The Samavartana ( sa, समावर्तन, ), also known as , is a rite of passage in the ancient texts of

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 ...

performed at the close of the

Brahmacharya ''Brahmacharya'' (; sa, ब्रह्मचर्य ) is a concept within Indian religions that literally means to stay in conduct within one's own Self. In Yoga, Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism it generally refers to a lifestyle char ...

period and marked the graduation of the student from ''Gurukul'' (school). It signifies a person's readiness to enter grihastashrama (householder, married life).

Description

''Samavartana'' or ''Snana'', is the ceremony associated with the end of formal education and the

asrama of life. This rite of passage includes a ceremonial bath. This ceremony marked the end of school, but did not imply immediate start of married life. Typically, significant time elapsed between exiting the Brahmacharya stage of life and the entering of Grihastha stage of life. Anyone who had completed this rite of passage was considered a ''Vidya-snataka'' (literally, bathed in knowledge, or showered with learning), and symbolized as one who had crossed the ocean of learning.

Ceremony

The ceremony was a gathering of students, teacher and guests. The student asked the teacher for any gift (''guru-dakshina'') he desired, which if specified was the student's responsibility to deliver over his lifetime. Then, after a recitation by the teacher of a graduate's

dharma Dharma (; sa, धर्म, dharma, ; pi, dhamma, italic=yes) is a key concept with multiple meanings in Indian religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and others. Although there is no direct single-word translation for '' ...

(snataka-dharma) and a fire ritual, the graduate took a ceremonial bath. The ceremony occurred after completion of at least 12 years of school, that is either about age 21 or later. aittiriya Upanishaddescribes, in the eleventh anuvaka of Shiksha Valli, the ''snataka-dharma'' recitation emphasized by the teacher to a graduate at this rite of passage. The verses ask the graduate to take care of themselves and pursue

Dharma Dharma (; sa, धर्म, dharma, ; pi, dhamma, italic=yes) is a key concept with multiple meanings in Indian religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and others. Although there is no direct single-word translation for '' ...

Artha ''Artha'' (; sa, अर्थ; Tamil: ''poruḷ'' / ''பொருள்'') is one of the four aims of human life in Indian philosophy.James Lochtefeld (2002), The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Rosen Publishing, New York, , pp 55–56 ...

and Kama to the best of their abilities. Parts of the verses in section 1.11.1, for example, state The eleventh anuvaka of ''Shiksha Valli'' list behavioral guidelines for the graduating students from a ''gurukul'',Original: मातृदेवो भव । पितृदेवो भव । आचार्यदेवो भव । अतिथिदेवो भव । यान्यनवद्यानि कर्माणि तानि सेवितव्यानि । नो इतराणि । यान्यस्माकँ सुचरितानि तानि त्वयोपास्यानि । नो इतराणि ॥ २ ॥
Taittiriya Upanishad (Sanskrit)
Wikisource The third section of the eleventh anuvaka lists charity and giving, with faith, sympathy, modesty and cheerfulness, as ethical precept for the graduating students at the ''Samavartana'' rite of passage.

Description

Ceremony

See also

References

Further reading