A recent fire yajna

In June a world reknowned travelling preacher, His Holiness Jayapataka Swami, visited Brisbane. He gave brahmin initiation to Deva Gaura Hari and gave "first grains" to Raman, the son of Prem Vikash and Kalavati. Kalavati drew media attention in recent months. Doctors had kept her in hospital in Murwillumbah for weeks thinking she had an inner ear infection. Seeing no improvement they sent her for a scan at Tweed Heads, where a large brain tumour was discovered. They flew her by helicopter to Brisbane and operated the next morning to give birth to the boy and remove the tumour. Fortunately they both survived.

A fire yajna, or "fire sacrifice," is a purifying ceremony. It is used for marriages, taking vows of initiation, and purificatory ceremonies for children. The vows of initiation are: no meat eating, no illicit sex, no gambling and no intoxication, plus the vow to chant 16 rounds (on beads) of the Hare Krsna mantra daily. The first grains ceremony is when the child, after reaching the age of six months, is given grains for the first time --sweet rice pudding offered to Krsna. In the pictures you see devotees throwing grains into the fire as Jayapataka Maharaj chants sacred mantras. At the end he places a small smudge on each devotee's forehead, consisting of ashes (cooled) and ghee from the fire. The atmosphere is joyful, and devotees conclude by chanting the Hare Krsna mantra as they circle the fire place. You really have to attend a fire yajna before you can begin to understand this highly elevating experience.