its meaning. The Vedas are not made by men. (chapter 1, foot 1)
3. Types of Vedic mantras are -
   1. Legal word - in which I have been told to perform karma in a straight way. There is no controversy on such mantras.
   2. Economism (derived meaning) In these mantras, meaning is derived from five different ways- (i) By taking some words out of the other first spoken sentences, the meaning can be understood.; (ii) By some manipulation in words, (iii) Implemented imagery-another word comes between the two words in the sentence, Removal of it makes sense. (iv)Distribution ideas- Two words come near, so their meaning is not understood. If they are separated, then the meaning comes out. (v) Properties – words are used for any symbolic meaning. (chapter 1, foot 1)
4. One should know the meaning of Mantra. The mantra is not only meant for utterance. This is the virtue. Meaning of Mantras which are read in yagna should be understood. Only by the pronunciation of the mantras, fruits of yajna will not be achieved. (chapter 1, foot 2)
5. Yajna (also called karma) are done for the achievement of a fruit like 'Heaven. (chapter 1, foot 2)
6. Yajna process is divided into three categories- (1) method and prohibition, do it, do not do it. (2) economism, translation, praise, condemnation, or virtue. (3) Appropriate Mantras for different acts. There are many types of yajna. (chapter 1, foot 4)


7. Yajnas are performed on daily, fortnightly, monthly, annually and once in life time. Agnihotra is the homa done thrice a day. Rites of Yajna done in household level are called Grhya rites and on collective level are Srauta rites. The ones like Agnihotra are done in the house while the sacrifices like soma yāga or vājapeya need to be undertaken at a much bigger scale involving priests. (chapter 2, foot 1)  
    
   
8. Yajna generates an unseen power which is called apoorva. This phenomenon generates fruit at its own time. 'Apoorva' is a medium between karma and fruit. These are considered as four types of phenomena: (1) fruitful (attain the ultimate result), (2) community-indigestible (unique approach of every community), (3) origin-apoorva, (4) Aga-Apoorva (uncommon for every small action which is the organ of Yagya). (chapter 2, foot 1)
   
9. There are two types of Yajna, main & secondary. Those actions which are done for unimaginable fruit and whose fruits are not in sight, they are the main karma. Like yajti = yajna, juhoti = hom, dadati = donates. The substances used such as purodash, ghee or gold etc. are not main, but secondary. Minor yajnas are just the temporal business which is meant to mobilize the means of sacrifice. (chapter 2, foot 1)
   
10. There are 6 identities of the variation of the yajna- (1) the difference in words. (2) Names of yagna, is different (3) Properties means that matter is different. (4) The fruits are different. (5) Shruti (Reprint) repeating (6) given number. (chapter 2, foot 3)
    
11. The things that help in yajna are called the “remainder (shesh)” of the yagya. Like substance, quality, samskara. Like Ajya or Parodash or peacock 'Properties' is called that quality of substance, due to which it is beneficial in Yajna. Samskāra is a rite that involves mantra. There are forty samskāras or rites performed in one’s lifetime (Paka Yajna – 7, Soma-7, Havir Yajna-7, Panca Maha Yajna – 5, Vedavratas – 4 & others 10). (chapter 3, foot 1)
    
12. Mantras have two types of meaning viz. main and secondary. Main meaning comes from the direct meaning of words, without the help of others. The other is secondary or 'heinous' or lower. The fundamental principle is that the main meaning of the mantras be used in the appropriation of yajna. (chapter 3, foot 2)
    
13. Yajna is of two types. A Nature-Yag, Second deformity yag. Nature Yag is one in which there is a complete law/steps are defined. The deformity-yag is in which there is a special order given, the remaining ones are not told. Those limbs will be the same as those of nature-yag. (chapter 3 foot 6)
    
14. Some actions are done by a human being to achieve its main fruit. There is some karma that cannot directly attain that fruit, but the seekers of karma are said earlier. The karma which attains the fruits directly to its Kartrta is 'Purushartha', that is the name of the same Purushartha Krutu. The one who is the helper of the Crusheth is Kritthav. Chapter 4 foot 1)
    
15. Yag has only verbal or resolution. Because the gods do not take up the matter somewhere. Bhatta phosphor says that every homa is not offered in fire. Somewhere in the water, such as in Paradise-Ishii. Chapter 4, foot 2)
    
16. The order of the sequence is dependent on six things, the Shruti, the meaning, the lesson, the trend, the kand and the main. The significance of these six things is from this sequence. Chapter 5, foot 1)
    
17. Fruit of Yag etc.karma is heaven. Heaven is primal. Yag secondary Seeker of happiness should do yag. In humans (except undeserving), both men and women have right to sacrifice/yag. Husband & wife together should do the yag. Their tasks are distributed.  Chapter 6, foot 1)
    
18. The purpose of birth as human being is Dharma, Artha, Kama & Moksha. Hence, every human being should make efforts. (chapter 6, foot 2)
    
19. They all make yagya together and each one receives the result of whole Yagya. In Darshyag, Purnamyayag, Jyotishom Yag etc. have only one host. Eating kalanj, garlic etc. are prohibited in scripture. Rituals of prohibited actions are bad. The Vedic karmas is applicable after the Upaniana, such as following the Guru, Greeting to the master Standing in front of an old man. Respect them. It should be done on appropriate occasions. When Brahman is born, he has three debts i.e Rishi debt, Dev debt and Pitra debt. Rishi debt is to be repaid by keeping Brahmacharya, The Dev-debt is to be repaid by doing yagya. The Pitra debt is to be repaid by raising children. These debts are not only for Brahmins but also for Kshatriya and Vaishya. Chapter 6 foot 2)
    
20. Yajna etc are done to create inclination Parmatma. All the methods are non-living. Upasna is important. Human being becomes part of big benefit due to inclination towards God. (chapter 6 foot 3)
    
21. It is not necessary that Purnamas Yajna or Agnihotra which is daily Yajna, should be performed even if it is not possible to do all the parts. The main purpose is to achieve the accomplishment of the main yag. If someone started the main yag from the wishes of heaven and could not fulfil some parts, even then he would get some fruit. Do not be afraid of error because atonement is also written. Deity, Agni, Mantra and Kriya are these four things that cannot be represented by any other things. (Chapter 6 foot 3)
    
22. After donation, poornahuti etc (final offering) need to be done. After completion of yajna, remaining matter/offerings except eatables should be sacrificed in yajna. (chapter 6, foot 7)

Reference:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimansa

2.   Shad Darshanamm by Swami Jagdishwaranand Saraswati, publisher: Vijay kumar Govindram Hasanand, nai Sarak, Delhi-110006.
3.   http://aryamantavya.in/darshan/vaisheshik-darshan/3
4.   www.hindupedi.com