Upanayana

[Guest guest]

Hi,

 

I agree with Jay that the Upanayanam ceremony is one

of the most important ceremonies in a hindu's life. I

performed the upanayanam ceremony of my son some years

back. I find that more and more people are now

performing this ceremony compared to a few years back.

 

 

The ceremony marks the entering of a person into

adulthood and is no longer considered a child. Every

person is expected to learn through the following four

stages. Matha, Pitha, Guru, Daivam. We initially

learn from our mother, then from the father and later

from the guru. Finally we reach a level when we learn

from God himself.

 

The upanayanam marks the stage of learning from the

guru. In the ceremony there is a part called the

'Mathru bhojan' when the mother and the boy eat from

the same plate and the mother feeds the boy for the

last time. After the upanayanam , the boy is not

expected to eat from the mother's plate again.

 

After the 'Janav' is worn, the boy is given' Brahma

upadesh' by the father and later the boy is expected

to request 'biksha' from all ladies present by asking

'Bhavati Biksham Dhaehe'. The process of taking

biksha is to keep the ego of the person low and also

to enable him to concentrate on divine knowledge and

not worry about earning money.

 

Repeating the Gayathri Mantra by holding the janav

every morning at least nine times, if not more,

energises the janay, through the palm chakra, and

protects the boy from negative energies.

 

The entire 'Sandhya vandanam' including

'Surya-namaskar' if performed daily gives the boy

great mental & physical health and well being besides

keeping his thoughts pure and positive.

 

Thanks & regards.

 

Sriram