Can Humanity Really End Suffering? Yogic Wisdom Has an Answer!

Have you ever wondered why childhood cancers or genetic illnesses arise in beings who are completely innocent? Why do forces like earthquakes, forest fires, or hurricanes remain impossible for humans to control? And why suffering—whether in the form of epidemics or war or pain—continues to persist globally despite humanity’s greatest efforts to stop it?

You’re about to discover the answers to all these questions in this blog.

What is Yagna?

Is yagna truly appeasing the divine, or is there something deeper at work? Does worship still hold meaning in our modern age? And why does this ancient practice remain not only relevant but significant?

Yagna simply means coming together—a sacred act of cooperation where many elements unite for a higher purpose. Every collective effort is a form of yagna: a kirtan is yagna, a havan (homam) is yagna, your very body is a perfect yagna, and so is a family, a community, and even Mother Earth herself, constantly balancing countless forces in harmony.

As with all complex systems in nature, true well-being arises from coordination, not competition. Within the body, every organ and system works not for its own recognition but to uplift the whole. Just as the eyes guide the feet and the hands remove obstacles so the body may move smoothly, the mind and body, too, must operate as partners—not opponents.

In a community, the technician who maintains the satellite tower that brings WiFi into our homes is just as essential as the garbage collector who keeps our neighborhoods clean each week. Every person plays a vital role, and when even one role is neglected, the entire community feels the impact.

We thrive only through cooperation; isolation leads to decline. Wisdom comes in recognizing that no single part—whether of a body, a family, or a planet—can create wholeness alone.

What is Collective Karma?

In this vast, interconnected world, no action is ever without impact. Every thought, word, and deed contributes to the shared field we all inhabit. This is how we collectively shape our world—and our collective karma.

Collective karma is the idea that a group of people, such as a family, corporation, or nation, can share the same karmic consequences based on their group actions or shared intentions

Where some view differences as reasons for division, wisdom recognizes that our shared hopes and humanity far outweigh anything that separates us. Our paths may look different, but our destinations need not be divided—not when we choose to lift one another upward instead of judging from below. When compassion becomes our compass, solutions emerge naturally and conflicts dissolve.

And when we understand that uplifting another is, in truth, uplifting ourselves, we are inspired to build bridges across every border—no matter how wide—through open, sincere, and thoughtful dialogue.

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Yagna in yoga

In yoga, yagna teaches that the microcosm reflects the macrocosm—meaning true harmony must first arise within us before it can blossom in the world around us. To be “in yagna” with your entire inner system is to live in alignment, where every part of you cooperates rather than competes. This inner harmony naturally extends outward, nurturing harmony with everyone and everything we encounter.

When each soul recognizes its inseparable connection to the greater family of existence, self-interest transforms into a desire for shared wellbeing. In such a world, caring for others becomes a joy rather than an obligation—for their happiness becomes our happiness, their growth our growth. With compassion as the soil, communities flourish like extended families, each person’s strengths nourishing the whole.

No task feels heavy when its purpose is service, and no burden feels overwhelming when carried together rooted in the understanding that every act of uplifting another is also an act of uplifting ourselves.

Mother earth – A perfect example of Yagna

This blessed Earth nurtures all beings without distinction—for Her, every creature is a child. In Her flawless design, not a single form is without purpose; nothing in the universe is redundant or wasted. From the tiniest fungi to the great blue whale, every being holds a unique place and adds its own beauty to the cosmic tapestry.

Mother Earth is in a state of constant yagna, continuously offering nourishment, oxygen, shelter, landscapes to explore, and resources from which we build our lives. When we, too, live in yagna, every individual becomes meaningful, and every role becomes vital.

In the natural world, nearly all beings coexist in an elegant harmony—except human beings. A tiger hunts only to survive, yet humans are the only species capable of harming or destroying one another for reasons beyond necessity. It is this disconnection from the spirit of yagna that creates imbalance, reminding us of the work we must do to return to harmony with ourselves, with each other, and with the Earth.

Suffering or Tapatraya

When our collective karma turns negative, it reflects in the world around us. Rising rates of depression, cancer, and obesity; increasing violence, terrorism, and hatred; and the surge in natural disasters—hurricanes, forest fires, earthquakes—are all signs that our planetary yagna has been disturbed. When the planet suffers, everything within it and everything dependent on it suffers as well.

