Hindu SamskArAs : Part 1

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Dear Members of the Bhakthi/Prapatthi group :

 

Every religion has its rites and rituals to help

us one along the journey of life . We flutter like

" the candle in the wind " during our stay on this earth

until we reach the Lord's abode . Hindusism has

a most beautiful set of FOURTY SAMSKARAS for

our spiritual welfare from the time of conception to

the final moment on His LeelA vibuthi . These samskArAs

form the core of a Hindu"s life .

 

These are rites performed to help the human being

to purify their body and mind in " seen and unseen

ways ." The seen aspect is the creation of a shining new

object by removing dirt and grime from a tarnished object

with detergents . The unseen aspect , according to one

AchAryA is that the SamskArAs are like the sanctification

of the water by "charging" it with the Veda mantrAs for

punyAvAchanam and Udaka sAnthi rites .

 

There is a proper age and time in human life to perform

these samskArAs . If that is followed , it is believed that

the efects( benefits ) of the samskArAs are the greatest .

Out of compassion for us , the laggards , our merciful

sAsthrAs give us " substitute periods ( kaalAs ) " ,

if one misses the appropriate time recommended by

the SAsthrAs .

 

The life of the Hindu rotates around these series of

life cycle rituals referred to as SamskArAs . They are rooted in

the eternal VedAs . The minimum number of SamskArAs

to be observed by men and women vary . Manu , Gautama,

ApasthampA , Yaj~navalkyA and other kalpa sutra kaarAs

have written extensively on these samskArAs and the proper

procedure to perform them to gain maximum seen and

unseen benefits . Great AchAryAs of Ahobila mutt like

the 25th , 26th , 27th , 42 nd and the current Jeeyars have

written extensively and have left great ahnika granthAs .

These granthAs are known as SadAchaara NirNayam

and dwell at great length on the nityA and naimmitthika

karmAs . I will write about the SamskArAs in this and

subsequent postings .

 

WHAT IS A SAMSKAARAA ?

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According to the Tarka sAsthrAs , the word SamskArA is

defined as " an impression on the memory " .Steady pracise

of scriptural injunctions establishes firm tracks in the memory

so that the practitioner does not swerve from the correct path .

According to another defenition , SamskArA means " betterment "

( Sams ) of a thing ( kaaram ) . The cleansing process set in motion

by the observance of SamskArAs leads to the betterment

of life and qualifies a person for spiritual upliftment .

 

SAMSKAARA & THE AATMA GUNAAS

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The practise of SamskArAs develop eight auspicious

guNAs ( attributes ) that help to remove the samsAric ills

caused by the sensory attachments . Since these guNAs

have an impact on the soul , they are described as

Aathma GuNAs . A steady practise of the samskArAs leading to

the acquisition of the aathma guNAs helps a person to

attain the state of akhanda aathma anubhavam , the

supreme experience exemplified by the tenets of

Sri VisishTaadvaitham that celebrates the " Oneness"

of the supreme being ( brahman ) , who is qualified by

" the gross and subtle forms of the sentient and insentient

entities , at the two states of manifestation and dissolution

of the universe " . The akhandAthama anubhavam

extolled by AzhwArs and AcharyAs in their granthams

is the elaboration oft he concept that " the Lord is the soul

and that the world of men and matter constitutes His body " .

 

THE EIGHT AATHMA GUNAAS

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The names of the eight aathma guNAs are worthy of

being commented upon especially at this time , when we

went through some difficult times :

 

1. DAYAA or univeral compassion and love for all living beings

2. KSHAANTHI or tolerance of ill-wishers

3. ANUSUYAI or freedom from jealousy or rancour

4.SAUCHAM or body cleanliness

5. ANAAYASAM or relaxed state characterized by EASE IN

RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHERS

6. MANGALAM or inner happiness radiating as harmonious

conduct

7 . AKAARPANYAM or generosity of spirit and time

8 . ASPRUHAM or detached state of mind arising from a

dispassionate nature

 

NISHEKAATHI SMASAANAANTHA SAMSKAARAAS

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The samskArAs cover the life span of a Hindu rom the time

of formation (conception ) of the embryo (nishEkam ) to

the time of cremation in the burning ghaat (smasaanam ) .

Agni is an indispensable part of the samskArAs that cover

the entire span of on's life . Agni is therefore saluted as a

witness to the samskArAs . Even cremation is considered

as an offering of the ghee-smeared body to Agni as the

ultimate offering .

 

PLACE AND TIME FOR SAMSKAARAAS

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Some of the samskArAs are not time consuming ,

whereas the others are elaborate and require continous

performance over many days . Some of the samskArAs are

done at home , whereas the others need a spacious site

as well as extensive time for the collection of the rquired utensils

representing the body of Yaj~na VarAha Murthy , ingredients

( saamagris ) and helpers ( rthviks ) .

