Yajna (Sanskrit: यज्ञ; IAST: yajña), also known in modern usage as Havana, is a ritual in Hinduism performed before a sacred fire (agni), typically accompanied by the recitation of mantras. The term is generally translated as an act of devotion, worship, or offering made in fire. Over time, the practice has evolved from the offering of oblations and libations into the sacred fire to include symbolic offerings made in the presence of the fire.
Yajna is rooted in the Vedic tradition and is described in detail in a layer of Vedic literature known as the Brahmanas, as well as in the Yajurveda. Texts pertaining to Yajna and related rituals are referred to as the Karma-kanda (ritual works) portion of Vedic literature, distinguished from the Jnana-kanda (knowledge portion) associated with the Upanishads. The correct performance and completion of Yajna-like rituals formed the central concern of the Mimamsa school of Hindu philosophy.
Yajna continues to occupy an important place in Hindu rites of passage, including weddings and other life-cycle ceremonies. Major Hindu temple ceremonies, community celebrations, and monastic initiations may incorporate Vedic Yajna rites, while some may instead follow Agamic ritual frameworks. The persistence of these rites reflects the integration of fire-based worship within both household and institutional contexts of Hindu practice.
Adapted from the English Wikipedia article on Yajna.