UPANAYANAM AND SANDHYVANDANAM---3

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In the previous posting an attempt was made to explain that Upanayanam is a Samskaram in which a young boy is invested with sacred thread so that he acquires a right to study Vedas. The boy is

initiated into Gayatri Mantra. By this Mantra the boy becomes eligible to begin a life of Brahmachari,whoshould reside in a Gurukulam away from his parents for a period of 12 years and study Vedas. The term Brahmachari does not mean only "unmarried" or "celebate" . Brahmacharya is the conduct by which one attains or reaches Brahman (Self-Realization). In the vedic period ,not only boys but girls also are also said to have been initiated to Brahmacharya through Upanayana Samskaram. According to Haarita Samhita, girls are stated to have studied the Vedas and were known as Brahmavadins, woman well-versed in Vedas. Later, this practise was discontinued. It is understood that this is still practised by some Brahmin communities in Kerala. But this practice is being vehemently disputed/opposed by most Brahmins stating that ladies have no Upanayanam and that they have no eligiblity (adhikara) to learn Vedas. They hold that marriage (Vivaham) is the ritual that takes the place of Upanayanam in the case of ladies.Coming back to the Upanayana Samskaram we find references to this and the Mantras connected with the ceremony in Rigveda,Yajurveda,Atharvaveda,Taitreeya Aranyaka,Gopatha Brahmana, Satapata Brahmana, Chandogya Upanishad,and Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. As pointed out earlier, the derivation of the word Upanayanam in Samskrit language means that act by which one is led near to the teacher and Veda---Vedam gurm upa sameepam neeyate yena karmana tat. The Upanayan Samskaram includes yagnopaveetha dharanam i.e., wearing of the sacred thread

by uttering relevant Mantras. I has a also a pankti Bhojanam or Kumara Bhojanam, shaving the head (vapanam) as a symbol of giving up egos, bachelorhood dress attiring (vatu vastra dhaaranam), initiation into Gayatri Mantra (Brahmopadesam or Gayatri Mantropdesam), the teacher taking assurances from the student to perform duties of Brahmacharya regularly with devotion (Gurorupadesam and sishya vignaapanam), holy fire sacrifice (samidadanam, homam) etc. The ceremony ends with what is known as Bhikshaatanam--begging for alms from mother and other ladies and seeking blessings of elders(Aaseervaadam). The significance of Bhikshaatanam is that the student during his brahmacharya life has to raise satvik food through alms, as sanyasins do, for him and his guru ,just enough for the day. The boy is now called a DWIJA,twice born.(tobe continued)G.Balasubramanian