Models to Follow

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Models to Follow

(HinduDharma: Brahmacaryasrama)

 

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It often occurs to me that two divine children demonstrate their

purpose of descent to the earth through their very upanayana

samskara. One of the two is Sankara who gave new life to the Vedic

religion and the other is Jnanasambhandhar. The Tamil Periyapuranam

mentions that Jnanasambhandhar's upanayana was performed when he was

a small child. From the fact that he calls himself "Nanmarai

Jnanasambandhan" we know that he was conversant with all the four

vedas. Both the Acarya and Jnanasambandhar had to listen only once to

grasp their lessons: that is why they were called "ekasantagrahins".

So they could learn the vedas in one or two years. Indeed, there was

no need to teach them, for they were capable of learning everything

on their own. The one (Sankara) was an incarnation of Siva and the

other of Subrahmanya. If they had accomplished their respective

missions only after their upanayana had been performed and after they

had received instruction in Gayatri, it was only to show ordinary

people like us the importance of that samskara.

 

There was a poet called Ramabadhra Dikshita who spoke about himself

thus" Before Gayatri came to me, Sarasvati was already there with

me." Before he was eight years old the usual age for imparting the

Gayatri mantra, he had began to compose poems. Jnanasambandar too

sang his composition "Todudaya ceviyan" when he was only three years

old. He had already been performing miracles. But even so he had his

upanayana ceremony performed and was taught the Gayatri Mantra. If he

did so it was to show the world that he was able to accomplish his

great mission in life only by upholding the Vedic dharma. He has

opened our eyes to the significance of the upanayana samskara and the

Gayatri Mantra.

 

http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part17/chap7.htm