Upanayanam
The sacred thread ceremony called
Upanayanam is to be performed for
Brahmins, Kshatrias and Vaishyas.
The best age is before the eighth
year ie. garbhashtamam, (counting
from mother's pregnancy ). The upper
age limit for Brahmins is 16 ; if
performed after which the sanctity
of the ritual will be lost. Those
who desire their children to blossom
into great scholars after learning
Vedas and sastras at an early age
can perform upanayanam for them
at the age of five. For Brahmins,
Kshatriyas and Vaishyas Vasantha
ritu, Greeshma ritu and Sharad ritu
are the suitable seasons. An auspicious
day should be chosen with a good
tithi, vara, nakshatra with Chandra
phala and taraphala. The asthamanams
to be avoided are that of Guru for
Rigvedins, Sukra for Yajurvedins,
Angaraka for Samavedins and Budha
for Atharva vedins. This should
be conducted within 6 nazhikais
( within 2 hours and 24 minutes
from sunrise ). Kachara yoga and
Panchaka dosha as well as Rahu kalam
and yamakandam should be avoided.
The Lagna chosen should have the
eighth place unoccupied.
The main muhurtham is the initiation
of the child by its father to the
Gayatri Mantra, called Brahmopadesham
: repeated chanting this mantra
daily 3 times sharpens the intellect
and provides longevity, good health
and all prosperity in life and wards
off all evil influences.
Pumsavanam and Seemantam:
(a brief outline )
These two are important rituals
connected with first pregnancy.
The Vaideeka karma
associated with the wish that the
lady should give birth to a male
child is known as Pumsavanam.
The details are known to the Vadhyar
and he will conduct this as needed.
The main muhurtham related to this
is to make a small girl (who has
not attained puberty) to crush Alamkozhuntu
on an Ammi, filtering the juice
from this through a new cloth and
and making the juice drip into the
pregnant lady's right nostril. This
is known as Mukkuppuzhiyal.
According to the Sastras, Seemantam
is a function supposed to be performed
in the fourth month of the
first pregnancy. The term
means literally bifurcating the
lady's hair (Vakitu Pilattal
in Tamil). The vadhyar will bring
the necessary material for this.
The mantra that is traditionally
chanted for this ritual is known
as Rakamaham.
The meaning of this mantra
is: May the adhidevata
of the full moon day accept our
prayers and bless us with all prosperity
, growth and well-being in a thousand
ways. There are certain procedures
and discipline also to be observed.
The above is a brief account from
the vaideeka side .
Samskaras are the rites and rituals
performed for the purification of
an individual.
There are 40 samskaras:
1. Garbhadanam
2.Pumsavanam
3.
Seemantonnayanam
4. Jatakarma
5.
Namakaranam
6. Annaprashanam
7.
Chowlam
8. Upanayanam
9. Prajapatya
Vratam
10. Sowmya Vratam
11. Agneya
Vratam
12. Vaishvadeva Vratam
13.Snanam
14. Vivaham
15. Devayajnam
16.Rishiyagnam
17.Pitruyajnam
18. Bhootayajnam
19. Manushya yagnam
20-26 Seven
Pakayajnas
27-33 Seven Haviryajnas
34-40 Seven Soma yajnas