In yogic philosophy, there are three types of suffering (Tāpatraya)—forces of distress for which humanity still has no complete answers, even in the 21st century:

1. Adhyātmika (Internal Suffering)

Miseries arising from one’s own body or mind.

Examples: depression, genetic conditions.

2. Adhibhautika (External or Environmental Suffering)

Miseries caused by other living beings.

Examples: attacks by animals, homicide

3. Adhidaivika (Divine or Cosmic Suffering)

Miseries caused by forces beyond human control.

Examples: floods, earthquakes, storms.

These three forms of suffering remind us of that harmony—within ourselves, among each other, and with the Earth—is not optional. It is essential for the stability of the world we all share.

True success can never be measured by wealth gained through deceit, exploitation, or the suffering of others. Riches accumulated by hoarding resources, manipulating people, or selling what has no real value are not signs of accomplishment—they are simply symptoms of a distorted system. Yet this is precisely what modern capitalism often glorifies today. Real success must never come at the cost of harming even a single being.

When we fill our stomachs by inflicting pain on other creatures in industrial slaughterhouses, we are not in yagna with the planet. When we destroy forests, pollute rivers, and strip the Earth of her resources, we move out of alignment with the natural order. And when nations attack one another out of hatred or greed, we break the very fabric of planetary harmony.

As human beings, it is vital that we pause, reflect, and recognize the need for a more compassionate way of living. A society rooted in empathy, cooperation, and respect for all life—human, animal, and plant—is the only true measure of collective success. Many fail to see that actions born from greed and aggression violate the principles of universal harmony and interconnectedness. When we ignore yagna—the ideal of collective wellbeing—we ultimately harm ourselves.

Only through a shared shift in consciousness and a renewed commitment to harmony can we create a future where our actions align with the principles of yagna, ensuring the wellbeing of both humanity and the planet we call home.

 How Can You Begin Living in Yagna Today?

Yagna begins with a simple intention: to live in harmony with all beings. You can start right now by supporting your community, join group yoga or meditation, avoid plastics, avoid harming animals, and refrain from supporting businesses built on dishonesty or exploitation. When you support others in nurturing their own yagna, you help build a collective karma that creates a future where your success and the success of others rise together.

Each day offers countless opportunities to practice yagna:

• Helping other human beings in whatever ways you can.

• Fulfilling your duties in every role you play—daughter, parent, sibling, friend, citizen etc.

• Maintaining your own spiritual practices (daily sadhana), which strengthen your wellbeing.

• Performing the Pancha Maha Yagnas, which strengthen the wellbeing of everyone else.

The Five Daily Yagnas (Pancha Maha Yajnas)

1. Brahma Yagna — Offering Knowledge

 Share wisdom that reduces suffering: teachings from the Yoga Sutras, Gita, Upanishads, chakras, or any form of knowledge that has helped you grow. If a method or insight benefited you, passing it on is both a duty and a blessing.

2. Pitru Yagna — Honoring Parents and Ancestors

 Serve your parents with love, support them, and be present when they need you. Forgive them for what they did or did not do; they shaped your path, and caring for them sustains your lineage with gratitude.

3. Deva Yagna — Nurturing Your Connection to the Divine

 Offer daily prayers and invoke blessings from your chosen Ishta Devata. If creation exists, so does the Creator. Without divine guidance, we would be like newborns without parents—lost, unanchored, and without direction. Gratitude is the foundation of this yagna.

4. Bhuta Yagna — Caring for All Living Beings

 Protect nature and all species. Feed birds, preserve trees, safeguard cows and animals, and reduce harm wherever possible. Today, countless species are disappearing due to pollution, industrial farming, and habitat destruction. Bhuta Yagna reminds us that caring for other beings is not optional—it is our responsibility as humans.

5. Manusha Yagna — Serving Humanity

 Feed others—from your children and neighbors to those who have nothing. Anna daanam, the giving of food, is considered the highest form of charity. Tradition teaches: if a sadhu or a hungry soul comes to your door, never let them leave empty-handed. Even sharing a portion of your own meal becomes a sacred act of compassion.

Living in yagna is not a ritual—it is a mindset, a lifestyle, and a continuous expression of love for the world around us. Through these daily practices, we uplift ourselves, uplift others, and help restore harmony to the planet we all share.