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Upanayana, sometimes known outside India by the name, "sacred thread ceremony", is commonly known for being a Hindu rite-of-passage ritual. Traditionally, the ceremony was performed to mark the point at which boys began their formal education. This article discusses the adherents of Hinduism. ...

In Hinduism, the ceremony is performed on boys of at least 5 years of age from the Brahmin varna, of at least 13 years from the Kshatriya varna, and of at least 17 years from the Vaishya varna. The youngster is taught during the ceremony the secret of life through Brahmopadesam (revealing the nature of Brahman, the Ultimate Reality) or the Gayatri mantra. The child then becomes qualified for life as a student or Brahmacharya, as prescribed in the Manusmriti. Hinduism is a religious tradition[1] that originated in the Indian subcontinent. ... The term Brahmin denotes both a member of the priestly class in the Hindu varna system, and a member of the highest caste in the caste system of Hindu society. ... This article is about the city in Bulgaria. ... For the Bollywood film of the same name see Kshatriya Kshatriya (Hindi: , from Sanskrit: , ) is one of the four varnas, or castes, in Hinduism. ... This article is about the city in Bulgaria. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article is about the city in Bulgaria. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... This page deals with the Hindu concept of The Supreme Reality. ... Gayatri (Sanskrit: , IAST: ) is the feminine form of gāyatra, a Sanskrit word for a song or a hymn. ... In Tibet, many Buddhists carve mantras into rocks as a form of devotion. ... Brahmacharya (pronounced /brʌmatʃərɪə/) is a Sanskrit word. ... The Manu Smriti or Laws of Manu, is one of the eighteen Smritis of the Dharma Sastra (or laws of righteous conduct), written c. ...

According to an appendix of the Manusmriti^{[citation needed]}, girls were allowed to study the Vedas in the previous Kalpa (time unit) (Creation). Orthodox Hindus, however, do not accept this reference, because no Hindu canonical text allows this ceremony for a girl in the present Kalpa. Some sects, esp.Arya Samaj perform this ceremony for girls also on the basis of this statement. The Manu Smriti or Laws of Manu, is one of the eighteen Smritis of the Dharma Sastra (or laws of righteous conduct), written c. ... A kalpa is a Sanskrit word meaning an aeon, or a long period of time in Hindu and Buddhist cosmology. ... Arya Samaj (Aryan Society or Society of Nobles) is a Hindu reform movement in India that was founded by Swami Dayananda in 1875. ...

In Buddhism, which in its inception rebelled from any superficial show of ritualistic practices, relied on finding the true meaning of "upanayanam" through meditative practices as outlined by Buddha. In Buddhism, the upanayanam is associated with the Triple Gem refuge and constant meditative and moral practices as outlined in the Eightfold Path. In Buddhism, this practice is universal and open to all regardless of age, caste lineage, race or sex. A statue of the Sakyamuni Buddha in Tawang Gompa, India. ... Media:Example. ... The Triratna or Three Jewels symbol, on a Buddha footprint. ... The Noble Eightfold Path, according to Buddhism and as taught by Gautama Buddha, is the way to the cessation of suffering, the fourth part of the Four Noble Truths. ...

Yajñopavītam - the "Sacred Thread"

A young boy is seen during upanayana ritual. The yellowed, thin, thread running from left shoulder to the waist is Yagnopaivta. Also note the girdle of munja grass around the waist. The twig in the right hand (usually from peepa treel) siginifies his entry in to Brahmacharya.

Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vysyas are called dvijas meaning twice born. A man of these castes is born once in the womb of his mother and again during the Upanayanam when he learns the Gayatri Mantra.
Species Saccharum arundinaceum Saccharum bengalense Saccharum edule Saccharum officinarum Saccharum procerum Saccharum ravennae Saccharum robustum Saccharum sinense Saccharum spontaneum Sugarcane or Sugar cane (Saccharum) is a genus of 6 to 37 species (depending on taxonomic interpretation) of tall perennial grasses (family Poaceae, tribe Andropogoneae), native to warm temperate to tropical... Binomial name Ficus religiosa L. The Sacred Fig Ficus religiosa, also known as Bo (from the Sinhalese Bo), Pipal (Peepul) or Ashwattha tree, is a species of banyan fig native to India, southwest China and Indochina east to Vietnam. ... Brahmacharya (pronounced /brʌmatʃərɪə/) is a Sanskrit word. ...

The hallmark of having gone through the Upanayana ceremony is the wearing of the Yajñopavītam (Sacred Thread) on the body. The thread is circular, being tied end-to-end (only one knot is permissible); it is normally supported on the left shoulder(savya) and wrapped around the body, falling underneath the right arm. The length of the thread is generally 96 times the breadth of four fingers of a man, which is believed to be equal to his height. Each of the four fingers represents one of the four states that the soul of a man experiences: waking, dreaming, dreamless sleep and knowledge of the absolute.

Yajñopavītam has three threads (actually only one thread, folded three times and tied together) each consisting of three strands. These threads represent

• Goddess Gayatri (Goddess of mind),
• Goddess Saraswati (Goddess of word) and
• Goddess Savitri (Goddess of deed).

It denotes that one who wear the sacred thread should be pure in his thought, word and deed. The sacred thread reminds a Brahmachari to lead a regulated life with purity in his thought, word and deed. These threads also represent the debt that is owed to the guru, parents and society. Gayatri (Sanskrit: , IAST: ) is the feminine form of gāyatra, a Sanskrit word for a song or a hymn. ... For the Vedic river, see Saraswati River. ... Savitri and similar spellings represent various Sanskrit words and names:- Savitri, with all vowels short, is a (confusing) Roman-phonetic spelling of the Vedic Hindu sun god Savitr. ...

The knot in the middle represent the formless Brahman, the pure form of energy which pervades all. The three threads again represent the manifestation of brahman as Srishti, Sthithi and Vinasa. The sacred thread illustrates the fact that everything in the universe emerge from and then merge with Brahman. This page deals with the Hindu concept of The Supreme Reality. ... This page deals with the Hindu concept of The Supreme Reality. ...

Ancient texts refer to the wearing of the Yajñopavītam in three forms:

• One is Upavītam, where the Yajñopavītam is worn over the left shoulder and under the right arm. This is for Gods. Upavītam is also called savya (Katyayana Shrauta Sutra &c.).

• The Second is Nivītam, where the Yajñopavītam is worn around the neck and over the chest. Nivīta form is to be used during Rishi Tharpana, sexual intercourse, answering the calls of nature etc. (-Shadvimsha Brahmana, Latyayana, etc.).

• The third, Prachīnavītam is where the Yajñopavītam is worn above the right shoulder and under the left arm. This is for Spirits and is used by men when performing the death ceremonies of an elder. Prachīnavītam is also called apsavya (Katyayana Shrauta Sutra, Manusmriti, &c.).

In some communities, later, at the occasion of wedding, a further three threads are added to make for a 6-thread bunch. In some communities, the custom exists of one thread more being added at the birth of every child. In some interpretations, these threads are intended to constantly remind the man of his worldly responsibilities. 3 original threads (each consisting of 3) make up 9 threads, to which 3 are added for wife and 1 for children, making a total of 13 individual threads in some communities. For other uses, see Dharma (disambiguation). ...

The sacred thread is supposed to be worn for the rest of one's life after the ceremony has been performed. A new thread is worn and the old thread discarded every year; the change-over ceremony is held on a specific date calculated as per the Hindu lunar calendar. Among Brahmins, this date varies depending on which of four Vedic Shakhas one belongs to. The term Brahmin denotes both a member of the priestly class in the Hindu varna system, and a member of the highest caste in the caste system of Hindu society. ...

