SAMSKARAS
INTRODUCTION
Besides the daily activities (nitya kriya) and the fortnightly and monthly activities, which are
performed by the devotee regularly, there are some activities which an individual performs, not on
a regular basis, either daily or yearly, but more irregularly.
Vaidic Grha Samskaras (the household purificatory rites):
The vaidic samskaras are performed not upon the Lord, nor on oneself, but are performed by the
husband upon his own wife and children, at specific periods of development of the child.
The vaidic samskaras, starting from garbhadhana (impregnation ritual) and ending with marriage of
the child, sanctify the person during progressive stages of family life. Two of the samskaras mark
change of asrama : upanayanam, by which the child becomes a brahmacari, and vivaha, or marriage
ceremoy by which a man becomes a grhastha. In addition there is the antyesthi (death rites) which
are performed upon everyone regardless of family connections. Rites for entering vanaprastha
asrama and sannyasa asrama are usually not included in the samskara manuals, though technically
speaking they are part of the complete cycle of life which the samskaras serve to define.
Function:
Though the vaidic samskaras may be considered secondary activities because they are discarded
when one passes from the material body and society, they are important because they sanctify and
prepare the body and mind for the primary activities of devotional service. Though there is no
qualification for taking to devotional service other than faith, one who has undergone the samskaras
in proper manner and also has faith will have some advantage in the progress of his sadhana.
Therefore the acaryas have emphasized the importance of undergoing all of the samksaras.
"There is a need for a good and intelligent class of brahmans who are expert in performing
the purifactory processes prescribed in the system of varnasrama dharma. Unless such
purificatory processes are performed, there is not possibility of good population. "
SB1.12.13
The vaidic samskaras are as follows:
(1)garbhadhana(impregnationa)
(2)pumsavana (making a male child)
(3)simantonayanam (parting the hair)
(4)sosyanti homa (safe delivery)
(5)jata karma (birth)
(6)niskramana (first outing)
(7)nama karana (giving a name)
(8)pausti karma (nourishment)
(9)anna prasanam (feeding grains)
(10)
karna vedha (piercing the ears)
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(11)
(12)
(13)
(14)
(15)
(16)
cuda karanam (hair cutting)
vidyarambha (entering school)
upanayanam (gayatri intitiation)
samavartana (graduation)
vivaha (marriage)
antyesthi (funeral)
These rites are performed upon the wife and upon the child by the husband. One purpose of the
rites is for the production and raising of healthy, intelligent, mentally sound offspring, who will be
assured of achieving devotion to the Supreme Lord and final shelter in his abode after giving up the
material body.
The rites also serve the purpose of insuring that the man and wife become aware of spiritual duty in
married life, and do not exploit married life for their own sexual pleasure.
Adhikari (candidate for samskaras):
According to the scriptures, anyone who is born, any one who is to be call civilized, should
undergo the samskaras. Women and sudras also undergo the rites (except for upanayanam and
samavartana), though without pronouncing the Vedic mantras.
A sudra may attend sacrifices and Vedic ritualistic ceremonies along with his master, but he
should not utter the mantras, for these may be uttered only be the members of the higher
sections of society.
SB7.11.25
In general, the married man is the performer of the rites (upon his own wife and children.) Though
the strict rules of the nitya kriyas are also prescribed with the grhastha in mind, all of the asramas
practice them to some degree. The vaidic samskaras however are directly concerned with the one
item that is characteristic only of the grhastha asrama: sex life and its consequences. Performance
of the vaidic samskaras are therefore the specific duty of the married man.
Vaidic Samskaras for Vaisnavas:
The usual samskara manuals are compiled by those who are interested in karma (accumulating
material fruits), and prescribe worship of the devatas and pitrs for material prosperity. Srila Gopal
Bhatta Goswami has compiled Sat Kriya Sara Dipika as a vaidic samskara manual for the vaisnava.
Recognizing that most of the vaisnavas are grhasthas, and that they should perform the samskaras,
he has given a procedure that is not contradictory or offensive to the vaisnava ideals.
The first half of his manual is an arguement for the worship of Visnu to the exclusion of devatas,
with ample scriptural evidence. Accordingly, in his practical procedure for samskaras, he
substitutes worship of Visnu and his associates for worship of Ganesa, the material saktis, and
planetary deities. Whereas worship of devatas (who are mixed devotees), brings only material
auspiciousness, worship of Visnu and his associates (who are pure devotees), brings spiritual
deliverance.
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Gopal Bhatta Goswami cites the alternative for the vaisnava according to the Padma Purana:
ananya sarano bhakto nama mantresu diksitah
kada cin narcayed devan ganesadims tu vaisnavah
yatra yatra surah pujya ganesadyas tu karminam
visnvarcane tatra tatra vaisnavanam hi vaisnavah
visvaksenam sa sanakam sanatana matah param
sananda sanat kumara pancaitan pujayet tatah
The devotee interested in pure devotion to the Lord, and initiated with vaisnava mantra
should never worship Ganesa and the other devatas. Wherever the karmis prescribe
worship of Ganesa and the devatas, the vaisnava should worship the pure devotees of
visnu. Thus instead of worshipping Ganesa to remove material obstacles, the devotee
should worship visvaksena and the four Kumara brothers to remove obstacles on the
spiritual path.
Padma Purana,cited in Sat Kriya Sar Dipika
In the same way, instead of worshipping the nine planetary deities one should worship the nine
yogendras, and instead of worshippign the dik palas (protectors of the driections) one should
worship the maha bhagavatas. Instead of worshipping the matr gana (sixteen expansions of Durga,
in charge of material energy) one should worship the the Lord's consorts who are the shelter of
spiritual energies.
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur has accepted Sat Kriya Sara Dipika as the authorized
vaisnava manual for samskaras, just as he has accepted Hari Bhakti Vilasa as the authorized
scripture for arcana, and has recommended that all viasnava grhasthas should follow its procedures.
Furthermore, in all cases the performance of yajna or other ceremonies must always be
accompanied by the chanting of the Holy Names of the Lord.
mantratas tantratas chidram
desa kalarha vastutah
sarvam karoti nischidram
anausankirtanam tava
There may be discrepancies in pronouncing the mantras and observing the regulative
principles and more over, there may be discrepancies in regard to time place, person and
paraphernalia. But when Your Lordship's holy name is chanted, everything becomes
faultless.
SB 8.23.16
yadyapi anya bhaktih kalau kartavya, tada kirtanakhya bhakti samyogenaiva.
The other eight processes should be executed, but they must be preceded and followed by
kirtana, the chanting of the holy name.
CC Madhya v.6.p.53
from Bhakti Sandarbha, Jiva Goswami
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Elements of The Vaidic Samskara:
Following are the main elements of a samskara:
(1)acamana
(2)svasti vacana, managala acarana: prayers for auspciousness
(3)sankalpa: vow
(4)ghata sthapana: establishing ghata for worship
(5)visnu puja: in the ghata
(6)adhivasa: presenting auspicious articles (usually performed the preceding night to the
ceremony)
(7)sattvika vrddhi sraddha: visnu, maha bhagavata and sakti puja, cediraja puja (vasudhara) and
worship of guru
parampara by offering visnu prasadam (usually performed on the
morning of the ceremony)
(8)* samskara rites: activities of the specific samskara
(9)kusandika: preparing the kunda and fire
(10)
* ahuti: offering oblations different for each samskara
(11)
udicya karma: concluding rites,
(12)
acchidra vacana: pardon for offense
(13)
dana: gifts to the vaisnavas and feast
The elements which differ with each samskara are starred (*). The other elementns are the common
elements. These are written out only once at the beginning but should be performed for all the
samskaras at the appropriate time.
These elements are present in a major samskara. Usually the wedding is the major samskara, lasting
several days, even in a poor family, and thus adhivasa and elaborate worship are usually reserved
for this samskara. There is, however, no restriction on the elaborate execution of any vedic
samskara, as the purpose is to invoke auspiciousness.
The standards of cleanliness and purity of mind for the samskaras is the same as for deity worship.
As the first activities (acamana, svasti vacana,sankalpa, ghatana sthapana, avahana, puja) are parts
of deity worship, one should consult the puja manual for more details.
THE COMMON RITES
The rites should begin the night before the samskara proper begins with the establishment of the
ghata, Visnu puja, and adhivasa. The next morning, one should perform worship of Visnu, the
associates and saktis of Visnu, Cedi Raja (vasudhara puja), and parampara acaryas (sattvika vrddhi
sraddha).
ACAMANA:
Simple acamana:
Sprinkle water on hands and feet.
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om visnu
om visnu
om visnu
sip water
sip water
sip water
Wash hands.
Touch mouth, right and left nostrils, eyes, ears, the navel, heart, top of the head and arms with the
fingers of the right hand.
om tad visnu paramam padam
sada pasyanti surayah
diviva caksur atatam
This may be repeated.
OR
Vaisnava acamana:
kesavaya namah
narayanaya namah
madhavaya namah
sip water from brahma tirtha of right hand
sip water from brahma tirtha of right hand
sip water from brahma tirtha of right hand
govindaya namah
sprinkle water on right hand
visnave namah
sprinkle water on left hand
madhusudanaya namah wipe right hand
trivikramaya namah
wipe left hand
vamanaya namah
sridharaya namah
wipe above upper lip with base of thumb
wipe below lower lip with base of thumb
hrsikesaya namah
padmanabhaya namah
damodaraya namah
vasudevaya namah
sprinkle water on both hands
sprinkle water on feet
sprinkle water on head
touch upper and lower lips with tips of fingers
sankarsanaya namah
pradumnaya namah
touch right nostril with thumb and forefinger
touch left nostril with thumb and forefinger
aniruddhaya namah
purusottamaya namah
touch right eye with thumb and ring finger
touch left eye with thumb and forefinger
adhoksajaya namah
nrsimhaya namah
touch right ear with thumb and forefinger
touch left ear with thumb and forefinger
acyutaya namah
janardanaya namah
upendraya namah
touch navel with thumb and little finger
touch heart with palm of hand
touch head with all fingers
haraye namah
krsnaya namah
touch right arm with tips of fingers
touch left arm with tips of fingers
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SVASTI VACANAM:
One brahmana should say:
asya karmanah punyaham bhavanto bruvantu (three times)
Three brahmanas should throw rice from their right hands saying:
om punyaham om punyaham om punyaham
udgateva sakune sama gayasi brahma putra iva savanesu samsasi
vrseva vaji sisumatirapitya sarvato nah sakune bhadrama vada
visvato nah sakune punyama vada
The brahmana should say:
asya karmanah svasti bhavanto bruvantu ayusmate svasti (three times)
Three brahmanas should throw rice from their hands saying:
om svasti om svasti om svasti
svasti na indro vrddhasravah svasti nah pusa visvavedah
svasti nas tarksyo aristanemih svasti no brhaspatir dadhatu
The brahmana should say:
asya karmano rddhim bhavanto bruvantu (three times)
The three brahmanas should throw rice saying:
om rdhyatam om rdhyatam om rdhyatam
rdhyama stomam sanuyama vaja ma no mantram sarathehopa yatam
yaso na pakkam madhu gosvanta ra bhutamso asvinoh kamamaprah
svasti no govindah
svasti no'cyutanantau
svasti no vasudevo visnur dadhatu
svasti no narayano naro vai
svasti nah padmanabhah purusottamo dadhatu
svasti no visvakseno visvesvarah
svasti no hrsikeso harir dadhatu
svasti no vainateyo harih
svasti no'njanasuto hanur bhagavato dadhatu
svasti svasti sumangalaikeso mahan sri krsnah saccidananda ghanah
sarvesvaresvaro dadhatu
(the other mangala acarana prayers may be recited here.)
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SANKALPA:
Sankalpa should be performed using a copper vessel. Silver, stone, clay, conch or bell metal should
not be used, nor should sankalpa be performed using only the hands. One should fill the pot with
water, and add sesame, three blades of kusa (with root and tip intact), flowers, and haritaki or
banana.
Facing north one should say:
visnur om tat sat
-------mase
-------pakse
-------tithau
acyuta gotrah
-------dasa
sri krsna prityarthah
--------karmaham karisye
(if performing for someone other than oneself say
karisyami instead of karisye)
One should then throw some of the water in the northeast direction, turn the vessel upside down
and place gandha and puspa on it.
Then recite sankalpa sukta (yajur veda):
yaj jagrato duram udaiti daivam tad u suptasya tathaivaiti
durangamam jyotisam jyotirekam tan me manah siva sankalpam astu
GHATA STHAPANA
The ghata or water pot, by assembling with the proepr mantras and calling in the Lord, becomes a
form of the Lord which can be worshipped with upacaras (articles such as foot wash, arghya, lamps
etc.) in the manner that one worships a murti.
The ghata (pot) may be made of gold, silver, coper, bell metal, glass, sone or clay. That made of
clay is suitable for all purposes, but it should be unbroken and clean.
In the water one should place nava ratna or panca ratna, or a piece of gold. Nava ratna (pearl, cat's
eye, gomed diamond, coral, yellow sapphire, emerald, sapphire, ruby).
The leaves used may be banyan, pippal, mango, or udumbara. usually mango laves are used.
The fruit is usually coconut (green, with stem; or ripened with tuft), but banana may also be used.
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The ghata should be established ithe north east part of the area in use for the ceremony, or east of
the fire pit. one may draw an eight petalled lotus on the ground using five colored dyes (white, red,
yellow, black and green). In the center the grains and ghat may be placed.
One should assemble the ghata using the following mantras for the various items:
Touching the earth one should say:
bhur asi bhumir asy aditir asi
visvadhaya visvasya bhuvanasya dhatri
prthivim yaccha prthivim drmha prthvim ma himsih
Touching rice paddy one should say:
dhanyam asi dhinuhi devan
dhinuhi yajnam dhinuhi yajna patim
dhinuhi mam yajnanyam
One should wrap thread around the pot and, placing the pot on the rice paddy one should say:
ajighra kalasam mahya tva visantv indavah
punar urjanivartasva sa nah sahasram dhuksvor
udhara payasvati punar ma visatadrayih
Pouring water in the pot one should say:
varunasyottanbhanam asi
varunasya skambhasarjani stho
varunasya rta sadany asi
varunasya rta sadanam asi
varunasya rta sadanam asida
One should place five leaves on the pot saying:
om dhanvana ga dhavnanajim jayema
dhavana tivrah samado jayema
dhanuh satrorapakamam krnoti
dhanvana sarvah pradiso jayema
One should place a coconut or banana on top saying:
yah phalinir ya aphala apuspa yas ca puspinih
brhaspati prasutas ta no muncantv amhasah
One should mark svastika on the pot with sindhur (vermilion) saying:
om sindhor iva pradhvane sughanaso
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vata pramiyah patayanti yahvah
ghrtasya dhara aruso na vaji
kastha bhindan urmibhih pinvamanah
One should place durba grass on the pot saying:
om kandat kandat pra rohanti
pursah pursah pari
eva no drba pratanu
sahasrena satena ca
One should place flowers on the pot saying:
sris ca te laksmis ca patnyav ahoratre parsve
naksatrani rupam asvinau vyattam
istam manisana amum manisana sarvalokam manisana
One should anoint the pot with gandha saying:
om gandha dvaram duradharsam
nitya pustam karisinam
isvarim sarva bhutanam
tvam ihopahvaye sriyam
One should wrap cloth around the pot saying:
om yuva suvasah parivitah agat
sa u sreyan bhavati jayamanah
tam dirasah kavaya unnayanti
sadhya manasa devayantah
One should grasp the pot and call the Lord saying:
om sarva tirthodbhavam vari
sarva deva samanvitam
imam ghatam samaruhya
tistha devaganaih saha
stham sthim sthiro bhava
vidvanga asur bhava vajyavan prthur bhava
suyadas tvam agneh purisavahanah
This water produces all holy tirthas, and is the residence of all the forms of the Lord. Oh Lord,
come into this pot withyour assitants and stay while I perform worship.
Be firm like a strong-limbed, swift, racing steed, extending your power everywhere. You carry the
earth and are the suport of agni.
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VISNU PUJA
Guru Puja:
One should begin worship with guru puja:
Sodasa Upacara Puja:
Dhyanam
Manasa Puja
idam asanam + guru mula mantra
svagatam su svagatam + guru mula mantra
etat padyam + guru mula mantra
idam arghyam + guru mula mantra
idam acamaniyam + guru mula mantra
esa madhuparak + guru mula mantra
idam acamaniyam + guru mula mantra
idam snaniyam + guru mula mantra
idam vastram + guru mula mantra
(idam tilakam) + guru mula mantra
idam abharanam + guru mula mantra
esa gandha + guru mula mantra
eidam sagandha puspam + guru mula mantra
esa dhupah + guru mula mantra
esa dipah + guru mula mantra
idam naivedyam + guru mula mantra
(idam paniyam) + guru mula mantra
(idam acamaniyam) + guru mula mantra
(idam tambulam) + guru mula mantra
guru mantra and gayatri japa at least 1o times
guru stuti:
tvam gopika vrsaraves tanayantike'pi
sevadhikarini guro nijpadapadme
dasyam pradaya kuru mam vraja kanane sri
radhanghri sevana rase sukhinim sukhabdhau
pranama:
nama om visnu padaya etc.
om ajnana timirandhasya jnananjana salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri gurave namah
radha sammukha samsaktim sakhi sanga nivasinim
tvam aham satatam vande madhavasraya nigraham
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nama srestham manum api saciputram atra svarupam
rupam tasyagra jam urupurim mathurim gosthavatim
radhakundam giri varam aho radhika madhavasam
prapto yasya prathita krpaya sri gurum tam nato'smi
sri krsna caitanya prabhu nityananda
sri advaita gadadhara sri vasadi gaura bhakta vrnda
hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare
hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare
or
Dasa Upacara:
Guru Dhyana
Manasa Puja
etat padyam + guru mula mantra
idam arghyam+ guru mula mantra
idam acamaniyam + guru mula mantra
esa madhuparkah + guru mula mantra
idam acamaniyam + guru mula mantra
esa gandhah + guru mula mantra
idam sa gandha puspam + guru mula mantra
esa dhupah + guru mula mantra
esa dipah + guru mula mantra
idam naivedyam + guru mula mantra
guru mantra & gayatri japa 10 times
stuti:
tvam gopika vrsaraves tanayantike'pi
sevadhikarini guro nijpadapadme
dasyam pradaya kuru mam vraja kanane sri
radhanghri sevana rase sukhinim sukhabdhau
pranama:
namo om visnu padaya etc.
om ajnana timirandhasya jnananjana salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri gurave namah
radha sammukha samsaktim sakhi sanga nivasinim
tvam aham satatam vanda madhavasraya nigraham
nama srestham manum api saciputram atra svarupam
rupam tasyagra jam urupurim mathurim goshavatim
radhakundam giri varam aho radhika madhavasam
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prapto yasya prathita krpaya sri gurum tam nato'smi
sri krsna caitanya prabhu nityananda
sri advaita gadadhara sri vasadi gaura bhakta vrnda
hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare
hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare
or
Panca Upacara:
Guru Dhyana
Manasa Puja
esa gandhah + guru mula mantra
idam sa gandha puspam + guru mula mantra
esa dhupah + guru mula mantra
esa dipah + guru mula mantra
idam naivedyam + guru mula mantra
guru mantra & gayatri japa
pranama:
namo om visnu padaya etc.
om ajnana timirandhasya jnananjana salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri gurave namah
sri krsna caitanya prabhu nityananda
sri advaita gadadhara sri vasadi gaura bhakta vrnda
hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare
hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare
Avahana (calling the deity into the pot):
(One may call Sri Caitanya first and worship with upacaras, and then call Krsna or Radha and
Krsna and worship them with appropriate upacaras and mantra.)
sri krsna ihavaha ihavaha:
avahani mudra
sri krsna iha tistha iha tistha:
sthapani mudra
sri krsna iha sannidehi iha sannidehi:
sannidhapani mudra
sri krsna iha sannirudhyasva iha sannirudhyasva: sannirodhani mudra
sri krsna iha sakali kuru iha sakali kuru:
sad anga nyasa
(By meditation one should touch the various parts of Krsna's body:
touch heart with four fingers
touch top of head with fingers same way
touch sikha with fist inverted
touch arms
touch eyes with middle and forefinger
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clap hands three times raising them in air)
sri krsna iha avagunthasva iha avagunthasva: avagunthana mudra
sri krsna ihamrti kuru ihamrti kuru:
dhenu mudra
sri krsna iha parami kuru iha parami kuru: maha mudra
Pot Puja:
One should then worship Vasudeva, or Sri Caitanya and Radha Krsna in the pot with five, ten or
sixteen items (upacaras) using the deity mantras. Instead of worshiping the Lord in a pot one
may worship salagrama or a murti directly.
Dhyanam
Manasa Puja
idam asanam + deity mula mantra
svagatam su svagatam + deity mula mantra
etat padyam + deity mula mantra
idam arghyam + deity mula mantra
idam acamaniyam + deity mula mantra
esa madhuparak + deity mula mantra
idam acamaniyam + deity mula mantra
idam snaniyam + deity mula mantra
idam vastram + deity mula mantra
(idam tilakam) + deity mula mantra
idam abharanam + deity mula mantra
esa gandha + deity mula mantra
eidam sagandha puspam + deity mula mantra
esa dhupah + deity mula mantra
esa dipah + deity mula mantra
idam naivedyam + deity mula mantra
(idam paniyam) + deity mula mantra
(idam acamaniyam) + deity mula mantra
(idam tambulam) + deity mula mantra
deity mantra and gayatri japa at least 1o times
deity stuti
pranamas
MANGALA ACARANA (CHANTING AUSPICIOUS PRAYERS)
From Brhad Visnu Purana:
yam brahma vedanta vido vadanti
pare pradhanam purusam tathanye
visvod gateh karanam isvaram va
tasmai namo vighna vinasanaya
From Sama Veda:
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om tad visnoh paramam pada
sada pasyanti surayah
diviva caksur atatam
From Krsna Upanisad, Rg Veda:
om krsno vai saccidananda ghanah
krsnah adi purusah krsnah purusottamah
krsnah ha u karmadi mulam
krsnah sa ha sarvaikaryah
krsnah kasam krt adisa mukha prabhu pujyah
krsno'nadis tasmin ajandantar bahye
yan mangalam tal labhate krti
om svasti no govindah svasti no' cyutanantau
svasti no vasudevo visnur dadhatu
svasti no narayano naro vai
svasti nah padmanabhah purusottamo dadhatu
svasti no visvakseno visvesvarah
svasti no hrsikeso harir dadhatu
svasti no vainateyo harih
svasti no'njanasuto hanur bhagavato dadhatu
svasti svasti sumangalikeso
mahan sri krsna saccid ananda ghanah
sarvesvaresvaro dadhatu
(May krsna, the lord of lords, and his dear sevants, bestow auspiciousness to us.)
From Sammohana Tantra:
karotu svasti me krsna
sarva lokesvaresvarah
karsnadayas ca kurvantu
svasti me loka pavanah
May Krsna, the lord of all lords of the universe, and his followers, the deliverers of the fallen,
bestow auspiciousness on me.
From Visnu Yamala:
krsno mamaiva sarvatra
svasti kuryat sriya samam
tathaiva ca sada karsnih
sarva vighna vinasanah
May Krsna, the destroyer of all obstacles and his followers bestow auspiciousness and prosperity to
me at all times and places.
From Visnu Rahasya:
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atasi kusumopameya kantir yamuna kula kadamba mulavarti
navagopa vadhu vilasasali vitanotu no mangalani
May Krsna, who has a complexion like the atasi flower, who is situated under the kadamba tree on
the bank of the Yamuna River, who is skilful at pastimes with the wives of the cowherds of
Vrndavana, bestow auspiciousness on us.
From Naradiya Purana:
krsnah karotu kalyanam
kamsa kunjara kesari
kalindi jala kallola
kolahala kutuhalah
May Krsna, who sports with great noise in the waves of the Yamuna river, and who, like a lion,
killed the elephant Kamsa, bestow auspiciousness on me.
From Narasimha Purana:
madhavo madhavo vaci
madhvo madhavo hrdi
smaranti sadhavah sarve
sarva karyesu madhavam
The devotees always remember the Lord. The name "Madhava" is constantly on their tongues and
constantly in their minds, and permeates all of their activities.
From Pandava Gita:
labhas tesam jayas tesam
kutas tesam parabhavah
yesam indavara syamo
hrdaya stho janardanah
For those who have Janardana, whose complexion is that of a blue lotus, within their hearts, there is
all gain and victory and no defeat in any enterprise.
From Brhad Visnu Purana:
mangalam bhagavan visnur
mangalam madhusudanah
mangalam hrsikeso'yam
mangalayatano harih
visnuccarana matrena
krsnasya smaranad dhareh
sarva vighnani nasyanti
mangalam syan na samsayah
15
The Supreme Lord, Visnu is all auspicious. Madhusudana is all auspiciousness. Hrsikesa is all
auspiciousness. Hari is the abode of all auspiciousness. Simply by saying the name of Visnu or by
remembering Krsna all obstacles are destroyed and all auspiciousness comes. This is certain.
From Padma Purana:
satyam kaliyuga vipra
sri harer nama mangalam
param svastyayanam nrnam
nasty eva gatir anyatha
Oh brahmana, chanting of the holy name is the auspicious process in Kali yuga. It is the highest
auspiciousness for mankind. There is no other way.
From Visnu Dharmottara:
pundarikaksa govinda
madhavadims ca yah smaret
tasya syan mangalam sarva
karmadau vighna nasanam
He who remembers all the forms of the Lord such as Pundarikaksa, Govinda and Madhava, will
attain all auscipiousness and destruction of all obstacles in all his activities.
From Rudra Yamala:
mangalayatanam krsnam
govindam garuda dhvajam
madhavam pundarikaksam
visnum narayanam harim
vasudevam jagannatham
acyutam madhusudanam
tatha mukundanantadin
yah smaret prathamam sudhih
karta sarvatra sutaram
mangalananta karmanah
The intelligent man who first remembers the various forms fo the Lord and his pastimes before
performing his activities, will attain infinite auspiciousness in all his activities.
Narayana Upanisad:
atha puruso ha vai narayano' kamayata
prajah srjeyeti
narayanat prano jayate manah sarvendriyani ca
kham vayur jyotir apah prthivi visvasya dharini
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narayanad brahma jayate narayanad rudro jayate
narayanad indro jayate narayanad prajapatih prajayante
narayanad dvadasaditya rudra vasavah sarvani chandamsi
narayanad eva samut padyante
narayanad pravartante narayane praliyante
ya evam veda ity upanisat
atha nityo narayanah brahma narayanah
sivas ca narayanah sakras ca narayanah
kalas ca narayanah disas ca narayanah
vidisas ca narayanah urdhvas ca narayanah
adhas ca narayanah antar bahis ca narayanah
narayana evedam sarvam yad bhutam yac ca bhavyam
niskalanko niranjano nirvikalpo nirakhyatah
suddho deva eko narayanah
na dvitiyo'sti kascit
sa visnur eva bhavati
sa visnur eva bhavati
ya evam veda ity upanisat
om ity agre vyaharet
namah iti pascat
narayanaya ity uparistat
om ity ekaksaram
namah iti dve aksare
narayanayeti pancaksarani
etad vai narayanasayastaksaram padam
yo ha vai narayanasyastaksaram padam adhyeti
anapabruvah sarvam ayureti
vindate prajapatyam
rayas posam gaupatyam
tato'mrtatvam asnute
tato'rmtatvam asnuta iti
ya evam veda ity upanisat
pratyag ananda brahma purusam pranava svarupam
a kara u karo ma kara iti
ta anekadha sam etad om iti
yam uktva mucyate yogi
janma samsara bandhanat
om namo narayanayeti mantropasakah
vaikuntha bhuvanam gamisyati
tad idam pundarikam vijnanan ghanam
tasmad taridabha matram
brahmanyo devakiputro brahmanyo madhusudanah
brahmanyah pundarikakso brahmanyo visnur acyuta iti
sarva bhuta stham ekam narayanam
karana rupam akaranam param brahma om
pratar adhiyano ratri krtam papam nasayati
sayam adhiyano divasa krtam papam nasayati
madhyahna dinam adityabhimukho'dhiyanah
17
panca maha patakopapatakat pramucyate
sarva veda parayana punyam labhate narayanat
sayujyam avapnoti
Then the Supreme Lord Narayana desired to create living entities. From Narayana came the life
airs; from Narayana came the mind and all the senses; from Narayana came the elements--ether, air
light, water and earth, which supports the universe. From Narayana came Brahma, Rudra, Indra,
Prajapati. From Narayana came the twelve adityas, the twelve rudras, the twelve vasus, all the vedic
meres and all the devatas. Everything came from Narayana in the beginning and everything enters
into Narayan at the end.
Thus Narayana is the eternal being. Brahma, Siva, Indra, time, the directions, the subdirections, up
and down, inside and outside, are all pervaded by Narayana. Narayana is everything, past present
and future. Narayana is the eternal pure effulgent Lord, without a second to compare. He is Visnu,
the Supreme Lord says the upanisad.
One should place "om" first, "namah" second and "narayanaya" at the end. "Om" is one syllable,
"namah"is two syllables and "narayanaya" is five syllables. Together they make the eight syllable
Narayana mantra. One who knows this eight syllable Narayana mantra with purity in his heart
attains all life, offspring, wealth, health and cows, and finally attains immortality. One who knows
the Narayana mantra and Narayana attains immortality, says the upanisad.
The syllabe "om" is directly the Supreme Lord full of bliss. Composed of three sounds "a", "u" and
"m", the pranava becomes "om". The yogi who utters the pranava many times becomes free from
the bondage of repeated material birth. One who worships the Lord with this mantra will certainly
go to the transcendental realm of vaikuntha, which is a lotus full of consciousness shiing
effulgently. The transcendental Lord is known as the son of Devaki, as Madhusudana, as
Pundarikaksa, as Visnu and Acyuta. The one Narayana is situated in all living entities. He is the
cause of all causes, the supreme brahman.
One who recites the mantra in the morning destroys the sins of the night. One who recites in the
evening destroys the sins of the day. One who recites the mantra at noon time facing the sun is
freed from all types of sins. That person attains the fruits of studying all the vedas. He attains the
world of Narayana.
Purusa Suktam:
om sahasra sirsa purusah sahasraksah sahasrapat
sa bhumim visvato vrtva' atyatisthad dasangulam
om purusa evedam sarvam yad bhutam yac ca bhavyam
utamrtatvasyesano yad annenatirohati
om etavan asya mahima ato jyayams ca purusah
pado'sya visva bhutani tripad asyamrtam divi
om tripad urdhva udait purusah pado'syeha'bhavat punah
tato visvan vyakramat sasananasane abhi
om tasmat virad ajayata virajo adhipurusah
sa jato atyaricyata pascad bhumim atho purah
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om yat purusena havisa deva yajnam atanvata
vasanto asyasid ajyam grisma idhmah sarad dhavih
om saptasyasan paridhayah trih sapta samidhah krtah
deva yad yajnam tanvanah abadhnan purusam pasum
om tam yajnam barhisi prauksan purusam jatam agratah
tena deva ayajanta sadhya rsayas ca ye
om tasmad yajnat sarva hutah sambhrtam prsad ajyam
pasums tams cakre vayavyan aranyan gramyas ca ye
om tasmad yajnat sarva huta rcah samani jajnire
chandamsi jajnire tasmat yajus tasmad ajayata
om tasmad asva ayajanta ye ke cobhayadatah
gavo ha jajnire tasmat tasmaj jata aja vayah
om yat purusam vyadadhuh katidha vyakalpayam
mukham kim asya kau bahu ka uru padav ucyete
om brahmo'sya mukham asit bahu rajanyah krtah
uru tad asya yad vaisyah padbhyam sudro ajayata
om candrama manaso jatas caksoh suryo ajayata
mukhad indras cagnis ca pranad vayur ajayata
om nabhya asid antariksam sirsno dyauh samavartata
padbhyam bhumir disah srotrat atha lokam akalpayan
vedaham etam purusam mahantam
aditya varnam tamasas tu pare
sarvani rupani vicitya dhirah
namani krtvabhivadan yad aste
dhata purastad yam udajahara
sakrah pravidvan pradisas catasrah
tam evam vidvan amrta iha bhavati
nanyah pantha ayanaya vidyate
om yajenena yajnam ayajanta devas tani dharmani prathamany asan
te ha nakam mahimanah sacante yatra purve sadhyah santi devah
om adbhyas sam bhutah prthivyai rasac ca
visvakarmanas samavartatagre
tasya tvasta vidadhad rupameti
tan purusasya visvam ajanam agre
om vedaham etam purusam mahantam
aditya varnam tamasah parastat
tam eva vidvan amrta iha bhavati
nanyah pantha vidyate' yanaya
19
om prajapatis carati garbhe' antah
ajayamano bahudha vijayate
tasya dhirah parijananti yonim
maricinam padam icchanti vedhasah
om yo devebhya atapati yo devanam purohitah
purvo yo devebhyo jatah namo rucaya brahmaye
om rucam brahmam janayantah deva agre tad abruvan
yas tvaivam brahmano vidyat tasya deva asan vase
om hris ca te laksmis ca patnyau aho ratre parsve
naksatrani rupam asvinau vyattam
istam manisana amum manisana sarvam manisana
1. The Supreme Lord, in the form of the universe, has a thousand heads, a thousands eyes and a
thousand feet, for he contains all the living entities. Having pervaded the universe completely to
give it extistence, being independent, he extended himself beyond by ten fingers.
