A yagyopaveet sanskar upanayana samskara in Nepal

''Upanayana'' ( sa, उपनयनम्, lit=initiation, translit=Upanāyanam) is a

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

educational sacrament, one of the traditional

saṃskāra Samskara ( IAST: , sometimes spelled ''samskara'') are sacraments in Hinduism and other Indian religions, described in ancient Sanskrit texts, as well as a concept in the karma theory of Indian philosophies. The word literally means "putting t ...

s or rites of passage that marked the acceptance of a student by a preceptor, such as a ''

guru Guru ( sa, गुरु, IAST: ''guru;'' Pali'': garu'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: traditionally, the guru is a reverential ...

'' or ''

acharya In Indian religions and society, an ''acharya'' (Sanskrit: आचार्य, IAST: ; Pali: ''ācariya'') is a preceptor and expert instructor in matters such as religion, or any other subject. An acharya is a highly learned person with a ...

'', and an individual's initiation into a school in

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...

. Some traditions consider the ceremony as a spiritual rebirth for the child or future ''

dvija Dvija (Sanskrit: द्विज) means "twice-born" in ancient Indian Sanskrit. The concept is premised on the belief that a person is first born physically and at a later date is born for a second time spiritually, usually when he undergoes the ...

'', twice born. It signifies the acquisition of the knowledge of

God In monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Oxford Companion to Philosophy'', Oxford University Press, 1995. God is typically ...

and the start of a new and disciplined life as a brahmachari. According to the given community and region, it is also known by numerous terms such as ''janai'' or ''janea'', ''poita/paita'', ''logun/nagun'', y''agnopavita'', ''bratabandha'', ''bratopanayan.'' The ''Upanayanam'' ceremony is arguably the most important rite for the

Brahmin Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests (purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers (gur ...

male, ensuring his rights and responsibilities as a Brahmin and signifying his advent into adulthood. The tradition is widely discussed in ancient

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...

texts of Hinduism and varies regionally. The sacred thread or Yajnopavita (also referred to as ''Janeu'', ''Jandhyam,'' ''Poonal, Munja and Janivara'') has become one of the most important identifiers of the ''Upanayana'' ceremony in contemporary times, however this was not always the case. Generally, this ceremony should be performed before the advent of adulthood.

Etymology

''Upanayana''

''Upanayana'' literally means "the act of leading to or near, bringing", "introduction (into any science)" or "initiation" (as elucidated by Monier-Williams). Upanayana is formed from the root √''ni'' meaning 'to lead'. ''Nayana'' is a noun formed from the root √''ni'' meaning 'leading to'. The prefix ''upa'' means 'near'. With the prefix the full literal meaning becomes 'leading near (to)'. The initiation or rite of passage ceremony in which the sacred thread is given symbolizes the child drawn towards a school, towards education, by the guru or teacher. Monier-Williams (1899)
upanayana
in ''Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary, 1899''. Via Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries. At Institute of Indology and Tamil Studies, University of Cologne, Germany. pp
201
(print edition). The student was being taken to the Gods and a disciplined life. As explained by PV Kane, taking (the child) near the acarya (for instruction), or alternately "introducing to studenthood". It is a ceremony in which a teacher accepts and draws a child towards knowledge and initiates the second birth that is of the young mind and spirit.

Variations

A popular variation is ''Maunjibandhana'', derived from two words munja, a type of grass, and ''bandhana'' which means to tie or bind. The munjha grass is tied around the waist. This word was used by

Manu Manu may refer to: Geography * Manú Province, a province of Peru, in the Madre de Dios Region **Manú National Park, Peru ** Manú River, in southeastern Peru * Manu River (Tripura), which originates in India and flows into Bangladesh *Manu Tem ...

. Another variation is ''vratabandha(na)'' meaning "binding to an observance". The word ''janeu'' is a condensed version of ''yagyopaveeta''. The ceremony is also known as ''punal kalyanam'' (meaning auspicious thread ceremony) and ''Brahmopadesa''.

''Yajñopavītam''

The sacred thread or upper garment (such as a dupatta or uparane) is also called ''Yajñopavita'', used as an adjective, which is derived from ''Yajna'' (sacrifice) and ''Upavita'' (worn)''.'' The literal meaning would then become "some thing worn on the body for the sacrifice". Along with the ''Yajñopavita'' there may be a ''danda'' (staff) and ''mekhala'' (girdle).

Description

Background

The earliest form of this samskara, whose name there are no records of, may have been to mark the acceptance of a person into a particular community. Indologically, the ritual is present in the Grhyasūtras and Dharmasūtras and ''

Dharmaśāstra ''Dharmaśāstra'' ( sa, धर्मशास्त्र) is a genre of Sanskrit texts on law and conduct, and refers to the treatises ( śāstras) on dharma. Unlike Dharmasūtra which are based upon Vedas, these texts are mainly based on ...

'', as well as a couple of times in the

Samhitas Saṃhitā literally means "put together, joined, union", a "collection", and "a methodically, rule-based combination of text or verses".Chandogya Upanishad'' and in the ''

Yājñavalkya Smṛti The ''Yajnavalkya Smriti'' ( sa, याज्ञवल्क्य स्मृति, IAST: ') is one of the many Dharma-related texts of Hinduism composed in Sanskrit. It is dated between the 3rd to 5th-century CE, and belongs to the Dharmasha ...

''; Gharpure (1956) writes that during the Smriti period, Upanayana may have attained a permanent fixture if the life of students to be as compared to being optional before. In the Atharvaveda, and later in the Sutras period, the word ''Upanayana'' meant taking responsibility of a student, the beginning of an education, a students initiation into "studentship" and the acceptance of the student by the teacher. Preceptors could include a

Guru Guru ( sa, गुरु, IAST: ''guru;'' Pali'': garu'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: traditionally, the guru is a reverential ...

Acharya In Indian religions and society, an ''acharya'' (Sanskrit: आचार्य, IAST: ; Pali: ''ācariya'') is a preceptor and expert instructor in matters such as religion, or any other subject. An acharya is a highly learned person with a ...

Upadhyaya Upadhyaya is a Brahmin name from Sanskrit ''upādhyāya'' "teacher" (from ''upa'' ‘with, under’ + ''adhyāya'' ‘studying’).https://www.ancestry.ca/name-origin?surname=Upadhyay Notable people *Amar Upadhyay, Indian model, film and telev ...

and Rtvik. Gradually new layers of meaning emerged such as the inclusion of Goddess Savitri or Saraswati, with the teacher becoming the enabler of the connection between this goddess and the student. The meaning was extended to include

Vedanga The Vedanga ( sa, वेदाङ्ग ', "limbs of the Veda") are six auxiliary disciplines of Hinduism that developed in ancient times and have been connected with the study of the Vedas:James Lochtefeld (2002), "Vedanga" in The Illustrated Enc ...

s and vows among other things. The education of a student was not limited to ritual and philosophical speculations found in the Vedas and the

Upanishads The Upanishads (; sa, उपनिषद् ) are late Vedic Sanskrit texts that supplied the basis of later Hindu philosophy.Wendy Doniger (1990), ''Textual Sources for the Study of Hinduism'', 1st Edition, University of Chicago Press, , ...

. It extended to many arts and crafts, which had their own, similar rites of passages.

Aitareya Brahmana The Aitareya Brahmana ( sa, ऐतरेय ब्राह्मण) is the Brahmana of the Shakala Shakha of the Rigveda, an ancient Indian collection of sacred hymns. This work, according to the tradition, is ascribed to Mahidasa Aitareya. Aut ...

Agamas Religion *Āgama (Buddhism), a collection of Early Buddhist texts *Āgama (Hinduism), scriptures of several Hindu sects *Jain literature (Jain Āgamas), various canonical scriptures in Jainism Other uses * ''Agama'' (lizard), a genus of lizards ...

and Puranas literature of Hinduism describe these as '' Śilpa Śastras''. They extend to all practical aspects of culture, such as the sculptor, the potter, the perfumer, the wheelwright, the painter, the weaver, the architect, the dancer, and the musician. The training of these began from childhood and included studies about dharma, culture, reading, writing, mathematics, geometry, colors, tools, as well as traditions and trade secrets. The rites of passage during apprentice education varied in the respective guilds. Susruta and

Charaka Charaka was one of the principal contributors to Ayurveda, a system of medicine and lifestyle developed in Ancient India. He is known as an editor of the medical treatise entitled ''Charaka Samhita'', one of the foundational texts of classical ...

developed the initiation ceremony for students of Ayurveda. The ''Upanayana'' rite of passage was also important to the teacher, as the student would therefrom begin to live in the ''

gurukula A or ( sa, गुरुकुल, gurukul) is a type of education system in ancient India with ('students' or 'disciples') living near or with the guru, in the same house. The guru-shishya tradition is a sacred one in Hinduism and possibly ...