 

A number of samskArAs --OupAsanA , AgnihOthrA and

the pancha MahA Yaj~nAs -- have to be performed daily .

Two other samskArAs -- Darsa PoorNa Maasa and SthAlipAkA --

have to be practised twice a month . ParvaNi srArdhA has to be

conducted once a month . Rest of the samskArAs have to be

performed once a year or atleast once in one's life time .

 

CLASSIFICATIONS OF THE SAMSKAARAAS

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The fourty samskaaraas can be split into the following

six categories :

 

1. a set of seven starting from GarbhadhAnA to Chudakramaa

2. Another set of seven starting from UpanayanA to VivAhA

3. A group of five Yaj~nAs known as Pancha MahA Yaj~nAs

4. A set of seven Paka Yaj~nAs

5. A group of seven Havir Yaj~nAs

6. Another group of seven Soma Yaj~nAs

 

1 . BEFORE UPANAYANAA

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All the seven samskArAs prior to Upanayanaa are

performed by the parents on behalf of the child , since

it has not reached the stage of discriminating knowledge .

These are :

 

A . GARBHADHAANAM : The placement of the seed by the husband in

the wife's womb is known as GarbhAdhAnam .From the moment

the embryo forms , the life cycle rituals of the Hindu begins . The married

couple have to conceive in a state of mind tamed and purified

by the Vedic rites of Saanthi KalyANam . This way , they can

conceive a child with auspicious qualities . The " Jaayamaana

KatAksham " of Sriman NaarAyaNaa helps towards the birth

of great devotees such as DhruvA . In his outstanding

Sri Desika Darsana PanchAngam released by Sri SevA

SwamigaL , he points out that the days , when the following

stars are inascendance are auspicious for garbhAdhAnam :

Asvini , UtthirAdam , Satayam , Uttaram , Hastham ,

Chitthirai and SvAthi .

 

B. PUMSAVANA SAMSKAARAA : This is to be performed

during the third month of pregnancy , which is much before

quickening of the growth of the embryo .

 

C.SIMANTHONAYANA SAMSKAARAA

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This samskArA (hair parting of the pregnant mother)

has to be performed either in the sixth month or in

the eighth month of pregnancy . One should not combine

the Pumsavana wiht the SimanthOnayana samskaaram ,

as is being done these days . These samskArAs are

abandoned these days . These two are purificatory rites

sanctioned by the VedAs for the proper growth of the fetus

inside the womb of the mother . Therefore , these samskArAs

should not be abandoned .

 

D.JAATHA KARMAA

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This is performed soon after the child's birth. The tongue of

the newly -born is touched thrice with ghee to the accompaniment of

appropriate Vedic manthrAs seeking protection and long life

for the newly born .

 

E.NAAMAKARANAA

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This fifth samskArA dals with the naming of the child on its

eleventh day of its birth ( vide : PeriyAzhwAr's celebration

of Sri KrishNA's NaamakaraNam in his Thirumozhi ) .

There are strict rules in choosing the name for the newly

born based on the constellation at the time of birth or the time

of the day , when the child is born . As PeriyAzhwAr has instructed us ,

auspicious names associated with Sriman NaarAyaNA and

MahA Lakshmi or great AchAryAs should be chosen for the baby

with the lessons learned from AjaamiLOpAkhyANam .

 

F. ANNAPRAASANAM

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This deals with the feeding of the baby for the first time

with solid food at the age of six months . This samskArA is

performed generally at the local temple .The parents recite

manthrAs , while they feed the child . It is a beautiful sight

to observe this ritual at GuruvAyoor temple .

 

G.CHUDAKARMAA

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The last of the pre-upanayana samskArA is chuda Karmaa

for a male child , when a tuft or sikhA is created . The sikhA

is created with the samkalpA to the Lord and hence , should

not be removed impulsively or with abandon . The purpose of

the SikhA is to protect the most sensitive nerve center on the top

of the head known as Brahma ranthram from any abnormal

vibrations . SikhA will also qualify the BrahmachAri or celibiate

for the prformance of Vedic rites such as SamidhAdhAnA or

the offering of palaasa twigs to the fire as apart of the daily

observance .

 

The householder has to ring his sikhA after his bath every day to offer

sikhOdhakA or the water from his tuft to his pithrus or ancestors.

Without the sikhA , no water from the tuft can be offered . In the Hindu

way

of life , only the sanyAsi has no sikhA , since he has to shave

his hair at the time of his entering sanyAsAsramam . This is allowed

for this asramamam , since the sanyAsi is free from

the observance of offerings for his ancestors .

 

( To be continued ) : Upanayanaa to VivAham

 

V.Sadagopan