Upanayanam

- -Contributed by Smt. Shubha Krishnamurthy

The ceremony is performed on boys of at least 7 years of age from the Brahmin varna. The youngster is taught during the ceremony the secret of life through Brahmopadesam (revealing the nature of Brahman, the Ultimate Reality) or the Gayatri mantra. The child then becomes qualified for life as a student or Brahmachari, as prescribed in the Manusmriti.

This is called Upanayanam.

Upanayana is a version of the sacred thread ceremony where the concept of Brahman is introduced to a young boy. Traditionally, the ceremony was performed to mark the point at which boys began their formal education. Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas are called dvijas meaning twice born. A man of these castes is born once in the womb of his mother and again during the Upanayana when he learns the Gayatri Mantra.

The significance of Upanayanam:

The sacred thread ceremony that invests the wearer with the sacred thread is often considered a socially and spiritually significant rite (or samskara)and then only he becomes Brammachari. so, it is called Brahmmopadesam.

The other importance of Upanayanam in step by step.

1. Uthakashanthi.. for the purification of the mind and body and the protection of the child, all the deities are invoked in water though the chanting of the mantras and water is poured over the child during the Uthakashanthi.

2. Naandhimukha ceremony...a ceremony performed to obtain the blessings of the ancestors of the family before the festive occasion of the upanayanam.

3. Aajyabhaagaantha homam..it is a prayer to the God of Fire, Agni for the child's long life, intellect, courage etc.,

4. Yagnopaveetha Dharanam...The father places the sacred thread across the child's left shoulder under the advice of Guru, pandits. The sacred thread consists of three strands signifying Brahmma, vishnu, and shiva. This represents actually jnana, karma and bhakthi. Next moonji a girdle made out the mooja grass (dharbai grass) is tied around the waist of the child. This is to protect his purity and to keep evils away.

5. Kumarabhojanam..The boy is fed along with one or two other brammacharis, a symbolised function that he too with brammacharis.

6. Brahmopadesam...The Gayatri mantra is a supreme mantra and protects those who recite it. The boy's father becomes his GURU and whispers into his ears this powerful Gayatri mantra.

7. Soorya Dharshan...The boy to be taken outside and shown the soorya, the sun god. This assumption here is that he will be protected by the sun god. The palms are clasped in such a way that it makes a peep hole to the sun god.

8. The Twig in the right hand.. usually a small stick of peepal tree with green leaves signifies his entry into brahmmacharya. The gods brahmma, vishnu and rudra - all the three devtas reside in the peepal tree is a belief and of course true. Because of holding a small branch of the divine tree of peepal (arasa maram), he receives the grace from the three gods and also saraswati, lakshmi and durga.

9. Bhikshakaranam...The boy symbolically asks for alms of rice from his MOTHER and other married women. This is an important event and this bhikshakaranam was done to make one humble, polite, and control of ego. Also this makes the young vatu (the boy) to control senses, which is absolutely essential for receiving vedic knowledge.

10. Abhivathanam..After upanayanam, the boy seeks the blessings of the all the elders present by saluting them on their feet with shashtanga namashkar. This abhivathanam, the boy introduce himself by his rishi, parampara, gothram, suthram and name step by step.

All should know this...the first abhivadhanam is to whom ? yes, to his own mother, the one who has introduced him into this world.