'' (school). Upanayana became an elaborate ceremony, that includes rituals involving the family, the child and the teacher. A boy receives during this ceremony a sacred thread called ''Yajñopaveetam'' that he wears. The ''Yajñopavita'' ceremony announces that the child had entered into formal education. In the modern era, the Upanayana rite of passage is open to anyone at any age. Upanayana follows Vidyāraṃbhaṃ, the previous rite of passage. Vidyāraṃbhaṃ became an intermediary samskara following the evolution in writing and language. Vidyāraṃbhaṃ now marked the beginning of primary education or literacy while Upanayana went on to refer to spiritual education. Upanayana can also take place at the student's home for those who are home-schooled. Ceremonial begging as one of the rituals during Upanayana became important, attaining sizeable proportions. The actual initiation occurred during the recitation of the

Gayatri Mantra The Gāyatrī Mantra, also known as the Sāvitri Mantra, is a highly revered mantra from the '' Rig Veda'' ( Mandala 3.62.10), dedicated to the Vedic deity Savitr. is the name of the Goddess of the Vedic meter in which the verse is composed. ...

. The spiritual birth would take place four days after the initial Upanayana rituals. It was then that the last ritual was performed, the Medhajanana. The

Samavartanam The Samavartana ( sa, समावर्तन, ), also known as , is a rite of passage in the ancient texts of Hinduism performed at the close of the Brahmacharya period and marked the graduation of the student from ''Gurukul'' (school). It signi ...

or convocation ritual marked the end of the course. The Upanayana became a permanent feature around the Upanisadic period. Attire includes a danda or staff and a mekhala or girdle.

Age and varna

In Hindu traditions, a human being is born at least twice—once at physical birth and second at intellectual birth through teacher's care. The first is marked through the ''

Jatakarma Jatakarman (IAST: Jātakarman, Sanskrit: जातकर्मन्) (literally, natal rites) is one of the major samskaras in Hinduism, that celebrates the birth of a child. It is typically a private rite of passage that is observed by the new ...

n'' rite of passage; the second is marked through ''Upanayanam'' or '' Vidyarambha'' rites of passage.Mary McGee (2007), Samskara, in ''The Hindu World'' (Editors: Mittal and Thursby), Routledge, , pages 332–356 A sacred thread was given by the teacher during the initiation to school ceremony and was a symbolic reminder to the student of his purpose at school as well as a social marker of the student as someone who was born a second time (''

'', twice born). Many medieval era texts discuss Upanayana in the context of three of the four ''varnas'' (caste, class) —

Kshatriya Kshatriya ( hi, क्षत्रिय) (from Sanskrit ''kṣatra'', "rule, authority") is one of the four varna (social orders) of Hindu society, associated with warrior aristocracy. The Sanskrit term ''kṣatriyaḥ'' is used in the con ...

s and

Vaishya Vaishya (Sanskrit: वैश्य, ''vaiśya'') is one of the four varnas of the Hindu social order in India. Vaishyas are classed third in the order of caste hierarchy. The occupation of Vaishyas consists mainly of agriculture, taking care ...

s. The ceremony was typically performed at age eight among the

s, at age 11 among the

s, and age 12 among Vaishyas. ''Apastamba Gryha Sutra'' (verse 1.1.1.27) places a maximum age limit of 24 for the Upanayana ceremony and start of formal education. However, ''Gautama Gryha Sutra'' and other ancient texts state that there is no age restriction and anyone of any age can undertake Upanayanam when they initiate their formal studies of the Vedas. Several texts such as ''Sushruta Sutrasthana'', however, also include the fourth varna, the

Shudra Shudra or ''Shoodra'' (Sanskrit: ') is one of the four '' varnas'' of the Hindu caste system and social order in ancient India. Various sources translate it into English as a caste, or alternatively as a social class. Theoretically, class ser ...

s, entering schools and the formal education process, stating that the Upanayana rite of passage was open to everyone.Hartmut Scharfe (2007), Handbook of Oriental Studies, Brill Academic, , pages 102-103, 197-198, 263-276 The large variation in age and changes to it over time was to accommodate for the diversity in society and between families.

