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Respected Bhagavatas:

 

I'd. like to find out if there's an appropriate age for performing Upanayanam &

Brahmopadesam, for Srivaishnava brahmachari's. Kindly advise. I have heard the

term "ottrai padai" (meaning only during 'odd' years) mention by some friends

and I wanted to clarify if that's applicable for Srivaishnavas also.

 

Thank you.

 

Dasan,

Vijayaraghavan.

 

 

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Dear Bhagabatas:

The Saastras prescribe that Upanayanam should be performed at "GarbhaashTamam".

That is at 7 years of age (including Garbha vaasam, it will be 8 years).

 

In the case of Brahmins, it can be done upto 16 years at the latest. For other

two in the Traivarnikas (Kshatriyas and Vaisyas) there is some relaxation in the

upper age limit.

 

There is, however, no prohibition like odd years and even years etc. for

performing Upanayanam.

 

In any event, the earlier, the better.

 

 

This is the position that I have been told in the "anushTaanam classes" in

India.

Hope this helps.

Dasoham

Anbil Ramaswamy

=======================================================================

, "Vijay & Lalitha Venbakkam"

<vijaylalli@r...> wrote:

> I'd. like to find out if there's an appropriate age for performing

Upanayanam & Brahmopadesam, for Srivaishnava brahmachari's. Kindly

advise. I have heard the term "ottrai padai" (meaning only

during 'odd' years) mention by some friends and I wanted to clarify

if that's applicable for Srivaishnavas also.

 

***************

 

Dear member,

 

Many years ago I had the same question in respect of performing my

son's 'upanayanam'. I consulted the revered U.Ve. Sri Mukkur

Lakshminarasimhachariar and I still vividly remember his simple but

logical advice:

 

(1) The child should be old enough so as to be able to articulate

clearly and repeat the 'gAyatri mantra' as it is ceremoniously

uttered into his ear i.e. the child should have overcome lisping.

 

(2) The child should also be so young that it is evident even

incipient feelings of 'kAma' (i.e. the dawning of sexual awareness)

have not yet taken seed inside his tender mind.

 

Some boys do have a child's lisp ("mazhallai", in Tamil) even upto

the age of 7 or 8. It is better to wait a while for him to outgrow

the physical condition before performing "upanayanam". Some boys

however, even at the age of 5 speak clearly. It's better

the "upananayam" is performed at the earliest in such a case.

 

In any case, however, the "upanayanam" should be performed well

before the dawning of sexual awareness... whatever be the age. In the

modern age, the very environment in which we live (movies, TV shows,

books, magazines, billboards etc.) arouses vague sexual curiousity,

even if not real awareness, amongst boys at a very tender age even.

This is rather unfortunate indeed, but we can do little about it.

Hence, it is all the more urgent that the "upanayanam" ceremony must

be performed as early as possible in order to heed the 'sAstra' that

says the 'gAyatri' must enter into a child's mind well before 'kAmA'

takes root there.

 

I performed my son's 'upanayanam' when he was 11 years of age.

 

Hope my own experience is of some use to you.

 

Thanks and regards,

 

dAsan,

Sudarshan

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Hello,

 

I am not authority. But what i have observed all these years of my

life, i perceive, that 7 has been an age for upanayanam. I might be

wrong, but i am only repeating what i have observed.

 

--

Best regards,

Arvind arvind

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Dear Swamin,

 

I will be much thankful to you if anyone could point out to any English or

Tamil version of a commentary or upanyasam, which gives the meanings of

Brahmopadesam function (and the various mantras) on any type of media? I

would like to request someone to conduct a discourse here prior to my son's

Brahmopadesam (one day before) so that people could understand the

relevance of the function and the procedures. That way I could learn also!;-)

 

Lakshminarasimhan

 

 

With best regards

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Chair in Software Engineering

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University of Newcastle

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AUSTRALIA

 

( Voice : + 61 2 4921 6953

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: Email : narasimhan

URL: www.cs.newcastle.edu.au/~narasimhan

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>Wed, 02 Feb 2005 14:02:13 +0000

>Sudarshan K Madabushi <mksudarshan2002

> Re: Upanayanam question.

>X-Originating-IP: 168.187.0.35

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>

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>X--Profile: mksudarshan2002

>X-eGroups-Edited-By: ramanbil <Ramanbil

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> 00:44:26 -0000

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>

>

>

>Dear Bhagabatas:

>The Saastras prescribe that Upanayanam should be performed at

>"GarbhaashTamam". That is at 7 years of age (including Garbha vaasam, it

>will be 8 years).

>

>In the case of Brahmins, it can be done upto 16 years at the latest. For

>other two in the Traivarnikas (Kshatriyas and Vaisyas) there is some

>relaxation in the upper age limit.

>

>There is, however, no prohibition like odd years and even years etc. for

>performing Upanayanam.

>

>In any event, the earlier, the better.

>

>

>This is the position that I have been told in the "anushTaanam classes" in

>India.

>Hope this helps.