The sacred thread has close and essential connection with the concept of pravaras related to brahmin gotra system, which reflects the number of most excellent Vedic rishis belonging to that particular gotra to which the wearer of sacred thread belongs. Generally, there are either three or five pravaras. While tying the knots of sacred thread, an oath is taken in the name of these excellent sages. The full affiliation of a Vedic brāhamana consists of (1)gotra, (2)sutra (of Kalpa), (3)shakha, (4)pravaras. (Example :) A brahmana named 'X' introduces himself as follows: I am 'X', of Shrivatsa gotra, of Āpastamba sutra, of Taittiriya shākha of Yajurveda, of five pravaras named Bhārgava, Chyāvana, Āpnavan, Aurva and Jāmdagnya (This example is based upon the example given by Pattābhirām Shastri in the introduction to Vedārtha-Pārijata, cf. ref.).^{[citation needed]} Pravara is a set of the main rishis who belonged to the gotra. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A rishi (Sanskrit ऋषि: ) is a Hindu saint or sage and in its most strict canonical sense denotes a Vedic sage to whom Vedic hymns were originally revealed. // A Rishi is a person who can hold and transmit knowledge in the form of Light. ... A gotra is the lineage or clan assigned to a Hindu at birth. ... A gotra is the lineage or clan assigned to a Hindu at birth. ... SÅ«tra (sex) (Sanskrit) or Sutta (Pāli) literally means a rope or thread that holds things together, and more metaphorically refers to an aphorism (or line, rule, formula), or a collection of such aphorisms in the form of a manual. ... Kalevan Pallo is a professional Finnish ice hockey team. ... Shakha (IAST ), literally branch or limb, is the Sanskrit term for a recension or version of Vedic texts according to a particular school. ... Pravara is a set of the main rishis who belonged to the gotra. ...

Both the sacred thread and the Upanayanam ceremony are known by different names in different languages.

Sanskrit ( , for short ) is a classical language of India, a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism, and one of the 23 official languages of India. ... Malayalam (മലയാളം ) is the language spoken predominantly in the state of Kerala, in southern India. ... IAST, or International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration is the academic standard for writing the Sanskrit language with the Latin alphabet and very similar to National Library at Calcutta romanization standard being used with many Indic scripts. ... Tamil ( ; IPA ) is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamils in India and Sri Lanka, with smaller communities of speakers in many other countries. ... IAST, or International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration is the academic standard for writing the Sanskrit language with the Latin alphabet and very similar to National Library at Calcutta romanization standard being used with many Indic scripts. ... “Telugu” redirects here. ... Kannada - aptly described as sirigannada (known to few as Kanarese) is one of the oldest Dravidian languages and is spoken in its various dialects by roughly 45 million people. ... Hindi (DevanāgarÄ«: or , IAST: , IPA:  ), an Indo-European language spoken all over India in varying degrees and extensively in northern and central India, is one of the 22 official languages of India and is used, along with English, for central government administrative purposes. ... Marathi is one of the widely spoken languages of India, and has a long literary history. ... Konkani is a term used to refer both to a language and to an Indian ethnic group. ... Bangla redirects here. ... This article is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Nepali (Khaskura) is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in Nepal, Bhutan, and some parts of India and Myanmar (Burma). ... Kashmiri (कॉशुर, کٲشُر Koshur) is a northwestern Indo-Aryan language spoken primarily in the valley of Kashmir, a region situated mostly in the Jammu and Kashmir state of India. ... Assamese ( ) (IPA: ) is a language spoken in the state of Assam in northeast India. ... Tulu is one of the minor languages of India with under 2,000,000 speakers. ... Gujarati (ગુજરાતી GujÇŽrātÄ«; also known as Gujerati, Gujarathi, Guzratee, and Guujaratee[3]) is an Indo-Aryan language descending from Sanskrit, and part of the greater Indo-European language family. ...

Regional variations

The ceremony is called Munja or Mounji-Bandhana (lit. Tieing of munja)in the state of Maharashtra. This name for the ceremony finds its origin in the name of a grass variety called Saccharum munja (English - Bengal Cane [1]). This grass is used to make a girdle which is then tied around the waist of the child.[2] , Maharashtra (Marathi: महाराष्ट्र , IPA  , translation: Great Nation) is Indias third largest state in area and second largest in population after Uttar Pradesh. ... species see text The genus Saccharum (Poaceae) contains the sugar canes (actually several species) and other ornamental grasses such as Ravenna grass. ...

Upanayana has one more meaning, derived from Marathi words: Upa na (over/above)+yan am (it is), making for the meaning "that which is above (the shoulder)".

Modern Gurukulas

Upa+nayana also means taking somebody near(upa)knowledge.In ancient times, after the ceremony was performed, the child was sent to the Guru's house (Gurukul) for education, where the child remained until completion of education. Even today, there are many Vedic Gurukulas (traditional Vedic schools) which follow this practice with and without government help, without taking any fees from students (who must be brahmacharis). A Gurukul is a type of ancient Hindu school in India that is residential in nature with the shishyas or students and the guru or teacher living in close proximity, many a time within the same house. ... A Gurukul is a type of ancient Hindu school in India that is residential in nature with the shishyas or students and the guru or teacher living in close proximity, many a time within the same house. ... Brahmachari is a sacred word in India. ...

Buddhism and Upanayanam

In Buddhism, the Upanayanam is referred to by the Pali term, "opanayiko" which is one of the six characteristics of the Dharma. It is related to refuge in the Triple Gem and practicing the Eightfold Path which leads one through to the Four stages of enlightenment. In the Visuddhimagga it is called "opanayiko" or "upanayanam" as the practice leads "onwards to Nirvana": nibanam upaneti ti ariya maggo upaneyo...opanayiko,"It leads on to nibanna, thus the Eightfold Path is onward leading...so it is leading onwards." A statue of the Sakyamuni Buddha in Tawang Gompa, India. ... Pali (IAST: ) is a Middle Indo-Aryan dialect or prakrit. ... Dharma (Sanskrit: धर्म) or Dhamma (Pāli: धम्म) in Buddhism has two primary meanings: the teachings of the Buddha which lead to enlightenment the constituent factors of the experienced world In East Asia, the character for Dharma is 法, pronounced fǎ in Mandarin and hō in Japanese. ... The Triratna or Three Jewels symbol, on a Buddha footprint. ... The Noble Eightfold Path, according to Buddhism and as taught by Gautama Buddha, is the way to the cessation of suffering, the fourth part of the Four Noble Truths. ... The four stages of enlightenment in Buddhism are the four degrees of approach to full enlightenment as an Arahant which a person can attain in this life. ... The Visuddhimagga (The path to purity) is a Theravada Buddhist commentary written by Buddhaghosa approximately in 430 CE in Sri Lanka. ... This article is about the Buddhist concept. ... The Noble Eightfold Path, according to Buddhism and as taught by Gautama Buddha, is the way to the cessation of suffering, the fourth part of the Four Noble Truths. ...

In Buddhism, a person of any age, sex or caste can obtain the Upanayanam through refuge in the Triple Gem and practicing the Eightfold Path. The Triratna or Three Jewels symbol, on a Buddha footprint. ... The Noble Eightfold Path, according to Buddhism and as taught by Gautama Buddha, is the way to the cessation of suffering, the fourth part of the Four Noble Truths. ...

A statue of the Sakyamuni Buddha in Tawang Gompa, India. ... Several Buddhist terms and concepts lack direct translations into English that cover the breadth of the original term. ... Contents: Top - 0–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z The following is a List of Buddhist topics: A Abhidharma Ahimsa Ajahn Ajahn Chah Ajanta Aksobhya Alexandra David-Néel... The History of Buddhism spans from the 6th century BCE to the present, starting with the birth of the Buddha Siddhartha Gautama. ... 563 BCE: Siddhārtha Gautama, Buddha-to-be, is born in Lumbini, Ancient India. ... There are many divisions and subdivisions of the schools of Buddhism. ... Chinese Song Period Maha-prajna-paramita Sutra Page The texts can be categorized in a number of ways, but the most fundamental division is that between canonical and non-canonical texts. ... Buddhism - Percentage by country The percentage of Buddhist population of each country was taken from the US State Departments International Religious Freedom Report 2004 [1]. Other sources used were CIA Factbook [2] and adherents. ... The cultural elements of Buddhism vary by region and include: Buddhist cuisine Buddhist art Buddharupa Art and architecture of Japan Greco-Buddhism Tibetan Buddhist sacred art Buddhist music Buddhist chant Shomyo Categories: Buddhism-related stubs ... Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya Buddhist temples, monasteries, stupas, and pagodas sorted by location. ...

References

• Vedārtha-Pārijata by Swāmi Karpātri,Published by Sri Rādhā Krishna Dhanuka Prakāshan Sansthan,Calcutta,1979;(Sañchālakas : Vedasāstra Research Centre, Kedārghat, Vārānasi)

See also

• Samavartanam
• Upakarma
• Varnas
• Brahmin
• Brahmin gotra system
• Pravaras
• Rishi
• Shivalli Brahmins
• Iyer
• Navjote -- Zoroastrian initiation ceremony.