In the place of a householder, five places are believed to be sinful. These are (1) The grinding mill (2) The hearth and fire place (3) Mortar (4) Sweeping & Dusting and (5) The Toilet. While grinding grains, cooking food, pounding grains in mortar, dusting & sweeping the house and flushing out waste and dirt, unintentionally insects get killed in a household. While these are essential activities for householders it is also necessary for them to do penance for harm inflicted on insects.
As a penance the scriptures have prescribed five sacrifices (yagyas) to be carried out daily by the householder.
These are (1) Brahma yagya (2) Pitra Yagya (3) Dev Yagya (4) Bhoota Yagya and (5) Manushya (Human) Yagna.
Brahma Yagya (God’s sacrifices) implies performing prayers at dawn, in the afternoon, at dusk & studying Vedas & scriptures.
Offering oblations to our forefathers and donating in charity in their memory is implied by Pitra Yagya.
Worshipping gods and making offerings to them is a part of Dev Yagya.
For the wellbeing of all living creatures, the householders should keep apart a portion of his earnings and food for the wellbeing of domestic animals. They should also feed ants and offer grains to birds, etc. All these activities constitute the Bhoota Yagya.
Welcoming guests and other visitors, showing them due respect and offering them food and drink form Manushya Yagya.
People should fulfil the above-mentioned duties to the best of their abilities and also others. This will lead to their spiritual advancement.