>Dasoham

>Anbil Ramaswamy

>=======================================================================

>, "Vijay & Lalitha Venbakkam"

><vijaylalli@r...> wrote:

> > I'd. like to find out if there's an appropriate age for performing

>Upanayanam & Brahmopadesam, for Srivaishnava brahmachari's. Kindly

>advise. I have heard the term "ottrai padai" (meaning only

>during 'odd' years) mention by some friends and I wanted to clarify

>if that's applicable for Srivaishnavas also.

>

> ***************

>

>Dear member,

>

>Many years ago I had the same question in respect of performing my

>son's 'upanayanam'. I consulted the revered U.Ve. Sri Mukkur

>Lakshminarasimhachariar and I still vividly remember his simple but

>logical advice:

>

>(1) The child should be old enough so as to be able to articulate

>clearly and repeat the 'gAyatri mantra' as it is ceremoniously

>uttered into his ear i.e. the child should have overcome lisping.

>

>(2) The child should also be so young that it is evident even

>incipient feelings of 'kAma' (i.e. the dawning of sexual awareness)

>have not yet taken seed inside his tender mind.

>

>Some boys do have a child's lisp ("mazhallai", in Tamil) even upto

>the age of 7 or 8. It is better to wait a while for him to outgrow

>the physical condition before performing "upanayanam". Some boys

>however, even at the age of 5 speak clearly. It's better

>the "upananayam" is performed at the earliest in such a case.

>

>In any case, however, the "upanayanam" should be performed well

>before the dawning of sexual awareness... whatever be the age. In the

>modern age, the very environment in which we live (movies, TV shows,

>books, magazines, billboards etc.) arouses vague sexual curiousity,

>even if not real awareness, amongst boys at a very tender age even.

>This is rather unfortunate indeed, but we can do little about it.

>Hence, it is all the more urgent that the "upanayanam" ceremony must

>be performed as early as possible in order to heed the 'sAstra' that

>says the 'gAyatri' must enter into a child's mind well before 'kAmA'

>takes root there.

>

>I performed my son's 'upanayanam' when he was 11 years of age.

>

>Hope my own experience is of some use to you.

>

>Thanks and regards,

>

>dAsan,

>Sudarshan

>

>

>

>

Links

>

>

>

>

 

 

 

 

 

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Dar friend:

It would be helpful if you quote the relevant PramaaNam for the

odd numbers of age for performing Upanayanam that you have mentioned in your

mail.

My understanding is that there is no such stipulation in Saastras.

Thanks in advance for clarification.

Modearator

===========================================================================

dharmasashtras are applicable to every one. there are

no special dharmasashtras to sreevaishnavas.

appropriate time for upanayanam is 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15

which is maximum.

shastra says Garbhashtama( for sreevaishnava and also

non sree vaishnava) it means 8th year from

garbhadhaana( ritual we do when we find pregnancy).

according to shastra it is waste of money to do

upanayana after 16 years ( as a special programme. can

be done as part of marriage.) because he will not get

savitri siddhi.

please dont think i am not a vaishnava. i am a

practicing vaishnava at least to my ability.

 

deekshith

 

 

 

--- Vijay & Lalitha Venbakkam <vijaylalli

wrote:

 

>

> Respected Bhagavatas:

>

> I'd. like to find out if there's an appropriate age

> for performing Upanayanam & Brahmopadesam, for

> Srivaishnava brahmachari's. Kindly advise. I have

> heard the term "ottrai padai" (meaning only during

> 'odd' years) mention by some friends and I wanted to

> clarify if that's applicable for Srivaishnavas also.

>

>

> Thank you.

>

> Dasan,

> Vijayaraghavan.

>

> [Non-text portions of this message have been

> removed]

>

>

>

>

>

 

 

=====

 

Deekshith Parasaram PhD

Hindu Temple and Cultural Center.

3818, 212 st SE Bothell wa

ph. 425-482-9426

-

 

 

 

 

 

The all-new My - What will yours do?

 

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Respected Readers:

In my unread experience with a child born and brought up in the States we waited

until he was old enough to understand what exactly he was going to undergo. He

needed to understand it as a right of passage. That not only was it expected of

him as the son of a Shrivaishnava it was also his duty to recite the Gayatri

regularly. I feel that because of this he wears his poonol to school everyday.

He does not perform the Sandhyavandanam regularly. It is my fault because I do

not push for it. I believe that everything comes as God regulates. Performing

upanayanam in India with lots of children who have undergone/are undergoing the

function makes it easier for the boys in India to have the upanayana early.

 

Now he has seen his friends in US having their Bar Mitzvahs and he understands

his position as a Hindu much better. He had just turned 12 when we had his

Brahmopadesham this summer in Bangalore.

 

As people who know me will tell you that I have no authority to give you any

advice on so complicated a subject, I am only writing to tell you how it has

helped our oldest son grow as a proud Hindu in a small US town with not too many

Indians unlike NJ or NY or California or a temple. The closest temple for us is

the Pittsburgh SVTemple which is almost 3 hours away!!

 

Humbly

 

Mytri

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Dear Mr & Mrs. Venbakkam,

I hope this helps -

The word Upanayanam can be split into Upa and Nayanam.

Upa means near and nayanam means going - that is the

act of going to a teacher to learn. Grihyasutras

prescribe the age for Upanayanam as eight years old

at "GarbhaashTamam"(1 + 7 ) - which includes the

period spent in the womb of the mother - that is

Garbha vasam. So it is 7 years.The reason why the

sutras prescribe the age for a Kshatriya at 11 and a

Vaishya as 12 must be because in the ancient times

the father was the guru in Brahmin household whereas

the Kshatriya and Vaishya children had to leave home

for their education , they could leave their house

only when they were capable of taking care of

themselves. I also read that Upanayanam is usually

performed at the age of seven because till that age a

child gets the benefits of the karmas of its parents

and after that age it has to learn and perform karmas

on its own.

Srimathi Venkatachari Raghavan

 

 

 

 

--- Vijay & Lalitha Venbakkam <vijaylalli

wrote:

 

>

> Respected Bhagavatas:

>

> I'd. like to find out if there's an appropriate age

> for performing Upanayanam & Brahmopadesam, for

> Srivaishnava brahmachari's. Kindly advise. I have

> heard the term "ottrai padai" (meaning only during

> 'odd' years) mention by some friends and I wanted to

> clarify if that's applicable for Srivaishnavas also.

>

>

> Thank you.

>

> Dasan,

> Vijayaraghavan.

>

> [Non-text portions of this message have been

> removed]

>

>

>

>

>

 

 

 

 

 

 

The all-new My - Get yours free!

 

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Swamin(i)s,

 

Here is an anecdote connected with brahmOpadesham

and significance of palAsha kASHTam:

 

Few dhEvathaas were discussing under a tree, on the gaayathree manthram saying

this manthra is

 

* thripadha gayathree,

* ashtaaksharaa gaayathree,

* chathurvigumsath aksharaani gaayathree etc.

 

This means gaayathree manthram has three parts. One part has eight aksharaas or

letters; in all there are 24 syllables in the manthram etc. The tree under which

these dhEvathaas were talking was having circular leaves. When they were talking

like this, the leaves suddenly changed themselves into three in one place on a

sprout and three part leaves - [3 ilai oru kambil or oru koththil, oru ilaikku 3

kooRu]. the dhEvathaas discussing were taken by surprise on this sudden change.

Since dhEvathaas said thripadhaa gaayathree – these leaves also changed into

three, having three parts.

 

 

 

That tree is the palaasa tree. The leaves are called dharvee, which we use in

the homams and in our religious rites. The person who uses these dharvees will

not hear 'amangala' words – meaning- the words that are inauspicious. Because

it is connected to gaayathree. Since the tree had good hearing capacity the tree

changed like this when the dhEvathaas were discussing.

 

 

 

That is why a palaasa dhandam – a stick of palaasa tree is given to the

brahmachari during the upanayanam and during the thalai aavaNi avittam.

[upanayanam means leading]. The meaning for giving this palaasa stick to the

brahmachaari boy is to signify he must also receive or have the capacity to

receive the vEdha and the teachings from the guru like the palaasa tree which

changed.

 

 

(I found this as posted by Sriman Vasudevan m.g.)

 

dAsan

 

K.S. tatachar

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Dear Gopalan,

 

Namaskarams.

 

As far as I know Upanayanam means Upa - additional Nayanam means eye as it gives

sight to look at the spiritual world it is known as Upanayanam. Please correct

me if I am wrong.

 

Adiyen

 

Kannan

 

"Dr.Gopalan Raghavan" <shriragh wrote:

 

Dear Mr & Mrs. Venbakkam,

I hope this helps -

The word Upanayanam can be split into Upa and Nayanam.

Upa means near and nayanam means going - that is the

act of going to a teacher to learn. Grihyasutras

prescribe the age for Upanayanam as eight years old

at "GarbhaashTamam"(1 + 7 ) - which includes the

period spent in the womb of the mother - that is

Garbha vasam. So it is 7 years.The reason why the

sutras prescribe the age for a Kshatriya at 11 and a

Vaishya as 12 must be because in the ancient times

the father was the guru in Brahmin household whereas

the Kshatriya and Vaishya children had to leave home

for their education , they could leave their house

only when they were capable of taking care of

themselves. I also read that Upanayanam is usually

performed at the age of seven because till that age a

child gets the benefits of the karmas of its parents

and after that age it has to learn and perform karmas

on its own.

Srimathi Venkatachari Raghavan

 

 

 

 

--- Vijay & Lalitha Venbakkam <vijaylalli

wrote:

 

>

> Respected Bhagavatas:

>

> I'd. like to find out if there's an appropriate age

> for performing Upanayanam & Brahmopadesam, for

> Srivaishnava brahmachari's. Kindly advise. I have

> heard the term "ottrai padai" (meaning only during

> 'odd' years) mention by some friends and I wanted to

> clarify if that's applicable for Srivaishnavas also.

>

>

> Thank you.

>

> Dasan,

> Vijayaraghavan.

>

> [Non-text portions of this message have been

> removed]

>

>

>

>

>

 

 

 

 

 

 

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