Hindu samskArAs --part 2

[Guest guest]

Dear Members of the Bhakthi /Prapatthi Group :

 

I will now continue with the final section on

the samskArAs .

 

Upanayanam

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A child normally starts schooling at the age of five. When it

reaches the age of eight , it possesses a grip on the language

and therefore is considered eligible for receiving Vedic Instruction .

A sacred thread ceremony known as Upanayanam is performed

by the father and the boy is blessed with the initiation into reciting

the sacred Gayathri Manthram . Next , his Vedic instruction begins

with the proper guru .

 

Upanayana means bringing one close to the guru or the teacher ,

who initiates the child into Veda vidyA . The boy learns one VedA with

its limbs (angAs ) . It takes 12 years to complete the learning of

one Veda with its angAs . The boy stays in the house of the guru

and observes the ancient practise of gurukulA and performs services

to the guru and his family in return for receiving his education . He also

practises celibacy ( Brahmacharyam ) during these 12 years .

Brahmacharya is the first of the four aasramAs for a Hindu .

The recitation of the VedAs with swarAs (proper intonations )

from a qualified guru is the goal of thsi aasramA .

 

The BrahmachAri observes four addiitonal samskArAs

during this period of receiving Vedic instruction . These

four samskArAs are linked with the completion of each of

the four khAndAs (sections ) of the individual VedA .

 

For instance , a celibiate receiving instruction in KrishNa Yajur

VedA has to complete the four khAndAs of PrAjApathya ,

Soumya , AagnEya and VaisvadEva . During the completion

of each of the four khAndhAs , the brahmachAri observes

the samskArAs of each of the above four khAndAs . Similarly ,

Rg VedA has a set of four samskArAs known as MahAnAmni ,

MahAupanishad and two GodhAna vratAs that have to be

performed by the student . Recent postings on UpAkarmA

relate to the Khanda rishi tarpaNam connected with our

thanks giving to the rishis of the khAndams .

 

At the conclusion of the samskArAs associated with the final

khAndhA of the VedA , the bachelor is adjudged as having

completed hisVedic instructions successfully . He offers his

homage to his guru and returns home to perform a samskArA

known as samAvartanA , which literally means return to home

at the end of his studies . He takes a ritual bath called SnAnA

and is thereafter he is known as SnAtakA , who has completed his

gurukula vaasam .He goes on pilgrimage to Kaasi kshEthram

and on return from that journey is ready for marriage or VivAham .

He is now ready to enter into the second aasramam known as

GrihasthA ( house-holder ) . From UpanayanA to VivaahA , we have

thus witnessed seven samskArAs . After VivAhA , he is expected

to observe BrahmacharyA for one year and thereafter , he is qualiifed

to perform the samskArA of garbhAdhAnam associated with

the conception of a child .

 

VivAhA for women is equivalent to the Upanayanam ceremony .

After VivAham , she participates in all the Yaj~nAs with her

husband as sahadharmachAriNi . Hence , VivAham is called

SahadharmiNi SamprayOgam . It may be pointed out that both

the VivAham and Upanayanam should be conducted during

the UttarAyaNa puNya kaalam . I have covered the individual

stages of Vedic VivAham in other postings connected with

AanDAL's VaraNamAiyram earlier ..

 

Pancha MahA Yaj~nAs

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We have so far covered 14 samskArAs for the period leading

up to VivAham .In the married state , the householder has to

observe five more samskArAs daily and they are known as

the five great yaj~nAs ( pancha mahA yaj~nAs ) .The performance

of these five samskArAs helps the householder to discharge

his debts to DevAs , his ancestors and all living beings .

 

These pancha MahA Yaj~nAs are :

 

1. Brahma Yaj~nam , which is performed through the recitation

of the VdAs and helps to discharge the debt to Vedic rishis or

manthra drashtAs . They collected the Veda samhithAs through

their spiritual powers .

 

2. Deva Yaj~nA, which requires the performance of pujAs

and Yaj~nAs for Gods .

 

3. Pithru Yaj~nAs : The debt to one's ancestors is discharged

through the offering of pindAs during the tarpaNAs as oblations.

 

4. Maanushya Yaj~nA : The athithi sathkAram or feeding of

one's guest with respect , discharges one of his debts to

the community .

 

5. BhUta Yaj~nA : This samskArA consists of feeding

the living entities other than human beings . Offerings are made

to them as they are an extended set of human family .

 

We have described 19 samskArAs so far .The remaining 21 fall

into three distinct subsets : Paaka , Havir and sOma Yaj~nAs .

There are a seven of each of the three subsets . Brief descriptions

of these 21 yaj~nAs will be presented here. The various kalpa

sUtrAs and GrihyAsUtrAs describe these Yaj~nAs in great detail .

 

 

Seven Paaka Yaj~nAs

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These are small yaj~nAs . The nams of these are :

1. sthAlipAkA 2. ashtakai 3. anvashtakai 4. paarvaNi srArdhA

or sarpa bali 5. agrahAyaNi 6. Chaitri or EesAna bali

and (7) aswayuji . Most of them are done at home in

GrihyAgni , which is the Agni in which the husband and

wife perform their daily OupAsanam . We will not go into

the details on the performance of these yaj~nAs here.

 

The procedure for the paaka Yaj~nAs are described in Grihya sUtrAs

belonging to Smrithis . Hence , these Paaka Yaj~nAs are

referred to as SmArtha karmAs . These are thus distinct

from Srautha karmAs ( Havir and sOma Yaj~nAs ) , since

the latter derive their authority from Sruthis . It must be pointed out

that the SmArtha and Srautha karmAs are equal in importance .

 

Havir Yaj~nAs

****************

 

These are also seven in number and are a little more

elaborate in performance than paaka yaj~nAs . Their

names are : 1. Agni aadhAnA 2. AgnihOthrA 3. darsa

pUrNa maasa 4. AgrAyANaa 5. ChaathurmAsyaa

6. NiruDa pasubhandha and (7) SouthrAmaNi .

 

These yaj~nAs are performed in SroudhAgni , which is

also known as TrEtAgni . Aapasthampa sUtrAs in their

trEthAgni khAndham (section ) give the details of construction

of the Yaj~na kundAs and the maintenance of trEtAgnis or the

three sroudhAgnis revered as gArhapathyam , dakshiNAgni

and aahavaneeyam .

 

Soma Yaj~nAs

****************

These are also seven in number . There are fewer hOmAs

in these sOma Yaj~nAs , but more eulogies or sthuthis ( sAma ghAnam ) .

SaamaVedidc recitation is central to these seven Yaj~nAs .

Saama Vedam has been identified as " VedAnAm

Saama vedOsmi " by GeethAchAryan . The four KhandAs

of Saama Vedam ( AgnEya KhAnA , Aindra KhAndA ,

PaavamAna khAndhA and aaraNyaka KhandhA )

provide the sama riks or dashtis ( collection of ten

verses ) for the following seven sOma Yaj~nAs :

 

The individual names of these seven Yaj~nAs are :

 

1. AgnishtOmA or JyOthishtOmA

2. AthyagnishtOmA

3. UkthyA 4. ShOdasi 5. VaajabhEyA

6. AthirAtrA and (7) abhthOryAmA

 

One who completes a sOma yaj~nA is hailed as a

sOmayAji . Even if one can not do all of these

seven Yaj~nAs , it has been recommended that

atleast one of the seven ( agnishthOmA ) should be

performed in one's life time .

 

SanyAsins

*************

 

For sanyAsins , there are no samskArA of cremation .

They are buried in BrindhAvanams by the riverside

or enar a holy spot . A peepul sapling or TuLasi bush

is planted over the site .

 

Conclusion

*************

 

The importance of the samskArAs can not be underestimated

in the Hindu sanAtana dharmA . They from the core of the Hindu

life cycle rituals and guards the practioners from swerving into

paths not sanctioned by the VedAs . They protect them from the time

of conception to the last moment on this earth of our Lord .

The samskArAs prescribed for the four successive/separate

aasramAs can not be abandoned until one's last breath.Through

the knowledge of these ancient samskArAs , it is our hope

to incorporate them into our lives within the limits of our

abilities and help others keep up the tradition with Sriman

NaarAyaNA's krupA .

 

Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan