Dharma Saastram : VarNAsrama Dharma KaaNDam : Part IV

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16. Upanayanam ( Contd. )

 

16.2.1 After 16 years , Upanayanam is not to be

done even with any kind of PrAyascchittham . If it is

between 8 and 16 , PrAyascchittham ( Mukhya Kaala

akaraNEna yO dhOshah ----) has to be done to nullify

the dhOsham .

 

16.2.2 : If one does not get Upanayanam performed

before the age of 16, he loses his BrAhmaNyam .

He will not be eligible for adhyayanam ( learning

the VedAs) or for Vaidhika KarmAs and becomes

unfit for recieving dhAnam .

 

16.3: Who is eligible for spinning the sacred thread?

 

Sumangali , Kannikai or the widow . They should use

cotton for spinning the thread .

 

16.4: Method for making the YajnOpaveetham

 

16.4.1: Sitting in a clean place , holding the four fingers of the right hand

together, one winds a three strand set of threads 96 times around

the circumference of those four stretched out fingers . This is known as

shaNNavathi .

 

16.4.2: Sprinkle the shaNNavathi with water for suddhi

and twist the three strands ( muRukkuthal) to gain tension and

then let it relax. A saram with 9 dhanthus will result .

 

16.4.3: Fold that into three circles and tie it in the right hand

manner into a knot ( Valampuri muducchu).

 

16.4.4 : Thus made sacred thread should extend down to

the belly button. If it is shorter , the reduced life will result .

If it descends below the navel , the Vaidhika karmas will

lose their power .

 

16.5.1: A married man ( Gruhasthan) should wear a third

vasthram besides the 2 vastrams ( Upper and lower :

Iduppu Veshti , PatthARu or 9X5 , mEl Veshti/Utthareeyam) .

In place of the third vasthram , gruhasthan can wear a third

PooNal. Without the third vasthram or the third PooNal ,

he will skip down to the place of the fourth varNam and

in the next birth be born as a svAnam ( dog).

 

16.5.2: If one cuts ones' sacred thread due to anger ,

one should perform 3 krichrams ( to be explained later)

and wear a new sacred thread right away .

 

16.5.3 : If the sacred thread gets tangled with

body hair , the hair should be removed , GAyathri

should be recited 10 times and the sacred thread

should be cleansed with waterfor suddhi .

 

16.5.4: When tying the knot ( Brahma Muducchu)

for the sacred thread , one should say : My namaskArams

to Hari ,Haran and Brahmaa .

 

16.5.5: The unit of one thread circled around the four fingers

should be approximately 4 inches in length .

 

16.6 : Mantram for wearing Yajn~Opaveetham

 

16.6.1: Yajn~Opaveetham Paramam Pavithram

PrajApathE: yath sahajam purasthath

Aayushyam agriyam prathimuncha

Subram Yajn~Opaveetham Balamasthu tEja:

 

16.6.2: Mantram for casting aside worn down sacred thread

 

upaveetham bhinnatanthum jeerNam kaSmala-dhUshitham

visrujAmi jalE Brahma-varcha: dheergAyurasthu mE

 

16.7: DhaNDam ( Staff) for BrahmachAris

 

Bilvam , Purasu , Udhumbharam , asvattham (araSu) staff

upto the height of the head should be used .

 

16.8: ajinam

 

BrshmachAris should tie the deer ( KrishNa Mrugam) or

cow's skin in their sacred thread .

 

16.9: Mounji ( belt)

 

BrahmachAris should tie a belt made of Mounchi grass

or dharbham . There should be three rounds of that belt

going around that waist . This belt should not be used for

tying loin cloth or the lower garment .

 

16.10: Upanayana Kaala Niyamam

 

Before upanayana muhoortham , BrahmachAri

should wear silk and during Upanayanam , new

cotton ( white ) vastram and white loin cloth .Colored

garments are forbidden to BrahmachAris. On the fourth

day after upanayanam , the BrahmachAri has to the dress

worn earlier and the loin cloth and wear a new loin cloth .

He should never be without loin cloth ( koupeenam).

 

16.11: Gruhasthan has also kaDee Soothram ( araNAkkayiru

or arai Jn~ANN kayiru) to tie around the waist . Vaidhika karmAs

done without it is useless (nishprayOjanam . Without the waist

rope ( KayiRu) , he is considered nagnan( nirvANamstate ) .

 

16.12: Recieving alms ( Bikshai) during Upanayanam

 

One should Bikshai in the followign order: Mother , married

sister, sisters of the Mother , Brothers of the Father and

anna-paana Bandhus. One should not ask Bikshai from

widows and pregnant woman .

 

16.13: Anna BikshAcharaNa niyamam

 

Those giving Bikshai should not shout at or display anger

at the BrahmachAri. Latter should not ask for more than

what is needed. If some thing is left over , it should be buried

in ground or dissolved in water . He should not seek bikshai

from Guru , his daayAthis , one's own daayAthis and Bandhus

like ammAn . The bikshai giver should give pickles , kootu ,

cooked vegetables from seperate vessels . They should not use

to transfer them directly from one's hand .

 

16.14: Brahma Yaj~nam

 

From upanayanam day and onward Brahma Yajn~am

has to be done regularly like SandhyA vandhanam .

 

16.15: SamidhA dhAnam

 

BrahmachAri should perform samidhA dhAnam during

both the sandhyAs .

 

16.16.1: KaalAdheetha PrAyschittham

 

Every karma should be done during the prescribed times.

If one exceeds the time prescribed , Prayschittham should

be performed , jarma done and then move on to the next

karmaa.

 

16.16.2: During chowLam , 50 Brahmins should be fed ,

100 during Upanayanam , as many according to ability

during VivAham , 100 during aadhAnam , 10 to 12 during

ruthu saanthi and 2 after garbhA dhAnam .

 

17. If the wife is rajaswalai ( Bahishtai/Maatha Vilakku) ,

Naandhi should not be performed .

 

18: Prohibited times for performing ChowLam et al:

 

When mother has the monthly periods ( Bahishtai)

or pregnant beyond 5 months , ChowLam , Upanayanam

and VivAham functions should not be performed .

 

19. Who is adhikAri to perform Upanayanam ?

 

The Father, grandfather , brother, Jn~Athis ,

sama Pravara sagOthrAs ( having the same gOthram

and PrAvaram) are eligible . Sva SooktrakArs

( say Apasthambha Sutra folowers ) and near

male realtives can perform BrahmOpadEsam .

The one who has lost his wife is not eligible.

 

20. YamaLOthbavaa: ( Twins) and their karmAs:

 

For a twin from the same Mother , the same AchAryan

( Bruhaspathy) should perform the Vaidhika KarmAs

from JaathakarmA to Upanayanam at the same lagnam

in the same vEdhi ( fire pit) . Whether they are two boys

or a boy and girl , until upanayanam , the above requirements

for Vaidhika KarmAs have to be observed .

 

P.S : Please contact Sriman DeevaLUr N.SrinivAsAcchAr

for Vaideekam related questions tied to the above content .

 

NamO Veda PurushAya ,

Oppiliappan Koil V.Sadagopan