2. The universes, past, present and future, are but manifestations of the Supreme Lord who expands
himself as the purusa. He is the Lord of immmortality but has manifests himself as the purusa in the
universe so that the jivas may enjoy material fruits.
3. The past, present and future universes are manifestations of the Lord's powers, but the Lord
himself is much greater. All the living beings of the universe are but one quarter portion, and the
eternal nature in the spiritiual sky exists in three quarters portion.
4. The three quarters portion of the Lord transcended the material portion. The Lord in the one
quarter portion manifested the universe again, as he had deon repeatedly before. The Lord of the
one quarter portion began the work of creation, by going all around, taking the form of all animate
and inanimate objects.
5. From that Lord, the virat or universe was born, and in that universe the virat purusa, paramatma
of the universe, was born. Being born, the virat purusa grew, and produced the earth and the bodies
of the jivas.
6. The devatas, being the first beings manifested, performed a mental sacrifice to complete the
creation, using the virat purusa (the raw ingredient of the material world), as the offering. Spring
was the ghee, summer was the fuel wood and autumn was the offering.
7. In this sacrifice, the kusa grass blades strewn around the fire (for protection from raksasaa), were
seven (the seven vedic poetic meters), and the the fuel sticks were twenty one (12 months, 5
seasons, 3 worlds and the sun). The devatas who were performing the mental sacrifice tied the virat
purusa to offer him into the fire, just like an animal.
8. The devatas, sadhyas and rsis, placed the virat purusa, the first being of the universe, on kusa and
sprinkled him with water for purification. In this way they conducted the mental sacrifice using the
virat purusa.
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9. From that sacrifice where everything in the universe was sacrificed, yoghurt and ghee (all
mourishing foods), were produced. It created the animals of the air, forest, and village.
10. From that ultimate sacrifice or sarva hut, the rk (hymns), sama (musical) and yajus (prose)
portions of the vedas, and the seven vedic meters, were born.
11. From the sacrifice horses were born, and animals with two sets of teeth such as donkeys and
mules. From the sacrifice, cows were born, and goats and sheep.
12. In the mental sacrifice, when they divided up the virat purusa, how many parts did they divide?
What is stated about his face, his arms, his thighs and feet?
13. The face became the brahmanas. The two arms were made into the ksatriyas. the thighs of the
virat purusa became the vaisyas and from his feet the sudras were born.
14. The moon was born from his mind, the sun was born from his two eyes. From his mouth were
born indra and agni, and from his breath vayu was born.
15. From his navel came the antariksa (space between earth and heaven.) From his head the
heavens arose. From his feet the earth arose and from his ears the directions arose. In this way the
worlds are created.
16. I know that great virat purusa, effulgent as the sun, who stands beyond the darkness of the
material creation. Having given the all the living entities their forms and names, he directs their
affairs.
17. Brahma explained his realization to Indra. Indra, who knowgos all the living entities in all four
directions, explained it to all others. One who knows the nature of the virat purusa becomes
immortal even in his life on earth. There is no other path to reach the goal of immortality.
18. In this way the devatas conducted the mental sacrifice using the virat purusa to manifest variety
in the world. By that sacrifice, both the physical laws of nature and the first spiritual codes of
conduct arose. The great souls by similar mental worship attain the place of immortality where the
sadhyas and devatas, the first worshippers, now dwell.
Uttara anuvaka:
1, The universe arose from the waters of creation, and from the earthly, solid element. From the
Suprmee Lord arose the virat purusa. That virat purusa then began to make the variety of forms in
the universe. In this way the universe was manifested through the virat purusa.
2. I know that purusa who shines like the sun, situated beyond thedarkness of the material realm.
one wh knows this purusa become immorta in this world. There is no other path than this.
3 In this way the Lord of all creatures, who is unborn acts within the universe and is born in
myriad of forms. The wise undrstand and worship this Lord who is the source of everything, and
desire to attain the status of marici prajapati.
4. I pay my respects to the effulgent supreme brahman who bestows powers on the devatas, who is
concerned for the welfare of the devatas, who was born before the devatas.
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5. The devatas, in order to make known the glories of the Lord to the world, standing before the
Lord proclaimed: The devatas themselves come under the control of the seeker of brahman, the
person who realizes the true nature of God.
6. Hri (natural virtue) and laksmi (glory) are your consorts. Day and night (time) are your sides.
The innumerable glittering constellations are your form. The asvins, appearing at dawn are your
open mouth. Please grant our desires for self realization. Grant us that facility in the material world.
Grant us the supreme goal.
ADHIVASAA
Adhivasa is a preliminary rite to invoke auspiciousness. It is usually performed on the night
preceding the samskara proper. if this cannot be done it should be performed on the morning of the
ceremony, before the sattvika vrddhi sraddha. Auspicious articles are presented with appropriate
mantras before the Lord and the participants in the ceremony.
One should say the appropriate mantra and touch the item to the ghata which has been worshipped
(or the lotus feet of the murti), to the earth, and to the heads of the beneficiaries of the rite (bride
and groom in the marriage). All items should be gathered together on a tray. The whole tray of
items should then be presented before the beneficiaries.
earth:
bhur asi bhumirasy aditir asi
visvadhaya visvasya bhuvanasya dhatri
prthivim yaccha prthivim drmha prthivim ma himsih
anaya ganaga mrttikyaa subadhivasah astu
You are the earth, the supporter of the worlds, the supporter of the universe, sustaining everything.
Control the eath, make the eath firm. donot harm the earth. May there be auspcious adhivasa by this
earth.
stone:
pra parvatasya vrsabhasya prsthan navas caranti svasi ca iyanah
ta ava vrtrannadharag udakta ahir budhnyam anu riyamanah
visnor vikramanam asi visnor vikrantam asi visnoh krantam asi
anaya silaya subadhivasah astu
rice paddy:
dhanyam asi dhinuhi devan
dhinuh yajnam dhinuh yajnapatim
dhinhi mam yajnanyam
anena dhanyena subadhivasah astu
You are grain. Please the Lord, please the sacrifice and the performer of sacrifice. Bring happiness
to me as I conduct this sacrifice.
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gandha:
gandha dvara duradharsam nitya pustam karisinim
isvarim sarvabhutanam tvam ihopahvaye sriyam
anena gandhena subadhivasah astu
By gandha you become protected, continually nourshed, and abound in purity, wealth, beauty and
prosperity. I call you here.
durba grass:
kandat kandat prarohanti purusah parusaspari
eva no durve pratanu sahasrena satena ca
anayadurbaya subadhivasah astu
Pice by piece, joint by joint, durba grass, you manifest offspring. Give us offspring, a hundred, a
thousand.
flowers:
om sris ca te laksmis ca patnyav
aho ratre parsve naksatrani rupam asvinau vyattam
isnannisanamum ma isana
sarvalokam ma isana
anena puspena subadhivasah astu
Piety and prospertiy are your consorts. Day and night are your sides. The stars are your form. the
heaven and earth are your open mouth. Bestow what we desire. Bestow the goal in this world.
Bestow the highest goal.
fruit:
yah phalini ya aphala apuspa yasca puspinih
brhaspatiprasutas ta no muncantv amhasah
anena phalena subadhivasah astu
May the power produces the fruit, that makes the flower bloom, which arises through the manras
and through the Lord of mantra, free us from all difficulties.
yoghurt:
dadhikravno akarisam jisnor asvasya vajinah
subabhi no mukha karat pra na ayumsi tarisat
anena dadhna subadhivasah astu
The Lord is all-auspicious, all-beuatiful, all-strong, all-victorious, all-swift, all-pervading and allmerciful.Bestwo upon us fine sense and life to worship you.
ghee:
23
ghrtavati bhuvananam
abhisriyorvi prthvim
madhudughe supesasa
dyava prthivi varunasya
dharmana viskabhite
ajare bhuri retasa
anena ghrtena subadhivasah astu
The broad earth flows with ghee, which is sweet smelling, beuatiful and brings prosperity to the
worlds. The heavens and earth, through the law of the just lord are abounding in unlimited seed in
all places.
svastikam:
om svasti no govindah svasti nah acyutanantau
svasti no vasudevo visnuh dadhatu
svasti no narayano naro vai
svasti nah padmanabhah purusottamo dadhatu
svasti no visvakseno visvesvarah
svasti no hrsikeso harih dadhatu
svasti no vainateyo harih
svasti no'njanasuto hanuh bhagavato dadhatu
svasti svasti sumangalikeso mahan sri krsna saccid ananda ghanah
sarvesvaresvaro dadhatu
svasti na indro vrddha sravah svasti nah pusa visvavedah
svasti nas tarksyo aristanemih svast no brhaspatir dadhatu
sindhur (vermilion):
sindhor iva pradhvane sughanaso vatapramiyah patayanti yahvah
ghrtasya dhara aruso na vaji kastha bhindann urmibhih pinvamanah
Flashing like the sun, like streams of rushing water, strong and full of life the streams of ghee fall
upon the fire. like fast steeds carrying the offering, breaking through all obstacles, the ghee swells
inwaves, dissolving the wood.
conch:
pratisrutkaya artanam ghosaya bahuvadinam
anantaya mukam sadbaya adamvaraghatam
mahase vinavadam krosaya tunavadhnam
aparasparaya sankhadhvam balaya vanam pato
vanyaya davapam
anena sakhena subadhivasah astu
kajjala (collyrium):
samiddho anjan krdaram matinam ghrtam agne madhumat pinvamanah
vaji vahanvajinam jatavedo devanam vaksi priyama sadhastham
anena anjanena subadhivasah astu
24
This anjana, offering of ghee, flaming, a storehous of intelligence and guidance, sweee and
fragrant, is swellling in the fire. As a horse carries a rider, the fire carries our offering to the place
of eternal pleasure.
25
rocana:
yunjanti bradhnam arusam carantam pari tasthusah
rocante rocana divi
anena rocanena subadhivasah astu
Those who link themselves to the supreme lord, strong as a horse, bright like the sun travelling
through the sky, shine in the same manner in the eternal sky.
white mustard seed:
raksohanam balagahanam vaisnavim idam
aham tam balagam utkirami yam me nistyo yam amatyo nicakhanedam
aham tam balagam utkirami
yam me savandhur yam asavandhurnicakhanedam
aham tam balagam utkirami
yam me sajato yam asajato
nicakhanotkrtyam kirami
anena siddharthena subadhivasah astu
gold:
hiranya garbhah samavartat agre
bhutasya jatah patir eka asit
sa sadhara prthivim dyam utemam
kasmi devaya havisa idhema
anena kancanena subadhivasah astu
Visnu, called the golden womb, is the source of the worlds. He is the source of the living entities.
He is the Supreme Lord. He supports both earth and sky. Let us worship the Lord with fine
offerings.
silver:
rupena vo rupam abhyagam tutho vo visvaveda vibhajatu
rtasyapatha pretacandra daksina visvah pasya
vyantariksam yatasva sadasyaih
anena rajatena subadhivasah astu
copper:
asau yas tamro aruna uta babhruh sumangalah
ye cainam rudra abhito diksu sritah sahasraso'vaisam heda imahe
anena tamrena subadhivasah astu
The Lord bright like the sun, copper red, all auspcious, also called rudra, resides in all directions,
and expands thousand fold like the rays of the sun. We appraoch you to remvoe our impurities.
26
lamp:
mano jutih jusatam ajyasya
brhaspatih yajnam iamm tanotu
aristam yajnam imam dadhatu
visve devasa iha madayantam
om pratistha
anena dipena subadhivasah astu
Let the alert mind enjoy the ghee. let the Lord start the sacrifice. Let the Lord estow a scrifice fre
from fault. Let the lords of the universe and sacrificer enjoy here. Pleas be present here.
mirror:
om krsno vai saccidananda ghanah
krsnah adi purusah krsnah purusottamah
krsnah ha u karmadi mulam
krsnah sa ha sarvaikaryah
krsnah kasam krt adisa mukha prabhu pujyah
krsno'nadis tasmin ajandantar bahye
yan mangalam tal labhate krti
anena darpena subhadhivasah astu
Sri krsna is concnetrted eternity, knowledge and bliss. He is the original Lord, the Supreme Lord,
hte root of all activities, the supreme worshipable object. He is the maker of all that is good and bad
in the world. he is to be adored by all. He is without beginning. Whatever is auspicious within and
without the uvierse is within Krsna.
fragrant oil:
om tad visnoh paramam padam sada pasyanti surayah diviva caksur atatam
sugandhi tailena subhadhivasa astu
The devotees continually see the supreme abode of visnu, who like the sun in the sky, spreads his
influence and blessings everywhere.
tumeric:
om visnoh vikranama asi visnoh vikrantam asi
visnoh krantam asi visnoh krantam asi
yunjyantyasya kamya hari
vipaksasarathe sano ghrsnuh nr vahasa
You are the three steps of visnu. Golden hued, fleet as birds, carriers of the man who endeavours,
are the horses yoked to the chariot of the sun.
cloth:
om yuva suvasah parivitah agat
sa u sreyan bhavati jayamanah
tam dirasah kavaya unnayanti
sadhya manasa devayantah
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He comes well clothed and youthful wtih sacred thread. Being twice born he is the best and most
attractive. the wise men, desiring the Lord, meditating on him with their minds, raise in up to
knowledge.
camara:
om vato va mano va
gandharva va saptavimsatih
te tvagre samayunjan te
asmine yavam adadhuh
anena camarena subhadhivasa astu
The wind, the mind, the all knowing gandharva, the twenty seven constellations, gather before you
and offer homage to you.
thread:
sutramanam prthivim dyam anehasam susarmanam aditim supranitam
daivim navam svaritram anagasam asrvantim a ruhena svastaye
anena sutrena subhadhivasa astu
Let us praise the effulgent Lord, the supreme guide and protector, without rival, who is endowed
with all joy and is manifest in the spiritual world and earth, with pure verses for eternal life.
sandal wood:
om kah asi katamah asi kasmi tva kaya tva
susloka sumangala satya rajan
anena candanena subhadhivasa astu
You are the Supreme Lord. You are one without a second. you are the object of all offerings and
the instrument of all activities. You are the suprmee ruler, the most famous, the most auspcious
and pure.
Bringing the items together:
pratipad asi pratipade tva
anupadasy anupade tva
sampadasi sampade tva
tejo'si tejase tva
You are the beginning. I approach you to commence this rite. You are the activity in progress. For
the continuing the acitviity I approach you. You are the completion of the activity. For success I
approach you.
Binding the Wrists:
In the marrige ceremony married women with children should bind the groom's writh wrist with
nine threads and the bride's left hand with seven threads which have been sprinkled with cumkum,
candana and tumeric.
The priest should say:
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om tad visnuh paramam padam
sada pasyanti surayah
diviva caksur atatam
om krsno vai saccidananda ghanah
krsnah adi purusah krsnah purusottamah
krsnah ha u karmadi mulam
krsnah sa ha sarvaikaryah
krsnah kasam krt adisa mukha prabhu pujyah
krsno'nadis tasmin ajandantar bahye
yan mangalam tal labhate krti
VISNU PUJA AND SATTVIKA VRDDHI SRADDHA
This is usually performed the morning of the day before the marriage ceremony. The place should
already be cleaned and decorated with leaves, banana tree trunks, water pots etc. In the case of a
wedding the bride's parents should take early morning bath and perform standard morning nitya
kriyas. In place of the worship of devatas (Ganesa, the nine planetary deities, the ten dik palas and
sixteen female saktis) and offering of food to ones anscestors for auspiciousness, the vaisnava
should instead worship Visnu and his associates according to the pancaratrika rules (as on the
previous night) and then offer Visnu prasadam to the guru parampara (sattvika vrddhi sraddha) in
stead of to ones anscestors. One may use the pot established the previous night for the worship.
One should start by performing acamana, svasta vacana, sankalpa, and worship of guru and Visnu
as on the previous night. one should then peform the following:
Panca Bhagavata Puja:
(in place of Ganesa Puja)
One should offer gandah and puspa or five upacaras to each of the Lord's devotees with the
following mantras:
ete gandha puspe..........
om visvaksenaya namah
om sanakaya namah
om sanatanaya namah
om sanandaya namah
om sanat kumaraya namah
Nava Yogendra Puja:
(in place of Nava Graha Puja)
om kavaye namah
om havaye namah
om antariksaya namah
om prabuddhaya namah
om pippalayanaya namah
om avirhotraya namah
om drumilaya namah
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om camasaya namah
om karabhojanaya namah
Maha Bhagavata Puja:
(in place of Dik Pala Puja)
om brahmane namah
om sukadevaya namah
om sadasivaya namah
om garudaya namah
om naradaya namah
om kapilaya namah
om balaye namah
om bhismaya namah
om prahladaya namah
om hanumate namah
om ambarisaya namah
om janakaya namah
om yama bhagavataya namah
om svayambhuvaya namah
om uddhavaya namah
om vyasaya namah
Visnu Sakti Puja:
(in place of matr gana puja-- sixteen female devatas)
om paurnamasyai namah
om laksmyai
om antarangayai
om yamunayai
om gopyai
om vrndavatyai
om gayatryai
om tulasyai
om sarasvatyai
om prthvyai
om gave
om yasodayai
om devahutyai
om devakyai
om rohinyai
omsitayai
om draupayai
omkuntyai
omrukminyai
om satyabhamayai
om jambavatyai
om nagnajitayai
om laksanayai
om kalindyai
om bhadrayai
om mitravindayai
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Cedi Raja Puja:
On the eastern or northern wall at the height of the navel, with sindura and candana one should
make five or seven dots and then pour streams of ghee from each of the dots so that the streams
reach the ground, while saying:
om disam disam dohe diso dohe
sarvan dohe sarva dohe
yad varco hiranyasya
yad va varco gavamuta
satyasya brahmano varcas
tena ma sam srjam asi
One should call Mahabhagavat Cedi Raja:
om cedirajavaso ihagacchagaccha
One should worship him with five upacaras and visnu mahaprasadam:
esa gandhah om cedraja vasave namah
esa sa gandha puspa om cedraja vasave namah
esa dhupah om cedraja vasave namah
esa dipah om cedraja vasave namah
idam visnu mahaprasadam om cedraja vasave namah
Pranama:
om cediraja namas tubhyam sapagrasta mahamate
ksut pipasanude dastu cediraja namo'stu te
Acarya Puja:
One should then worship the acarya paramapara:
ete gandha puspe.............namah
One should then take the visnu prasadam and offer to the guru, acaryas and mahabhagavatas.
One should offer gifts such as cloth to vaisnava brahmanas.
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HOMA
Homa or offering of oblations into fire is characterisitc of the vedic rituals. It is the vedic method of
worshipping visnu. The Lord is worshipped by offering ghee, grains, flowers, spices and fruits into
fire, which acts as the mouth or consuming agent which carries the offering to Visnu. The offering
is accompanied by vedic mantras which address the Lord in a specific form and carry a specific
request.
Mandapa:
this is the place where the fire pit should be situated and where the ceremonies will take place. It
should be free of impurities and cleansed with cow dung and water, covered with a canopy; and
decorated with leaves of auspicious trees ( such as mango), with banana trunks, garlands, water pots
in the eight directions, flags, and designs on the floor.
Kunda:
The fire is established in a square pit measuring one hasta and one musti on each side. The pit may
be surrounded by one or three stepped walls. It should be situated in a place which is free from hair,
bones or any impure item. If a kunda cannot be constructed one can perform the homa on an area of
sand of the same dimensions (sthandila).
Measurement:
The measurements of the kunda and other items of the sacrifice are determined by the body of the
performer of the sacrifice, or the person on whose behalf a priest is performing the sacrifice (the
yajamana). the following are some common measurement terms:
hasta:
the length from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger
aratni:
distance from the elbow to the tip of the little finger
pradesa: distance from the tip of the thumb to tip of the outstreched forefinger
angula:
breadth of the base of the thumb
musti:
size of the fist.
Wood:
One should use wood from trees such as mango, banyan, vilva, sami, palasa, balkula, pippal, and
campaka. One should not use wet wood, wood produced in a dirty place or wood contaminated by
impure items, wood eaten by worms, wood with sour sap or with thorns. The wood should be cut to
the size of the kunda and to pradesa length.
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Source of Fire:
The fire used in the kunda may come from a brahmana's house, or may be generated by striking
stones or by using the arani. the fire may be placed on a bell metal or an pure plate; small pieces of
wood and camphor should be added and the fire should then be placed in the kunda.
Limbs of the Fire:
It is said the wood is the ears of the fire; the smoke is the nostrils; the meager flames are the eyes;
the coals are his head; the full flames are his tongue. One should make offerings to the tongue of
the fire. That means one should offer oblations into a fully blazing fire.
Names of the Fire:
During the kusandika rites for different samskaras different forms of the Lord are called into the
fire:
vivaha:
caturthi homa:
pumsavana:
simantonnayana:
sosyanti homa:
nama karana:
pausti karma;
anna prasana:
cuda karana:
upanayanama:
samavartana:
dhrti homa:
udicya karma:
yojaka
sikhi
candra
mangala
mangala
parthiva
balada
suci
satya
samudbhava
tejah
dhrti
vidhu
There are also sacrifies and specific fires for garbhadhana and jata karma but homa for these rites
are not described in Sat Kriya Sara Dipika.
Mantras:
In vaidika ceremonies, and in daily activities of the followers of the vedas, every act is sanctified
by a vedic mantra, which is found in vedic hymns or the ceremonial manuals attached to them.
Some of the mantras have a direct meaning with a direct significance for the actions in the
samskaras, while others are selected simply on the basis of a word in the mantra which corresponds
to the object or action in question, in which case the meaning in the original oontext may be altered
to fit the situation.
Families traditionally perform the samskaras according to one of the vedas: rg, yajur or sama. The
general procedures of the samskasras are similar but the mantras differ with whatever veda is
adopted. The Sat Kriya Sara Dipika follows the mantras used in the Gobhila Grhya Sutra, which
belongs to the sama veda. The adhivasa mantras belong to the yajur veda however.
When uttering any vedic mantra, as a rule one should first identify it by the rsi who preserved it, by
the chandah (metre), by the deity being invoked in the mantra, and by the present function of the
mantra. The purpose of this system is to guarantee that one understands the meaning, function,
33
heritage and correct intonation of the mantra. As this would have doubled the length of this
compilation these words have been omitted in the present edition. The meanings of the important
mantras have been given however.
Yajamana:
In the case of the wedding, the groom; in the case of other samskaras concerning the wife, the
husband: and in the case of those concerning the child, the father, should perform the rites.
However if he is unable to do this, he may invite a vaisnava brahmana to perform or guide the rites
on his behalf. the father of husband is then called the yajamana (beneficiary or sponsor).
Kusandika and Udicya Karma:
Kusandika rites are the preparatory activities and Udicya Karma includes all of the concluding
activities of the homa. as they are the same for all samskara homas (except for the name of the fire)
they are writeen out once only.
Dana:
After the ceremony is finished according to Vedic ritual the brahamans must be satisfied by gifts
and prasadam.
In all the different occasions of samskaras, especially during the time of birth, marriage and
death, wealth is distributed to the brahmanas because the brahmanas give the highest
quality of service in regard to the prime necessity of human kind.
SB 1.12.14
According to the Vedic system, after the sacrificial ceremony the brahmanas are invited to
eat the remnants of the offered food. When the brahmanas eat the food, it is to be
considered directly eaten by the Supreme Lord. Thus no one can be compared to
qualified brahmanas.
SB 5.5.23
KUSANDIKA (consecrating the fire, the preliminary rites to homa):
Outline:
1. abhyuksa patra sthapana:
2. rekha sthapana:
3. utkara nirasana:
4. rekah abhyuksana:
5. agni samskara:
6. agni sthapana:
7. agni avahana:
8. agni puja:
9. visnu stuti:
estblishing the pot of water
drawing the lines in the pit
taking out earth
purifying the lines with water
taking out the inauspicious fire
installing the fire
calling the fire deity
worship of the fire
praise of visnu
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10.brahma sthapana:
11.caru sthapana:
12.bhumi japa:
13.agni sammukhi karana:
14.trnadi sodhana:
15.svastika nivedana:
16.vimsati kasthika homa:
17.ajya samskara:
18.sruva samskara:
19.udakanjaliseka:
20.agni paryuksana:
21.virupaksa japa:
22.amantraka homa:
receiving the brahma
making the caru (cooked grains)
respect to the earth
respects to the fire
cleaning the area, strewing kusa
worshipping the directions
offering of twenty sticks into the fire
purifying the ghee
purifying the spoon
pouring water around the fire
sprinkling water around the fire
prayer to virupaksa
offering of wood in the fire without mantra
1. Abhyksana Patra Sthapana:
A copper waterpot should be filled with water, gandha, flowers, tulasi, barley, betel, haritaki,
durba, white rice, tumeric and mustard seeds and placed on the north side of the fir.e This will be
used for purifying items by sprinkling (abhyuksana).
The performer of the ritual (hota) should face east, on the west side of the fire pit (yajna kunda):
2. Panca Rekha (drawing five lines):
The hota should pleace his right knee on the ground, and place his left hand on the ground with
palm up. He should hold a kusa blade of one pradesa length in it.
He should take a kusa blade in his right hand and draw in the kunda a line twelve fingers long and
pointing east, while meditating on the personality of earth. He should say:
om rekhe tvam prthvi rupa pitavarnasi
Oh line, you are earth, yellow in color.
From the base of the first line he should draw a second line twenty one fingers long, pointing
towards the north while meditating on the cow:
om rekhe tvam go rupa lohita varnasi
Oh line, you are the cow, reddish in color.
Parallel to the first line but seven fingers to its left, starting from the second line, he should draw a
third line the length of one pradesa in the eastern direction, while meditating on kalindi. He should
say:
om rekhe tvam kakindi rupa krsna varnasi
Oh line, you are yamuna, black in color.
Parallel to the third line at a distance of seven fingers he should draw a fourth line starting from the
second line, in the eastern direction, one pradesa in length, while meditating on laksmi:
35
om rekhe tvam sri rupa svarna varnasi
Oh line your are sri, golden in color.
At a distance of seven fingers from the last line and parallel to it he should draw a fifth line of one
pradesa length in the eastern direction, meditating on sarasvati. He should say:
om rekhe tvam sarasvati rupa sukla varnasi
Oh line, you are sarasvati, white in color.
3. Utkara Nirasana (expelling the impurities):
He should take a pinch of earth from each line with the thumb and ring finger of the right hand and
throw out the earth from the fire pit to a distance of one aratni (distance from elbow to tip of little
finger) in the north east direction, saying:
om nirastah paravasuh
The depleter of fortune has been thrown out and destroyed.
4. Rekhabhyuksana (Purifying the lines with water):
Taking water from the abhyuksana patra he should sprinkle it on the lines drawn.
5. Agni Samskara (purifying the fire):
From the fire which is kindled but not yet placed in the pit he should take one burning stick and
cast it in the south western direction to expell the inauspicious elements of the fire:
om kravyadam agnim prahinomi duram
yamarajyam gacchatu vipravahah
I cast the inauspicious fire in charge of burning corpses far away. May those who oppose this rite
go to the kingdom of death.
6. Agni Sthapana (establishing the fire):
He should take a burning stick from the fire and place in on the third line saying:
om bhur bhuvah svah om
7. Agni Avahana (calling the fire):
He should call the particular fire for the particular ceremony. (in the case of the wedding it is called
yojaka).
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om yojaka namagne ihagaccha
agne tvam yojaka namasi
Oh fire named yojaka, come here.
Oh fire, you are called yojaka.
8. Agni Puja (worship of the fire):
Meditating on the fire as visnu he should worship the fire with at least five upacaras, eg:
esa gandha yojaka namagnaye namah
idam sa gandha puspa yojaka namagnaye namah
esa dhupah yojaka namagnaye namah
esa dipah yojaka namagnaye namah
idam naivedya yojaka namagnaye namah
9. Visnu Stuti (praise of visnu):
With folded hands he should say the names of Visnu:
om krsnananta mukunda madhava hare govinda vamsimukha
sri gopijanavallabha vrajasuhrt bhakta priyedyacyuta
bhakta premavasa kriya phala rasanandaika dinarti hrt
radha kanta duranta samsrti haretyakhyahi jihve sada
om tad visnoh paramam padam
sada pasyanti surayah
diviva caksur atatam
om krsno vai saccidananda ghanah
krsnah adi purusah krsnah purusottamah
krsnah ha u karmadi mulam
krsnah sa ha sarvaikaryah
krsnah kasam krt adisa mukha prabhu pujyah
krsno'nadis tasmin ajandantar bahye
yan mangalam tal labhate krti
om agnim duram purodadhe
havyavaham upabruve
deva asadayad iha
The fire from afar I place in front of me. I call near the bearer (the fire) of the oblations. May the
Lord show compassion here.
om ihaivayam itaro
jataveda devebhyo
havyam vahatu prajanan
May the remaining fire here, omniscient jatavedas, carry the oblations to the gods.
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10. Brahma Arcana (installing and worshippng the brahma or authority):
One may receive a brahmana conversant with the rituals or a doll of kusa as the brahma.
Hota:
om sadhu bhavan astam (May you be comfortable.)
Brahma: om sadhu aham ase (I am comfortable.)
Hota:
om arcaysiyamo bhavantam (I will worship you.)
Brahma: om arcaya (You may honor me.)
Touching the brahma's knee with gandha, flowers, tulasi, cloth etc. the hota should say:
om visnuh om tat sat
adya
................mase (month)
................pakse (fortnight)
................tithau (tithi)
asya.............karmano (function)
homa karmani krtakrtaveksana rupa brahma karmakaranaya
bhavantam aham vrne
On this day of....... on the occasion of...... I choose you as brahma to act in the role of inspector, for
supervising the proper execution of the rituals.
Brahma: om vrto'smi (I have been selected.)
Hota:
om yatha yatham brahma karma kuru (Please perform you activities in a befitting way.)
Brahma; om yatha jnanam karavani (May I perform to the best of my ability.)
The hota, taking the water vessel, should proceed to the south side of the fire and at a distance of
one aratni from the fire sprinkle water towards the east, and over that he should place kusa grass
with tips facing east.
Then facing west with the strewn kusa in front of him, he should take one blade of that strewn kusa
in the thumb and ring finger of the left hand and throw it in the southwest direction, saying:
om nirastah paravasuh
The depleter of fortune has been thown away.
Facing north with the right foot pressing the left foot, the hota should sprinkle water on the strewn
kusa and then seat the brahmana on the kusa, facing him towards the north (kusa brahma should
face east).
Touching water he should say:
om a vasoh sadane sida (Sit on this seat of wealth.)
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Brahma: sidami (I sit.)
The hota should offer the brahma mahaprasada, candana, kumkuma, fruit, sweets etc to honor him.
Retracing his steps to the east side of the fire he should sit.
During the sacrifice, to nullify any mistakes, the brahma should say:
om idam visnuh vicakrame
tredha nidadhe padam
samudham asya pamsule
Visnu has stridden here. He has placed three pure steps on this earth.
