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Akshararambha
or Vidya arambha
(
Introducting the child to alphabets )
‘Akshara’
literally means one not liable to depletion or
depreciation and as such becomes a medium
through which if knowledge is transferred it
becomes immortal. To introduce the child to
these ‘Aksharas’ (alphabets) is therefore an
important Sanskar.
After
worshipping Lord Ganesha, Guru, Sarswati and
family deity the child is introduced to
alpha-bets. The Guru (teacher or preceptor)
sits facing the east and the child sits facing
the west. Ultimately Guru is presented with
clothes and such other articles and he blesses
the child.
Nakshatras:
All short nakshatras ( Hasta,, Aswini , Pushya
, and Abhijit). Swati, Punarvasu, Shravana,
Reviti, Chitra, Anuradha and Jyestha
nakshatras are considered auspicious.
Tithis
:
2/3/5/6/10/11/12 tithis.
Days :
Monday, Wednesday,
Thursday and Friday.
Lagnas:
Lagnas of 2/3/6/9/12
rashis (i.e. lagnas of benefics leaving
movable rashis ) with benefics strongly placed
in 7th or 10th house
and 8th house not having any
planet.
Proper Chandra
and Tara Shuddhi is an important requirement
Upanayana Sanskar or Thread Ceremony
It is also
called “Yagyopavita Sanskar” . In this Sanskar
the bachelor is given “Gayatri Updesh” (a
mantra which is considered one of the most
auspicious, mantras for individual ) by the
Acharya (preceptor) and the Guru or Acharya
teaches the bechelor about ‘Vedas’ and also
about the behavioural code of conduct and
disciplinesof “Bhramacharya-Ashrama”
(bachelorhood). After Upnayana the person is
called ‘Dwija’ or reborn. He is said to taken
rebirth from the womb of Acharya as a
responsible and disciplined member of the
society. After this Sanskar the person wears a
sacred thread . It contains three threads
reminding the person that he has to pay his
three debits i.e.
(1)
Pitri Rina (debt of parents)
(2)
Rishi Rina (debt of those who gave him
knowledge )
(3)
Deva Rina (debt of God)
Three more
threads are contained which show the
‘pravaras’ relating to a particular ‘Kula’ or
family. This Sanskar also signifies a new
phase of life as student.
Time:
Counting the age from birth from conception,
the age prescribed is 5th or 8th
year for Brahmins; 6th
or 11th year for Kayashtas and 8th
or 12th for ‘Vaishyas’. The maximum
age limit is 16 year for Brahmins, 22 years
for Kayasthas and 24 years for Vaishyas.
Solar months of
Makara, Kumbha, Meena, Mesha, Vrishbha and
Mithuna avoidingb Harishayana (i.e. the period
from Ashada Shukla 11 to Kartika Shukla 11 )
are considered good. Upanayana of eldest son
should not be done when Sun is in Tarus. Sun
in Gemini is good only for Kayashtas and
Vaishyas. Solar month of chitra (sun in Pices
) is very auspicious in Upnayana.
Nakshatra : All
fixed nakshatras (i.e. Uttaraphalguni,
Uttarashada, Uttarabhadrapad and Rohini ) all
friendly nakshatras (i.e. Hastha, Ashwini,
Pushya and Abhijit ) and all movable
nakshatras (i.e. Swati, Punarvasu, Shravana,
Dhanistha and Shatbhisha ) are considered
auspicious. Punarvasu is not considered
favorable for Brahmins.
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Naksatras for various Veda branches or Shakhas
:
For ‘Rig-vedis’
Mrigshira, Ardra, Aslesha, Hasta,
Poorvafalguni, Poorvashada and Poorvabhadrapad
are auspicious.
For
‘Yajur-vedis’ Revati, Hastha,Anuradha, Pushya,
Mirgshira, Punarvasu, Uttaraphalguni,
Uttarashada, Uttarabhadrapad and Rohini are
considered auspicious.
For ‘Saam-vadis
Ashwini, Dhanistha, Hastha, Uttaraphalguni,
Uttarashada, Uttarabhadrapad, Ardra and
Shravana are considered auspicious.
For
‘Atharva-vadis’ Mrigshira,Revati, Hasta,
Ashwini, Pushya, Anuradha,Dhanishta and
Punarvasu nakshatras are considered
considered auspicious.
Tithis:
2/3/5/10/11/12 tithis of bright half and
2/3/5 tithis of dark half are considered
auspicious for Upnayana Sanskar. Avoid Ashada
Shukla-10, Jyestha Shukla-2,Pausa Shukla 11,
Magha Shukla 12 and samkranti day. All Rikta
tithis (4/9/14) and Galgraha tithis
(13/14/15/30/1/4/7/8/9 ) are avoided.
Days :
All days
except Tuesday and Saturday are good. For
Saamvedis even Tuesday is auspicious.
Part of
the day :
Divide the length of the day in three parts.
Upnayana is considered auspicious in first
part of the day and inauspicious in third part
of the day.
