Hello Dhruv the Batman
You would remember that about 2 years back, Ganesh Periappa, had performed the "upanayanam" ceremony for Rushab, when Geetha Paatti tells me that you were insisting on wearing the upanayanam the sacred thread yourself. When I thought about meeting you, I remembered this, and decided to tell you a little bit about this. I do not know whether Appa & Amma have also told you about the significance of this.
The meaning and the significance of "upanayanam" are a few. They are
1. Leading one to an introduction to any Science. This is around 5 yrs of age.
2. The parents prepare the boy for initiation into learning of Vedic scriptures, by asking him to chant a mantra ( Gayathri) after the upanayanam is worn.
3. Like in these days, where Children are sent to Boarding schools, in olden days, they were sent to the house of a learned guru which was called gurukul-guru's family.
4. Since the Guru accepts the child as his own, the thread wearing boy is called a "dwija" namely he is once again (twice) born to his guru, and the boy spends over 16 years learning the scriptures staying in his guru's place as his own son.
5. The Upanayanam has three strings, which reminds one of his three debts (a) to his parents who brought him into this world, (b) to his Guru who taught him and (c) to God .
A dwija therefore is expected to repay his debts by doing 5 different services (a) Worshipping God (b) to spread knowledge he has learnt to others (c) be helpful to your parents (d) Help fellow human beings and (e) help other animate beings.
It is very difficult in these modern days to strictly follow these rules, but the significance of these cannot be forgotten. That is the reason the ceremony is given a very high importance by us.
Are you ready for an initiation my dear batman, now that you know the obligations?
Please tell me when you find time, whether you find this interesting.
Love and lots of kisses from Vichu Chinna Thaatha.
For the next-gen folks
The "na karmana prajaya ' etc piece from the Upanishads take a new meaning, neither the karma part learnt from Guru, nor the offspring and earning of riches part of the middle years , but only renunciation which can liberate you, the upanishads proclaim. Since the three strings of the upanayanam represent "debt / responsibility", the moment these are over, and when you are ripe for renunciation, the first thing you discard, is the symbol which represents "debts" namely the sacred thread. Isn't this very interesting and also a bit fascinating as it would appear, only after relentless adherence to swadharma over the years, one gets to be ripe for this stage, and probably the renunciation part just comes by without a conscious effort...... Think it over........
Love Vichu
The comment here is posted to record the "as soon as" part of the duty prescribed by ALV in his mail asking for a "sooner rather than a later" comment.
ReplyDeleteI remember hearing that the three strings standing for Dharma(Loosely translated as Ethics), Artha (ains loosely called in english as "security") and Kama (perhaps more directly translatable as desire).
Then at marriage a second set of the three of the same were added so that I would not FORGET.
Lastly after Shruti was born the third set to ensure REMEMBRANCE - Now, going to the first of the "Vichiism of the week Sr. No. 7 - my "self realisational venture" has been rendered quite diffcult!
Great buddy , keep it up. Our Jignyaasaa, is alive thanks to such responses. A point however
ReplyDeleteIf the three strings are to represent Dharma, Artha, & kama, does it then mean Moksha is possible only after ridding of these.... The Sanyaasa ashrama stage (renunciation)discards the Poonal.
Incidentally, the second set I am told is to remind one of His "pravara" of ones Gothram, when you marry ( from another gothram perhaps generally 3 in number). The third is optional called "utharium" to remind one perhaps to slowly transcend from Temporal to the Eternal with more "japa" meditation etc. I am not sure of this but thought wd mention this.
Love Vichu
Sorry Boss, I did not quite realise the import of my "forgetfulness" quote.
ReplyDeleteMy take was simply this; Remembering the past failures/successes, (and perhaps dreaming of the future "nirvana"), can hamper your progress. This is also in sync with today's the "present is a gift", kind of cliche.Another point was, if you remember all your sins of the past lives, life will be miserable. God has been probably kind in not giving you a means of knowing your prarabda.......It was in this context the Vichiism was made. You see there is some thought process going into vichiism which like the sutras, need adequate "bhashyams"!!!!!!!
"Moksha" - Being a responsibility for every human being towards himself/herself, doesn't need reminding; whilst reminding of the other three is necessary for societal functioning without chaos.
ReplyDeleteAlso the three strings are to symbolic of the "physial reality" , the fourth by absence, points to the "Ultimate Reality" , whose nature not being physical is always indicated to by the space (in time (?)) between the next two sets , which as you rightly said, are Optional.
Optional but conditional. Conditional to the awareness of the existance of such a responsibility to one's own Self.
The arising of such an awareness is not prescribed with a punctuality commonly understood by the term "ripening" referred in the main by ALV - which also explains the separation of the three individual strings by space (and of course time, when they were first installed).
Therefore the Upanishadic dictum - "Yadahareva Virajeyet, Tadahareva Pravrajet" (translated as One should become a samnyasin the moment one gets vairagya)
Apologise for the for any "Kutarkam" in advance.
Dear Chittapa,
ReplyDeleteThe article you wrote is fabulous! It has explained everything to me. I will try my best to follow all the rules when I get the sacred thread. I have to admit, when I asked why I couldn't wear the thread, I never got the proper answer. I understand much more than I did before. I also have an account on blogger, and will send you the link to my blogs as soon as possible. Is the Gayatri Mantra hard to learn? If so, I will try my best to learn it by heart and practise sandhyavandanam everyday.
Love,
Dhruv
Thanks beta
ReplyDeleteI would defenitely like to visit your blog site if you can guide me.
About the gayathri mantra, it's not hard at all, but Appa will tell you when you get the sacred thread.
Love and warm hugs and lots of kisses - Vichu