In the case of a kusa brahma, the hota should say the replys of the brahma.
1l. Caru Sthapana:
If caru is to be used in the function (eg upanayanam) it should be prepared at this time and placed
on the north side of the fire.
12. Bhumi Japa (prayers to the earth):
Placing both his hands on the earth, palms down, the hota should say:
om idam bhumeh bajamahe
idam bhadram sumangalam
para sapatnan vadhasva
anyesam vindate dhanam
(at night replace the word dhanam with vasu>.
We receive this auspicious offering from the earth.
Repel the enemies, who take the wealth of others.
13. Agni Sammukhi Karana (bringing the fire close):
Facing the fire, the hota should say:
om eko ha devah pradiso nu sarvah
purvo ha jatah sa u garbhe antah
sa eva jatah sa janisyamanah
pratyanjanas tisthati sarvato mukhah
The Lord is one. From his order all others exist. He, who was the first existing, sometimes appears
in the womb like a human being. He has appeared before and will appear again. All men are turned
towards him, who is present everywhere.
14. Trnadi Sodhana (Cleansing the area of grass etc)
39
Starting on the north side each time, using some kusa grass grasped in the right hand, the hota
should clean around the fire pit three times, saying one of the following each time:
om imam stomam arhate jatavedase
ratham iva sammahema manisaya
bhadra hi nah pramatih asya samsadi
agne sakhye ma risama vayam tava
Let us give this offering, which is a vehicle carrying our desires, to the worshippable fire with
proper prayers. May the Lord give good fortune to us at this gathering. Oh firend, oh fire, may we
not cause harm to you.
om bharama idhmam krnavama havimsi
te citayantah parvana parvana vayam
jivatave prataram sadhaya dhiyah
agne sakhye ma risama vayam tava
Let us bear the wood, let us make offerings to you, while considering the proper times. Give
success to our prayers more and more, so that we may live properly. Oh friend, oh fire, may we not
cause harm to you.
om sakema tva samidham sadhaya dhiyah
tva deva havih adanty ahutam
tvam adityan a vaha tan hy usmasi
agne sakhye ma risama vayam tava
May we be able to kindle you. Help us to complete our activites. The devas eat the offered oblation
through you. Bring the offering to the adityas. Let us burn the fire. Oh fire, oh friend, may we not
cause harm to you.
He should throw the used kusa in the north east direction.
The hota should then take some kusa with roots cut off and strew them on the east side of the fire
from north to south with tips facing east.
He should then cover the first layer with a second layter of kusa with tips pointing east. The tips of
the second layer should overlap the cut portions of the first layer.
He should place a third layer which should cover the cut portions of the second layer with the tips.
He should repeat the same on the south side of the fire going from east to west direction; on the
north side of the fire, going from west to east; and on the west side of the fire, going from south to
north.
15. Svastika (saluting the directions):
The hota should offer flowers and candana (visnu prasada) to the ten directions. saying:
om etan mahaprasada naivedyadi
purvasyam sri naradaya svaha (east)
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agneyam sri kapila devaya svaha (southeast)
yamye sri yamabhagavataya svaha ((south)
nairrtyam sri bhismadevaya svaha (southwest)
praticyam sri sukadevaya svaha (west)
vayavyam sri janakaya svaha (northwest)
udicyam sri sadasivaya svaha (norht)
aisanyam sri prahladaya svaha (northeast)
urdhvam sri brahmane svaha (up)
adhah sri balirajaya svaha (down)
16. Vimsati Kasthika Homa (offering twenty sticks):
The hota should take twenty sticks of khadira, palasa, or udumbara wood, or kusa grass, which is
two pradesas in length. He should pour a sruva of ghee over the middle portion and offer into the
fire without mantra while meditating on visnu.
17. Ajya Samskara (purifying the ghee):
Taking two blades of kusa grass with tips intact he should bind them with a third kusa and cut them
to the length of one pradesa without using the finger nails, saying:
om pavitre stho vaisnavyau
Oh pavitras, you are devotees of visnu.
Sprinkling them with water he should say:
om visnoh manasas pute sthah
You are pure through the desire of visnu.
He should place them in a copper vessel and pour ghee into the vessel. Using the thumb and ring
finger of the right hand he should grasp the tips of the kusas and with the thumb and ring finger of
the left hand he should grasp the root end. The right hand should be palm up and the left hand palm
down. By dipping the middle portion into the ghee he should then offer ghee into the fire one time,
saying:
devas tva savita
punatu acchidrena pavitrena
vasoh suryasya rasmibhih svaha
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May savita purify you with this faultless kusa, with these rays from the sun.
He should offer two more oblations of ghee into the fire in the same way without mantra.
Holding the kusas in his left hand, he should then sprinkle water on them and using the right hand,
throw them into the fire.
He should sprinkle the vessel of ghee with water and then lower it into the north part of the fire
three times, and then lay it on srewn kusa grass.
18. Sruva Samskara (purifying the sruva spoon):
He should purify the sruva by sprinkling it with water, then lowering it into the north part of the
fire three times.
19. Udakanjali Seka (pouring water around the fire):
Placing his right knee on the earth and his left knee raised, he should pour water from his cupped
hands from west to east on the south side of the fire, saying:
om ananta anumanyasva (Please allow this rite, ananta.)
He should pour on the west side from south to north, saying:
om acyuta anumanyasva
He should pour on the north side from west to east saying:
om sarasvaty anumanyasva
20. Agni Paryuksana (Sprinkling water around the fire):
He should sprinkle water around the fire in clockwise directioin:
om prabho aniruddha, prasuva yajnam
pra suva yajnapatim bhagaya
pata sarva bhuta sthah
ketapuh ketam nah punatu
vagisa vacam nah svadatu
Oh Aniruddha, bring forth the sacrifice, bring forth the lord of the sacrifice for good fortune. You
are situated everywhere. Purifier of desires, purify our desires. May the Lord of words relish our
prayers.
21. Virupaksa Japa (Prayer to the Lord as Virupaksa)
Raising his right knee from the ground, he should hold ruit, flowers, rice and kusa betwen his fists,
the right fist being above and the left fist being below. He should recite the following:
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om bhuh bhvah svah
om mahantam virupaksam tvam atmana prapadye
bhagavata virupakso'si dantanjih tasya te sayya parne
grham antarikse vimitam hiranmayam
tad devanam hrdayani ayasmahe kumbhe'ntha sannihitani tani
balabrc ca balasad ca raksato' pramani animisat
tat satyam yatte dvadasa putrah te
tva samvatsare samvatsare kama prena yajnena yajayitva
punah brahmacaryam upayanti
tam devesu brahmano'si aham manusyesu brahmano vai
brahmanam upadhavati upa tva dhavami
japantam ma ma pratijapih
juhvantam ma ma prati hausih
kurvantam ma ma pratikarsih
tvam prapadye tvaya prasuta
idam karma karisyami
tan me radhyatam
tam me samrdhyatam
tan me upapadyatam
samudro ma visvavyaca brahma anujanantu
tutho ma visvaveda brahmanah putro'nujanatu
svatro ma praceta maitra varunah anujanantu
tasmai virupaksaya dantanjaye samudraya
visvavyacase tuthaya visvavedase svatraya
pracetase sahasraksaya brahmanah putraya
parama bhagavatottamaya namah
I surrender with body, mind and soul to the great, beautiful personality of godhead, mainfested as
agni,
possessed of unlimited eyes and flashing teeth,
whose resting place is bed of dried leaves,
whose golden abode flashes in the sky like lightening.
who is accompanied by all the devatas, who are situated in the metal kumbha.
Being full of strength, attentive and unblinking, you watchs for demons.
You are manifest in twelve forms, known as your sons.
Those aspirants who, throughout the years, worship you with sacrifices, achieve the spiritual status
of brahman.
You are the chief amongst the devas.
May I be the chief amongst men.
He who is part of the Lord follows after the Lord.
May I thus seek after you.
And may I not offend by my faulty chanting,
my faulty offerings, faulty activities.
I surrender to you;
inspired by you I perform this activity.
May it bring me satisfaction.
May it bring me prosperity.
May the final fruit come to me.
You are the all-pervading personality, unlimited ocean. Be merciful upon me.
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You are tutho, visvadeva, and the son of brahma. Be merciful upon me.
You are the deliverer from fear, the wisest one, the sun and the moon. Please be merciful upon me.
To the many-eyed, smiling Lord, the all pervading ocean of mercy, to the all powerful, all wealthy,
all strong, all knowing, all perceiving personality, the son of brahma, the Supreme Lord, possessor
of all opulences, I pay my respects.
He should throw the rice to the north east, and give the flowers and fruit to the brahma.
Then he should say:
om tapas ca tejas ca sraddha ca
hris ca satyam ca akrodhas ca
tyagas ca dhrtis ca satvas ca
vak ca manas ca atma ca brahma ca
tani prapadye tani mam avantu
I surrender to austerity, energy, faith, humiliyt, truth, absence of anger, renunciation, patience,
righteousness, goodness, words, mind, soul. May they be merciful upon me.
22. Amantrika Homa (silent homa)
He should throw ghee-soaked wood of pradesa length with flowers and gandha into the fire silently.
UDICYA KARMA (subsequent rites, closing activities):
Udicya Karma Outline:
1. sankalpa
2. agni avahana:
3. vidhu puja:
4. amantrika homa:
5. mahavyaharti homa:
6. visnu smaranam:
7. prayascitta homa:
8. mahavyahrti homa:
9. vaisnava homa:
10.amantrika homa:
11.agni paryuksana:
12.darba jutika homa:
13.purna huti:
14.santi dana:
15.brahmana daksina:
16.acchidra vacana:
17.kirtana:
18.pranama:
19. vaisnava seva:
calling the fire called vidhu
worshipping vidhu with upacaras
offering wood without mantra
offering ghee with vyahrti mantra
prayers to krsna
offerings of ghee to visnu to allay faults
offering ghee with vyahrti mantra
offerings of ghee to associates of the Lord
offering wood without mantra
pouring water around the fire
offering grass into the fire
final offering
sprinkling proksana water over fire
giving gifts to brahmana vaisnavas
absolving deficiencies
chanting the Lord's name,
final surrender
serve prasadam
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The hota should perform satyayana homa (remedial sacrifice) to allay any faults in the
performance. He should begin with sankalpa.
Sankalpa:
om visnuh
om tat sat
......(time and place)
.....karmani (name of ceremony)
yat kincit vaigunya jatam
tad dosa prassamanaya
sri krsna smaranam purvakam
satyayana homam aham kurviya
Agni avahana (calling the fire):
The hota should call the fire named "vidhu" and worship:
om vidhu namagne ihagaccha
agne tvam vidhu namasi
Oh fire named vidhu come here.
Oh fire, you are called vidhu.
Agni Puja (worship of the fire):
Meditating on the fire as visnu one should worship the fire with at least five upacaras, eg:
esa gandha vidhu namagnaye namah
idam sa gandha puspa vidhu namagnaye namah
esa dhupah vidhu namagnaye namah
esa dipah vidhu namagnaye namah
idam naivedya vidhu namagnaye namah
He should then throw ghee-soaaked wood into the fire silently and perform maya vyahrti homa:
om bhuh svaha
om bhuvah svaha
om svah svaha
om bhur bhuvah svah svaha
He should recite the following as Krsna smaranam:
om krsno vai saccidananda ghanah
krsnah adi purusah krsnah purusottamah
krsnah ha u karmadi mulam
45
krsnah sa ha sarvaikaryah
krsnah kasam krt adisa mukha prabhu pujyah
krsno'nadis tasmin ajandantar bahye
yan mangalam tal labhate krti
Prayascitta homa (sacrifice to ally faults):
He should offer ghee into the fire with the following mantras:
om pahi no'cyuta enase svaha
Oh acyuta, give us protection from our sins.
om pahi no visva vedase svaha
Oh lord, give protection to us though we possess all wealth.
om yajnam pahi hare vibho svaha
Oh lord of all opulences, protect this yajna.
om sarvam pahi sriyah pate svaha
Oh lord of laksmi, protect everything here.
om pahi no'nanta ekaya
pahi uta dvitiyaya
pahi urjam trtiyaya
pahi girbhis catasrbhih visno svaha
Oh ananta, by this first oblation protect us, and by the second also. Preserve our strength by the
third. By these four prayers protect us.
om punah urja nivartasva
punah visno isa ayusa
punah nah pahi amhasah svaha
Strength, come forth, visnu come forth with food and long life. Protect us from sin.
om saha rayya nivartasva
visno pinvasva dharaya
visvapsnya visvatas pari svaha
Come forth with everything good. Oh visnu, cause everything to increase like streams of milk from
a cow. Oh visnu, you bestow nourishment throughout the universe.
om ajnatam tad anajnatam
yajnasya kriyate mithu
visno tad asya kalpaya
tvam hi vettha yatha tatham svaha
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Oh visnu, rectify whatever was performed wrongly, consciously or unconsciously, in this sacrifice.
Understand our sincere intention.
om prajapate visno na tvat etani anyo
visva jatani parita babhuva
yat kamah te juhumah tat no'stu
vayam syamah patayo rayinam svaha
Oh visnu, master of all creatures, there is no one besides you.
The Lord has encompassed everything. With desires we have sacrificed unto you. May those
desires be fulfilled. May we become the masters of spiritual wealth.
The hota should perform mahavyahrti hom:
om bhuh svaha
om bhuvah svaha
om svah svaha
om bhur bhuvah svah svaha
He should throw ghee soaked wood of pradesa length in the fire silently.
Vaisnava Homa (sacrifice to the followers of the Supreme Lord, in place of worship of the planets
and material energies):
The hota should pour ghee into the fire with the following mantras:
om visvaksenaya svaha
om sanakaya sanatanaya sanandanaya sanatkumaraya svaha
om kavaye svaha
om havaye svaha
om antariksaya svaha
om prabuddhaya svaha
om pippalayanaya svaha
om avihotraya svaha
om drumilaya svaha
om camasaya svaha
om karabhojanaya svaha
om naradaya svaha
om kapilaya svaha
om yamabhagavataya svaha
om bhismadevaya svasha
om sukadevaya svaha
om janakaya svaha
om sadasivaya svaha
om prahladaya svaha
om brahmane svaha
om balirajaya svaha
om svayam bhuvaya svaha
om garudaya svaha
om hanumate svaha
47
om ambarisaya svaha
om vyasadevaya svaha
om uddhavaya svaha
om yudhisthiraya svaha
om bhimaya svaha
om arjunaya svaha
om nakulaya svaha
om sahadevaya svaha
om viduraya svaha
om visnurataya svaha
om vibhisanaya svaha
om sri krsna caitanyaya svaha
om sri nityanandaya svaha
om sri advaitaya svasha
om pandita gadadharadibhyah svaha
om srivasadibhyah svaha
om sri rupaya svaha
om sanatanaya svaha
om bhatta raghunathaya svaha
om sri jivaya svaha
om gopala bhattaya svaha
om das raghunathaya svaha
om diksagurave svaha
om siksaburubhyah svaha
om navadvipa dhamne svaha
om mayapura yogapithaya svaha
om antarangayai svaha
om paurnamasyai svaha
om padmayai svaha
om mahalaksmyai svaha
om gangayai svaha
om yamunayai svaha
om sarasvatyai svaha
om gopyai svaha
om vrndayai svaha
om gayatryai svaha
om tluasyai svaha
om prthivyai svaha
om gave svaha
om yasodayai svaha
om devahutyai svaha
om devakyai svaha
om rohinyai svaha
om sitayai svaha
om draupadyai svaha
om kuntyai svaha
om rukminyai svaha
48
om satyabhamayai svaha
om jambavatyai svaha
om nagnajityai svaha
om laksanayai svaha
om kalindyai svaha
om bhadrayai svaha
om mitravindayai svaha
om narma sakhibhyah svaha
om priya narma sakhibhyah svaha
om sahacarebhyah svaha
om sarva gopalebhyah svaha
om nandaya svaha
om upanandaya svasha
om sunandaya svasha
om mahanandaya svaha
om subhanandaya svaha
om prananandaya svaha
om sadanandaya svaha
om gurave svasha
om sarvebhyo mahanta gurubhyah svaha
om caitya gurave svaha
om varsasbhavani gandharvike kartikadevi srikrsna priye sarvesvari
klim sri vrdnavana sevadhikara prade
srim hrim tubhyam sri radhikayai svaha
om krsno vai saccidananda ghanah
krsnah adi purusah krsnah purusottamah
krsnah ha u karmadi mulam
krsnah sa ha sarvaikaryah
krsnah kasam krt adisa mukha prabhu pujyah
krsno'nadis tasmin ajandantar bahye
yan mangalam tal labhate krti
klim krsnaya svaha
om lalitayai svaha
om smayalayai svaha
om visakhayai svah
om campakalatayai svaha
om indurekhayai svaha
om sudevyai svaha
om rangadevyai svaha
om sucitrayai svaha
om tungavidyayai svaha om kundalatayai svaha
om dhanyayai svaha
om mangalayai svaha
om padmayai svaha
om saivyayai svaha
om bhadrayai svaha
49
om citrotpalayai svaha
om palyai svaha
om tarayai svaha
om kunjakalikayai svaha
om nikunjakalikayai svaha
om sukhakalikayai svaha
om rasa kalikayai svaha
om pramodayai svaha
om dhanisthayai svaha
om tulasyai svaha
om ramayai svaha
om ramyayai svaha
om vimbosthyaisvaha
om rasadayai svaha
om anandadayai svaha
om kalavatyai svaha
om rupa manjaryai svaha om ananga manjaryai svaha
om rasamanjaryai svaha
om lavanga manjaryai svaha
om kasturi manjaryai svaha
om guna manjaryai svaha
om rati manjaryai svaha
om karpura manjaryai svaha
om sarva sakhibhyah svaha
om sarva sahacaribhyah svaha
om sarva sanginibhyah svaha
om sarva ranginibhyah svaha
om vrsabhanave svaha
om vrsabhanu ganebhyah svaha
om krtidayai svaha
om sarva karsnebhyah svaha
om sarva vaisnavebhyah svaha
om sarva vaisnavibhyah svaha
sri vrndavana dhamne svaha
om vrndavanaya svaha
om dvadasa vanebhyah svaha
dvatrmsat upavenbhyah svaha
om srim klim vrajavasi sthavara jangama saparikara sri sri radha krsnebhyah svaha
Agniparyuksana:
The hota should offer ghee-soaked wood silently into the fire. He should then sprinkle water around
the fire in clockwise direction with his cupped hands:
om prabhu aniruddha prasuva yajnam
prasuva yajnapatim bhagaya
pata sarvabhuta sthah
50
ketapuh ketam nah punatu
vagisah vacam nah svadatu
Udakanjali seka:
He should sprinkle water on the south side from west to east saying:
om ananta anvamamsthah
Ananta please sanction this.
He should sprinkle water on the west side from south to north, saying:
om acyuta anvamamsthah
Acyuta please sanction this.
He should sprinkle water on the north side from west to east saying:
om sarasvaty anvamamstha
Sarasvati please sanction this
Darba jutika homa:
The hota should take some kusa grass in his hands with palms upwards. He should sprinkle the kusa
with ghee three times, on the tips, middle portion and root portion, reciting the following mantra
each time:
om aktam rihana vyantu vayah
May this spinrkling of ghee produce blessings.
Holding the kusa in his left hand, he should then sprinkle the kusa grass with water and throw into
the fire using his right hand, saying:
om bho vaisnavanam adhipate visno
rudra tanticaro vrsa
pasun asmakam ma himsit
etad astu hutam tava svaha
Oh visnu, lord the the devotees, let this be an offering to you so that rudra, who wanders near the
tied up cows does not harm our animals.
Purna Huti (final offering):
Standing up the hota should make the final offering of mahaprasadam, cloth, thread, gandha,
garland, snadalwood, flowers, fruit, and betel, into the fire saying:
om purna homam yasase visnave juhomi
yah asmai visnave juhomi
sa varam asmai dadati
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visnoh varam vrne
yasasa bhami loke svaha
I make this final offering to visnu, who is fame. Whoever makes an offering to visnu gives the most
select item as offering. I choose the best for visnu. I remain in this world with fame.
Santidana (giving peace):
The hota should go around the fire and release the knot from the kusa grass brahma, then return to
his seat. Sitting, he should sprinkle water from the abhyuksana patra on the north east part of the
fire, repeating the santi dana mantras three times:
om bhuh bhuvah svah
kaya nah citre abhuvat
uti sada vrdhah sakha
kaya sacisthaya vrta
om bhuh bhuvha svah
kah tva satyo madanam
mamnistho matsat andhasah
drdha cid aruse vasu
om bhuh bhuvah svah
a bhi yunah sakhinam
avita jaritrnam
satam bhavasi utaye
The Lord is worshippable. He is our helper, constantly expanding. He is our eternal friend. He
displays this through his wonderful activites.
You are the worshippable absolute truth and the source of all pleasureable experience. Being
strong, you break the opposition of the foes.
You are the protector of those who sing your praises. You are affectionate to those who accept you
as a friend. Be with us a hundred times, to give us protection.
om svasti no govindah svasti nah acyutanantau
svasti no vasudevo visnuh dadhatu
svasti no narayano naro vai
svasti nah padmanabhah purusottamo dadhatu
svasti no visvakseno visvesvarah
svasti no hrsikeso harih dadhatu
svasti no vainateyo harih
svasti no'njanasuto hanuh bhagavato dadhatu
svasti svasti sumangalikeso mahan sri krsna saccid ananda ghanah
sarvesvaresvaro dadhatu
om dyauh santih
antariksam santih
prithivi santih
apah santih
52
vayuh santih
tejah santih
osadhayah santih
lokah santih
brahmanah santih
vaisnavah santih
santir astu dhrtir astu
om santih om santih om santih
Tilaka dharana:
The hota should take ash from the north east corner of the fire using the sruk and sruva spoons, mix
it with ghee and apply as tilaka to himself and the yajamana.
Daksina:
The yajamana should give daksina to the hota and vaisnavas and brahmanas present.
Acchidra dharana, vaigunya prsamanam (allaying faults):
The yajaman or hota should say:
om asmin..........karmani
anga hinam kriyan hinam vidhi hinam ca yad bhavet
astu tat sarva acchidram krsna karsna prasadatah
yat kincit vaigunyam jatam
tad dosa prasamanaya
sri visnu smaranam karomi
May all deficiencies in rules and activities of this....ceremony be absolved by the mercy of krsna
and his devotees.
I now remember visnu in order to nullify whtever faults there may be.
Kirtana should follow. The yajamana should pay dandavatas to all and satisfy everyone with
prasadam.
One should distribute Visnu prasada to everyone, including the poor man, the blind man,
the nondevotee and the non-brahmana. Knowing that Lord Visnu is very pleased when
everyone is sumptuously fed with Visnu prasada, the performer of yajna should then take
prasada with his friends and relatives.
SB 8.16.56. purport
Laying a Foundation of a House:
Buildings facing north should be started in the months bhadra, asvina, and kartika; buildings facing
east should be started in the months of agrahayana, pausa and magha; buildings facing south should
be started in the months of phalguna, caitra, and vaisakha; buildings facing west should be started
in the months of jyaistha, asadha and sravana.
53
Sankalpa:
visnur om tat sat
asya....mase
vastu pujam aham karisyami
One should dig a hole one hand long and wide, and fourfingers deep in the southeast side of the
property, and smear it with cow dung and fill it with water.
Draw a figure of the vastu purusa one hand long made of cow dung and worship as follows:
Call the vastu purusa:
om vam vastu purusaya namah agacchaagaccha
Worship the vastu purusa with gandha etc.
on the head call:
om amsumaline namah agacchagaccha
and worship with five upacaras.
on shoulders call:
dvajaya namah agacchagaccha
and worship with five upaaras.
on elbow:
kumaraya namah agacchagaccha
and worship with five upacaras.
on hand:
vinayakaya namah agacchagaccha
and worship with five upacaras
on the two hands:
asvinidevatabhyam namah agacchagaccha
and worship with five upacaras
in the middle:
candraya namah agacchagaccha
and worship with five upacaras
on the two sides:
durgayai agacchagaccha
and worship with five upacaras
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on the elbow:
asta matrbhyo namah agacchagaccha
and worship with five upacaras
on shoulder :
sthanave namah agacchagaccha
and worship with five upacaras
on heart;
visnave namah agacchagaccha
and worship with five upacaras
on navel:
brahmane namah agacchagaccha
and worship with five upacaras
In the eight directions around the purusa starting with east:
east:
om lam indraya namah agacchagaccha
and worship with five upacaras
south east: om ram agnaye namah agacchagaccha
and worship with five upacaras
south:
om ham yamaya namah agacchagaccha
and worship with five upacaras
southwest: om sam nirrtaye namah agacchagaccha
and worship with five upacaras
west:
om vam varunaya namah agacchagaccha
and worship with five upacaras
north west: om yam vayave namah agacchagaccha
and worship with five upacaras
north:
om sam somaya namah agacchagaccha
and worship with five upacaras
north east: om sam sankaraya namah agacchagaccha
and worship with five upacaras
To the left side of the vastu purusa:
om ksam ksetrapalaya namah agacchagaccha
and worship with five upacaras
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One should worship visnu and laksmi with sixteen upacaras in a kalasa and conclude with
puspanjali, saying:
om namaste bahu rupaya visnave paramatmane svaha
One should worship vasudeva. Offer the arghya saying:
om adhara sakti rupas tvam kurma rupi janardana
grhanarghyam maya dattam acandrarkas ca sthiro bhava
One should worship the earth and give milk in a conch as arghya saying:
om atra tisthanti ye naga bhumi stha bhumi palakah
apasarpantu te sarve grhanarghyam dharitri me
hiranya garbhe vasudhe sesasyopari pasini
vasamy aham tava prsthe grhanarghyam dharitri me
One should pray to the earth:
om subhe ca sobhane devi catur asre mahitale
subhage putrade devi grhe kasyapi ramyataram
avayange caksate purne munes cangirasah sute
tubhyam krta maya puja samriddhim grhinah kuru
vasundhare vararohe sthanam me diyatam subhe
tvat prasadan mahadevi karyam me sidhyatam drutam
One should then offer arghya of yoghurt, durba, whtie rice, flowers, fruit and mango leaves to the
vastu deva, pouring it into the hole saying:
idam arghyam om vastos pataye namah
om silpacaryaya devaya namas te visva karmane svaha
Dismiss the deities saying:
om yas tu devaganah sarve pujam adaya yajnikam
istakama prasiddhyartham punar agamanaya ca
Starting in the north east one should surround the area with thread three times.
One should place an unbroken brick in the hole and pour over it yoghurt, durba, flowers, rice and
earth, and erect a column, saying:
om yathacalo girir merur himavams ca yathacalah
subhaya bho grha stambhas tatha tvam acalo bhava
Entering the New House:
After completing morning duties, the owner of the house, wearing garland and candana, should
give daksina to brahmanas.
With the brahmanas in front, holding a water pot, with rice, mango leaves and coconut, and
yoghurt, and holding the tail of a cow, he should enter the house.
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The wife should be on the left side of the husband, and should carry a pot full of water at her left
side and winnowing basket full of rice paddy on her head.
In the house the owner should worship the nava yogendras and the mahabhagavatas, visnu and the
vastu deva.
He should then worship the female consorts and the guru param para, offering mahaprasadam to
them.
He should perform kusandika, then homa 108 times with the mantra :
om tad visnu parama padam
sada pasyanti surayah
diviva caksur atatam
He should end with udicya karma etc.
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GARBHADHANAM
Importance of Garbhadhana Samskara:
If one is not purified by the process of the seed giving ceremony, or garbhadhana samskara
he is immediately classified amongst the sudras because only the sudras do not undergo
this purificatory process.
Krsna book, IIp.236
The pious seminal succession in the twice born families of the brahmanas and ksatriyas
especially, as well as in the families of vaisyas also, must be kept very pure by the
observation of the purificatory process (samksaras) beginning with garbhadhana
samskara, which is observed before conceiving a child. Unless this purificatory process is
strictly observed, especially by the brahmanas, the family descendents become impure,
and gradually sinful activities become visible in the family.
SB 4.14.42, purport
It is to be concluded that while conceiving a child one's mind must be very sober and
devotional. For this purpose the garbhadhana samskara is recommended in the Vedic
scriptures.
SB
Date:
After the marriage the newly wedded couple should observe brahmacarya for three days, sleeping
on the earth. On the fourth day, the couple go to the husband's house and caturthi homa is
performed. After this, during the day time, the preliminaries for the first garbhadhana samskara
may be performed, taking into consideration the suitable and forbidden times. It may also be
performed after six or twelve nights, or after one year. The rules for time and the samskara should
be observed thereafter whenever the desire for sex and children arises. To say the least, each sex act
must be carefully planned in advance, by use of intelligence, using the scriptural injunctions, and
not determined by lust alone.
...Before engaging in sexual intercourse, both the husband and the wife must consider their
mental condition, the particular time, the husband's direction and obedience to the
demigods. SB 3.14.38, purport
Forbidden Hours:
The union of man and wife should take place neither during the day nor during the sandhyas
(daybreak and twilight). Daytime is of course the time when man should carry out his duties:
waking bathing, meditating, worshipping the Supreme Lord, studying scripture, chanting japa,
serving the deity, carrying out household duties, welcoming guests etc. Sandhyas should only be
utilized for chanting gayatri mantra and meditating on the Lord. As well, Prasnopanisad says that a
man reduces his life span by having sexual relations during the day. One who performs during the
night is considered to be brahmacari (ie he maitains his strength).
pranam va ete skandanti ye diva ratya samyujyante
brahmacaryam eva tad ya ratrau ratya samyujyante
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Prasnopanisad 1.13
According to Asvalayana Smrti from the end of the evening sandhya up until midnight is allowed:
upeyan madhyaratrante
Exception to this is when the wife is extremely lusty. To prevent her from going elsewhere for
satisfaction the husband should concede to her demands, though not according the scriptural
recommendations of proper time.
Forbidden Days:
Numbering the nights from the start of the menses of the woman, then at least the first four nights
are forbidden for sexual activity. Kalaprakasika, states that the first day is fatal for the husband,the
second day is fatal forthe wife, thethird day causes abortion and the fourth day impairs the power of
the father and produces a short lived son bereft of good habits.
Srila Prabhupad gives a slightly longer period.
The recommended period is six days after the mensturation period.
letter from Srila Prabhupada,
Shama dasi, Jan.18, 1969
The eleventh and thirteenth nights are also forbidden, as the offspring produced are of bad quality.
The remaining ten days are permitted, and the later nights are favored. Even numbered nights favor
male children, and uneven numbers favor female children. Sexual union after the sixteenth night is
also forbidden. In the sequence below the starred days starting from 1 (beginning of menses) are
forbidden for sexual intercourse.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
****
*
*
* * * * * * * * * * *
The remaining ten days (5-10, 12, 14-16) are suitable provided they do not fall on those lunar tithis
which are forbidden.)
Forbidden Lunar Tithis:
Sexual union must also be avoided on days of vrata and fasting, such as ekadasi, and on the parva
days (full moon, dark moon, astami and caturdasi tithis, as well as sankranti, when the sun passes
into a new zodiac sign) when the body is in weak condition, and the days when the moon passes
throught the same naksatra as at ones birth.
Forbidden Week days:
Saturday, Tuesday and Sunday should be avoided being ruled by malefic planets,saturn, Mars and
Sun.
Forbidden Naksatra: contact should be avoided when the moon is in the following constellations:
bharani, krttika, ardra, aslesa, magha, purvaphalguni, visakha, jyestha, purvasada, purvabhadra
Rising Sign or Ascendent: best signs are taurus, gemini, cancer leo, virgo, libra and pisces
according to Kala Prakasika.
59
Proper Planetary Combinations:
]In addition to the above strictures the man and woman who desire proper, harmonious, sexual
relations between themselves, and desire healthy, intelligent, spiritual children, should with
knowledge choose an auspicious day, hour and moment for their union. Malefic planets (saturn,
mars, sun) should not afflict the ascendent, kendras, or trikona, by occupation or aspect, and
benefics, particularly jupiter should be strongly situated in rasi and navamsa charts. Kala Prakasika
says it is better if the ascendent and eighth house are free of planets. If the above are considered
when choosing a proper time pleasant union and good offspring are assured.
Other Forbidden Times:
As soon as the wife is pregnant, no more sex life until the child is born and is grown up at
least for six months. After that one may have sex life on the same principle. If one does
not want more than one or two children, he should voluntarily stop sex life. One should
not use any contraceptive method and at the same time indulge in sex life. That is very
much sinful.
letter from Srila Prabhupada,
San Fransisco, Sept 20, 1968
Semen is meant to be discharged when one has a home, a wife and the intention to beget
children, otherwise there is no injunction for discharging semen.
SB 4.8.1 purport
Contraception Forbidden:
According to the Vedic scriptures the contraceptive method should be restraint in sex life. It
is not that one should indulge in unrestricted sex life and avoid children by using some
method to check pregnancy. If a man is is in good consciousness, he consults with his
religious wife, and as a result of this consultation with intelligence, one advances in his
ability to estimate the value of life.
SB 4.27.6 purport
Sex Once a Month:
Amongst the permissable days during one month for sexual union, only one day can be chosen for
the act. If the couple are desirous of having children, the husband is encouraged to approach his
wife once every month, provided the times are auspicious, until preganancy occurs. Then he should
stop.
According to religious injunctions a man is restricted to enjoy sex only once in a month,
after the menstrual period of the wife, and if the wife is pregnant, he is not allowed sex
life at all. That is the law for human beings.
Sb. 4.27. 5 purport
Illicit sex:
If the husband and wife do not follow the above rules, then, even though married their relations are
considered illicit.
60
These laws and srciptures are meant for human beings. As such if one violates these laws,
he becomes sinful. The conclusion is that unrestricted sense enjoyment means sinful
activities. Illict sex is sex that violates the laws given in the scriptures. When one violates
the laws of the scrptures, or the Vedas, he commits sinful activities. One who is engaged
in sinful activities cannot change his consciousness. Our real function is to change our
consciousness from kasmala, sinful consciousness, to Krsna, the supreme pure.
SB 4.27.5 purport
Partner:
The husband must satisfy himself only with his wife, with no one else or by any other means. The
husband who thinks of anyone other than his wife reduces his life span and receives birth in a body
without bones, trapped in the womb and bitten by insects.
Place:
The husband should approach his wife in his own house, in a clean room, on a clean, wide,
unbroken bed;
not in a temple, a guru or teacher's or vaisnava's house, not under a holy tree, not at a tirtha, a
gosala, a crematorium, in the forest, or in the water.
Condition of Body and Mind:
The husband should be free from the influence of intoxicants, should be bathed, nicely scented,
garlanded, healthy, free from anxieties, and both affectionate or considerate, and passionate.
The wife should be bathed, free from anger, in good spirits, in good health, neither underfed or
overfed and desirous of her husband. She should have no longing for, sexual relation with anyone
else. She should not be pregnant, nor should she have recently borne a child.
Permission of Guru:
Grhasthas should indulge in sex life only in accordance with the order of the guru.
SB7.12.11, purport
Age:
Susruta, the famous ayurvedic writer says that woman matures when she is sixteen and a man when
he is twenty five. Sexual union when either partner is not mature will lead to unhealthy children.
He recommends that the woman should be at least sixteen and the man at least twenty five, but
prefers that they should be older in order to bear good children.
The above strictures, which limit sexual intercourse to once a month, and only on certain days
when the woman is fertile and the man and woman are in proper physical condition, are the
condition for sex according to nature's laws. However, in addition, and just as important, is the the
rite of purification which accompanies the act. If this is not performed, then even restricted sex
61
activity is in vain, for the consciousness of the man and woman will be motivated solely by raja and
tama guna. This will only lead to greater addiction for sex and children with no spiritual assets.
At minimum the following procedure must be done if the sex act of husband and wife is to be
called garbhadhana samskara. If it is not, the act is not befitting a civilized human being. It is kama
which is dharma aviruddha: lust according to irreligious principles, ie demoniac.
According to Vedic culture, sex is enjoyed under Vedic instructions. Thus the Vedas give
direction to civilized human beings to enable them to satisfy their propensities for sense
gratification.
SB 4.25.39 purport
*************************************************************
Ceremony as Directed by Srila Prabhupad:
Our grhasthas should simply chant 50 rounds before conceiving a child.
letter from Tamal Krishna to
Madhusudana May 19, 1976 on behalf of Srila Prabhupada
*************************************************************
Vaidic Procedure:
In the evening (or some auspicious moment of the day), in a clean room, the husband should offer
worship salagrama or the deity of the house
If there is not an installed deity in the house which is offered daily worship, then before the arghya
is offered, a deity should be temporarily called either into a murti, picture or pot according to puja
vidhi and worshipped accordingly. Nandisraddha, including worship of visvaksena and the 16
matrgana, may also be performed before the worship of visnu.
VISNU PUJA AND SATTVIKA VRDDHI SRADDHA
One should start by performing acamana, svasta vacana, sankalpa, guru visnu puja.
om svasti no govindah svasti no' cyutanantau
svasti no vasudevo visnur dadhatu
svasti no narayano naro vai
svasti nah padmanabhah purusottamo dadhatu
svasti no visvakseno visvesvarah
svasti no hrsikeso harir dadhatu
svasti no vainateyo harih
svasti no'njanasuto hanur bhagavato dadhatu
svasti svasti sumangalikeso
mahan sri krsna saccid ananda ghanah
sarvesvaresvaro dadhatu
sri krsna prityartham
garbhadana samskarartham
sri visnu puja purvaka arghya danam
aham karisye
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One should establish a ghata if there is no salagrama or deity in the house, and invoke visnu.
One should worship guru and then visnu with sixteen upacaras.
One may then worship as follows.
Panca Bhagavata Puja:
ete gandha puspe..........
om visvaksenaya namah
om sanakaya namah
om sanatanaya namah
om sanandaya namah
om sanat kumaraya namah
Nava Yogendra Puja:
om kavaye namah
om havaye namah
om antariksaya namah
om prabuddhaya namah
om pippalayanaya namah
om avirhotraya namah
om drumilaya namah
om camasaya namah
om karabhojanaya namah
Maha Bhagavata Puja:
om brahmane namah
om sukadevaya namah
om sadasivaya namah
om garudaya namah
om naradaya namah
om kapilaya namah
om balaye namah
om bhismaya namah
om prahladaya namah
om hanumate namah
om ambarisaya namah
om janakaya namah
om yama bhagavataya namah
om svayambhuvaya namah
om uddhavaya namah
om vyasaya namah
Visnu Sakti Puja:
om paurnamasyai namah
om laksmyai
om antarangayai
om yamunayai
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om gopyai
om vrndavatyai
om gayatryai
om tulasyai
om sarasvatyai
om prthvyai
om gave
om yasodayai
om devahutyai
om devakyai
om rohinyai
omsitayai
om draupayai
omkuntyai
omrukminyai
om satyabhamayai
om jambavatyai
om nagnajitayai
om laksanayai
om kalindyai
om bhadrayai
om mitravindayai
Then, in a conch or earthen vessel five times with the following mantras, he should offer arghya to
visnu five times, using the following mantras.
(Arghya consists of pancamrta, pancagavya, water, milk, haritaki, gandha, betels, flowers, candana,
tumeric, kumkuma, durba grass, tulasi, amlaki, scents and other auspicious items. It may be offered
over the Lord's head or to his hand.)
om jagannatha mahabaho
sarvopadrava nasana
nava puspotsave me'rghyam
grhana jagadisvara
etat arghyam om sri visnave namah (or mula mantra)
om narayana hare rama
govinda garuda dhvaja
navapuspotsve me'rghyam
grhana paramesvara
etat arghyam om sri visnave namah (or mula mantra)
om dinabandho krpa sindho
paramananda madhava
navapuspotsave me'rghyam
grhana madhusudana
etat arghyam om sri visnave namah (or mula mantra)
om visvatman visvabandho
visvesa visvalocana
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navapuspotsave me'rghyam
grhana syamasundara
etat arghyam om sri visnave namah (or mula mantra)
om cidananda hrsikesa
bhaktavasya janardana
navapuspotsave me'rghyam
grhana kamalapate
etat arghyam om sri visnave namah (or mula mantra)
(Oh supreme Lord, at this festive occasion with fresh flowers please accept the arghya offered by
me.)
The husband facing east, should situate himself behind his seated wife. With his right hand
reaching over her right shoulder he should touch her yoni saying:
om visnuh yonim kalpayatu
acyuto rupani pimsatu
asincatu harih garbham
jagadiso dadhatu te
May visnu prepare the yoni; may acyuta fashion the forms; may hari carry out the fertilization; may
jagadisa present the child to you.
om garbham dhehi garbhosasayin garbham te naranarayanau
adhattam puskara srajau
Garbhodasayi visnu please bestow the child; nara narayana, bedecked with lotus garlands, please
give her the child.
Touching her navel he should say:
om dirghayusam krsna bhaktam
putram janaya suvrate
Oh virtuous wife, bear a long-living son, a devotee of Krsna.
Then they should unite.
Bathing After the Act:
As one has to take bath after using the toilet, so one has to wash himself with water after
sexual intercourse, especially when at a forbidden time.
SB 3.14.38, purport
As with every vedic ritual, gifts should be distributed at the conclusion of the ceremony.
65
PUMSAVANA (rite for making a male child):
Time:
In the case of a first pregnancy this rite should be performed during the third month of pregnancy,
and may be performed later for other pregnancies, when the signs of pregnancy begin to show.
Manu says that it should be performed when the foetus begins to move in the womb. Some
commentators say the rite should be performed on the first pregnancy only, and not during the
following pregnancies.
It should be performed when the moon is in a male constellation.
Procedure:
The woman should fast, bathe and put on a new cloth.
The husband having performed his morning duties (bathe, putting on new cloth, sandhya vandana),
the husband should worship visnu and perform vrddhi sraddha (see marriage preliminaries).
He should then set up a yajna, performing kusandika rites, calling the fire named "candra," and
ending with virupaksa japa.
He should seat his wife to his own right side on the west side of the fire upon a kusa asana. They
should both face east.
Silently he should place ghee-soaked wood of one pradesa length into the fire.
Vyasta samasta mahavyahrti homa:
om bhuh svaha
om bhuvah svaha
om svah svaha
om bhur bhuvah svah svaha
The husband, standing behind his wife, should touch her right shoulder, then her navel, repeating
the following mantra three times:
om pumamsau mahavisnu vasudevau
pumamsau acyutanantau ubhau
puman govindas ca visnus ca
puman garbhabas tavodare
The Supreme Lord, the supreme male, mahavisnu, vasudeva, acyuta, ananta, govinda and visnu,
and the male child reside in your womb.
He should then perform vyasta samasta mahavyahrti hom:
om bhuh svah
66
om bhuvah svah
om svah svaha
om bhur bhuvah svah svaha
He should then throw ghee-soaked wood of pradesa length into the fire silently.
He should then perform udicya karma, vaisnava homa etc. and give daksina to vaisnavas.
According to some texts the juice from crushed banyan leaf sprouts should be poured into her right
nostril to give her strength at this time.
During the time of pregnancy she should avoid having sex, sleeping in the daytime, staying awake
at night, exerting herself physically, riding in vehicles, taking purgatives, experiencing all types of
mental strain, and eating spicy, salty, sour, or heavy foods.
SIMANTONNAYANAM (parting the wife's hair):
Importance:
The more a child grows the more his parents become jubilant, and the child's attempts to
turn over are also a source of jubilation. Even before the child is born, when the mother
is pregnant, many recommended ritualistic ceremonies are performed....In Vedic
civilization, childbirth or pregnancy is never regarded as a burden; rather it is a cause for
jubilation.
SB10.7.4
Time:
In the fourth, sixth or eighth month of the first pregnancy simantonnayanam should be performed.
If the garbhadhana and pumsavana ceremonies have not been yet done, these should be done on this
day, followed by the simantonnayanam ceremony.
Procedure:
The husband should bathe, perform visnu puja, offer mahaprasadam and caranamrta to the guru
parampara, mahabhagavatas and saktis (see vrddhi sraddha rites preceding marriage), prepare the
yajna by performing kusandika, calling in the fire called "mangala," and perform all the rites to the
end of virupaksa japa.
If one has not performed the garbhadhana or pumsavana rites oen should perform them in the
following way:
sankalpa:
om tat sat adya
etan madiya patnya yatha kale
garbhadhana pumsavana karmanoh akarana janita dosa prasamanaya
satyayana homam aham kurviya
He should then perform satyayana homa:
om pahi no'cyuta enase svaha
67
Oh acyuta, give us protection from our sins.
om pahi no visva vedase svaha
Oh lord, give protection to us though we possess all wealth.
om yajnam pahi hare vibho svaha
Oh lord of all opulences, protect this yajna.
om sarvam pahi sriyah pate svaha
Oh lord of laksmi, protect everything here.
om pahi no'nanta ekaya
pahi uta dvitiyaya
pahi urjam trtiyaya
pahi girbhis catasrbhih
Oh ananta, by this first oblation protect us, and by the second also. Prserve our strength by the
third. By these four prayers protect us.
om punah urja nivartasva
punah visno isas ayusa
punah nah pahi amhasah svaha
Strength, come forth; visnu, come forth with food and long life. Protect us from sin.
om saha rayya nivartasva
visno pinvasva dharaya
visvapsnya visvatas pari svaha
Come forth with everything good. Oh visnu, cause everything to increase like streams of milk from
a cow. Oh visnu, you bestow nourishment throughout the universe.
om ajnatam tad anajnatam
yajnasya kriyate mithu
visno tad asya kalpaya
tvam hi vettha yatha tatham svaha
Oh visnu, rectify whatever was performed wrongly, consciously or unconsciously, in this sacrifice.
Understand our sincere intention.
om prajapate visno na tvat etani anyo
visva jatani parita babhuva
yat kamah te juhumah tat no'stu
vayam syamah patayo rayinam svaha
Oh visnu, master of all creatures, there is no one besides you.
The Lord has encompassed everything. With desires we have sacrificed to you. May those desires
be fulfilled. May we bcome the masters of spiritual wealth.
68
He should then perform the garbhadhana and pumsavana rites according to the text.
He should then perform the simantonnayanam samsksara as follows:
The wife should be bathed.
She should be seated facing east, on the west side of the fire on the right hand side of her husband
upon kusa with tips facing north.
The husband should throw ghee-soaked wood of pradesa length into the fire silently.
He should perform vyasta samasta mahavyahrti homa:
om bhuh svaha
om bhuvah svaha
om svaha svaha
om bhuh bhuvah svah svaha
Standing behind his wife and facing east the husband should with silk string tie two udumbara
fruits or barley sprouts along with nima, mustard and bael, around his wife's neck, saying:
om ayam urjavato vrksa
urjiva phalini bhava
parnam vanaspate nutva
nutva ca suyatam rayih
Like this strong tree, become fruitful and strong. King of trees, having brought forth abundant
leaves may she bring forth fruit.
A pinjali is two blades of kusa grass of pradesa length bound together by a third of the same length.
Holding three pinjalis, he should hold them over the border of her hair and draw them back over
the part of her hair and bind them at the side, saying:
om bhuh
Taking three more pinjalis, he should place it in her hair in the same manner, saying:
om bhuvah
Taking three more pinjalis, he should place them in her hair saying:
om svah
Taking a porcupine quill, the husband should pass it over her part, and fix it in her hair, saying:
om yena aditeh simanam nayati
prajapatih visnuh mahate saubhagaya
tena aham asyai simanam nayami
prajam asyai jaradastim krnomi
I part her hair with the instrument with which prajapati visnu parts the hair of aditi, for great
fortune. In this way I create long living sons for her.
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Fastening the arrow in her hair, he should draw a spindle full of thread over the part of his wife's
hair and fix in the hair saying:
om ramam aham suhavam sustuti huve
krnotu nah subhaga bodhatu atmana
sivyatu apah sucya acchidyamanaya
dadatu viram satadayamukhyam
I call the easily approachable Lord with words of praise. May the Lord understand our needs and
fulfil our prayers. May the finger stitch with unbroken needle, and may she bestow brave,
praiseworthy sons.
om yaste rama sumatayah supesaso
yabhih dadasi dasuse vasani tabhih
nah adya sumana upahagi
sahasra posam subhaga raranah
Endowed with just mind and beauty, you give results to those who sacrifice. With that generous
mind, come to us today to bestow a thousand progeny, oh giver of fortune.
Sesame, urad and rice should be cooked and ghee should be poured over it.
The husband should show this to the bride saying:
om kim pasyasi
What do you see?
The wife should say:
om prajam pasun saubhagyam
drdha krsna bhaktitvam avayoh
dirghayus tvam patyuh
May there be offspring, animals good fortune, firm krsna bhakti for the two of us. May there be
long life for my husbnad.
He should then perform vyasta samasta mahavyahrti homa:
om bhuh svaha
om bhuvah svaha
om svah svaha
om bhuh bhuvah svah svaha
He should throw ghee-soaked wood of pradesa length in the fire silently.
He should perform udicya karma etc and give daksina to the vaisnavas.
Then married women who have living children should put the couple on a raised platform and
sprinkle them with water saying:
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bhakta virasus tvam bhava
jivasus tvam bhava
jivapatni tvam bhava
Bring forth strong devotees, bring forth life, be a long living wife.
The wife should then eat the cooked rice, sesame and urad dhal.
She should remain silent until the stars appear in the sky. Then, touching a calf, she should break
her silence by saying "bhur bhuvah svah".
SOSYANTI HOMA (rite for the woman about to give birth):
Time:
A few days before the brith of the child, amidst celebration and blowing of conch shells, the wife
should be moved to the confimement room (sutika grha) which may b locatd in the southwest part
of the house, facing east.
When the wife is about to bear the child the husband should perform this rite for the safe delivery
of the child and the wife's good health.
Procedure:
The husband should bathe, perform worship of visnu and vaisnavas, and vrddhi sraddha (see
marriage ceremony).
Sankalpa:
om visnuh om tat ssat
adya.........(date)
sukha prasavartham
sri visnu smarana purvakam
sosyanti homam aham kurviya
On..........(date), for the safe delivery of child of my wife named........, I perform this sosyanti homa.
He should perform kusandika and call the fire named "mangala," performing rites to the end of
virupaksa japa.
He should throw ghee-soaked wood into the fire silently.
He should perform vyasta samasta mahavyahrti homa:
om bhuh svaha
om bhuvah svah
om svah svaha
om bhuh bhuvah svah svaha
He should offer ghee, visnu caranamrta, prasadam into the fire saying:
om visno
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ya tirasci nipadyate
aham vidharani iti
tam ghrtasya dharaya
yaje samradhanim aham
samrdhanyai devyai destryai
idam tvat prasadamrtam svaha
Oh visnu, I worship with streams of ghee the Lords consort, who is pleased by our worship and
who brings forth the child. I offer this nectarean prasadam to the merciful consort of the Lord.
om vipascit mahavisnuh puccham abharat
tat dhata punah aharat
pare ehi tvam vipascit mahavisnuh
puman ayam janisyate............(name of future child)
nama svaha
Lord, perform this sacred rite in the future. My son, named.........., will be born.
He should them perform vyasta samasta mahavyahrti homa.
He should throw wood into the fire without mantra.
He should perform udicya karma etc, and give daksina to the vaisnavas.
JATA KARMA (Ceremony at birth)
After bathing and purifying himself and dressing himself properly, he (Nanda Maharaj)
invited brahmanas who knew how to recite Vedic mantras. After having these qualified
brahmanas recite auspicious Vedic hymns, he arranged to have the Vedic birth ceremony
celebrated for his newborn child (Krsna) according to the rules and regulations.
SB10.5.3
We see that five hundred years ago at the birth of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu all these
ceremonies were performed rigidly, but at present such ritualistic performances hardly
ever take place. Generally a pregnant mother is sent to the hospital, and as soon as her
child is born he is washed with an antiseptic and this concludes everything.
CC Adi III, p.116
Time:
Jata karma is performed immediately upon the birth of the child, within the sutika grha. This
ceremony is also called medha janana, a ceremony to produce intelligence in the child.
Ghee is used because,according to ayurveda it produces beauty, memory, intellect, talent, lustre,
strong semen and long life.
72
When the child emerges from the womb the covering should be removed and the child should be
cleaned. The father should say:
ma nabhim krntata stanyam ma datta
Do not cut the umbilical cord. Do not give the breast milk.
The father should bathe, and then recite prayers to guru parampara and visnu smaranam.
vande 'ham etc
and
om krsno vai saccidananda ghanah
krsnah adi purusah krsnah purusottamah
krsnah ha u karmadi mulam
krsnah sa ha sarvaikaryah
krsnah kasam krt adisa mukha prabhu pujyah
krsno'nadis tasmin ajandantar bahye
yan mangalam tal labhate krti
A brahmacari, young girl, pregnant mother or vaisnava scholar should, on a washed stone slab,
grind rice and barely into poweder using an unused stone. The father should take the powder using
the thumb and ring finger of his right hand, saying:
om iyam ajna idam annam idam ayuh idam ghrtam
Here is the order. Here is rice (sustenance). Here is long life. Here is ghee.
He should place the mixture on the tongue of the newborn child,. using a golden spoon, saying:
om medham te madhava vanmanau
medham harih dadhatu
medham te acyutanantau
adhattam puskara srajau svaha
May madhava, vanmana, and hari give you intelligence. May acyuta and ananta, wearing lotus
garlands, bestow intelligence to you.
He should give ghee again saying:
om sadasi ati priyam krsnasya kamyam sanim medham ayasisam svaha
At this place I have attained the most precious boon, intelligence for understanding Krsna.
He should give permission to cut the cord by saying:
nabhim krntata stanyam ca datta
Cut the cord, give milk,
73
The cord should be tied and cut at the proper place and the child should be washed and fed milk.
The father should again take bath and then distribute gifts to brahmanas. There may be festivities:
The wife of Srivasa Thakura, whose name was Malini, accompanied by the wife of
Candrasekhara and other ladies, came there in great happiness to worship the baby (Lord
Caitanya) with paraphernalia such as vermilion (sindhur), tumeric, oil, fused rice
(popped rice), bananas and coconuts.
CC Adi III, p.116
The mother and child should stay in the confinement room (sutika grha) for the period of impurity
(asauca), which is ten days in the case of a wife of a brahamana.
The father and other close relatives also should observe asauca, during which time they should
refrain from all duties requiring purity for execution (visiting the temple or worshippng the deity
etc). However those engaged in sacrifice (yajna), thos who ar initiated, those observing vrata,
brahmacaris, realized souls, doctors, craftsmen, barbers, servants and kings
Circumcision;
The whole vrnasrama system discourages sex life. Circumsicion is a facility for sex life. so
in other systems of religion or throughout the whole universe, the tendency is to enjoy
sex life, whereas the varnasrama system discourages sex life.
letter from Srila Prabhupada
Arvind Shah, Sept.30, 1975
NISKRAMANAM (taking the child outside for the first time):
Time:
The mother and child should leave the room of confinement (sutika grha), at the end of period of
impurity after bearing a child (asauca), which is ten days for the wife of a brahamana, twelve for
the wife of a ksatriya, fifteen for wife of a vaisya and thirty for the wife of a sudra. The mother and
child should remain indoors however until the third lunar day of the third waxing moon after the
child's birth. This first outing fo the child is called niskramana.
Procedure:
The child should be bathed in the morning, and at sundown the husband and wife should go with
the child to a temple. They should stand facing the deity, the wife on the husband's left side. The
child should be wrapped in a clean cloth.
The wife should give the child into her husband's hands, and then procede behind the husband and
stand on his right side facing the deity.
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The husband should say:
om ekah purastat ya idam babhuva
yato babhuva bhuvanasya gopta
yam apyeti bhuvanam samparaye
namami tam aham sarvato mukham
tat prabho sarvato mukham
naham pautram agham nigam
I pay respects to the all pervading Lord who existed before the material creation, from whom
emerged the protector of the worlds, and into whom the words merge at the time of destruction. Oh
all pervading Lord, may misfortune not come to my son.
om ya atmada balada yasay visve
upasate prasisam yasya devah
yasya chaya amrtam yo mrtyu mrtyuh
kasmai devaya havisa vidhema
tasmat prabho mrtyu mrtyo
naham pautram agham rsam
The Lord, who is the giver of consciousness, giver of strength, whose order all beings in the
universe obey, whose very shadow is immmortality, who is death to death personified, we should
worship with fine offerings. Therefore oh Lord, death of death personified, may misfortune not
come to my son.
om nara narayanau sarma yacchatam
prajayai me prajapati
yathayam na pramiyate
putro janitrya adhi
May nara narayana, the Lords of procreation, bestow to the child and to me, the good fortune that
mother and son not be destroyed.
Saying this he should point out the deities to his son and offer arghya saying:
om krsna madhavo govinda pundarikaksa vamana
grhitarghyam hrsikesa ramaya sahito mama
He should then give the child to the mother and sing vamadevya gan:
om bhuh bhuvah svah
kaya nah citre abhuvat
uti sada vrdhah sakha
kaya sacisthaya vrta
om bhuh bhuvha svah
kah tva satyo madanam
mamhistho matsat andhasah
drdha cid aruse vasu
om bhuh bhuvah svah
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a bhi yunah sakhinam
avita jaritrnam
satam bhavasi utaye
The child should then return home.
After three more waxing moons, on the third lunar day, a the evening sandhya the father should go
to the deity adn offer flowers three times saying:
yasmat na jatah paro anyo asti
ya avivesa bhuvanani visva
prajapatih prajaya samvidanah
trini jyotisi sacate sa sodasim
etat vidvan mahavisno
naham pautram agaham rudam
The Lord, to whom no living being is superior, who has eenterd he worlds as the living entities, is
the Lord of the living entities, but is intimately united with them. the three luminaries with the
sixteen phases of light, accompany the Lord. All knowing visnu, pervading all, may harm not come
to our son.
He should return home singing vamadevya gan. He may perform this rite without the son and wife
being present.
NAMA KARANA (Giving a Name to the child):
Time:
The child should be named on the tenth, twelfth, hundred and first day, or one full year from his
birth.
Procedure;
The father, having taken bath, having worshipped visnu and performed vrddhi sraddha (see
marriage preliminaries), should perform kusandika rites to the end of virupaksa ajapa, calling the
fire named "parthiva."
He should offer ghee-soaked wood of pradesa length into the fire silently.
He should perform vyasta samasta mahavyahrti homa:
om bhuh svaah
om bhuvah svaha
om svah svaha
om bhuh bhuvah svah svaha
The mother, holding the child covered in clean cloth, should be situated on the husband's right side.
She should give the child to her husband and pass behind him and come to his left side. She should
sit facing east on kusa grass with tips facing north.
76
The husband shoud offer oblations saying:
om tad visnoh paramam padam
sada pasyanti surayo
diviva caksur atatam
om visnave svaha
om........(tithi, eg. pratipade) svaha
om tad visnoh paramam padam
sada pasyanti surayo
diviva caksur atatam
om......(eg. pratipat) tithi devatayai visnave svaha
om tad visnoh paramam padam
sada pasyanti surayo
diviva caksur atatam
om vaisnavebhyo svaha
om......(naksatra eg.asvinyai) svaha
om tad visnoh paramam padam
sada pasyanti surayo
diviva caksur atatam
om..........(eg asvini) naksatra devatayai visnave svaha
om tad visnoh paramam padam
sada pasyanti surayo
diviva caksur atatam
om vaisnavebhyo svaha
The father should touch the mouth, nostrils, eyes, and ears of the child with his right hand and say:
om ko'si katamo'si eso'si amrto'si'ahaspatyam masam pravisa sri.......(name of son)
You are immortal like the Lord. Oh........(name of son) enter in this solar month.
om sa tva ahne paridadatu
ahah tva ratryai paridadatu
ratrih tva aho ratrabhyam paridadatu
aho ratrau tva ardha masebhyah paridattam
ardha masah tva masebhyah paridadatu
masah tva rtubhyah paridadatu
rtavah tva samvatsaraya paridadatu
samvatsarah tva ayuse jarayai paridadatu
May the Lord consign you to the day
May the day consign you to the night.
may the night consign you to the day and night.
May day and night consign you to half months.
May the half month consign you to the full months.
May the months consign you to the seasons.
May the sasons consign you to the year.
May the years consign you to long life,
oh.............(name of child).
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The husband should whisper the name in the left ear of his wife saying:
sri.......(name of child) ayam te putra
He should give the child back to his wife's hands.
He should offer wood silently into the fire.
He should perform vyasta samasta mahavyahrti homa:
om bhuh svaah
om bhuvah svaha
om svah svaha
om bhuh bhuvah svah svaha
He should perform udicya karma and concluding rites, then give daksina to vaisnavas.
Choosing Names:
Names may be chosen according to various methods.
after the deity of the constellation in which the child was born:
asvini ( agni)
bharani (yama)
krttika (agni)
rohini(prajapati)
mrgasirsa (soma)
ardra (rudra)
punarvasu (aditi)
pusya (brhaspati)
aslesa (sarpa)
magha ((pitrni)
purva phalguni (bhaga)
uttara phalguni (aryaman)
hasta (savitr)
citra (tvastr)
svati (vayu)
mula (nrti)
purvasadha (apa)
uttarasadha (visvadeva)
sravana (visnu)
dhanistha (vasu)
satabhisa (varuna)
purvabhadrapad (ajaikapada)
uttarabhadrapada (ahirbudhnya)
revati (pusa)
After the deity of the month in which the child is born:
78
margasirsa: krsna
pausa: ananta
magha: acyuta
phalguna: cakri
caitra: vaikuntha
vaisakha: janardana
jyestha: upendra
asadha; yajnapurusa
sravana: vasudeva
bhadra: hari
asvina: yogisa
kartika: pundarikaksa
Name according to aksara corresponding to naksatra:
Each naksatra is divided into four equal parts. Each part is assigned a syllable. After determining
which naksatra and which quarter of the naksatra that the child was born in, a name shoul be chosen
which begins with syllable corresponding to the particular quarter of the naksatra. Any syllable
with an "o" sound may substitute an "au" sound. An syllable with an "e" sound may substitute an
"ai" sound. "S" may be substituted for "s".
Naksatra:
1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quarters:
asvina cu, ce co la
bharani li, lu, le lo
krtikka a, i, u e
rohini o, ba bi bu
mrga sirsa be bo ka ki
ardra ku, gha, na cha
punarvasu ke ko, ha, hi
pusya hu, he, ho, da
aslesa di du, de do
magha ma mi, mu, me
purva phalguni mo, ta, ti, tu
uttara phalguni te to pa pi
hasta pu, sa na tha
citra pe po ra ri
svati ru re ro ta
visakha ti tu te to
anuradha na ni nu ne
jyestha no ya yi yu
mula ye yo bha bhi
purvasadha bhu dha pha dha
uttarasadha bhe bho ja ji
abhijit ju je jo kha
sravana khi khu khe kho
dhanistha ga gi gu ge
satabhisa go sa si su sa si su
purva bhadra se so se so da di
uttara bhadrapada du tha jha na
revati de do ca ci
79
According to zodiac sign:
mesa : a la
vrsas; u va
mithumna; ka cha
karkara; bha ha
simha: ta ?
kanya pa tha
tula:ra tav
rsicha; na ya
dhanu: bha bha
makara; tha ja
kumbha : ga sa
mina: da ca
mina; na jha
dhanu: pha dha
kanya: ya na
vrsa: i e o
kumbha: sa mithuna: bha na
PAUSTI KARMA (ceremony for continuing health of the child)
Time:
This ceremony should be performed every month on the tithi and paksa (waxing or waning phase of
the moon) corresponding to the tithi and paksa on which the child was born.
(eg. If the child was born on the tenth lunar day (dasami tithi)) of the waxing phase (sukla) of the
moon in magha month, the ceremony should be performed in each of the next twelve lunar months
on dasami of the waxing phase of the moon.)
Alternatively one may perform the rite on the purnima of each month.
The father should perform early morning duties, then visnu arcana.
He should recite:
om svasti no govindah svasti no' cyutanantau
svasti no vasudevo visnuh dadhatu
svasti no narayano naro vai
svasti nah padmanabhah purusottamo dadhatu
svasti no visvakseno visvesvarah
svasti no hrsikeso harir dadhatu
svasti no vainateyo harih
svasti no'njanasuto hanur bhagavato dadhatu
svasti svasti sumangalikeso
mahan sri krsna saccid ananda ghanah
sarvesvaresvaro dadhatu
om tad visnoh parama padam sada pasyanti surayah
diviva caksur atatam
80
om krsno vai saccidananda ghanah
krsnah adi purusah krsnah purusottamah
krsnah ha u karmadi mulam
krsnah sa ha sarvaikaryah
krsnah kasam krt adisa mukha prabhu pujyah
krsno'nadis tasmin ajandantar bahye
yan mangalam tal labhate krti
He should perform kusandika ending with virupaksa japa, calling the fire named "balada."
He should offer ghee-soaked wood of pradesa length into the fire silently.
He should perform vyasta samasta mahavyahrti homa:
om bhuh svaha
om bhuvah svaha
om svah svaha
om bhur bhuvah svah svaha
He should offer oblations with the following three mantras:
om acyutanantabhyam svaha
om damodara purusottamabhyam svaha
om vasudeva vamana visnu vaikunthadibhyah svaha
He should then offer oblations to the tithi and naksatra devatas saying:
om tad visnoh paramam padam
sada pasyanti surayah
diviva caksur atatam
om visnave.....(tithi name: eg., dvitiya) tithi devatayai svaha
om tad visnoh paramam padam
sada pasyanti surayah
diviva caksur atatam
om vaisnavebhyo svaha
om............(tithi name eg. dvitiyayai) svaha
om tad visnoh paramam padam
sada pasyanti surayah
diviva caksur atatam
om visnave..........(naksatra, eg. asvini) devatayai svaha
om tad visnoh paramam padam
sada pasyanti surayah
diviva caksur atatam
om vaisnavebhyo svaha
81
om........(naksatra name: eg asvinyai) svaha
The father should offer as many oblations as he can using the mantras:
om tad visnoh parama padam sada pasyanti surayah
diviva caksur atatam
om krsno vai saccidananda ghanah
krsnah adi purusah krsnah purusottamah
krsnah ha u karmadi mulam
krsnah sa ha sarvaikaryah
krsnah kasam krt adisa mukha prabhu pujyah
krsno'nadis tasmin ajandantar bahye
yan mangalam tal labhate krti
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He should perform mahavyahrti homa:
om bhuh svaha
om bhuvah svaha
om svah svaha
om bhur bhuvah svah svaha
He should offer wood into the fire silently.
He should peform udicya karma and concluding rites, and give daksina to vaisnavas.
83
ANNA PRASANA (feeding the first grains)
Time:
Iin the case of a male child the rite should be performed in the sixth or eigth month, on an
auspicious day.
In the case of girl, it should be performed in the fifth or seventh month, on an auspicious day.
This ceremony should not be performed before the fourth month, and not later than a year, for the
sake of the child's health. Signs of teeth are the indication that the child is ready for solid foods.
Susruta says the child should be fed light food. Rice boiled in milk is often used as the food.
Procedure:
The father, having performed early morning duties, should perform visnu arcana and vrddhi
sraddha (see marriage preliminaries).
He should perform kusandika to the end of virupaksa japa, calling the fire named "suci."
He should offer ghee-soaked wood of pradesa length into the fire silently.
He should perform vyasta samasta mahavyahrti homa:
om bhuh svaha
om bhuvah svaha
om svah svasha
om bhur bhuvah svah svaha
He should offer oblations saying:
om mahaprasadannam vai ekam chandasyam
tat hi ekam bhutebhyah chandayati svaha
This mahaprasada rice is an offering for the bhutas.
om srih vai esa yat sattvano virocano
samkarsano mayi sasttva avadhatu svaha
This offering prosperity. May virocana, sattvana, samkarsana bestow truth in me.
om annasya ghrtam eva rasah tejah
sampadartha tad anantaya juhomi svaha
Among food ghee is happiness, beauty, strength and nobility. I
offer it to ananta for all success.
84
om visnave ksudhe svaha
To visnu for hunger.
om sri visnave ksut pipasabhyam svaha
To visnu for hunger and thirst.
He should offer oblations to the five life airs, saying:
om pranaya svaha
om apanaya svaha
om samanaya svaah
om udanaya svaha
om vyanaya svaha
He should then perform vyasta samasta maha vyahrti homa:
om bhuh svaha
om bhuvah svaha
om svah svasha
om bhur bhuvah svah svaha
He should throw ghee-soaked wood of pradesa length into the fire silently.
He should perform udicya karma and concluding rites.
He should feed the child grains saying:
om acyuta
annapate annasya no dhehi anamivasya susminah
pradataram tarisah urjam no dhehi dvipade catuspade svaha
om pranaya svaha
Oh acyuta master of food, bestow food which gives strength and which is free from disease. You
should lead the performer of sacrifice onwards. Give strength to us and the animals. I sacri
fice to the prana.
om janardana
annapate krnuta annam no dhehi piyusa
asaktam te'nnam yad yad yuge no dhehi dvipade catuspade svaha
om apanaya svaha
Oh janardana, lord of sustenance and food, provide our sustenance, bestow your food of bliss and
immortality. At all times bestow upon us, both human and beast.
om laksmi narayanau
annapati annam amrtam no dhehi kamala samskrtam
te bhukta sesam no dhehi dvipade catuspade svaha
om samanaya svaha
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Oh laksmi narayana, rulers of sustenance, give us the food of immortality, prepared by laksmi
herself. Bestow upon us your remnants, to the humans and the animals.
om annpate yajna annam adhiyajnam tvadiyam
no dhehi sarva durlabham manusyam vai sudhayutam
no dhehi dvipade catuspade svaha
om udanaya svaha
Oh lord of sustenance, give us your principal sacriifice, the food of that sacrifice. Bestow to us the
human form and nature so hard ot attain, made eternal. Bestow that to us, humans and animals
alike.
om annapate janardana sad rasam amrta siktam
niveditam te sad annam no dhehi kilbisapaham
no dhehi dvipade catuspade svaha
om vyanaya svaha
Oh janardana, give to us, both man and beast, your eternal food, that which has been offered to
you, soaked with the nectar of the six flavors, and capable of destroying all sins.
He should then give daksina and feed the devotees and all living entities.
After the anna prasana ceremony scripture and money may be placed before the child so that his
future tendency may be indicated.
Karna Vedha (boring the ears):
According to Susruta, this ceremony should be performed in the sixth or seventh month after birth,
though it may be performed along with the cuda karana ceremony or at upanayanam.
It should be performed during the waxing phase of the moon on an auspicious day, before noon.
The child should be held on the lap of the mother.
Using a gold, silver or iron needle, the surgeon should take the right ear of the boy or left ear of a
girl first, and pierce the ears with a single stroke.
Gifts should be given to the vaisnavas, and surgeon.
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PUTRA MURDHABHIGHRANAM (Smelling the sons's head)
Time:
This may be performed after the anna prasana ceremony, when giving blessings, when the father
returns from a long journey, or if the father has not gone a ong journey, when the child can
recognizes the father. Otherwise it is performed after the upanayanam ceremony.
The father should wash his feet, perform acamana and facing east hold the child 's head (or the
eldest son's head first if there are more than one son), saying:
om angat angat samsravasi
hrdayat adhijayase
pranam te pranena samdadhami
jiva me yavad ayusam
Breath of life, from limb to limb you flow. From the heart you conquer. Oh son, to you by my
breathing I give life. Live a long life for me.
om angat angat sambhavasi
hrdayat adhijayase
vedo vai putranamasi
samjiva saradah satam
From limb to limb you flow. From the heart you conquer. Your name is the veda, eternal
knowledge. Live a hundred autumns, a hundred harvests.
om asma abhava parasuh bhava
hiranyam amrtam bhava
atmasi putra ma mrthah
samjiva saradah satam
Be like a stone, be like a thunderbolt, be immortal wealth. Oh son, you are my very self. Do not
die. Live a hundred autumns.
He should smell the child's head, saying:
om pasunam tva himkarena
abhijighrami....... (name of son) dasa.
Oh....(name of son), making a sound like the breathig of the cows, I smell your head.
the father should then recite the vama devya gan:
om bhuh bhuvah svah
kaya nah citre abhuvat
uti sada vrdhah sakha
kaya sacic-sthaya vrta
87
om bhuh bhuvha svah
kah tva satyo madanam
mamnistho matsat andhasah
drdha cid aruse vasu
om bhuh bhuvah svah
a bhi yunah sakhinam
avita jaritrnam
satam bhavasi utaye
He should then apologize for any faults in the ceremony (acchiddra vacanam):
om visnuh om tat sat
om adya........(date)
krte'smin putra murdhabhigrana karmani
yat kincit vaigunyam jatam
tad dosa prasamanaya
sri visnu smaranam aham karomi
om tad visnoh parama pada sada pasyanti surayah divivia caksur atatam
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CUDAKARANAM (Hair cutting ceremony)
Time:
This should be peformed during the third or fifth year.
Procedure:
Having performed early morning bath and worship of visnu and the guru parampara9sattvika
vrddhi sraddha), the father should perfrom kusandika rites, calling the fire called "satya".
After completing virupaksa japa, on the south side of the fire he shold plae twenty one pinjalis (a
pinjal is comosed of two blades of kusa grass of pradesa length tied together by a third blade)
divided into three groups of seven each. He should also place there a bell metal vessel wwith warm
water, a copper razor or mirror. A barber with an iron razor should be situated there also.
On the north side of the fire he should place bull dung and a pot of kitchuri made of sesame, rice
and urad dhal cooked together.
On the east side of the fire he should plae three cups of ice and barley, three cups of sesame, rice
and urad dhal.
The mother, with the cleanly dressed child in her lap, should sit on kusa grass on the west side of
the fire on the left side of her husband, facing east.
The father should offer ghee soaked wood in the fire silently, then perform vyasta samasta
mahavyahrti homa.
Following this the husband should rise, and facing east, stand behind his wife. Tooking towards the
barber he should meditate on visnu, saying:
om a ayam agat sarvesvarah sri bhagavan kuru kumaram enam avatu vai mandanam
mantravasayina ksurena
May the Lord come here and cut the hair of this child with this blade made potent by
mantra.
Looking at the warm water he should say:
om a ayam agat sri visnuh, kuru kumaram enam avatu vai mundanam usnodakena
May visnu come here and cut the hair ofthe child using this warm water.
He should take the warm water in his right hand and apply above the right ear of the child saying:
89
om apa undantu jivase
May these waters moisten his hair so that he may live long.
Looking at the copper razor or mirror he should say:
om visnoh damstro'si kuru kumaram enam avatu vai visnuh saksat mundanam ksusra
You are the teeth of visnu. May visnu himself cut the hiar of this child.
He should place a bundle of the kusas, root side up, over the right ear of the child, saying:
om acyutananta narayanah kurvantu kumaran enam cirajivainam ausadhe tryasva enam
May acyuta, ananta and narayana give this child long life. Oh herbs, protect this child.
Holding the kusa with his left hand, he should plae the copper razor or mirror ove the right ear of
the child saying:
om sankarsanah kuru kumaram enam avatu vai mundanam svadhite ma enam himsih
May sankarsana cut the hair of the child without harming him.
Moving the copper blade without cutting the hair he shouldsay:
om yena purusottamaha vasudeva visnvoracyutasya cavapat, tena te vapami vaikunthena
jivatave jivanaya dirghaystaya balaya varcase
For continued life, long life, for strength, for beauty, I shave you with this harmless blade
by which the Supreme Lord cuts hair
Silently he should repeat this two more times.
Using the iron blade, hair should be shaved above the right ear and placed on the bull dung held by
a friend of the boy.
The previous seven mantras should be said while shaving the area below the sikha, and again while
shaving thehair over the left ear. The cut hair should be placed on the bull dung.
Holding the child's head the father should say:
om jamadagnes tryayusam
om kasyapasya tryayusam
om agastyasya tryayusam
om yad devanam tryayusam
90
om tat te'stu tryayusam
May there be three lifespans fro jamadagni for kasapya for agastya, for the devatas and for
the child.
The father should take the child to the north side of the fire. the barber should be garlanded. the
barber should face the child east or north and shave him, leaving a sikha. The hair should be placed
on the dung. This should be placed in a forest or amongst bamboo stalks.
Karna vedha or piercing the ears may be performed at this time.
The father should perform vyasta samasta maha vyahrti homa and throw ghee soaked wood of one
pradesa length into the fire silently, perform udicya karma and give daksina. He should feed the
vaisnavas and give the kitchuri and grains around the fire to the barber.
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VIDYARAMBHA (learning the alphabet):
Time:
This is performed when the child is five, or at the same time as the hair cutting ceremony, but
before upanayanam. An auspicous day should be chosen when the sun is in the northern course.
The child should be bathed, dressed in fresh cloth and decorated. The parents should perform visnu
arcana. The teacher should face east, and the child should face him.
On a silver plank kumkuma should be sprinkled and with a gold pe the words "om namo bhagavate
vasudevaya" or "hare krsna" should written and read three times by the child, with the help of the
teacher. If silver and gold are not available other materials may be used.
The child should pay his obeisances to the teacher, present the teacher with cloth and ornaments
and circumambulate the deities. Brahmanas should give blessings. Women who have husbands and
children alive shold wave lamps lin front of lthe child. Daiksibbna should be presented to the
brahmanas and preasam shoulbe distributed.
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UPANAYANAM ( Taking the child back to Godhead):
Goal of Upanayanam:
Generally, a man is born as an ordinary being, and by the purificatory processes (samskaras)
he is born for the second time. When he sees a new light and seeks direction for spiritual
progress he approaches a spiritual master for instruction in the Vedas. The spiritual
master accepts only the sincere inquirer as his disciple and gives him the sacred thread.
In this way a man becomes twice -born, or a dvija. After qualifying as a dvija one may
study the vedas, and after becoming well versed in the vedas one becomes a vipra. A
vipra, or a qualified brahmana, thus realized the absolute and makes further progress in
spiritual life until he reaches the Vaisnava stage.
SB 1.2.2
Qualificatioin:
Sudras and women are not admited to vaidika initiation.
CC madhya v.9.p.275
Time:
This ceremony should be conducted counting eight years from conception or eight years from birth
of the son, on an auspcious day.
Otherwise, the ceremony should take place at least before the sixteenth year of the child has passed.
According to the original rules, if there is more delay, the child is not entitled to undergo the
eremony andreceive the sacred thread.
According to some authorities, the brahmaan child should take the thread between the ages of five
and sixteen; the ksastriya child should take the thread between the ages of six and twenty two; the
vaisya should take the thread between the ages of eight and twenty four.
The ceremony is performed by the father or the acarya.
Upanayanam Outline:
1. guru, gauranga,visnu puja, guru parampara and mahabhagavata puja by father (or acarya)
2. kusandika
3. amantrika homa
4. vyasta samasta maha vyahrti homa
5. ajya homa: five oblations of ghee requesting mercy of Krsna to perform initiation rite
6. manavaka preskya; a brahmana pours water in the hands of the father and the boy, the father
observes the boy
7. nama prsasna: the father asks the boys name, and the boy answers, they both discard the water
8. hasta grahana; the father holds the boy's hand and prays for visnu to guide the boy,
circumabulates him and touches his navel. stomach, right shoulder left shoulder, invoking visnu
and offer the child to visnu
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9. brahmacari presana: the father addresses the boy as brahmacari and lists his brahmacari duties,
the brahmacari accepts
10. mekhala paridhapan: the father will wind a belt of three stands of kusa grass around the boy's
waist three timnes
11.yajnopavita dana: the father will place the sacrd thread over the boy's left shoulder
12. ajina paridhapana: the father will dress the boy in deer skin
13. mantra dana: the boy requests the father to give themantra, and the father gives the mantra part
by part, ech part being rectied three times by the boy
14. danda arpana: the father willgive the boy a stick
15. biksa; the boy begs first from his mother, then her friends, (then from the father if the acarya
performs the rites) and father's friends, and offer this to the father (or acarya).
16. vyasta samasta maha vyahrti homa: father performs
17. amantrika homa: wod offering
18. udicya karma, etc.
19. daksina to acarya by father (if father does not peform the rites), prasadam feast to vaisnava
brahamans
20. kusandika; the brahmacari should remain at the placeuntil sunset, the perform kunsandika,
calling fire samudbhava 9some manuals call fire named sikhi)
21. udaka anjali seka, agni paryuksana: pour water on sides and around fire as in closing rites
22. vyasta samasta maha vyahrti homa
23. samid homa: one stick of wood offered silently, the econd with mantra requesting spritual
knowledge, the third silently
24. agni paryuksana and udaka anjali seka: water around and on sides of fire
25. abhivadana: the body should salute the fire naming himself
26. visarajana; he should dismess fire saying ksamasva. The brahmacari should perform homa
every morning and evening in this way until he graduates.
28. bhojana; the boy should eat begged rice the ghee but no salt beginning by offering panca prana
ahuti (the boy should offer food to the life airs in his body). he should eat in this way every meal
for the rest of his life.
29.savitri caru homa: on the fourth day after the intitiona the father or acarya performs kusandika
calling samud bhava, and after brahaman sthapana cooks caru, then finishes kusandika rites
30 amantrika homa; using wood
31. he should offer ghee into the caru and offer caru into the fire for visnu
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33. he should offer the spoon into the fire, mahavyahrti homa, amantrika homa, udicya karma etc.
Procedure:
Early in the morning the father or acarya should peform worship the the Supreme Lord and then
vrddhi sraddha (see marriage preliminaries).
He should then perform kusandika rites ending with virupaksa japa, calling the fire named
"samudbhava."
The child should be fed a little prasadam; he should be shaved, bathed, decorated, and dressed in
one piece of clean silk or cotton cloth,
Passing by the north side of the fire, the child should sit on the right hand side of the acarya, facing
east.
The acarya should start by throwing ghee-soaked wood of pradesa length into the fire silently.
He should perform vyasta samsta maha vyahrti homa, offering ghee oblations:
om bhuh svaha
om bhuvah svaha
om svah svaha
om bhur bhuvah svah svaha
Ajya homa (oblations of ghee):
The acarya should offer give oblations of ghee saying:
om visno vratapate vratam carisyami
tat te prabravimi
tat sakeyam tenardhyasam
idam aham anrtat satyam upaimi svaha
om acayuta vratapate vratam carisyami
tat te prabravimi
tat sakeyam tenardhyasam
idam aham anrtat satyam upaimi svaha
om narayana vratapate vratam carisyami
tat te prabravimi
tat sakeyam tenardhyasam
idam aham anrtat satyam upaimi svaha
om ananta vratapate vratam carisyami
tat te prabravimi
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tat sakeyam tenardhyasam
idam aham anrtat satyam upaimi svaha
om sankarsana vratanam vratapate vratam carisyami
tat te prabravimi
tat sakeyam tenardhyasam
idam aham anrtat satyam upaimi svaha
(Oh visnu, lord of scriptural rules, I will not undertake this upanayanam rite. I request that you give
mercy so I can perform this. by this, may I attain success. To remove illusion I undertake this act of
absolute truth.)
The acarya should tehn stand facing east on the west side of the fire with his hands folded in prayer,
upona kusa asasna with tips facing north.
The child should stand facing the acarya between the fire and the acarya, upan a kusa asana with
tips facing north.
A brahmana should stand on the child's right hand side and give first to the the child, the to the
acarya, handfuls of water.
The acarya should look at the child san ssay:
agantra sam aganmahi
pra sumartyam yuyotana
aristah sancaremahi
svasti sancaratat ayam
Oh Lord, we have met with this boy who ha scome for upanayanam and testify to his charater.
Please bestow your company to this splendid youth. Let us go without obstacles to the supreme
goal of life. May the boy attain the ultimate goal.
He should have the child say:
om brahmacaryam agam
upa ma nayasva
I have come to accept the vow of brahmacaryam. Please initiate me.
The acrya asks:
om ko mnama asi
What is your name?
The child should say:
om.......nama asmi
My name is...........
The child and the acarya should pour the water from their hands.
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The acarya should hold the right hand and thumb of the child in his right hand and say:
om devasya te visnoh prasave
narayana vasudevayoh bahubhyam
sankarsanasya hastabhyam
hastam grbhmnai.......(name of child)
In this activity of visnu I grasp your hand with the arms of narayana and vasudeva, with the hands
of sankarsana.
om visnuh te hastam -agrahit
narayano mahavisnuh hastam agrahit
mukundo prabhavisnuh hastam agrahit
mitrah tvam asi karmana
visnuh acaryah tava
may visnu take your hand
May narayana and mahavisnu take your hand.
May mukunda and prabhavisnu take your hand.
By this action, you are a friend.
Visnu is your teacher.
The acayra should ten circumabulate the child and face east while saying:
om visnoh vikramanam anvavartasva sri.....dasa (name of child)
Turn...........folloiwng the strides of visnu.
the acarya should then touch the right shoulder of the child with his right hand and then lower the
hand to the child's navel (uncovered) saying:
om prananam granthih asi
ma visrasah acyuta
tubhyam idam paridadami sri......dasam (child's name)
you are the knot of the lif airs.
Do not become loosened.
Acyuta, to you I give this child named.......
Touching avoe the navel the acarya should say:
om narayana, tubhyam idam paridadami sri......dasam.
Oh narayana, to you I give this child named.........
Touching the child\s heart he should ssay:
om janardana tubhyam idam paridadami
sri............dasam
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Oh janardana, to you I give this child
Touching the child's right shoulder with his right hand he should say:
om visnave prajapataye tva paridadami sri......dasam
to visnu, prajapati I give you,...........
Touching the child's left shoulder with his left hand he should sasy:
om visnave damodaraya tva paridadami sri.....dasam
To visnu, to damodara I give you..........
he should adress the child sasying:
om brahmacari asi sri......dasa
You are a brahmacari.......
The acarya should order toe brahmacarai:
om samidham adhehi
Put wood on the fire.
Child: om badham 9Iwill)
Acarya; om apah asana (drikn water for purification.)
Child: om badham
Acrya: om karma kuru 9do your work.)
Child: om badham
Acarya; om ma diva svapsih (Do not sleep in the daytime.)
Child: om badham
The acarya should go and sit on the north side of the fire facing east upon kusa with tips faing
north.
The child should face the acarya, and kneel with right knee touching the ground, upon kusa with
tips facing north.
Mekhala Paridhapana:
The acarya should wrap the child's waist three times with a belt of three strands of kusa, by walking
around himthree times in clockwise direction.
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He should make the child say:
om iyam dur uktat pari badhamaha
varnam pavitram punati me agat
pranapanabhyam balam avahanti
svasa devi subhaga mekhala iyam
this belt is the consort of the Lord, pure and auspcious. like a sister, freeing andprotecting one from
bad words and acts. it prserves the purity of ones varna, bringing strength for inhaling and exhaling
breath. I have obtained this belt.
om rtasya goptri tapasah parasvi
ghnati raksah sahamana aratih
sa ma samantam abhiparyehi bhadre
dhartarah te mekhale ma risama
The belt is the protector of truth, the greatest welath of austerity, which prevents injury, and causes
victory over enemies. Belt of fortune, please surround me completely. as your wearers may we not
bring harm to you, sacred belt.
Yajnopavita dana:
the acarya should take the thread saying:
om yajnopavitam asi yajnasya tva yajnopavitena upanahyami
You are the sacred thread for sacrifice. I tie you with this thread for the purpose of performing
sacrifices.
he should place the hread on the child's left shoulder and under the right arm saying:
om yajnopavitam parama pavitram
prajapateh yat sahajam purastat
ayusyam agram pratimunca subhram
yajnopavitam balam astu tejah
The sacred tread is most pure, born at the time of the apperance of the Lord long before. put on this
shiing white thread bestowing long life. Let there be strength and energy.
the acarya should place the deer skin in the child's hands and make him say:
om mitrasya caksuh varunam baliyah
tejo yasasvi sthaviram samidham
anahanasyam vasanam jarisnu pari
idam vaji ajinam dadhe aham
I am giving you this dear sikn, which is the light of the sun, the presiding Lord, strength, energy
and fame, eternal ane effulgent, chaste, giving valor, giving long life.
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The child should put on the deer skin.
Teaching the gyatri mantra:
The child, folding his hands, should stadn in front of the acarya and say:
om adhihi bhoh savrim me bhavan anubravitu
Teach me, sir. Please recite to me the gayatri mantra.
The acarya should make the child recite each phrase three times;
om tat savituh varenyam
om bhargo devasysa dhimahi
om dhiyo yo nah pracodayat
The acarya should make the child repeat the following two phrases three times each:
om tat savituh varenyam bhargo devasya dhimahi
om dhiyo yo nah pracodayat
The acarya should make the child recite the full mantra three times:
om tat savituh varenyam
bhargo devasya dhimahi
dhiyo yo nah prad-codayat
The acarya should make the child recite each of the mahavyahrtis as follows:
om bhuh om
om bhuvah om
om svah om
the acarya should make the child recite the gayatri mantra with the mahavyahrtis three times:
om bhuh bhuvah svah
tat savitur varenyam
bhargo devasy dhimahi
dhiyo yo nah pracodayat om
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Danda arpana (giving the stikc):
the acarya should then hand the child a stick of vilva or palasa wood and make him address the
stick, saying:
om susravah susravasam
ma kuru yatha tvam susravah
susrava devesu evam
aham susravah susrava
brahmanesu bhuyasam
You, being glorious with knowledge, make me glorious with the same knowledge. On glorious one,
as you are glorious among the evas, may I be glorious among the brahmanas.
Bhiksam (beggin):
Taking the danda the brahmacari should begin begging, first going to his mother and saying:
om bhavati bhiksam dehi
Oh good woman, please give alms
rreceiving alms he should say:
om svasti
In the same manner he should appraoch women friends of his mother and then thank them on
receving the alms.
He should then go to his father and say:
om bhavan bhkssam dehi
Oh sir, plese give alms
Receiving alms he should say:
om svasti
He should appraoch friends of his father in the same way.
he should gie all that he recieves to the acarya.
The acarya should perform vyasta samast mahavyahrti hom:
om bhuh svaha
om bhuvah svaha
om svah svaha
om bhur bhuvah svah svaha
He shoud offer ghee-soaked wood of pradesa length into the fire silently.
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He should conclue with udicya karma, vaisnava homa, etc. Daksina should be given to the acarya,
to the vaisnava assistants, and to other vaisnava brahmans and devotees. Everyone should b fed.
The brahmacari should remain atthe place of the homa silently until sunset. He should then perform
kusandika rites, drwing the lines and purifying then, establishing the fire, and calling the fire called
"samudbhava." He should fold his hands and say:
om iha eva ayam itaro jataveda
devbhyo havyam vahatu prajanan
May this fire, all knowing jataveda, carry the offering to the devatas.
Udakanjaliseka (pouring water around the fire):
Placing the right knee on the earth he should pour water from his cupped hands from west to east
on the south side of the fire, saying:
om ananta anumanyasva
Please allow this rite, ananta.
From south to north, on the west side:
om acyuta anumanyasva
From west to east, on the north side:
Om sarasvaty anumanyasva
Agni Paryuksana (Sprinkling water around the fire):
He should sprinkle water around the fire in clockwise directioin:
om prabho aniruddha,
prasuva yajnam pra suva
yajnapatim bhagaya
pata sarva bhuta sthah
ketapuh ketam nah punatu
vagisha vacam nah svadatu
Oh Aniruddha, bring forth the sacrifice, bring forth the lord of the sacrifice for good fortune.
Situated everywhere, purifier of desires, purify our desires.May the Lord of words relish our
prayers.
He should offer ghee-soaked wood of pradesa length into the fire silently.
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He should perform vyasta samasta maha vyahrti homa:
om bhuh svaha
om bhuvah svaha
om svah svaha
om bhur bhuvah svah svaha
Taking three stikcs of ghee-saoked wood of pradesa length, he should offer the first without
mantra.
The second he should offer saying:
om visno agnaye samidham aharsam
vrhate jatavedase
yatha agnih samidha samidhyati
evam aham ayusa medhaya varcasa
prajaya pasubhih brahmavacasena
dhanena annadyena samedhisiya svaha
I have brough the wood ot the great fire, the knower of all living entities. Just as the fire shines
brightly m-by means of the fuel, may I shine with long life, wisdom, vitality, good offsrping, many
cows. knowledge of the vedas, nedessary wealth and sustenance.
he shoudl offer the thrid stick silently.
He should perform agniparyuksana, sprinkling water clockwise around the fire:
om prabho aniruddha,
prasuva yajnam pra suva
yajnapatim bhagaya
pata sarva bhuta sthah
ketapuh ketam nah punatu
vagisha vacam nah svadatu
udakanjali seka:
He shoul sprinkle ater on the south side from west to east saying:
om ananta anvamamsthah
He should sprinkle water on the west side from south to north saying:
om acyuta anvamamsthah
He should sprinkle water on the north side from west to east saying:
om sarasvaty anvamamsthah
Identifying himself by gotra hie should saslute the fire, saying:
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om......gotrah sri.......(his own name) aham bho'bhivadaye
I.......... of.....gotra salute you, oh fire.
He shoud dismiss the fire saying:
om ksamsva
Please forgive my offenses.
As long as he lives as a brahmacari, the boy should perform this homa every morning and evening.
The meal:
after the sun has set, the childshould eat the grains that he has begged with ghee but without salt.
Before eting he should sprinkle the grains with water, then sip water saying:
om amrtopastaranam asi svaha
You are the sitting place of nectar.
He should take small paicles of food in his ring, middle finger and thumb of his right hand and
saying the following five mantras offer the grains five times to the life airs by swallowing them
without chewing. Each time some grains should remain in his hand, which he should discard on the
earth. The left hand should be touching the plate.
om pranay svaha
om apanaya svaha
om samanaya svaha
om udanaya svaha
om vyanaya svaha
After finishing his meal he should again sip water saying:
om amrtapidhanam asi svaha
You are the water to cover the nectar.
For the rest of his life he should take his meals in this manner.
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SAMAVARTANA (leaving the gurukula):
This ceremony is performed when the student finishes his vedic studies. Traditionally this was after
twelve years of study at least, with the mastery of one veda. Because the graduate student is
sprinkled with water in this ceremony he is called "snataka".
The father or acarya should perform visnu puja, then vrddhi sraddha (see marriage preliminaries).
He should perform kusandika rites, calling in the fire named "tejah", and finish with virupaksa japa.
The brahmacari should sit on his right hand side.
He should throw ghee-soaked wood of pradesa length into the fire without mantra.
He should perform vyasta samasta mahavyahrti homa:
om bhuh svaha
om bhuvah svaha
om svah svaha
om bhur bhuvah svah svaha
Ajya Homa (oblations of ghee):
The acarya should offer ghee into the fire five times saying each of the followng mantras:
om ananta vratapate vratam acarisam
tat te prabravimi
tat asakam tena aratsam
idam aham anrtat satyam upagam svaha
om vasudeva vratapate vratam acarisam
tat te prabravimi
tat asakam tena aratsam
idam aham anrtat satyam upagam svaha
om caturbhuja vratapate vratam acarisam
tat te prabravimi
tat asakam tena aratsam
idam aham anrtat satyam upagam svaha
om sarvesvara vratapate vratam acarisam
tat te prabravimi
tat asakam tena aratsam
idam aham anrtat satyam upagam svaha
om acyuta vratapate vratam acarisam
tat te prabravimi
tat asakam tena aratsam
idam aham anrtat satyam upagam svaha
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(Oh Visnu, lord of vratas, I have undertaken this vrata. I announce to you that I have accomplished
the vow and have satisfied you. Overcoming illusion I have arrived at truth.)
Discarding evil elements:
The acarya should sit facing north on kusa with tips facing north.
The child should sit in the northwest, facing east, on kusa with tips facing north.
The child should take a pot of hot and cold water mixed together which also contains rice, barley,
urad dhal,mung dhal, sasrvausadhi, herbs and candana.
The student should fill his hands with this mixture and pour it on the ground saying:
om apsu antah narayananantadayah pravistah
gohya upagohya mayukho manohah
khalo virajah tanudusih indraya ha
ati tan agnin srjami
In this water narayana, ananta and others have entered. I reject the inauspcious fires which cover,
which conceal, which contaminate, which cause pain, and bring destruction to the mind, body and
senses.
The student should take water again and pour on the ground saying:
om yad apam ghoram yad apam kruram yad apam asantam
ati tat srjami
I abandon what is terrible, cruel and violent in this water.
Sprinkling water:
Directed by the acarya, the student should sprinkle some of the water on himself saying:
varaha tva iha bhava
tenaham atmanam abhisncami
Be present here, varaha. I sprinkle myself with this water.
Directed by the acarya, the student should fill his hands with water and sprinkle himself again
saying:
om yasase tejase brahma varcasaya balaya
indriyaya viryaya annadyaya rayas
posaya tvistyai apacittai
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This is for fame, for energy, for knowledge, for strength, for the senses, for courage, for
sustenance, for wealth and prosperity, for brilliance and respect.
He should sprinkle himself with water again saying:
om yena krsna yasoganam
yena sayya yena asanam
yena upanat yena chatram
vyajanam sutram asanam
yat yat seva yasah te sarvam
tena mam abhisinca tvam
Bathe me with those things which attain fame by serving you-- songs of praise, your bed, seat,
shoes, umbrella, fan, sacred thread and cloth.
The student should sprinkle himself with water once more without mantra.
Worship of visnu:
While standing, facing east, looking at the deity of visnu, he should praise the deity saying:
narayanah virajan bhrajabhrsnuh indro marudbhih asthat
pratah yavabhih parsadaih
dasasanih asi dasasanin
ma kuru a tva visamy a ma visa
Narayana, shining with all pervading light, the king of all forces of nature, stands with the months,
his followers, in the morning. You are the bestower of ten gifts. Make me the giver of ten gifts. I go
towards you. Please come towards me.
narayanah virajan bhrajabhrsnuh indro marudbhih asthat
diva yavabhih avaranaih
satasanih asi satasanin
ma kuru a tva visamy a ma visa
Narayana, shining with all pervading light, the king of all forces of nature, stands with the months,
his followers, in the daytime. You are the bestower of a hundred gifts. Make me the giver of a
hundred gifts. I go towards you. Please come towards me.
om narayano virajan brajabhrsnuh indro marudbhih asthat
sayam yavabhih sakhibhih
sahasrasanih asi sahasra sanin
ma kuru a tva visamy a ma visa
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Narayana, the supreme lord, shinging with all pervading light, stands with the forces of nature with
the months,his associates in the evening. You are the bestower of a thousand gifts. Make such a
bestower of me. I am attempting to approach you. Please come towards me.
om eko devah sarvabhutesu gudhah
sarvavyapi sarva bhutantaratma
karmadhyaksah sarvabhutadhivasah
saksi ceta kevalo nirgunas ca
You are the supreme Lord, in the heart of all living entities. You are the all pervading guide of all
souls, the controller of all activities, the lord of all living entities. You ar the witness, the destroyer,
the complete whole, transcendental to material nature.
om nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam
eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman
tam pithagam ye anubhajanti dhirah
tesam sukham sasvatam netaresam
om namo namas tubhyam narayanaya
Only the wise men who surrender unto the eternal of all eternals, the consciousness of all
consciousnesses, the Lord who fulfills the desires of a ll living entities, who is situated in his own
abode, attain eternal bliss. I pay obiesnaces again and again to narayana.
Discarding the brahmacari symbols:
The student should take off his belt by lowering it to his feet, while saying:
om ud uttamam varuna pasam
asmat ava adhamam
vi madhyamam srathaya
athah visno vrate vaya
tava anagasah sriyai syama
Slip the noose of varune, the impediments in life, from the upper part of my body, from the lower
part ofmy body and from the middle. Then let us, free from sin, be fixed in performing service to
you, for the welfare of all.
The acarya should throw the student's danda into the fire.
The acarya should perform vyasta samasta mahavyahrti homa:
om bhuh svaha
om bhuvah svaha
om svah svaha
om bhur bhuvahsvah svaha
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The acarya should throw ghee-soaked wood of pradesa length into the fire silently.
The acarya should perform udicya karma, vaisnava homa etc.
The brahmacari should feed the assembled vaisnavas, the he should take a meal himself.
Shaving his head and face, cutting his nails, he should then bathe, put on two pieces of new cloth
and ornaments.
He should put on two yajnopavitas, saying:
om yajnopavitam asi yajnasya tva yajnopavitena upanahyami
You are the thread for yajna. I bind you with this thread for performing yajna.
He should put on a garland saying;
om srih asi mayi bhagavati ramasva
You are prosperity. Establish that in me.
He should put on shoes, saying:
om netrau stho nayata mam
You are my eyes. Please lead me to the Suprmee Lord.
He should receive a banboo danda of his own height saying:
narayanasyas tvam vihito gandharvo'si upama ava
You are made by narayana. You are the revealer of truth. Please be favorable to me.
He should place his deer skin and old yajnopavita on the danda.
He should go and look at the acarya, saying:
om yaksam iva caksusah priyo vo bhuyasam
Let me graced by you, by your glance upon me.
He should sit beside the acarya and cover his mouth with the fingers of his right hand, so that the
breath touches his hand. He should say:
om osthapidhana nakuli danta parimitah parih
jihve ma vihvalo vacam carum adyeha vadaya
Oh tongue, covered by vickle lips and surrounded by theeth, do not stray. speak sweet words for me
here today.
Kthe acarya should worship the graduate by washing his feet etc.
109
The graduate should appraoch a cart yoked with two cows. He should touch the two poles which fix
the yoke to the cart and mount the car, saying the three lines of the verse:
om vanspate vidvango hi bhuyah
asmatsakha prataranah suviah
gobhih sannadho'si vidayasva
Oh lord of the forest, be steady. Oh friend to us, yoked to the cows, full of strength, you lead us to
the Lord. Impart strength to us.
He should sit on the cart saying the last line of the verse:
om asthata te jayatu jetvani
May he who has mounted you (the cart) conquer the enemies.
Driving the cart to the east or north he should go some distance, then turn to the right and return
towards the acarya.
The acarya should worship him again with footwash etc.
If the father has performed the rite, he should offer daksina to a vaisnva brahmana priest. If an
acarya has performed the rite the father should offer the acarya and vaisnava brahmanas daksina.
Everyone should be fed. To allay any offenses, the participants should perform krsna nama japa
and pay obeisances to Krsna, guru and vaisnavas.
110
VIVAHA (marriage):
Purpose of marriage:
The purpose of accepting a wife in religious marriage as sanctioned in the Vedas is to have
a putra, a son qualified to deliver his father from the darkest region of hellish life.
Marriage is not intended for sense gratification but for getting a son fully qualified to
deliver his father.
SB 4.21.46, purport
The Age for Marriage:
Some writers favor early marriage of boy and girl. The ideal age of the girl for marriage is
mentioned as below eight years. Certainly she should be married before puberty. In the case of
child marriages, a ceremony was held at the early age, and another ceremony was held when the
girl reached puberty.
Other earlier writers indicate a later age for marriage of the girl. Manu permits the girl to marry
even three years after puberty. The man should be older than the woman.
Marriage Date:
The ceremony should take place when the sun is in the norhern course, in the waxing phase of the
moon, on an auspicious day.
Place:
Most of the marriage ceremony takes place at the house of the bride's father. Only the dhrti homa
and the caturthi homa are performed in the husband's house.
Ceremony:
The first claass process is to call the bridegroom to the home of the bride and hand her to
him in charity with a dowry of necessary ornaments, gold, furniture, and other household
paraphernalia.
SB 3.22.16
The bride and groom should sit before the deity of Lord Krsna or Jagannatha and you
should ignite the fire to offer clarified butter. Simply chant Hare Krsna, all of you and
offer the butter to the fire with the word svaha. The bride and groom should exchange
their garlands, and the groom should promise never to forsake his wife. The wife should
promise to serve her husband for all her days letter of Srila Prabhupada to
Brahmananda, Aug.22 1967
111
Vivaha Outline:
1. vag danam: oral betrothal, a month before the wedding
2. mrda harana; sewing seeds, nineth, seventh, fifth or thrid day before wedding
3. haridra lepana: smearing the bodies with tumeric, sereral days before wedding
4. vrddhi sraddha: the father of the bride with his wife, before noon, wearing clean cloth, perform
sankalpa, svasti vacana, and vrddhi sraddha rites (worship of mahabhagavataas, visnu's saktis, cedi
raja puja and guru parampara).
5. jnati karma: relatives' activities, bathing and decorating bride and groom, on morning of wedding
6. madhuparka: father of bride receives groom, offering asana, padyam, arghya, acamaniyam,
madhuparka
7. sampradanam: binding the hands of the couple, the father gives the bride, the groom accepts,
recites kama stuti, the father gives dowry,
the groom receives it. The father will tie the cloth of groom and bride together and release their tied
hands
8. go moksana: releasing a cow
9. acchidra vacana: absolving faults
10. visnu smarana, kirtana, pranama
11. kusandika: groom should perform preparatory rites of homa, calling fire called yojaka
12. vastra paridhapana: groom presents new cloth to the bride
13. sindhura dana: groom marks bride's head with sindhura
14. amantrika homa: with bride sitting on groom's right hand side, groom begins offering wood into
the fire without mantra
15. mahavyahrti homa: homa of ghee with vyahrti mantras
16. ajya homa: groom offers six oblations into fire, for bride's protection while bride touches his
right shoulder
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17. vyasta samasta mahavyahrti homa: offering ghee with vyahrti mantras
18. asma kramana: the mother of the bride should place the bride's right foot on the grinding stone
19. laja homa: the bride will offer laja with ghee into the fire, for protection of the husband
20. agni pradaksina: the couple should circumambulate the fire
21. asmakaramana, laja homa and pradaksina should be repeated two more times, then he will offer
the remaining laja with ghee into the fire
22. sapta pada gamanam: the groom should lead the bride with right foot first through seven circles
drawn on the floor, to direct her to seven vows and virtues
23. abhisecana: a friend will sprinkle the couple with water from a kumbha
24. pani grahanam: the groom will take the bride's two hands in his hands and gives instructions on
her duties
25. vyasta samasta maha vyahrti hom; the groom will offer ghee into the fire with vyahrti mantras.
26. udicya karma, vaisnava homa, purna huti, santi dana
27. uttara vivaha: the groom will estbalish fire called yojaka,
perform vyasta samasta mahavyahrti homa, and offer six oblations to nullify faults in bride, and
offers remnants of each oblation on her head
28. druva darsana: the groom should point out the pole star and the bride should ask for steadiness
and chastity in married life, and give salutation to her husband; a woman with children should then
sprinkle kumbha water on their heads
29. vyasta samasta mahavyahrti homa, udicya karma, vaisnava homa, purnahuti, santidana
30. bhojana: the groom will eat mahaprasadam and give remnants to wife the couple should eat
mahaprasadam and observe brahmacarya.
31. dhrti homa: the morning after the third night the groom should take the bride to his house,
perform kusandika, calling the fire called dhrti, offer vyasta samasta maha vyahrti homa, then eight
oblations of ghee for a strong, pleasant marriage
close with vyasta samasta maha vyahrti homa and silent offering of wood; salutation of the bride to
the groom's family, udicyakarma, vaisnava homa, purnahuti santi dana, dana.
113
32. cathurthi homa: on the fourth day from the marriage the groom should perform kusandika,
calling fire named sikhi, etc. and offer twenty oblations of ghee to visnu for absolving of faults in
the bride, placing remnants from each ahuti in a water pot. A married womean should sprinkle the
water over the couples head, and the groom will end the homa as usual, with vyasta samasta maha
vyahrti homa, amantrika homa, udicya karma etc..
114
VAG DANAM
The parents, who are responsible for raising proper children, perform one of their last duties in their
children's upbringing by arranging the son's or daughter's marriage. This is the final fruit of the
marriage of father and mother. Therefore the parents should give serious consideration to choice of
partner for their son or daughter, noting the characterisitics, physical and mental of each, and
judging suitability. The goal of the future marriage is to raise the best God conscious children, and
suitability will be judged on that basis. By the oral betrothal the parents of each child recognizes the
goal of the marriage and their responsibility for correct choice of partner.
The selection of a good husband for a good girl was always entrusted to the parents. This is
the duty of parents. Girls are never thrown into the public street to search out their
husband, for when girls are grown up and are searching after a boy, they forget to
consider whether the boy they select is actually suitable for them.
SB 3.21.27, purport
The combination of male and female is worthwhile if the qualities of both are on the same
level.
SB 9.14.21 purport
If the taste and character differ betwen the man and woman, their combination will be
unhappy. A girl of godly quality should be handed over to a boy of godly quality. A girl
of demoniac quality should be handed over to a boy of demoniac quality. Then they will
be happy.
SB3.24.15, purport
Not more than twenty five years ago and perhaps it is still current, parents in India used to
consult the horoscope of the boy and girl to see whether there would be factual union in
their psycholocial conditions. These considerations are very important. Nowadays
marriage takes place without such consultation, and therefore soon after the marriage,
there is divorce and separation.
SB 3.21.15, purport
Procedure:
115
At an auspicious time, at least one month before the marriage ceremony, the father of the groom
accompanied by two, four or eight friends, dressed nicely, should visit the house of the bride's
father and make the request.
Please bestow your daughter to my son.
The bride's father, consulting with his wife, should then answer:
On this auspicious moment I give this girl, born in...gotra, daughter of......, named.....
This girl has been orally given by me and accepted by you for producing children. Inspect the girl
to your satisfaction, having made up your mind.
The father of the groom should answer:
The girl has been orally given by you for progeny and accpeted by me for the same purpose.
Having made up your mind, look upon the groom to your satisfaction,
The father of the groom should then present rice, cloth, flowers, gifts, to the the bride and offer
worship. Brahmanas should give blessings, reciting mantras.
MRD HARANA(gathering soil and planting seeds):
For decoration at the auspicious ceremony, sprouts should be displayed. On the ninth, seventh, fifth
or third day before the marriage, at an auspcious moment, with festivity and music, one should go
to the northern or eastern direction of ones house to fetch the earth for growing the sprouts, using a
clay pot or bamboo basket. Grain and dhal seeds should be sown in that earth.
HARIDRA LEPANA (smearing tumeric on the body):
Friends of the family can smear the body of the bride and groom at their houses with a mixture of
tumeric powder and oil a day or two before the wedding. This is for aupIsciousness and health.
VISNU PUJA AND SATTVIKA VRDDHI SRADDHA
The day before the marriage, the canopy should be erected and visnu should be worshipped there.
The yajna kunda (fire pit) should be constructed and the place may be decorated.
The father of the bride, having finished his morning duties, should come to the spot with his wife
attired in clean cloth.
116
He should perform acamana:
Simple:
om visnu sip water
om visnu sip water
om visnu sip water
He should wash hands.
the should touch mouth, right and left nostrils, eyes, ears, the navel, heart, top of the head and arms
with the fingers of the right hand.
om tad visnu paramam padam
sada pasyanti surayah
diviva caksur atatam
This may be repeated.
OR
Vaisnava acamana:
kesavaya namah sip water from brahma tirtha of right hand
narayanaya namah sip water from brahma tirtha of right hand
madhavaya namah sip water from brahma tirtha of right hand
govindaya namah sprinkle water on right hand
visnave namah sprinkle water on left hand
madhusudanaya namah wipe right hand
trivikramaya namah wipe left hand
vamanaya namah wipe above upper lip with base of thumb
sridharaya namah wipe below lower lip with base of thumb
hrsikesaya namah sprinkle water on both hands
padmanabhaya namah sprinkle water on feet
damodaraya namah sprinkle water on head
vasudevaya namah touch upper and lower lips with tips of fingers
sankarsanaya namah touch right nostril with thumb and forefinger
pradumnaya namah touch left nostril with thumb and forefinger
aniruddhaya namah touch right eye with thumb and ring finger
purusottamaya namah touch left eye with thumb and forefinger
adhoksajaya namah touch right ear with thumb and forefinger
nrsimhaya namah touch left ear with thumb and forefinger
acyutaya namah touch navel with thumb and little finger
117
janardanaya namah touch heart with palm of hand
118
upendraya namah touch head with all fingers
haraye namah touch right arm with tips of fingers
krsnaya namah touch left arm with tips of fingers
Svasti Vacanam:
One brahmana should say:
asya karmanah punyaham bhavanto bruvantu (three times)
Three brahmanas should throw rice from their right hands saying:
om punyaham om punyaham om punyaham
udgateva sakune sama gayasi brahma putra iva savanesu samsasi
vrseva vaji sisumatirapitya sarvato nah sakune bhadrama vada
visvato nah sakune punyama vada
The brahmana should say:
asya karmanah svasti bhavanto bruvantu ayusmate svasti (three times)
Three brahmanas should throw rice from their hands saying:
om svasti om svasti om svasti
svasti na indro vrddhasravah svasti nah pusa visvavedah
svasti nas tarksyo aristanemih svasti no brhaspatir dadhatu
The brahmana should say:
asya karmano rddhim bhavanto bruvantu (three times)
The three brahmanas should throw rice saying:
om rdhyatam om rdhyatam om rdhyatam
rdhyama stomam sanuyama vaja ma no mantram sarathehopa yatam
yaso na pakkam madhu gosvanta ra bhutamso asvinoh kamamaprah
svasti no govindah
svasti no'cyutanantau
svasti no vasudevo visnur dadhatu
svasti no narayano naro vai
svasti nah padmanabhah purusottamo dadhatu
svasti no visvakseno visvesvarah
svasti no hrsikeso harir dadhatu
svasti no vainateyo harih
svasti no'njanasuto hanur bhagavato dadhatu
svasti svasti sumangalaikeso mahan sri krsnah saccidananda ghanah
119
sarvesvaresvaro dadhatu
120
Sankalpa:
Sankalpa should be performed using a copper vessel. Silver, stone, clay, conch or bell metal should
not be used, nor should sankalpa be performed using only the hands. One should fill the pot with
water, and add sesame, three blades of kusa (with root and tip intact), flowers, and haritaki or
banana.
Facing north the father of the bride should say:
visnur om tat sat
-------mase (month)
-------pakse (fornight)
-------tithau (tithi)
acyuta gotrah
-------dasa (ones name)
sri krsna prityarthah
vriddhi sraddha karmaham karisye
The father of the bride should then throw some of the water in the northeast direction, turn the
vessel upside down and place gandha and puspa on it.
He may recite sankalpa sukta (yajur veda):
yaj jagrato duram udaiti daivam tad u suptasya tathaivaiti
durangamam jyotisam jyotirekam tan me manah siva sankalpam astu
He should establish a ghata (water pot) and perform WORSHIP OF guru, Visnu, mahabhagavatas,
and the consorts of the Lord, and then offer Visnu mahaprasadam to the guru parampara acaryas
(sattivka vrddhi sraddha) in place of worship of ancestors (see the section on common elements for
details). He should then perform adhivasa.
121
Jnati Karma (rites performed by relatives):
On the morning of the wedding the bride and groom should be ceremoniously bathed by relatives
and friends with scented water at their homes.
The body of the bride should be rubbed with powdered mung, urad, masur and barley for
purification.
The name of the groom should be written on a leaf and thrown in a pot of water. This water should
be poured over the bride with the mantra:
om visnu deva sri visnu namasi
samanaya amum.......(name of groom)
prahva te abhavat
param atra janmagneh
tapaso nirmito'sti svaha
Oh Lord, you are known as Visnu, the all-pervading. Bring......together with the bride. She has
been obedient to you and within her bpdy is the supreme fire of creation, made powerful by her
austerities.
One should then pour a litle water on her head, and the rest below the navel:
om imam adhodesam nabheh madhuna praksalayami
prajapateh mukham etat dvitiyam
tena pumso'bhibhavasi sarvan
avasan vasini asi rajni svaha
I wash her below the navel with honey. That is the second face of prajapati. By that you conquer all
uncontrollable men. Your are the ruler, the controller.
One should then pour a little water on her head, and the rest over the other parts of her body:
om tad visnoh parama padam
sada pasyanti surayah
diviva caksur atatam svaha
The devotees continually see the supreme abode of visnu, which, like the sun in the sky, spreads its
brilliance through the whole universe.
The groom should be bathed, dressed in white cloth, perfumed, decorated and garlanded. He should
pray to the deities and feed the brahmanas. The brahmanas should recite sacred verses. The groom
should relax with his friends for a while and then proceed to the house of the bride's father on
vehicle suitable to his status, accompanied by his friends and relatives. He should stand at the gate
facing east, and the women of the house should welcome him with pots full of water and lamps.
122
Madhuparka (receiving the groom):
When the auspicous hour arrives, the ceremony should start with the reception of the groom. A cow
should be tied in the north side of the room.
The father of the bride should sit facing north and perform acamana.
When the groom enters the room, the father should recite visnu smaranam and svasti vacanama:
om krsno vai saccidananda ghanah
krsnah adi purusah krsnah purusottamah
krsnah ha u karmadi mulam
krsnah sa ha sarvaikaryah
krsnah kasam krt adisa mukha prabhu pujyah
krsno'nadis tasmin ajandantar bahye
yan mangalam tal labhate krti
om svasti no govindah svasti nah acyutanantau
svasti no vasudevo visnur dadhatu
svasti no narayano naro vai
svasti nah padmanabhah purusottamo dadhatu
svasti no visvakseno visvesvarah
svasti no hrsikeso harir dadhatu
svasti no vainateyo harih
svasti no'njanasuto hanur bhagavato dadhatu
svasti svasti sumangalikeso
mahan sri krsna saccid ananda ghanah
sarvesvaresvaro dadhatu
Father: om sadhu bhavam astam (Welcome, be comfortable.)
Groom: om sadhu aham ase (I have been well received.)
Father: om arcayisyamo bhavantam (I shall now worship you.)
Groom: om arcaya (Please perform the worship.)
The father should worship him by offering candana, garland,rings, upavita and upper and lower
cloth, saying:.
etani gandha puspa vasamsi om varaya namah
The groom should accept the items saying:
om svasti
123
The father should fold his hands and say:
om visnuh
om tat sat
adya
....masi (month)
....rasi sthe bhskare (zodiac sign)
....pakse (fortnight)
....tithau (tithi)
kanyadan artham ebhih gandhadibhih abhyarcya,
bhavantam aham varatvena vrne
Today, at this time,........having honored you with gandha etc I select you as the suitable husband to
whom I shall give my daughter.
Groom: om vrto'smi ( I accept.)
(The bride, covered up, should be escorted around the standing groom seven times by the women
friends. The bride should then be uncovered, and the bride and groom should see each other, and
exchange garlands.)
Father:
om arhana putravasa sa dhenur abhavat yame
sa nah payasvati duham uttaram uttaram samam
The worshipable cow gives abundant milk.
May he milk her year after year.
The groom should sit on an asana facing east saying:
om idam aham imam padyam virajam annadyayadhi tisthami
I preside over this far reaching step for sustenance.
(offering a seat:)
The father should take twenty five leaves of kusa wound two and a half times in counter clockwise
direction in the palms of this hands with tips pointing north and say:
om vistaro vistaro vistarah prati grhyatam
Please receive this kusa grass.
Groom:
om vistaram prtigrhnami
om ya osadhih soma rajnih vahvih sata vicaksanah
ta mahyam asmin asane acchidrah sarva yacchata
124
I receive it.
The great herb, the queen of soma, being plentiful, faultless, and a hundred times wise, bestow
glessings on me as I sit upon you for an asana.
He should place the tips pointing north and sit on it.
The father should offer kusa again:
vistaro vistaro vistarah pratighryatam
Groom: om vistaram prati grhnami
om ya osadhih soma rajnih visthitah prthivim anu
ta mahyam asmin padayoh acchidrah sarma yacchata
Great herb, queen of soma, growing wherever there is earth, faultless, please bestow blessings on
me at my two feet.
He should place the kusa beneath his feet with tips facing north.
(footwash, padyam:)
The father should offer water for his feet:
om padyah padyah padyah patigrhyantam
Groom: om padyah prati grhnami
om yato devih prati pasyami apah tato ma rddhir agacchatu
May prosperity come to me oh water, from looking at you.
The groom should receive the water from the father,place it on the earth, gaze at it, then pour water
on the left foot, then right foot, then both feet.
om savyam padam avane nije asmin rastre sriyam dadhe
I wash the left foot and bestow wealth in this domain.
om daksinam adam avane nije asmin rastre sriyam avesayami
I wash the right foot and take possession of wealth in this domain.
om purvam anyam param anyam
ubhaya padau avane nije
rastrasardhya abhayasyavaruddhyai
I wash one foot then the other. By prosperity of this domain may I attain fearlessness.
125
(arghyam:)
The father should take durba, white rice, etc in a conch and offer arghya, saying:
om arghyam arghyam arghyam prati grhyatam
Groom: om arghya prati grhnami
om annasya rastrir asi
rastris te bhuyasam
You are the ruler of food. May I become your master.
(acamaniyam:)
The father should offer acamaniyam:
om acamaniyam acamaniyam acamaniyam prati grhyatam
Groom: om acamaniyam prtigrhnami
om yaso'si yaso mayi dhehi
You are fame. Give fame to me.
He should sip the water facing north.
(madhuparka:)
The father should take a pot of madhuparka and offer:
om madhuparko madhuparko madhuparkah pratigrhyatam
The groom should take the madhuparka,and place the container on the earth saying:
om madhuparkam pratigrhnami
om yasaso yaso'si
You are fame incarnate.
He should drink three times saying:
om yasaso bhakso'si
mahaso bhakso'si
srir bhakso'si
sriyam mayi dhehi
You are the food of fame, the food of greatness.
You are the food of virtues. Give me all virtues.
He should drink once silently.
126
Sampradanam (giving the bride):
Usually the father gives the bride but the grand father, brother, mother, friend, someone of the same
caste, or the head of the locality may substitute.
The groom should face east; the father of the bride should face north or west.
The groom and bride should smear kumkum, gorocana and candana on their right hands.
The groom should take the bride's right hand and place it on top of his right hand, and a married
woman with a son should bind the two hands with kusa and garlands, while auspicious sounds are
made by the women.
The father of the bride should take a pot of water mixed with gandha, flowers, tulasi and fruit and
say:
om tad visnu paramam padam
sada pasyanti surayah
diviva caksur ataatam
The father should give the bride, saying:
om visnu om tat sat
adya brahmano dvitiya parardhe,
sveta varaha kalpe, vaivsvatakhya manvantare,
astavimsati kali yugasya prathama sandhyayam
brahma vimsatau vartamanayam
.....samvatsare (year)
.....ayane (course of the sun)
.....rtau (season)
.....masi (month)
.....pakse (fortnight)
.....rasi sthite bhaskare (sun sign)
.....tithau (lunar day)
.....varanvitayam (day of the week)
.....naksatra samyutayam (constellation)
jambudvipe bharata khande
medhibhutasya sumeroh daksine
lavanarnavasyottare kone
gangayah pascime bhage
sri salagrama sila go brahmana vaisnava vahni sannidhau
.....sarmanah prapautraya (to the great grandson of....)
.....sarmanah pautraya (to the grandson of....)
.....sarmanah putraya (to the son of....)
sri.....sarmane visista varaya (to the groom named...)
.....sarmanah prapautrim (the great grand daughter of....)
.....sarmanah pautrim (the great granddaughter of....)
127
.....sarmanah putrim (the daughter of......)
srimatim....abhidhanam etam kanyam (the bride named....)
sa vastram yatha sakty alankrtam
aroginim apravasinim yatha kalopasthapinim
om prajapati visnu devatakam
sri sri radha krsna smarana purvakam
.....sarma dvara (through the agency of.......(father))
svayam sri sri radha krsnau dattam
May radha and krsna personally give this bride named....(identified by father's ancestors), equipped
with cloth and ornaments, healthy, of age and fixed residence, to the groom named......(identified
by his father's ancestors) at the time........, at the place......with salagrama, the cow, the brahmana,
vaisnava and fire as witness.
The father should pour the water over their bound hands.
The groom should say:
om svasti
om narayanaya vidmahe
vasudevaya dhimahi
tanno visnuh pracodayat
hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare
hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare
om kanyeyam om prajapati visnu devataka
This bride belongs to prajapati visnu.
Touching the bride's heart he should say:
om ka idam kasma adat
kamah kamaya adat
kama data kamah pratigrahita
kamah samudram avisat
kamena tva pratigrhnami
kama etat te
Who has given this heart and to whom?
Love has given unto love.
Love is the giver, love is the receiver.
Love has entered the ocean of love.
I reeive you through love.
Oh love, this heart is yours.
The father should say:
om visnuh om tat sat
128
adya srimate.....sarmane varaya (name of groom)
krtaitat kanya sampradana supratisthartham
daksinam suvarna mulyopakalpitam
sri sri radha krsna smarana purvakam
sri.... dvara (name of father)
sri sri radha krsnau dattam
May Radha and Krsna, on this day of.... to firmly establish this act of bestowal, present a suitable
dowry of valuable items in rmembrance of Radha and Krsna, to.....(groom) through the agency
of....(father).
The groom should say:
om svasti
om ka idam kasma adat
kamah kamaya adat
kama data kamah pratigrahita
kamah samudram avisat
kamena tva pratigrhnami
kama etat te
om narayanaya vidmahe
vasudevaya dhimahi
tannno vishuh pracodayat
hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare
hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare
The father or a married woman with sons will then tie the upper cloth of the groom and the veil of
the bride with a cloth containing haritaki, betel, gandha, flowers, tulasi, kumkum, and haldi.
sri lakmsi pitambarayoh revati balaramayoh
tatha sita ramayos ca sri durga sivayor yatha
devahuti kardamayoh saci maghavator yatha
satarupa svayambhuvayoh renuka jamadagnyoh
yatha'halya gautamayor devaki vasudevayoh
mandodari ravanayor yasoda nandayor yatha
sri draupadi pandavayoh sri taravali bhubhujoh
damayanti nalakayoh sri radha krsnayor yatha
anayoh kanya varayos tatha syad granthi bandhanam
The father may undo the kusa knot on their hands and seat the bride to the right hand side of the
groom.
They may be covered from view with a cloth and should look each other in the face.
129
Releasing the Cow:
A cow should be presented to the groom.
Barber: gauh gauh
Here is a a cow.
Groom:
om munca gam varuna pasad
dvisantam me abhidhehitam
jahi.....(name of father) sarmanah cobhayohustrja gam attu trnani pibatudakam
Free the cow from the ropes of varuna,
Call the name of he who opposes.
Dismiss him on behalf of.....(father)
Let the cow free, let her eat grass and drink water.
When the cow is released the groom will say:
om mata rudranam duhita vasunam
svasa adityanam amrtasya nabhih
pra nu vocam cikituse janaya
ma gam anagam aditim vadhista
The cow is the mother of the rudras, the daughter of the vasus.
She is the sister of the adityas, the source of nectar.
To him who understands I say,
"Do not kill the sinless cow, aditi.
Acchidra Vacana:
(words to absolve oneself of faults)
om asmin kanya sampradana karmani
anga hinam kriya hinam vidhi hinam ca yad
bhavet tat sarvam acchidram krsna karsna prasadatah
Whatever breach of rules, lack of ingredients or ceremony there has been in this bestowal of the
bride, let that be overlooked, by the mercy of Krsna and his associates.
om tat sat
om adya krte'smin kanya sampradana karmani
yat kincit vaigunyam jatam
tad dosa prasamanaya
sri visnu smaranam aham karomi
To alleviate any fault which may have been committed in the ceremony of bestowing the bride, I
now perform visnu smaranam.
130
om tad visnoh paramam padam
sada pasyanti surayah
diviva caksur atatam
hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare
hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare
The father should pay pranamas to guru, vaisnavas and the deities.
131
Vastra Paridhapana (putting on new cloth):
After the groom has completed the kusandika rites, one of the freinds of the groom should take a
pot of water brought from a permanent body of water and being covered with a cloth, should
silently pass by the east side of the fire to the south side and stand facing north. Another friend
should follow him and stand behind him holding a rod for stirring food while it is cooking.
On the west side of the fire should be placed a winnowing basket filled with four handfuls of
popped rice (for prosperity) mixed with sami leaves (agni, for fertility).