Lagnas:
In
Upnayana lagna benefic placed in Kendras and
Trikonas and Malfics placed in 3/6/11 houses
are considered good.
Avoid Jupiter,
Venus, Moon and Lagna Lord in 6th
or 8th house, avoid Venus and Moon
in 12th house and avoid malfics in
5th or 8th house.
Full Moon,
exalted or in its own house is considered very
auspicious in lagna.
Upnayana Lagna
and Moon should be in the navamasha of
mercury, Jupiter or Venus. Moon in its own
navamasha is not considered auspicious except
in 4th quarter of Shravana or
Punarvasu nakshatras.
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Importance of
‘Varna Swami’ and ‘Shakha Swami’
Varna swami are ; Jupiter and Venus for
Brahmins; Sun and Mars for Kayashtas; Moon for
Vaishya; Mercury for Shudras and Saturn for
out-caste. In Upnayana, days and lagnas
belonging to the Varna-Swami are considered
auspicious. Moreover strength of Varna Swami
should also be ensured. Like for Brahmins-
Thursday and Friday ; Lagnas of 2 / 7 / 9 /
12 rashis are good as these belong to Varna
Swamis and similarly strength of Jupiter and
Venus at the time of Upnayana is necessary.
Shakha-Swami
are : For Rig-vedis Jupiter ; For Yajurvedis
Venus ; For Saamvedis Mars and For
Atharva-vedis – Murcury. Strong ‘Shakha-Swami’
, days of ‘Shakha-Swami’ and lagna of
‘Shakha-Swami’ are considered auspicious in
Punayana. Moreover the ‘Shakha-Swami’ should
be strong in transit at the time of Upnayana.
Like for ‘Yajur Vedis’ strong Venus in
transit. Friday and lagnas of 2/7/ rashis are
considered auspicious in Upnayana.
Strength of Moon
and Jupiter :
From natal moon
Jupiter placed in 2/5/7/9/11 houses is
considered strong and Jupiter placed in 4/8/12
houses is considered weak. Other positions are
medium. Strength of Jupiter is an important
consideration in Upnayana. Strength by way of
placement in exaltation, own sign, friend’s
sign and strength in navamasa should also be
considered. If Jupiter is strong in
Ashtakvarga, It will remove many of its
weakness.
Moon is
considered strong when it placed in
3/6/10/11/1/7 houses from natal moon position.
It is worse if places from natal moon.
Strength by way of placement in own sign,
exaltation, friend’s sign, exaltation or own
navamasha and strength in Aashtakvarga should
also be considered. Proper Chandra and
Guru ‘Shuddhi’ as explained above is a
necessary requirement in Upnayana.
Special
: Solar Chitra
(i.e. Sun in places) and Junma Nakshatra (i.e.
birth constellation ) are specially
considered auspicious in Upnayana.
Vedarambha
(Starting learning Vedas)
This sanskar is
performed when a person starts learning Vedas.
It can be performed with Upnayana or
separately depending upon the age at which
Upnayana Sanskar is performed.
Nakshatras :
All fixed nakshatras (i.e. uttaraphalguni,
Uttarashada, Uttarabhadrapad and Rohini ), all
movable nakshatras (i.e. Swati,Punarvasu,
Shravarna, Dhanistha and Abhijit), all
friendly nakshatras (i.e. Mrigshira, Revati,
Chitra and Anuradha ) and Ardra are considered
auspicious.
Moreover for
learning specific veda the nakshatra
recommended for Upnayana of that specific
vedic branch or ‘Shakha’ are considered
auspicious.
Tithis:
2/3/5/6/10/11/12 tithis.
Days:
Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Lagna:
Lagna should havebenefics in Kendras and
Trikonas and malefics in 3/6/11 houses. 8th
house should not havee any planet.
Proper Chandra
and Tara Shuddhi is an important requirement
TOP
This Sanskar as
also called Godaan (donating a cow). This
sanskar is performed at age of sixteen years
an is indicative of entry in to adulthood.
After shaving, the hair are disposed off in
the same manner in which it is done at the
time of Chudakaran sanskar. On this occasion a
cow is donated to the Guru (preceptor).
Keshantha
sanskar can be performed in the same nakshatra,
tithis,days and lagans as are recommended for
Chudakaran sanskars.
Samavartan
sanskar or returning home after completing
education
Samavartan means
return of student to his home from ‘Gurukula’
(Guru’s place) after completing education.
This sanskar is indicative of completion of
education and bachelorhood and is like a
‘No-objection certificate’ for marriage. In
this sanskar the student after taking bath and
giving ‘Guru-Dakshina’ (preceptor’s fees) is
introduced to all materialistic articles, and
all the symbols of brahmacharya (bachelorhood)
are disposed off in water.
Now a day
people do not performed these sanskar at
proper time and in proper manner prescribed.
Even where these sanskars are performed it is
done just to complete the formality without
understanding the real meaning and purpose
behind the sanskar (like performing Upnayan
just a day before marriage. |
