Purpose About Upanayana - sacred thread ceremony

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Upanayana, sometimes known outside India by the name, " sacred thread

ceremony " , is commonly known for being a Hindu rite-of-passage ritual.

Traditionally, the ceremony was performed to mark the point at which boys began

their formal education.

 

In Hinduism, the ceremony is performed on boys of at least 5 years of age from

the Brahmin varna, of at least 13 years from the Kshatriya varna, and of at

least 17 years from the Vaishya varna. The youngster is taught during the

ceremony the secret of life through Brahmopadesam (revealing the nature of

Brahman, the Ultimate Reality) or the Gayatri mantra. The child then becomes

qualified for life as a student or Brahmacharya, as prescribed in the

Manusmriti.

 

According to an appendix of the Manusmriti, girls were allowed to study the

Vedas in the previous Kalpa (time unit) (Creation). Orthodox Hindus, however, do

not accept this reference, because no Hindu canonical text allows this ceremony

for a girl in the present Kalpa. Some sects, esp.Arya Samaj perform this

ceremony for girls also on the basis of this statement.

 

Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vysyas are called dvijas meaning twice born. A man of

these castes is born once in the womb of his mother and again during the

Upanayanam when he learns the Gayatri Mantra.

 

The hallmark of having gone through the Upanayana ceremony is the wearing of the

Yajnopavitam (Sacred Thread) on the body. The thread is circular, being tied

end-to-end (only one knot is permissible); it is normally supported on the left

shoulder(savya) and wrapped around the body, falling underneath the right arm.

The length of the thread is generally 96 times the breadth of four fingers of a

man, which is believed to be equal to his height. Each of the four fingers

represents one of the four states that the soul of a man experiences: waking,

dreaming, dreamless sleep and knowledge of the absolute.

 

Yajnopavitam has three threads (actually only one thread, folded three times and

tied together) each consisting of three strands.

 

These threads represent

 

Goddess Gayatri (Goddess of mind),

Goddess Saraswati (Goddess of word) and

Goddess Savitri (Goddess of deed).

 

It denotes that one who wear the sacred thread should be pure in his

thought, word and deed. The sacred thread reminds a Brahmachari to lead a

regulated life with purity in his thought, word and deed. These threads also

represent the debt that is owed to the guru, parents and society.

 

The sacred thread is supposed to be worn for the rest of one's life after the

ceremony has been performed. A new thread is worn and the old thread discarded

every year; the change-over ceremony is held on a specific date calculated as

per the Hindu lunar calendar. Among Brahmins, this date varies depending on

which of four Vedic Shakhas one belongs to.

 

--

Om namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya

Prasanth Jalasutram