Beside the basket should be placed a grinding stone with its pestle, and to the west of that a mat
made of birana or kusa leaves, covered with cloth.
The groom should present to the bride upper and lower clothes, which are new, washed, which she
should accept (and may put on.)
Presenting the lower cloth, the groom says:
om ya akrntan avayan ya atanvata
yas ca devyo antan abhitah atatantha
tah tva devyo jarasa samvyayanta
ayusmati idam paridhatsva vasah
May the devatas who cut, wove and stretched the cloth and sewed up the hems, clothe you with
long life. Woman, blessed with long life, put on the cloth.
Presenting the upper cloth, he will say:
om pari dhatta datta vasasa
enam satayusim krnuta dirgham ayuh
satam ca jiva saradah suvarcah
vasuni ca arye vibhrajasi jivan
Bestow to her cloth, give her long life, a hundred years. Noble woman, live a hundred autumns, and
while you live, bring spiritual wealth to your husband.
Sindhura Dana:
He should put sindhura on her forehead saying:
om sindhor iva pradhvane sughanaso
vata pramiyah patayanti yahvah
ghrtasya dhara aruso nah vaji
kastha bhindan urmibhih pinvamanah
The groom should lead the bride to the fire and say:
132
om somah adasat gandharvaya
gandharvah adadat agnaye
rayim ca putrams ca adat
agnih mahyam atha imam
Soma gave you to Gandharva, Gandharva gave you to Agni.
For the highest wealth and sons, Agni has given you to me.
The groom should lead the bride to the mat on the west side of the fire so that her right foot touches
the kusa border of the mat. He should make her say:
om pra me patiyanah panthah kalpatam
siva arista patilokam gameyam
Let the path my husband treads be prepared for me.
May I enter into his house in bliss and safety.
Ajya Homa:
The bride should sit on the mat facing the fire on the groom's right side. The groom should put
ghee soaked wood into the fire without mantra, then perform mahavyarti homa with ghee:
om bhuh svaha
om bhuvah svaha
om svah svaha
They should stand and touch the right shoulder of the groom with her right hand. The groom shoud
offer six oblations of ghee, saying:
om visnuh etu prathamo vai sarvebhyah
so'syai praja muncatu mrtyu pasat
tad ayam prabhuh acyutah anumanyatam
yatheyam stri pautram agham na rodat svaha
Let visnu,go first amongst all beings,
Let him release the bride's children from the ropes of death.
May Lord Acyuta agree to this,
so that this woman will never lament the death of a son.
om imam krsnah trayatam garhapatye
prajam asyai jaradastim krnotu
asunya kroda jivatam astu mata
pautram anandam abhivadhyatam iyam svaha
May krsna protect her in household life. May he give her children until old age.
May she live without absence of children at her breast. May she a mother, knowing the bliss of
raising children.
om harih te raksatu prstham
visnuh uru nara narayanau
133
stana dvayam te putran
sri krsnah abhiraksatu
avasasah paridhanat
anantah asya avatara
abhiraksantu pascat svaha
May hari protect your back and visnu, your thighs.
May nara narayana protect your two breasts,
and may krsna protect your sons until they wear cloth.
May ananta and all his avataras protect you from behind.
om ma te grhesu nisi ghosa utthat
anyatra tvat rudatyah samvisantu
ma tvam rudati ura a vadhistha
jivapatni pati loke viraja
pasyanti prajam su manasyamanam svaha
May lamentation not arise in your house at night.
Let weeping women enter other houses.
May you not be weeping, striking your breasts in sorrow.
May you be glorious, living as a partner in your husband's house
seeing children, maintaining nobility of body and mind.
om aprajasyam pautra martam
papamanam uta vai agham
sirsnah srajam ivonmucya
dvisadbhyah prati muncami pasam svaha
I free myself from the noose of great sins causing absence of offspring and death of sons.
Discarding this garland from the head, I fling it to the enemies of righteous life.
om paraitu mrtyuh amrtam me agad
vaivasvato no abhayam krnotu
param mrtyo anuparehi pantham
yatra no anya itaro devayanat
caksusmate srnvate te bravimi
ma nah praja ririsah ma uta viran svaha
May death go elsewhere and may immortality come to me.
May vaivasvata remove all cause of fear.
Go, death, upon some distant path, not on the path of saintly men.
Death, do not harm my valiant children.
I say this to you, who can see and hear.
Vyasta Samasta Mahavyhrti Homa:
The groom should offer four oblations of ghee:
om bhuh svaha
om bhuvah svaha
om svah svaha
134
om bhur bhuvah svah svaha
135
Laja Homa (oblations of popped rice):
and
Asma kramana (mounting the stone):
The bride and groom should stand.
The groom, passing behind the bride, should go to the south side (her right side) and face north.
He should hold both her hands in his right hand.
The mother of the bride, her brother or a brahmana should place the grinding stone and pestle in
front of the bride and place her right foot on the stone.
The groom should say:
om imam asmanam aroha
asmeva tvam sthira bhava
dvisantam apavadhasva
ma ca tvam dvisatam adhah
Mount this stone and like a stone
be steadfast in devotion at the feet of the Lord.
Annihilate those who would harm you.
May you never fall under their influence.
The groom should place two sruvas of ghee in the brides cupped hands and the mother of the bride
should place one fifth of the laja over the ghee.
The groom should pour two sruvas of ghee over the laja.
The bride, without separating her hand, should pour the laja into the fire.
The groom should say:
om iyam nari upabrute
agnau lajan avapanti
dirghayuh astu me patih
satam varsani jivatu
edhatam nau hari bhaktih svaha
This woman speaks,
while offering laja to the fire:
May my husband be long lived,
May he live a hundred years.
May our devotion to the Lord flourish.
The pair should circumambulate the fire, with the wife in front.
The groom should say:
om kanyala pitrbhyah patilokam
yatiyam apadiksam ayasta
kanye uta tvaya vayam dhara
136
udanya iva atigahemahi dvisa
The bride is going to the house the groom from her parent's house,
Having done her duties well before her betrothal.
Oh bride, help us to remove the enemies,
as a flood of water cleans the earth.
Returning to the stone again, the groom, facing north, should take the bride's hand in his right hand.
The mother should place the bride's right foot on the stone, and stand with the basket of laja.
The groom will say:
om imam asmanam aroha
asmeva tva sthira bhava
dvisantam apavadhasva
ma ca tvam dvisatam adhah
The bride should receive, ghee, laja and ghee in her hands and offer into the fire.
The groom will say:
om visnum nu devam
kanya harim ayaksata
sa imam devo visnuh
pra ito muncatu mam uta svaha
The girl has made sacrifice to visnu, to hari.
May visnu, the Supreme Lord, release her and me.
Again the groom with the bride will circumambulate the fire, saying:
om kanyala pitrbhyah patilokam
yatiyam apadiksam ayasta
kanye uta tvaya vayam dhara
udanya iva atigahemahi dvisa
The mother will again put the bride's right foot on the stone:
om imam asmanam aroha
asmeva tva sthira bhava
dvisantam apavadhasva
ma ca tvam dvisatam adhah
The bride will receive ghee, laja and ghee and offer into the fire.
The groom will say:
om visnum nu devam
kanya harim ayaksata
sa imam devo visnuh
137
pra ito muncatu mam uta svaha
They will again circumambulate:
om kanyala pitrbhyah patilokam
yatiyam apadiksam ayasta
kanye uta tvaya vayam dhara
udanya iva atigahemahi dvisa
The groom should then pour two sruvas of ghee on the edge of the winnowing basket, place the
remaining laja there and add two more sruvas of ghee and offer the contents of the basket into the
fire, saying:
om svasti krte sri acyutaya svaha.
This is an offering unto acyuta, who makes everything auspicious.
138
Sapta Padi Gamana (taking seven steps):
With rice-flour paste seven small circles should be drawn in a line going in the north eastern
direction. The groom should lead the bride to step into each circle. She should place the right foot
first, the left behind. The groom should say:
ma vama padena daksina padam akrama
Don't let the left foot cross beyond the right.
1. om ekam ise visnuh tva nayatu
One: may visnu lead you to strength.
2. om dve urje visnuh tva nayatu
Two: may visnu lead you to power.
3. om trini vrataya visnuh tva nyatu
Three: may visnu led you to uphold your vows.
4. om catvari mayobhavaya visnuh tva nayatu
Four: may visnu lead you to happiness.
5. om panca pasubhyo visnu tva nayatu
Five: may visnu lead you to plenty of cows.
6. om sad rayas posaya vinsuh tva nayatu
Six: may visnu lead you to multiplying spiritual wealth.
7. om sapta saptabhyo hotrabhyo visnuh tva nayatu
Seven: May visnu lead you to maintain the seven sacrifices.
om sakha saptapadi bhava
sakhya te gameyam
sakhya te ma yosah
sakhyam te ma yosthah
Be my companion for life, fixed in seven vows.
May I attain companionship with you.
Do not break this bond.
The groom should address the assembled guests:
om su mangalih iyam vadhuh
imam sameta pasyata
saubhagyam asyai dattvaya
139
astam viparetana
140
This wife is most faithful. Come and behold her.
Having brought her good fortune, you may now depart.
The friend holding the water pot should then approach the seven circles by passing on the west side
of the fire and sprinkle first the groom's head, then the bride's head. Each time the groom should
say:
om samanjantu vasudevadhyah
sam apo hrdayani nau
sam matarisva sam dhata
sam udestri dadhatu nau
May vasudeva and all his expansions anoint us as one.
May the water make our hearts one.
May the lord of the wind, our maintainer make us one.
May her lordship make us one.
Wih the completion of Sapta Pada Gamana the bride and groom are considered married.
141
Pani Grahanam (taking the bride's hands):
The groom should take the bride's two hands in his left hand and with his right hand he should
grasp the thumb of the upturned right hand of the bride.
The groom should say:
om grbhnami te saubhagatvaya hastam
maya patya jara dastih yatha asah
sanaka sanatana sanandana sanat kumarah
mahyam tva aduh karsna garha patyaya
For good fortune I hold your hand, so that you may attain old age in the company of your husband.
The four kumaras have given you to me for performance of household duties as a devotee of Krsna.
om aghora caksuh apati ghni edhi
siva pasubhyah sumanah suvarcah
virasuh jivasuh krsna kama syona
sam no bhava dvipade sam catuspade
Be gentle-eyed, protecting your husband.
Be kind to the animals, be good minded, beautiful.
Be the mother of heroes, mother of life, dear to Krsna, bringing the highest happiness.
Be good to us, both man and beast.
om a nah prajam janayatu visnuh
ajarasaya samanaktu krsnah
adurmangalih patilokam avisa
sam no bhava dvipade sam catus pade
May visnu generate progeny for us.
May krsna keep us together until old age.
Enter your husband's house, with auspiciousness.
Be good to us, both man and beast.
om imam tvam visno midhvah
suputram subhagam krdhi
dasa asyam putran adhehi
patim ekadasam kuru
Oh visnu, impregnate her,
make fine, strong sons.
Put ten sons in her,
make eleven men in the house.
om samrajni svasure bhava
samrajni svasrvam bhava
nanandari ca samrajni bhava
samrajni adhi devrsu
Be the ruler of your husband's father
Be the ruler of your husband's mother.
142
Be the ruler of your husband's sisters
Be the ruler of your husband's brothers.
om mama vrate hrdayam dadhatu
mama cittam anu cittam te'stu
mama vacam eka mana jusasva
sri visnuh tva niyunaktu mayam
May your heart be fixed on my life's goals
May your mind follow after mine.
With body and soul be devoted to my words.
May visnu join us together.
Vyasta Samasta Maha Vyahrti Homa:
With the bride on his left the groom should offer ghee:
om bhur svaha
om bhuvah svaha
om svah svaha
om bhuh bhuvah svah svaha
He should then offer ghee-soaked wood without mantra, and then perform udicya karma, vaisnava
homa, purnahuti and santi dana.
143
Uttara Vivaha (Subsequent rites):
The groom should establish the fire named yojaka in the kunda when the stars are visible in the sky.
While the bride sits silently the groom should throw wood into the fire silently, then perform vyasta
samasta maha vyahrti homa.
om bhuh svaha
om bhuvah svaha
om svah svaha
om bhur bhuvah svah svaha
Then the groom should offer ghee into the fire six times with the following mantras, sprinkling the
remnants from the sruva on the bride's head.
om lekha sandhisu paksmasu avartesu ca yanite
tani te purnahutya sarvani samayami aham svaha
Whatever lies inauspicious in the combinations of markings, in your eyelids, in the curls of your
hair, I nullify that by this final sacrifice.
om kesesu tac ca papakam iksate rudite ca yat
tani te purnahutya sarvani samayami aham svaha
Whatever faults lie in your hair and in your weeping, I nullify that by this final sacrifice.
om sile tac ca papakam bhasite hasite ca yat
tani te purnahutya sarvani samayami aham svaha
Whatever faults lie in your character, in your words and in your smile, I nullify that by this final
sacrifice.
om arokesu ca dantesu hastayoh padayos ca yat
tani te purnahutya sarvani samayami aham svaha
Whatever faults lie in your glances, in your teeth, in your hands and feet, I nullify that by this final
sacrifice.
om urvoh upasthe janghayoh sandhanesu ca yani te
tani te purnahutya sarvani samayami aham svaha
Whatever faults lie in your thighs, in your hips, in your ankles and in your joints, I nullify that by
this final sacrifice.
om yani kani ca ghorani sarvangesu tava abhavan
purnahutibhih ajyasya sarvani tani asisamam svaha
Whatever was inauspicious in the parts of your body, I have nullified by this final sacrifice.
144
Dhruva Darsana (viewing the pole star):
The groom and bride should rise and go outside. The groom should point out the pole star to her
amd make her vow:
om druvam asi dhruva aham
pati kule sri visnu vaisnava sevasu bhuyasam
sri.... (his name) dasa adhikarinah anugata sri......(her name) devi aham
You are the pole star, fixed forever.
May I be fixed like the pole star in my husband's house.
in the service of visnu and his devotees.
He should show her the constellation arundhati, situated in the great bear or seven sages, and make
her recite the following:
om arundhatih avaruddha aham asmi
Oh arundhati, faithful wife of vasistha (one of the seven sages),
as a wife, I also am now fixed, in my husband's house.
The groom should look at his wife and say:
om dhruva dyauh dhruva prthivi
dhruva visvam idam jagat
dhruvasah parvata ime
dhruva stri pati kule
sri visnu vaisnava sevasu iyam
Fixed is the sky, fixed is the earth.
Fixed is the world, the universe.
Fixed are these mountains, fixed is this wife,
in her husband's house,
in the service of visnu and his devotees.
The bride should say:
........gotra sri......devi aham
bho bhavantam.........(husband's ) gotram abhivadaye
I, being of....gotra, salute you, husband, of......gotra.
The groom should respond:
om krsna matih bhava saumye
Fix your mind in krsna.
A woman with husband and child should lead them to a pedestal and sprinkle water over them from
a pot using mango leaves.
145
The husband should go to the fire, perform vyasta samasta maha vyahrti homa:
om bhuh svaha
om bhuvah svaha
om svah svaha
om bhur bhuvah svah svaha
He should perform silent ome of ghee-soked wood of pradesa length.
He should perform udicya karma, vaisnava homa, purnahuti, santidana.
146
Bhojana:
The groom should take mahaprasadam saying the following mantras:
om sri mahaprasadannena anena
prana sutrena visnuna
badhnami satya granthina
manas ca hrdayam ca te
By this mahaprasadam, the thread of life,
By visnu, by the knot of highest truth,
I bind your mind and heart.
yad etad hrdayam tava
tad astu hrdayam mama
tad idam grdayam mama
tad astu grdayam tava
What is your heart, let that be my heart.
What is my heart, let that be yours.
om annam pranasya panktim sah
tena badhmani tva asau....(wife's name)
This is nourishment for the five airs of life.
By this I bind you,........devi (wife's name).
The groom should eat, then the bride should eat the remnants. For three nights the wife should take
mahaprasadam only and maintain brahmacarya, sleeping on the ground, (not on a bed).
Yana Arohana (mounting the vehicle):
On the fourth morning after the wedding, the husband should lead the wife to a vehicle saying:
om su kimsukam salmalim visvarupam
suvarna varnam sukrtam su cakram
aroha surye amrtasya nabhim
syonam patye vahatum krnusva
Oh effulgent woman, mount this golden wellmade carriage,
with fine wheels, containing the whole universe,
the source of immortality, bright as the sun.
Make it carry you to your husband's house.
At the crossing of four roads, while travelling he should say:
om ma vidan paripanthino ye asidanti dampati
sugebhih durgam atitam apadrantu aratayah
May those that oppose the couple not succeed.
May wa pass the hard journey pleasantly.
147
May the foes melt away.
Stepping from the vehicle the groom singing the vama deva gan:
om bhuh bhuvah svah
kaya nah citre abhuvat
uti sada vrdhah sakha
kaya sacisthaya vrta
om bhuh bhuvha svah
kah tva satyo madanam
mamhistho matsat andhasah
drdha cid aruse vasu
om bhuh bhuvah svah
a bhi yunah sakhinam
avita jaritrnam
satam bhavasi utaye
He should lead the bride into his house. Some married women with children should seat the bride
comfortably and the groom will say:
om iha gavah prajayantam iha asva iha purusah
iha u premna samarcito sri vasudevo virajatam
Here may the cows, the horses and the men multiply with offspring. Here may visnu, worshipped
with love, remain glorious.
Dhrti Homa:
Entering his house{ the groom should perform kusandika rites, establishing the fire named "dhrti",
perform silent homa with ghee-soakedwood, and then vyasta samasta maha vyahrti homa.
om bhuh svaha
om bhuvah svaha
om svah svaha
om bhur bhuvah svah svaha
He will then offer eight oblations of ghee saying:
om iha dhrtih svaha May constancy reign in this house
om iha svadhrtih svaha May self control reign in this house.
om iha rantih svaha May there be delight here.
om iha ramasva svaha Please enjoy this house.
om mayi dhrtih svaha May constancy reign within me.
om mayi svadhrtih svaha May self control prevail within me.
om mayi ramah svaha May there be delight for me.
om mayi ramasva svaha May you find pleasure in me.
148
He should perform vyasta samasta maha vyahrti homa, and offer ghee-soaked wood into the fire
silently.
The bride should give salutations to his family, stating her father's gotra:
......(father's gotra).......(her own name)
aham bho bhavatah abhivadaye
I, named......, of........gotra, pay my respects to you.
He should perform udicya karma, vaisnava homa, purnahuti and santi dana, and give gifts to the
priests and vaisnavas.
149
Antyesti (The Last Rites)
This is the last samskara, the last rite for sanctifying the body
in this material world. The rites are not described in Sat Kriya Sara Dipika, and are mentioned only
briefly in Samskara Dipika in relation to the burial of a sannyasi. The standard rituals are
performed to insure that the departed soul does not remain in the form of a ghost or preta, and to
insure the best possible destination. Since the sincere vaisnava who worships the Lord out of love
and chants his name is assured the best possible position to pursue his spiritual activities, his
relatives and friends are less particular in executing all the rituals which ensue after death.
...Hold a condolence meeting and pray for his soul to Krsna to give him a good chance for
advancement in Krsna consciousness. Certainly Krsna will give him a good place to take
birth where he can again begin in Krsan conscious activities. That is sure. But we offer
our condolences to a departed soul separated from a Vaisnava....After three days a
function should be held for offering the departed soul and all others prasadam. That is
the system.
letter of Srila Prabhupada to
Rebatinandana, Nov.14, 1973
The passing of an elevated Vaisnava is illustrated by the burial of Hari das Thakura:
After a hole was dug in the sand, the body of Haridas Thakura was placed in it. Remnants
from Lord Jagannatha, such as his silken ropes, sandalwood pulp, food and cloth were
placed on the body. All around the body, the devotees performed congregational
chanting, and Vakresvara pandita danced in jubilation.
CC Antya v.4.p.31
In the context of society however it may be necessary to observe the rules, as was the case with the
passing away of King Dasaratha, Pandu and Bhisma. Thus some orthodox Vaisnavas carry out the
full vedic anthyesthi rites and sraddha kriyas.
Different puranas and smrti scriptures give different details of rites to be observed, and thus,
according locality and family the customs differ to some degree.
Procedures:
150
When a person is nearing death it is recommended that the person give a gift of a decorated cow
(vaitarani) to a brahmana to ensure his safe passage over the river of death. If a cow is unavailable
he should give an equivalent sum of money. Gifts of iron pots, salt, land, grain, ghee and laddu are
also recommended. Mahabharat recommends that Visnu Sahasra Nama be recited at this time. It is
customary that the dying person should hear the names of the Lord. The legitimate claimant to the
last rites may whisper the karna mantra starting with "ayusah"in his ear (a vedic mantra). Lamps
may also be lit. Some people place tulasi prasadam and caranamrta or Ganga water in the person's
mouth.
When it is confirmed that the soul has passed from the body, the body may be shaved (optional),
bathed and clothed in clean, preferably new cloth or silk, and placed on a mat on the floor.
According to some traditions, new cloth should be obtained, washed, and while still wet placed on
the body. If the deceased is an old man, he should be clothed in white; middle aged men wear red,
and young men and women wear colored cloth. Widows wear white, black or blue. The face may
remain uncovered at this time while family members pay their last respects. Tilak should be
applied.
Then a frame made of udumbara wood, a cot or carriage should be supplied to carry the body. The
body should be placed upon it, with the face covered. The eyes should be closed, limbs
straightened, and the big toes and thumbs should be tied together with string. The body should pass
out of the house feet first.
Since cremation should not take place after dark, if the person dies during the daylight hours,
preparations should be hastily made so that the burning will take place before sunset. Otherwise the
body should be taken after sunrise the next day. The body should be burned before decomposition
sets in.
One man sprinkling water, followed by a man with a pot of fire should lead the procession. The
body should be follow next, and neither the fire nor the body should be dropped along the way. No
one should walk between the fire and the body, or walk along side the body. Behind the body the
family should follow, the elders first, women and children last. The bearers of the body should be
bathed, shoeless and without upper cloth on their bodies. The members of the procession should
also be without upper cloth, and hair should be unbound.
The place for cremation should be a clean place, on a river bank, a mountain or a forest.
When the procession arrives at the site, they should take bath, they should bathe the body and place
it upon kusa with the head facing south. Ghee should be smeared over the body,and again it should
be bathed, while saying:
151
om gayadini ca tirthani ye ca punyah silocayah
kuruksetram ca gangam ca yamunam ca saridvaram
kausikim candrabhagam ca sarva papa pranasinim
bhadravakasam gandakim sarayum panasam tatha
vainavam ca varaham ca tirtham pindarakam tatha
prthivyam yani tirthani saritah sagarams tatha
dhyava tu manasa sarve krta snanam gatayusam
(Having meditated upon all the holy tirthas, rivers, and oceans, the deceased has bathed in all these
rivers.)
The body should be dressed in two pieces of fresh cloth and new yajnopavita. Garland and candana
should be applied. Pieces of gold or bell metal should be placed on the two ears, the two eyes, the
two nostrils and the mouth. The face should be covered with another cloth. A body should never be
burned without clothing.
The kunda for the cremation should be the length of the person from toe to outstretched hand, as
wide as his outstreched arms and as deep as the measurement from the person's toe to his chest. The
hole should be cleansed and smeared with cow dung and water, and then filled with wood.
The body should be placed on the pyre with the head pointing south (according the followers of
Samaveda) or north (according to followers of the other vedas). Men should be laid with face
downwards, and women should be laid on their backs, with face upwards. Wood may be piled over
the body also.
Saying
om devas cagni mukhah sarve enam dahantu
(May all the devas with agni as their mouth consume the body in flames)
The claimant to the last rites should take fire in his hand. He and his assistants, should
circumabulate the pyre three or seven times, and then, approaching the head, and facing south, he
should apply fire near the head, over the mouth, or on the chest, while the others apply fire to the
wood under the body, going towards the feet.
When the fire has burned until only a few remnants remain, they should each take seven sticks of
wood one pradesa in length, and circumabulating the pyre seven times should offer one into the fire
each time around, saying:.
om kravyadaya namas tubhyam
(I pay my respects to the personality of funeral fire.)
He should take an axe and hit the wood of the pyre seven times.
152
Bones may be collected at this time and kept in an earthen pot.
Each assistant should then take three or seven pots of water and pour them over the fire to
extinghuish it. The slected member should the place a earthen pot filled with water on the pyre and
cover it with an earthen dish, in which he should place five or eight coins. While the others turn
away from the pyre without looking back he should break the pot with a stone or brick, and coming
around the pyre in counterclockwise direction he should leave the place without looking back. They
should then proceed to take bath in a river or the ocean, the elders going first.
The burner of the body should shave, and all persons attending should bathe with loosened hair. All
cloth should be washed. After bathing, facing south with yajnopavita over the right shoulder,
wearing lower cloth only they should say:
om apah nah sosucad agham
(May this action purify us of sin.)
Stirring the water with the ring finger of the left hand, they should submerge themselves under
water once and then performing acamana, they should offer tarpana three times.
------------dasam sitalodakena tarpayami
(I offer cool water for the satisfaction of------)
Then taking bath again, they should rise from the water, the children going first. They should
remain away from the house until night. Only with the permission of a brahmana may they return
before this time.
On approaching the house of the departed person they should place neem leaves between their
teeth, and touching leaves of the sami tree they should say:
om sami papam samayatu
(May the sami leaves eradicate the sin.)
Touching a stone wih their feet they should say:
om asmeva sthiro bhuyasam
(May I be steady like a rock.)
Touching fire they should say:
om agnir nah sarma yacchatu
(May fire give us shelter and happiness.)
They may then enter the house, the children going first. The house may be cleansed by fumigating
it with cow dung smoke three times and then sprinkling it with flowers, sesame and rice paddy.
On the day of the ceremony no cooking or eating should be done. If ones mother, father or husband
dies one should fast for three days, or if that is not possible, then one should take only fruits. From
the fourth to the tenth day one should eat havisyanna once a day during the daylight hours.
153
According to ancient authorities the bones should be collected on the fourth day (or later ) after the
cremation has taken place. They should be placed in a jar which is covered with deer skin and silk
cloth and tied with a kusas grass cord. This should be submerged in a sacred river, to the
accompaniment of chanting of the aghamarsana sukta.
According to the Jayakhya Samhita boys of five years or less and girls of seven years or less, and
sannyasis, should not be burned, but buried. Other sources say that children of two years or under
should be buried. In that case tarpana need not be done. After burying the child one should
submerge oneself once in water.
Throwing bones in the Ganga:
One should bathe in the Ganga, and performing acamana, facing north, holding sesame and water
one should perform sankalpa;
visnur om tat sat
adya -------masi
------pakse
----tithau
----dasasya etany asthini gangayam viniksipami
(On this tithi, of this frotnight, of this month I throw the bones of _______in the Ganga.)
The person should chant the purification mantras over pancagavya, and placing his yajnopavita
over his right shoulder he should wash the bones with the panca gavya. Mixing the bones with gold,
honey, ghee and sesame, he should seal them in earth, and holding the earth in his right hand he
should say:
om namo'stu dharmaya
(I pay my respects to dharma.)
Entering into the water he should throw the earth into the water saying:
om sa me prito bhavatu
(May he be pleased with me.)
154
He should submerge himself in water, then come out, look at the sun, and give gifts in charity.
visnur om tat sat
adya ----masi
----pakse
----tithau
----gotrasya
-----dasasya krtaitad gangadhikaranakasthi niksepa karmanah samgatartham daksinam idam
kancana mulyam sri visnu devatam yatha sambhava gotra namne brahmanaya aham dadami
Dahana Adhikari (Claimant to the last rites):
There is a specific order of precedence of the person who should perform the last rites including
burning of the body.
The order for a deceased male is as follows:
The son, from eldest to youngest,,their sons, sons of their sons.
The wife, either childess or with children.
Unmarried daughter, betrothed daughter, married daughter.
Daughter's son.
Youngest to eldest brother.
Youngest to eldest half-brother.
Youngest brother's son, oldest brother's son.
Youngest half-brothers son to oldest half-broher's son.
Father, mother.
Daughter-in-law
Step mother
Grand daughter, married grand daughter (through the son)
Wife of great grand son
Great grand daughter
Father's father, Father's mother
etc.
other relatives including uncles, cousins,
Disciple, guru, priest, friend, friend of the father
Resident of the same village of same caste
King.
Order for a deceased female is as follows:
Eldest son, to youngest son
Sons's son
Great grand son through male lineage
Unmarried daughter, bethrothed daughter, married daughter
Daughter's son
Husband
Daugher-in-law
etc.
Disciple or student of husband or self
155
A brahmacari should avoid performing funeral rites, but if others are unavailable he may perform
rites for parents, grand parents and guru. The parents of a brahmacari should perform his funeral
rites.
Asauca:
Following a birth or death there is a period of contamination for the relatives of the person born or
deceased, the length of which depends upon the closeness of the relation, caste and age of the
decesased. Wtih the decease or birth of a close relative a brahmana has ten days of asauca, a
ksatriya twelve days, a vaisya fifteen days and a sudra thirty days. If the relation is distant the
brahmana will have three days asauca.
If a child of brahmana dies within ten days of birth, impurity is observed for ten days after the birth
by the father and mother only. If the child dies within two years, asauca is one day.
If the child dies before six years and three months, the asauca is three days for close relatives.
During the period of contamination one should not study scripture, or perform homa, deity
worship, tarpana, entertain guests etc. If one is performing deity worship one may perform, worship
by manasa puja. However if one has made a vow to perform worship of the Lord for his whole life,
he should not break this vow, but should continue the puja.
Those performing sacrifice, students and realized souls, or one who has performed funeral rites for
a sannyasi does not obeserve asauca.
Sraddha Kriya
To ensure that the soul does not remain in a subtle body hovering on this earth planet, but will
attain a comfortable body for enjoyment on pitr loka, offerings are made to the departed person and
the pitrs. During the asauca period daily offerings of sesame and water, and pinda (rice mixed with
sesame, ghee and honey) are given to the departed person. On the eleventh day (for a close relative
of a brahmana) the house is purified, eleven brahmanas are fed and offerings are made to the
deceased. Beginning on that day, for the first year, monthly sraddha ceremonies should be held. As
well, in the sixth and twelfth month additional sraddhas should be conducted. Then every year, on
the tithi of the decease, annual sraddhas should be conducted.
According to Vaisnava scripture, the sraddha rites may be performed, but the priest performing the
rites should be vaisnavas and the offerings to the pitrs should be visnu prasada.
156
The inhabitants of Pitrloka are generally men of the karma kandiya or fruiive activities
category, who have been transferred there because of their pious activities. They can stay
there as long as their descendants offer them Visnu prasada.
SB 5.2.2
The sraddha ceremony of oblations to the forefathers should not be performed on ekadasi
tithi. When the tithi of the death anniversary falls on the ekadasi day, the sraddha
ceremony should be held not on ekadasi but on the next day.
SB7.14.23
157
Antyesthi or Burial Rites for the Sannyasi:
At the time of passing from the mortal body, whiel the Holy Name is being recited or sung,
caranamrta, tirtha water or krsna prasadam should be placed in his mouth.
According to the injuction that a sannyasi should not touch fire, some maintain that the body of a
sannyasi should not be burned. Others state different rules for the different types of sannyasis
(kuticaka, bahudaka, hamsa and parama hamsa). Some additional rites from scripture (eg.
Vaikhanasa Dharma Sutra, Jayakhya Samhita,) and by popular usage are as follows:
One should dig a sufficiently deep hole on a river bank which flows to the ocean, or on the sea
shore. Vaisnavas select the Holy Dhama, if possible.
The hole should be one step larger the the height of the person. If the body has already been burnt,
the ashes or bones should be taken to a holy tirtha and there placed in earth.
One should sprinkle the hole with pancagavya and tirtha water.
One should shave the person.
One should sprinkle the body with pancagavya chanting gayatri and purusa sukta or other mantras.
One may bathe the body with conch water 108 times chanting om, and offer fresh cloth and tilaka.
One may worship the body by offering 16 upacaras (asana, footwash, arghya, mouthwash,
madhuparka, mouthwash, bath, cloth, gayatri thread, ornaments, sandalwood pulp,
flowers, incense, lamps, krsna prasadam, obeisances).
The following samadhi mantra, according to Gopala Bhatta Goswami in Samskara Dipika, should
be written on his body (udsing sandalwood pulp and tulasi leaf):
om klim srim hrim srim lavana mrd yuji bhuvi svabhre svaha
One should offer puspanjali to the body.
One should place the body in the pit chanting gayatri.
The body should be in a sitting or lying posture.
The danda should be placed in his right hand, his upavita (gayatri thread) should be placed in his
left hand.
As a practical measure the body is first covered completely with salt. Then everything is covered
with sand. Stones or some memorial may be placed over this.
The attending vaisnavas should then be fed with krsna prasadam.
The rites may be performed by his son or any other person.
There is no period of impurity (asauca) for performing rites for a sannyasi.
No sraddha rites are performed, but an offering to Narayana, may be performed on the eleventh day
from the decease. In that case, one should establish a fire and worship a murti of Visnu with 16
upacaras, and offer boiled rice mixed with guda, ghee and fruits to the deity and the fire. One
should present twelve brahmanas with cloth and ornaments and worship them withupacaras. One
should feed the brahmanas and give them gold. One should chant Purusa Sukta and utter the twelve
names of Visnu.
158
Samskara Dipika:
(Introductory Note)
Srila Gopal Bhatta Goswami has written the Sat Kriya Sara Dipika as a manual for performing
performing the samskaras of the grhastha vaisnava. Samskara Dipika he is presenting as a manual
for the vaisnava who is about to renounce his home and enter the bhiksu asrama. Srila
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur states that since the time of Lord Caitanya the devotees on the
path of renunciation have been following this manual.
*****************************************************************
All men have a right to enter the grhastha asrama, but the three upper varnas (vaisya, ksatriya and
brahmana) have a right to the other three asramas( brahmacari, vanaprastha and sannyasa).
According the rules of varnasrama, for women, sudras and dvija bandhus are these asramas are
forbidden. The sudra is a person with without samskara or purification, and his charactersitic is
lamentation (sucana). Lamentation is due to ignorance, which is part of his nature. How is it
possible that such a person can become a brahmacari, or take to any of the activities requiring
higher spiritual interest. This is the scriptural statement.
However, though the puranas place restrictions in this way, the knower of truth can understand that
this stricture applies to non-vaisnavas. The restrictions apply to a person born in a sudra family who
is not a vaisnava, and does not apply to a person who, though born in a sudra family, happens by
the grace of the Lord to take to the path of pure devotion. If a person, through assocation, takes on
the qualities of a brahmana, he can no longer be considered a sudra. Thus it is stated in scripture :
na sudra bhagavad bhakta (the devotee of the Lord cannot be considered a sudra). This is illustrated
by the story of Satyakama Jabala in the Upanisads. The samskaras given in the Sat Kriya Sara
Dipika are meant to raise a person to the level of sannyasi, a pure devotee of the Lord. When any
person, whether he be brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya or sudra or less by family birth, attains actual
qualification for sannyasa through the practice of devotional service, he may take the sannyasa
asrama. But until that qualification appears, he should remain a grhastha vaisnava.
Vaisnavas are of two kinds, ordinary and sampradayika (belonging to a bona fide sampradaya). The
ordinary (or tantrika) vaisnavas are those who have not taken initiation from a guru in a bona fide
parampara system. Sampradayika (or vaidic) vaisnavas are those thoe have taken shelter of a bona
fide guru parampara. The sampradayika vaisnavas are divided into two types. householders and
renunciates. Those who take panca samskara (five samskaras) are qualified as vaisnavas
householders, whereas those who take ten samskaras are qualified as sannyasis. Sannyasis are of
two types also: brahma sannyasis and visnu sannyasis. The brahma sannyasis take up the mayavada
philosophy and take one among ten different names. The visnu sannyasis are those who follow the
path of devotional service to visnu or Krsna.
A brahmana is respected as the very body of the Lord because he practices sad dharma. However
when he can give up the material identification of position as a brahmana and practices sad dharma,
he is called a vaisnava. Whereas the brahmana is the body of the Lord, the vaisnava is considered to
be the very atma or soul of the Lord. One who gives up the markings of varna becomes a sannyasi,
and when that sannyasi gives up the markings of asrama, he is an avadhuta paramahamsa. He is
most glorified of all, because of his unsurpassed unalloyed devotion to Krsna.
yatha kancanatam yati kamasyam rasa vidhanatah
tatha diksa vidhanena dvijatvam jayate nrnam
159
As bell metal may be turned into gold by the process of alchemy, a man (of whatever vrna or
asrama) may achieve the status of dvija or twice born by the process of pancaratrika diksa.
antyaja api tad rastre sankha cakradi dharinah
samprapya vaisnavim diksam diksita iva sambabhuh
Thus, if even an outcaste, by the process of bhakti, becomes qualified to the point of taking
initiation, he attains a position equal to the brahmana.
A person is qualified as a brahmana by taking into consideration three factors: tapasya (austerity),
sruti (knowledge of the vedas), and yoni (birth in a brahmana family). A person with these three
qualifications may be considered as the guru for the four varnas. A person, upon taking vaisnava
diksa, attains second birth, and when he attains a taste for renouncing household life he becomes
qualified for sannyasa. And even if one is not born in a brahmana family, but has the nature of a
brahmana, he must be considered a brahmana in the highest sense, for in Kali Yuga the
qualification of yoni or birth in a brahmana family does not apply. The main considerations for
status as a brahmana are therefore tapas and sruti. This is confirmed by Mahabharata, Bhagavatam,
Manu, Jabala Upanisad and Vraja Sucika Upanisad. one born in a sudra family, if he attains pure
devotion, is the dearest to the Lord, whereas anyone among the varnas and asramas, if he does not
attain devotion to the Lord, is considered a sudra.
api cet suduracaro bhajate mam ananya bhak
sadhur eva sa mantavyah samyak vyavasito hi sah
(A person of the lowest conduct, who takes to my worship must be considered saintly. He is rightly
situated.)
mam hi partha vyapasritya ye'pi syuh papa yonayah
striyo vaisyas tatha sudras te'pi yanti param gatim.
160
(Even sinful persons, women, vaisyas and sudras, if they take shelter of me, go to the supreme
abode.)
The example of this is Vidura, who, though considered a sudra by his birth, entered the avadhuta
asrama.
aho bata svapaco'to gariyan yaj jihvagre vartate nama tubhyam
tepus tapas te juhuvuh sasnur arya brahmanucur nama grnanti ye te
(The outcaste who chants your name is most exhalted. He has performed all austerities, all
sacrifices, and studied all the vedas.)
smartavyah satatam visnur vismartavyo na jatucit
sarve vidhi nisedhah syur etayor eva kinkarah
(The sum and substance of all rules and regulations is to always remember and never forget visnu.)
Here one should understand the intention of scripture. One may take the external meaning
(varnasrama) or the internal meaning (krsna bhakti). Those who are incapable of anything else must
follow the external rules of varnasrama including charity, vrata, homa, etc, and gradually they
attain the qualification for taking the internal meaning and following the path of bhakti. At that
time the necessity of following all the external rules decreases. The essential purport of the
scriptures is that everyone should always remember Visnu and never forget him. One who realizes
and follows this precept is the knower of all scripture. He is truly qualified as brahmana, sannyasi
or paramahamsa avadhuta.
Thus the principle of taking sannyasa may be stated as follows: taking diksa according to the
pancaratrika injunctions from a bona fide guru, a person attains the status of dvija or twice-born,
and as a result of practice as a householder one attains detachment and qualification for visnu
sannyas and acyuta gotra. When one can give up the marks of the sannyaa asrama one attains the
status of paramahmasa. In the same way that a qualified woman vaisnava is allowed to worship the
salagrama sila, so a qualified woman vaisnava may also take up two pieces of cloth as a brahmacari
or renunciate.
Examples of sannyasa in Lord Caitanya's sampradaya are Svarupa Damodara, who gave up his
thread and sikha and donned kaupin, thus attaining his natural position (svarupa) as sannyasi:
Madhavi Devi, a woman who took to the renounced order; and Ragunatha das (kayastha class),
who was given kaupina by Nityananda Prabhu himself.
Sri Caitanya himself stated the principle of sannyasa when he quoted a verse from Srimad
Bhagavatam after taking sannyasas.
161
etam samastyaya paratma nistham upasitam purvatair maharsanbhih
aham tarisyami duranta param tamo kumundanghri nisevayaiva
jnana nistho virakto va mad bhakto va'napeksakah
salinganasramams tyaktva cared avidhi gocarah
(I take shelter of ideal method for concentrating on the Supreme Lord, the sannyasa asrama, which
has been respected as such by all the ancient sages, and by which I can perfect service to the lotus
feet of Sri Krsna. In this way I shall cross over the ocean of material existence.
Whether one is fixed in knowledge or devotion, one should come to the stage of giving up all signs
of asrama one should perform activities transcendental to all rules.)
The word etam in the sloka refers to the markings of external sannyasa, ie, kaupina, cloth,
etc.which ar characteristic of both the brahman and visnu sannyasi. Udayana Acarya has criticized
Sankaracaraya for giving up the sikha and thread but taking on the markings of a sannyasi as a
further designation.
When the vaisnava takes on the external signs of sannyasa one should understand that this is for
teaching the general populace the necessity of renunciation in accordance to the scripture. The sum
and substance however is the worship of the Supreme Lord apart from all material handerings by
any and all means--either by adopting the markings of asrama and/or giving up all material
designation of varnasrama.
The system of taking sannyasa is consistent with tradition and scriptural injunctions. In the
Ramanuja Sampradaya, first the place is prepared and the candidate is shaved and dressed. Visnu
homa is performed, the previous acaryas are worshipped and the five vaisnava samskaras are
enacted on the candidate. Then the vaidic samskaras are performed upto and including upanayana
(giving the gayatri). Having given the particular mantras of the sampradaya, the person then
performs worship of the guru parampara and salagrama. Then the one who is qualified for
sannyasa is given the dress, bag, covering and mantra of the sannyasa asrama.
In the Gaudiya sampradaya the system is similar. After purifying the place (house or temple), visnu
homa and worship of the acarya sampradaya should be performed using five articles of worship.
Then the qualified candidate may be given vaisnava diksa. Or, alternatively one may simply
establish asanas and worship the acaryas and Caitanya Mahaprabhu and his associates and then give
diksa. Or one may simply worship the panca tttva with five upacras and then give diksa.
Method of worship (of parampara and others):
Starting with ones spiritual master one should worship him with five or more upacaras, mentioning
the upacara, then om, followed by the acarya in the dative case, followed by namah.
eg esa gandhah om sri gurave namah
om sri madhvacaryaya namah
In this way one should proceed to the worship of Krsna.
Five upacaras are:
esa gandhah
esa puspa
esa dhupah
162
esa dipah
idam naivedyam
Then the qualified candidate should be initiated with the five samskaras: the person should be
shaved and bathed, dressed, and decorated with vertical tilaka (urdhva pundra); gopi candana
stamps of conch, cakra etc.should decorate his body (mudra); he should then be given a name of
Visnu or Krsna (nama karana); and and then the particular krsna mantra that the guru choses should
be given (mantra dana). By this process of pancaratrika diksa the person attains second birth
(dvija). Then after having received all the vaidic samskaras ending with upanayanam, the person
should undergo the sannyasa samskara.
(The idea here is that when a person is internally qualified he is given pancaratrika diksa consisting
of five samskaras, by which he is formally recognized as a vaisnava. He is considered qualified as a
dvija, or twice born, regardless of his background, and may therefore also accept the external signs
of that by taking of upanayanam, the vaidika samskara signifying spiritual initiation as a dvija. If a
person has both internal and external qualification as a brahmana, and exhibits the qualities
necessary for the sannyasa asrama, he may then adopt that asrama in accordance with the scriptural
rules.)
Suitable Time for taking Sannyasa:
yad ahareva virajet
tad ahar eva pravrajet
When one becomes detached from material desires one should give up household life and become a
sannyasi.
He should pray to a sannyasi guru:
bho guro sampradaya sadhya sadhananusthana prajna
asmin bharate samsaran mam trahi sannyasam dehi
Oh spiritual master, most knowledgeable in the process and goal of perfecting human life according
to the bone fide sampradaya, please deliver me from the material ocean by granting me the order of
sannyasa.
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A grhastha cannot bestow a person sannyas, since a householder has no experience of the
renounced life, its methods, goals and samskara rites. Both the qualification of the guru and disciple
must be examined before granting sannyas.
The Vaisnava Samskaras:
The ten samskaras are as follows:
1. mundana-shaving
2. tirtha snana-bathing in a holy river
3. tilaka dharana-putting on tilaka *
4. mudra dharana-placing the symbols of the Lord on the body *
5. kaupina suddhi-purification of the kaupina
6. kaupina pranapratistha-calling deities into the kaupina
7. nama grahana-taking a name of the Lord Visnu *
8. mantra grahana-to recieve a vaisnava mantra *
9.. acyuta gotra grahana-taking acyuta gotra
10. salagrama arcana-worship of salagrama sila *
If a person has already been initiated as a vaisnava with panca samskara (those starred) then the
guru will perform the remaining five:
1. mundana (shaving)
2. tirtha snana
3. kaupina suddhi
4. kaupina prana pratistha
5. acyuta gotra grahana
In addition Visnu homa and arcana (yaga) may also be performed in this case. The last five
samskaras are now described.
Shaving:
The candidate should approach a barber and pray to him:
mastakam mundaya mundin sikham samsthapya yatnatah
sraddha me krsna caitanya padabje vikrayah sthirah
matra pitra samah sarve bandhava me hitaisinah
asih kuruta tatpade bhaktih syad bhava krntani
sri caitanya dayasindho bhaktanugraha karaka
daso bhavami grhnatu patitam mam samuddhara
(Oh barber please shave my head leaving a sikha. I have faith that I will attain steadiness at the
lotus feet of Lord Caitanya. May my well wishers and friends who are like my mother and mother
to me, bless me. May I gain pure bhakti to the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya, which will destroy all my
material attachments. Oh Lord Caitanya, ocean of mercy, most merciful to the devotees, I am your
servant, please accept me. Please deliver this most fallen soul.)
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Tirtha Snana:
The guru should instruct the candidate how to perform acamana, kara nyasa, anga nyasa,
pranayama and snana, after the candidate has shaved.
Acamana:
om kesavaya namah sipwater and discard remainder
om narayanaya namah sipwater and discard remainder
om madhavaya namah sipwater and discard remainder
om govindaya namah wash hands
om visnave namah wash hands
om madhusudanaya namah om trivikramaya namah clean the mouth
om vamanaya namah om sridharaya namah wipe upper and lower lips
om hrsikesaya namah wash both hands
om padmanabhaya namah sprinkle water on feet
om damodaraya namah sprinkle water on head
om vasudevaya namah touch mouth with tips of fingers
om sankarsanaya namah touch righ nostril with fore finger and thumb
om pradumnaya namah touch left nostril with fore figer and thumb
om aniruddhaya namah touch right eye with ring finger and thumb
om purusottamaya namah touch left eye with ring finger and thumb
om adhoksajaya namah touch right ear with little finger and thumb
om nrsimhaya namah touch left ear with little finger and thumb
om acyutaya namah touch navel with palm of hand
om janardanaya namah touch heart with tips of fingers
om upendraya namah touch top of head with tips of fingers
om haraye namah touch right arm
om krsnaya namah touch left arm
Kara Nyasa:
klim krsnaya angusthabhyam namah touch thumbs with forefingers of both hands
govindaya tarjanibhyam svaha touch forefingers with thumbs
gopijana madhyambhyam vasat touch middle fingers with thumbs
vallabhaya anamikabhyam hum touch ring fingers with thumbs
svaha kanisthabhyam phat touch little fingers with thumbs
Anga Nayasa:
klim hrdayaya namah
krsnaya sirase svaha
govindaya sikhayai vasat
gopijana kavacaya hum
vallabhaya netraya vausat
svaha astraya phat
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Pranayama:
om kama bijasya prajapati rsih
devi gayatri chandhah
sri krsna caitanya devata
ka karo bijam
la kara kilakam
i karah saktih
pranayame viniyogah
om kama bijaya namah
prajapatyrsaye namah touch head
devi gayatri chandase namah touch sikha
sri krsna caitanya devatayai namah touch face
ka karabijatmane namah touch heart
la kara kilakaya namah touch right nipple
i kara saktaye nmah touch left nipple
pranayama viniyogaya namah touch heart
Chanting the kama bija sixteen times one should inhale; chanting the kama bija sixty four times one
should hold the breath; chanting the kama bija thirty two times one should exhale.
Counting in this manner one should begin by inhaling through the left nostril, blocking the right
nostril, holding the breath, and then exhaling through the right nostril, blocking the left nostril.
Then one should inhale through the right nostril, hold the breath, and exhale through the left nostril,
using the same count. According to some this should be repeat three times.
After bathing one should dress and put on tilaka.
Tilaka Dharana:
om kesavaya namah on forehead
om narayanaya namah on belly
om madhavaya namah on heart
om govindaya namah on throat
om visnave namah on right side
om madhusudanaya namah on right arm
om trivikramaya namah on right shoulder
om vamanaya namah on left side
om sridharaya namah on left arm
om hrsikesaya namah on left shoulder
om padmanabhaya namah on back
om damodaraya namah at the waist
om vasudevaya namah washing hands touch head
or:
om am dhatr sahitaya kesavaya namah on forehead
om am aryama sahitaya narayanaya namah belly
om im mitra sahitaya madhavaya namah on chest
om im varuna sahitaya govindaya namah on throat
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om um amsu sahitaya visnave namah on right side
om um bhaga sahitaya madhusudanaya namah on right arm
om rm vivasvat sahitaya trivikramaya namah on right shoulder
om rm indra sahitaya vamanaya namah left side
om lm pusa sahitaya sridharaya namah left arm
om lm parjanya sahitaya hrsikesaya namah left shouldr
om em tvastr sahitaya padmanabhaya namah on back
om aim visnu sahitaya damodaraya namah on waist
om kirita keyura hara makara kundala cakra sankha gada padma hasta pitambaradharam
srivatsankita vaksah sthala sri bhumi sahita svatma jyotir diptikaraya sahastraditya tejase namo
namah
sprinkle water on the head.
Mudra dharana:
One should apply stamps with the holy name by mens of gopi candana on the body. Some
vaisnavas apply hot stamps to the body on the sayana dvadasi tithi, but the worshippers of Krsna
usually apply cold stamps using gopi candana. Sri Caitanya has decided that this is more suitable
for the people of Kali Yuga.
Kaupina suddhi:
Kaupina should be two pieces of cloth. The width should be equal to the distance between the two
nipples and the length should be equal to the girth of the waist plus two fists.
Or the length may be fourteen fists and the width one pradesa.
The presiding deity of the kaupina, which restrains ones desire and helps one cross over the ocean
of material enjoyment is the consort of the Lord embodying shyness. It is also considered prthivi,
earth. The presiding deity of the belt, which supports the kaupina, is ananta. Knot will be placed on
the right side. According to some authorities, Brahma, Visnu Siva, Vasuki, Pavana, Agni, Candra,
Sukra and Brhaspati are situated in the kaupina, while others say that only Brahma Visnu and Siva
reside there. Visnu is present in the knot and brahma and Siva are at the sides. Ones outer cloth,
which should cover the kaupina, is considered the consort or energy of Visnu.
One should smear sandalwood over the kaupina and belt and then purify them again by sprinkling
sandalwood paste and reciting the mantra:
gangadi sarva tirthani yani loka gatani tu
kaupinam parisudhyantu sarva siddhi karani bhoh
Along with the kaupina there should be two pieces of cloth for covering the body, a blanket
(kantha) for protection from the cold, sack, head cloth etc and shoes. There should also be a
tridanda of palasa, bamboo and vilva poles, or three poles of one of the three types of trees. One
should also have a water pot made of tumbi gourd, earth or wood. (Some manuals also include a
water strainer made of cloth and an asana.) They should all be purified along with the kaupina.
One should chant the following mantra ten times over the kaupina etc.
om kaupina suddhi mantrasya
brahma rsih
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anustup chandah
hamso devata
brahma bijam
vaisnavi saktih
kaupina suddhi vidhanartham jape viniyogah
om kaupinadhisthatr lajjanantarupaya namah
One should worship the kaupina etc with sandalwood and flowers:
ete gandha puspe om kaupinadhisthatr lajjananta rupaya namah
Kaupina Pratistha:
om kaupinadhisthatr devate ihagaccha ihagaccha
iha sannidhehi iha sannidhehi
ihavaruntsva ihavaruntsva
iha parami kuru iha paramikuru
iha kaupine'dhisthanam kuru svaha
om asya kaupina prana pratistha mantrasya
pulastya rsih
gayatri chandah
savitri devata
kama bijam
varahi sakih
kaupina pratistha jape viniyogah
One should chant the following eighteen times over the items
om am hrim kraum hrim sarve pranah sarvanindriyani ca mahatmana sukham pratisthantu svaha
One should worship the kaupina (and other itmes) with sandalwood and flowers:
om am kraum hrim susiddhaya kaupinaya (or the name of another item being worshipped) etad
gandha puspadikam namo'stu svaha
Qualification for the Kaupina:
One qualified to wear a kaupina should be free from the six forces of hunger, thirst, lamentation,
illusion,old age and death
free from pride, violence,and lust, filled with friendliness and mercy, initiated with visnu mantra,
sense controlled, skillful at practicing devotional service. One who is qualified may possess the
qualities naturally (vidvat sannyasi) or may attain the qualities through initiation and the process of
regulated devotional service (vivatsa sannyasi).
Those who are proud, duplicitous, agressive, and devoid of devotion, cannot be given the kaupina.
If that is done, the guru's own spiritual position will be devastated.
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As a person of bad qualities should be rejected for sannyasa, so a kaupina of bad quality should be
rejected. Ugly, stained or dirty cloth, sewn cloth, or cloth not died reddish color, and fancy cloth
for exterior covering are to be rejected.
Siva received the kaupina made by Brahma from Ananta. Narada Muni received it and became a
great yogi.In this way rsis such as saunaka received it, and finally Kesava Bharati. Gaura sundara
received it from Kesava Bharati, and he gave it to his devotees.
Receving the kaupina in this way one can certainly also become a great yogi.
Thinking of the kaupina in this way the candidate should pray:
maya tarange samsare patitam ma samuddhara
kaupinam dehi suddhyartham bhava tapa nibaraanam
kaupina grahanenaham puto'smity acirad iha
Please deliver this fallen soul from the waves of the material world. Bestow upon me the kaupina to
purify me and extinguish the suffering of material existence. Receiving this kaupina I shall very
quickly become pure.
The candidate should beg the guru:
bho guro bhiksupayogam yoga pattadikam mam grahaya
Oh spiritual master please give me the cloth and other items which are characterisitc of a sannyasi.
The guru should say:
yady evam tarhi praisa iti bara trayam pathasva bhadra
Oh fortunate one, if you so desire this, then say praisa (may the function commence) three times.
The candidate should say praiso'smi with his hands folded in prayer. The guru should then show
the candidate how to worship guru parampara up to Krsna (yaga), if he has already received
vaisnava mantra. Then he should make the candidate offer the cloth etc. previously purified to the
deity, and then make him pray to the deity to receive it. The cloth etc, should te touched by any
sannyasis present, and then the candidate should be dressed in his new cloth.
Nama karana:
If the candidate has not already had panca samskara, he should be given a name of the Lord with
the word dasa after it to signify his servitude to the Lord.
nityananda pada dvandvam yesam hrt karnikalaye
tesam dasanudaso'ham prasidantu sadaiva hi
I am the servant of the servant of the devotees in whose hearts reside the lotus feet of Nityananda
Prabhu. May they be pleased with me always.
Some scholars say that this is the designation given to qualified brahmanas. The root word is dasr,
which means to give in charity and accept in charity. One who is qualified to do so is titled dasr.
But the devotees of Krsna take the designation because it is directed thus in the Sanat Kumara
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Tantra. Actually all jivas are constitutionally the servants of Krsna, and by the process of
devotional service anyone can revive that status. That is also the goal of taking sannyasa.
Visnu Mantra Dharana:
If the candidate has not had panca samskara the qualified guru, knowledgeable of the rules of
sannyasa, should then give the candidate Krsna mantra, in the left ear.
The candidate should then receive the suitable sannyasa mantra.
The candidate should then repeat three times:
sri krsna tosa matrartham gopi bhava samanvitam
tad dharmam samasrito' ham
(I take complete shelter of sannyasa dharma, which means compete surrender to the Lord in the
manner of the gopis, for the sole purpose of pleasing Krsna.)
Acyuta Gotra Svikara:
Acceptance of acyuta gotra is characterized by the vaisnava marking such as tilaka, tulasi beads etc.
Even though, according to the scriptural injunctions, at the perfection of sannyasa dharma a person
should gives up all markings of varna and asrama and wander about transcendental to all rules as a
paramahamsa. But the paramahamsa does not give up the markings of the vaisnava (tilaka, mala
etc.) except in extraordinary circumstances, for according the the scriptures, the neck beads of tulasi
wood, tilaka and mudra should always be worn, for they are the markings of the vaisnava, one who
is the servant of the Lord. That designation is never given up.
One is also advised to wear during the daytime panca mala, composed of gunja, amalaki, lotus
seeds, tulasi wood and rope from Jagannatha cart.
Acceptance of acyuta gotra means full surrender to the authority of the Lord, and is therefore
particularly meant to signify the devotee of the Lord. Just as a girl gives up her previous gotra and
accepts her husband's gotra on completion of the marriage ceremony, the sannyasi should
understand that he is giving up all material designations of family etc. and simply identifying
himself as the servant of Krsna, Acyuta, in Krsna's family (gotra).
The candidate should say:
om acyuta gotraya svaha
om acyuta gotro'ham asmi
Yaga:
This consists of Salagrama Sila Arcana, worship of the salagrama. This is common to all the
asramas, and is performed according to pancaratric rules.
He should then go and beg from three, five or seven houses, saying:
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bho matar bhagavati bhiksam dehi,
Whatever he has begged he should offer to the guru.
Antyesthi for the Sannyasi:
When the sannyasi passes from this world the following mantra should be written on his body:
om klim srim hrim srim lavana mrd yuji bhuvi svabhre svaha
Let me pay my respects to the pit, to the earth composed of salt and dirt.
The body may be placed in tirtha water or in a hole in the earth, which should be one step larger the
the height of the person. If the body has been burnt, the ashes or bones should be taken to a holy
tirtha and there placed in earth.
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This manual concerning sannyasa as approved by the acaryas has been compiled so that one may
achieve the pure devotion to the Lord in the manner of the followers of Lord Caitanya.
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Vesasraya Vidhih (Rules for assuming the role of a renounced vaisnava)
by Gopilal Goswami of Radha Ramana temple
Adhikara:
yad ahar eva virajet tad ahar eva pravrajed iti
Sruti
When one becomes detached from enjoying material life one should take to the renounced order of
life.
atmarpanam karisyan yo grahisyan vesam eva ca
sa siksa guru padabjam dhrtva samprarthayet tatah
kimva diksa guruh saksad vidyamano'st ced bhavet
tada tac caranam bhoje siro dhrtva nivedayet
One who has decided to surrender himself fully to the Lord and take to the renounced order of life
should approach his siksa guru and holding his lotus feet, should make his request. If the diksa guru
is present however, he should make his request to him.
(if he is also of the renounced order).
Prayer:
samsarambhodhi magno'ham
krsna seva bahirmukhah
guroh svapada naukayam
samaropyaiva taraya
Though I opposed to the service of Krsna and I am drowning in the ocean of material existence, I
have now climbed aboard the boat of the lotus feet of my spiritual master. Please deliver me.
Dasa samskara (ten purificatory rites):
upavasa
mundana (shaving)
tirtha jala snana (bathing in sacred water)
tulasi mala dharan (wearing tulasi beads around the neck)
pundra, mudra (tilak and marks of cakra etc.)
nama karana (giving of name)
mantra dana (giving krsna mantras)
kaupina dharana (wearing the kaupina)
krsna puja (worship of the deity)
sri krsne atmasamarpanam (full surrender to Krsna )
(Comparing this to Srila Gopala Bhatta's list of ten samskaras, one should note that here upavasa,
tulasi mala dharana and atma samarpana are separate headings, while mudra and pundra are merged
under one heading, and kaupina prana pratistha and acyuta gotra grahana are ommitted.)
The day before the ceremony one should fast, and sleep on the ground (not in a bed). The next
morning, the person should carry out his daily rituals until sauca. After sauca he should be shaved
except for the armpits and genital.
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Panca gavya should be purified with mantras and sprinkled over the person. Mrttika snana should
be performed with mantra. The person should then take a bath in a holy tirtha according to the
rules.
He should be dressed in two pieces of clean cloth, and should drink caranamrta. The spiritual
master, after offering the tulasi beads to the Lord according to the rules, should put them around the
candidates neck with mantra.
Tilaka should be applied saying the twelve names of visnu. Mudras may be applied, saying
sudarsanaya namah putt85ing the cakra on the right arm, pancanayaya namah putting the sankha of
the left arm, and bhagavan nama mudrayai namah, putting the names of the Lord on other parts of
the body.
Putting his hand on the candidates head, the spiritual master should pronounce the new name of the
person, using the first syllable of the old name and adding Caitanya dasa at the end.
The spiritual master will then give him kaupin and tie the knot on the right side, and then give him
a botttom cloth (bahir vasa).
The spiritual master will then give him gopal mantra, but if he has it already he should give him
kama gaytari. If the candidate has kama gayatri already he should give him hare krsna mantra. if he
has all of them he should give them again.
The guru should perform worship of Krsna with as many upacaras as possible.
The Guru should sit facing the deity, with the candiate beside him holding flowers and tulasi in his
hands. He should make the candidate surrender his body mind and soul to Krsna by having him
say:
sarva dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah
I am confident of your promise. Being full of miseries and negligent of all good conduct, I
approach you, my spiritual master. I would like to offer myself and everything I have to Krsna. Oh
Krsna, I am yours.
The guru should offer the flowers and tulasi to the lotus feet of Krsna, offering up the candidate to
Krsna's service. He should then give the prasada nirmalya to the candidate.
The guru should then instruct the disciple on proper conduct of the renounced vaisnava: constant
meditation and worship of the Lord, without seva or nama aparadha, worship of the guru and the
guru parmpara, and SriCaitanya and his followers; chanting of the holy name, hearing Bhagavat,
japa of mantras given by guru; to avoid the association of non devotees; to observe the vratas of
ekadasi and janmastami; following of sadacara, ie all the rules encumbent upon the vaisnava,
respect for vaisnavas, taking of krsna prasadam only, thinking of Krsna's pastimes. He may wear
the panca mala (tulasi, amlaki, lotus seeds (or Radha Kunda mud), gunja and pavitra (or rope from
Jagannatha cart).
He should not tie his sikha, being free from injunctions of karma vidhi. If he has a yajnopavita he
should give it up he is going to live by begging. Whether he is buried, burned or thrown in water
when he dies should not be his concern. After his passing instead of sraddha nama kirtan can be
performed and the vaisnavas may be fed.
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Afer hearing the instructions of the spiritual master, the disciple should drink guru foot water and
perfrom worship of the guru with as many upacaras as possible. He should then feed the vaisnavas
and then take Krsna prasadam himself.
According to this text, women can also take all samskaras except the kaupina.
--------------------------------------------------Tridandi:
vaga dando'tha mano dandah kaya dandas tathaiva ca
yasyaite nihita buddhau tridanditi sa ucyate
Manu
One is called tridandi who controls speech, mind and body.
damanam dandah yasya van manah kayanam dandah nisiddhabhidhanah sat sankalpa pratisiddha
vyapara tyagenabuddhavavasthitah sa tridandityucyate na tu danda traya dharana matrena
Kallukabhatta Commentary
The meaning of danda is control. It refers to restrictions on words, mind and body. A person who
can restict the words, mind and body, or who, by intelligence, is able to give up all attraction to
those things which are unfavorable to spiritual advancement is called a tridandi. A person caanot be
called a tridandi just but holding three sticks in his hand.
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