Vedic period The Vedic period, or the Vedic age (), is the period in the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age of the history of India when the Vedic literature, including the Vedas (ca. 1300–900 BCE), was composed in the northern Indian subcontinent, betwe ...

texts such as the Baudhāyana '' Grihyasutra'' encouraged the three

Varna Varna may refer to: Places Europe *Varna, Bulgaria, a city in Bulgaria **Varna Province **Varna Municipality ** Gulf of Varna **Lake Varna **Varna Necropolis *Vahrn, or Varna, a municipality in Italy *Varniai, a city in Lithuania * Varna (Šaba ...

s of society to undergo the Upanayana.

Gender and women

In some regions, in modern times, some girls undergo Upanayana rite of passage. In ancient and medieval eras, texts such as Harita Dharmasutras, Asvalayana Grhya Sutra and Yama smriti suggest women could begin Vedic studies after Upanayana. Girls who decided to become a student underwent the Upanayana rite of passage, at the age of 8, and thereafter were called ''Brahmavadini''. They wore a thread or upper garment over their left shoulder. Those girls who chose not to go to a ''gurukul'' were called ''Sadyovadhu'' (literally, one who marries straight). However, the ''Sadyovadhu'', too, underwent a step during the wedding rituals, where she would complete Upanayana, and thereafter wear her upper garment (saree) over her left shoulder. This interim symbolic Upanayana rite of passage for a girl, before her wedding, is described in multiple texts such as the Gobhila Gryha Sutra (verse 2.1.19) and some Dharmasutras.

''Yajñopavītam'' sacred thread

The sacred thread or yajnopavita ( sa, यज्ञोपवीतम् ''yajñopavītam'') has become one of the most important parts of contemporary Upanayana ceremonies. There are accordingly a number of rules related to it. The thread is composed of three cotton strands of nine strands each. The strands symbolize different things in their regions. For example, among Tamils, each strand is for each of the three trinity of goddesses Parvati, Lakshmi and Saraswati. According to another tradition, each of the nine threads represented a God, such as

Agni Agni (English: , sa, अग्नि, translit=Agni) is a Sanskrit word meaning fire and connotes the Vedic fire deity of Hinduism. He is also the guardian deity of the southeast direction and is typically found in southeast corners of Hindu ...

Bhaga ''Bhaga'' is the Vedic god of wealth, as well as a term for "lord, patron" and "wealth, prosperity". He is an Āditya, a group of societal deities who are the sons of Aditi. Bhaga's responsibility was to make sure that people received a share ...

and

Chandra Chandra ( sa, चन्द्र, Candra, shining' or 'moon), also known as Soma ( sa, सोम), is the Hindu god of the Moon, and is associated with the night, plants and vegetation. He is one of the Navagraha (nine planets of Hinduism) a ...

. The predecessor to the sacred thread was an upper garment (such as a dupatta or uparane). However as traditions developed the upper garment began to be worn continuously. The usage of a thread grew out of convenience and manageability, becoming more popular than alternatives such as a kusa rope. The ancient Sanskrit texts offer a diverse view while describing yajñopavītam or upavita. The term upavita was originally meant to be any upper garment, as stated in

Apastamba Dharmasutra ''Āpastamba Dharmasūtra'' (Sanskrit: आपस्तम्ब धर्मसूत्र) is a Sanskrit text and one of the oldest Dharma-related texts of Hinduism that have survived into the modern age from the 1st-millennium BCE. It is one of ...

(verse 2.2.4.22–2.2.4.23) or, if the wearer does not want to wear a top, a thread would suffice. The ancient Indian scholar Haradatta states, "''yajñopavītam'' means a particular mode of wearing the upper garment, and it is not necessary to have the yajñopavīta at all times". There is no mention of any rule or custom, states Patrick Olivelle, that "required Brahmins to wear a sacred string at all times", in the Brahmanical literature (Vedic and ancient post-Vedic). Yajñopavītam, textual evidence suggests, is a medieval and modern tradition. However, the term ''Yajñopavīta'' appears in ancient Hindu literature, and therein it means a way of wearing the upper garment during a ritual or rites of passage. The custom of wearing a string is a late development in Hinduism, was optional in the medieval era, and the ancient Indian texts do not mention this ritual for any class or for ''Upanayana''. The Gobhila Gryha Sutra (verse 1.2.1) similarly states in its discussion on Upanayana, that "the student understands the yajnopavita as a cord of threads, or a garment, or a rope of kusa grass", and it is its methods of wearing and the significance that matters. The proper manner of wearing the upper garment or thread, state the ancient texts, is from over the left shoulder and under the right arm. ''Yajñopavīta'' contrasts with ''Pracinavita'' method of wearing the upper garment, the latter a reverse and mirror image of former, and suggested to signify rituals for elders/ancestors (for example, funeral). The idea of wearing the upper garment or sacred thread, and its significance, extended to women. This is reflected in the traditional wearing of sari over the left shoulder, during formal occasions and the celebration of rites of passage such as Hindu weddings. It was also the norm if a girl undertakes the Upanayana ceremony and begins her Vedic studies as a ''Brahmavadini''. The sacred Yajñopavītam is known by many names (varying by region and community), such as ''Bratabandha, Janivaara'', '' Jaanva'', ''Jandhyam'', ''Poita'', ''Pūṇūl'', ''Janeu'', ''Lagun'', ''Yajnopavita'', ''Yagyopavit'', ''Yonya'' and ''Zunnar''.

Scholarly commentary

Doubts about Upanayanam in old texts

Scholars state that the details and restrictions in the Upanayana ceremony is likely to have been inserted into ancient texts in a more modern era.

Hermann Oldenberg Hermann Oldenberg (31 October 1854 – 18 March 1920) was a German scholar of Indology, and Professor at Kiel (1898) and Göttingen (1908). Work Oldenberg was born in Hamburg. His 1881 study on Buddhism, entitled ''Buddha: Sein Leben, seine Lehr ...

, for example, states that Upanayana — the solemn reception of the pupil by the teacher to teach him the Veda — is joined into texts of Vedic texts at places that simply do not make any contextual sense, do not match the style, and are likely to be a corruption of the ancient texts. For example, in Satapatha Brahmana, the ''Upanayana'' rite of passage text appears in the middle of a dialogue about Agnihotra; after the Upanayana verse end, sage Saukeya abruptly returns to the Agnihotra and Uddalaka. Oldenberg states that the Upanayana discussion is likely an insertion into the older text. Kane states in his History of Dharmasastra reviews, as well as other scholars,J Sinha (2014), Psycho-Social Analysis of the Indian Mindset, Springer Academic, , page 5 that there is high likelihood of interpolation, insertion and corruption in dharma sutras and dharma sastra texts on Upanayana-related rite of passage. Patrick Olivelle notes the doubts in postmodern scholarship about the presumed reliability of Manusmriti manuscripts.Patrick Olivelle (2004), Manu's Code of Law, Oxford University Press, , pages 353-354, 356-382 He writes, "Manusmriti was the first Indian legal text introduced to the western world through the translation of Sir William Jones in 1794". This was based on the Calcutta manuscript with the commentary of Kulluka, which has been assumed to be the reliable vulgate version, and translated repeatedly from Jones in 1794 to Doniger in 1991. The reliability of the Manusmriti manuscript used since colonial times, states Olivelle, is "far from the truth. Indeed, one of the great surprises of my editorial work has been to discover how few of the over fifty manuscripts that I collated actually follow the vulgate in key readings."

Regional variations

Nepal

In Nepal, a ceremony is held which combines ''choodakarma'' (tonsure, shave the head) and Upanayana

locally known as ''Bratabandha'' (

''brata'' = promise, ''bandhan'' = to be bound). This Sanskara involves the participation of entire family and a teacher who then accepts the boy as a disciple in the

Guru–shishya tradition The ''guru–shishya'' tradition, or ''parampara'' ("lineage"), denotes a succession of teachers and disciples in Indian-origin religions such as Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism (including Tibetan and Zen traditions). Each ''parampar ...

of Hinduism. Gayatri Mantra marks as an individual's entrance to a school of Hinduism. This ceremony ends after the boy goes for his first alms round to relatives and leave for gurus Ashram. Traditionally these boys were sent to '' ashrams'' with the gurus to learn in a

gurukul Education in India is primarily managed by state-run public education system, which fall under the command of the government at three levels: central, state and local. Under various articles of the Indian Constitution and the Right of Childre ...

system of education but in modern times this act of the boy doing for first alms round in town and leaving his family for gurus hermitage is done symbolically.

Footnotes

References

Works cited

''(arranged by year)'' * ''

Sacred Books of the East The ''Sacred Books of the East'' is a monumental 50-volume set of English translations of Asian religious texts, edited by Max Müller and published by the Oxford University Press between 1879 and 1910. It incorporates the essential sacred texts ...

.'' Oxford University Press. 1879-1910. ** ** * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * *