Upakarma-- For your reference-- 1

August 7, 2006

Hari Sarvothama, Vayu JeevothamaSri Gurubhyo namahaSree Moolaramo VijayateSource: Shri U S Pantulu, C-12, Officers Quarters, BEML Nagar, Kolar Gold Fields, 563115. Thanks to Sri G R Rao for providing this book for referal.Request TO READERS: These postings are meant for beginners. Upakarma done under the guidance of revered Achar is highly recommended. I would greatly appreciate any correction & please post it to the list ASAP if any.

To expiate the sins of wrong intonation, lack of devotion during the chanting of mantras & not being seated properly during the chanting of mantra, this upakarma is performed. The mantras lose their potency & do not fetch any merit if upakarma is not performed. It is a compulsory ritual. All brahmins must sit through the entire ritual & take part in it. In upakarma, puja is performed to the sata rishis to whom Vedic mantras were revealed & to the devathas who are the abhimanidevathas of those mantras. Then the yajnopavita is worn. PREFACE:Upakarma is one of the important annual vedic, rituals prescribed by our elders. The ritual includes propitating sages, seeking their bleesings & wearing a new Yagnopaveetha.It is a SAMOOHIKA (group) ritual, to invoke the blessings of Gods/Sages for general well being of entire society. It was the practice to conduct the ritual under the guidance of a scholor well versed in Vedas, in a public place like temple, Matha or River bank.This posting is intended as "SELF INSTRUCTION MANUAL" for performing the ritual at one's home itself. 1. Materials required for this rituals are:Kalasa - 1; Panchapatre with Uddarane - 2;Arghya Patre - 1Plates - 2 (1 big + 1 small) Asana, Mudradharana set with Gopichandana, Ganapathi idol, light, stand with vicks, Agarbatti stands, Harati Plate.New Yajnopaveeta, flowers, Agarbathis, Camphor, Turmeric Powder, Kumkuma, Betal Nuts, Betal Leaves, fruits, curd, Tila, Jaggery, Tulasidala, Sandal Paste, Akshate, rice & DarbhaFor Neivedhya-- Rice Flour, freshly cooked.2. a. The whole ritual is to be commenced after having proper head bath & wearing 'Madibatte' or Silk Dhothi. Karta should be bare chested, sitting on an asana.b. Only those whose father is not alive, are authorised to offer Tarpana after wearing a new Yajnopaveetha.c. This ritual is to be done early hours in morning before breakfast.d. This ritual is only for those who are ordained by Upanayana.e. Yajnopaveetha of a single strand is for bachelors. Yajnopaveetha of more than one is for Grihasthas. As per some literature:First- Third strand---- Eligibility to do dailly rituals for GrihasthasFourth- Fifth strand---- For progenies & their welfare.However, on the above different explainations exist in various texts.Upakarma ritual consists of Utsarjanam, UpakarmaIn Utsarjanam, Karta seeks pardon for acts of omission in not following vedic rituals regularly in prescribed forms. He prays for new energy & rejuvenation of his strengths. This aspect is integrated in Sankalpa mantras.3. The following are dates of the annual ritual.For Rigvedis: In Lunar month of Sravana, on Sravana nakshatra Day of Sukla pakshaFor Yajurvedis: Sravana Pournami Day4. Upakarma ritual as per old customary practice of Rigvedis is to be started with Panchakavya-- Drinking as cleanser, mixture of five products from holy cow such as Milk, Ghee, Curd, traces of urine & cow dung. This is not mandatory for Yajurvedis. However in present times, the entire ritual is only optional.5. The ritual sequence is as follows: a. Sankalpamb. Ganapathi poojac. Rishi Poojad. Yajnopaveetha dharanae. Jeerna Yajnopaveeta Visarjanaf. Pitru Tarpanag. Samaptham6.1: On Upakarma day, Karta should perform morning prayers, Soutcha vidhi, Tulasi Vandana, Govanadana, Vayudeva Suprabhatam & after ablution, a kalasa full of running water should be brought. Keeping right palm on the kalasa, recite:Kalasya Mukhe VishnuH kante rudraHsamasrita moole tatra stitho brahmahmadhye matru ganaH smrithavishnuvyadi kalasa devathabyo namaHgangecha yamune chaiva godavari saraswathi narmadesindhu kaveri jalesmin sannidham kuruPut Tulasidala in the kalasa, if the karta had Guru upadesha, mentally with devotion recite three times "Om Vasudevaya namaH" (Mudra dharanaM has to be done while reciting Vishnu namas & followed by recitation of Panchayudha Stothram & Bhootochatanam)

Transfer water from Kalasa into Panchapatre. Then perform Achamana (pouring sacred water using Uddarane in right hand & drinking the same gently) two times, sitting facing east, reciting 24 Vishnu nAmas.

After that do Pranayama

*** Following is not given in this book Not sure if the karta has to do Anganyasa/Karanyasa after reciting "Om vasudevaya namaH". Please check with your achar

If the karta has to perform Anganyasa/Karanyasa, the method of performing it is as follows: ***Anganyasa/Karanyasa***gAyatryAH gAyatrI chandaH (touch your mouth) vishvAmitra R^iShiH (touch your head) | savitAdevatA (touch your heart) | agnirmukhaM brahmAshiraH (touch your mouth) | brahmAshiraH (touch your head) | viShNurhR^idayaM (touch your heart) | rudraH shikhA (touch your tuft) |pR^ithivI yoniH | prANApAnavyAnodAna samAnasaprANA | raktavarNAH sAMkhyayAyana sagotrA gAyatrI chaturvi shatyaxarA tripadA ShaTkuxiH paMcha shirShopanayane viniyogaH******Do PranayamaH - praNavasya praNavasya prabrahma R^ishhiH | paramaatmaa devataa |daivii gayatrii chha.ndaH | praaNaayaame viniyogaH ||OM bhuuH | OM bhuvaH | OM svaH | OM mahaH | OM janaH | OM tapaH |OM satyaM | OM tatsaviturvareNyaM | bhargo devasya dhiimahi dhiiyo yo naHprachodayaat.h | omaapo jyotiiraso amR^itaM brahma bhurbhuvaHsvarom.h ||***[A married man should hold the nose in all His five fingers while performingthis and bachelors and saints/seers should hold through three fingers i.e.index, thumb and small fingers. This praaNaayaamaH has three parts to performand it is called rechaka, pUraka and kumbhaka. To start with one has toleave the air from right side of the nose (1 unit of time) that is calledrechaaka, secondly one has to inhale the air from left side of nose (2 unitsof time) i.e. called pUraka and finally holding the air for 3 units of timei.e. called wearing is called kumbaka.

***tatsavituH -- a~NguShThAbhyAM namaH -- Rub your fore finger against the back of your thumb (both hands)

vareNyaM-- tarjanIbhyAM namaha-- Rub thumb against front of fore finger.

bhargo devasya --- madhyamAbhyAM namaH - Rub thumb against front of middle finger

dhImahi -- anAmikAbhyAM namaH --- Rub thumb against front of ring finger

dhiyo yo naH-- kaniShThikAbhyAM namaH--- Rub thumb against front of little finger

prachodayAt.h--- karatalakarapR^iShThAbhyAM namaH - Rub each hand against opposite elbow to wrist

tatsavituH-- hR^idayAya namaH -- Touch heart with right hand

vareNyaM-- shirase svAhA -- Touch head with right hand

bhargo devasya-- shikhAyai vaShaT.h --- Touch tuft & snap your fingers

dhimahi - kavachAya hum.h --- Fold hands

dhiyo yonaH - nethrabhyam vauShaT.h --- Touch eyes & snap fingers

prachodayAt.h -- astrAya phaT.h --- snap your fingers