Samskara-dipika

by Shrila Gopala Bhatta Goswami

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:

garbhadhana(impregnationa)
pumsavana (making a male child)
simantonayanam (parting the hair)
sosyanti homa (safe delivery)
jata karma (birth)
 niskramana (first outing)
nama karana (giving a name)
pausti karma (nourishment)
anna prasanam (feeding grains)
karna vedha (piercing the ears)
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.

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

Elements of The Vaidic Samskara:

Following are the main elements of a samskara:

acamana
svasti vacana , managala acarana: prayers for auspciousness
sankalpa: vow
ghata sthapana: establishing ghata for worship
visnu puja: in the ghata
adhivasa: presenting auspicious articles (usually performed
the preceding night to the ceremony)
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)

* samskara rites: activities of the specific samskara

kusandika: preparing the kunda and fire
* ahuti: offering oblations different for each samskara
udicya karma: concluding rites,
acchidra vacana: pardon for offense
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.

om visnu sip water

om visnu sip water
om visnu 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 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
janardanaya namah touch heart with palm of hand
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
sarvesvaresvaro dadhatu

(the other mangala acarana prayers may be recited here.)

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.

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

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.

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

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

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
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:

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:

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

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 lthe 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

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
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

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

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.

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.
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. I is

usually performed on the night preceding the samskara proper.
ifthis cannot be done it should be performed on the mornig of
the ceremony, before the sattvika vrddhi sraddha. Auspcious
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.

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. Giv us offspirn, 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 you onsorts. Day and night are your
sides. The stars are your form. the eaven and eath are your
open moht. 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 dififculties.

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 all-merciful.Bestwo
upon us fine sense and life to worship you.

ghee:

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, srrong

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

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.

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.
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. Watever 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

He comes well clothed and youthful wtih sacrd thread. Being

twice born he is the best and most attractive. the wise men,
desiring the Lord, meditating on him with their minds, rais 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:

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
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

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.

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.
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: yojaka
caturthi homa: sikhi
pumsavana: candra
simantonnayana: mangala
sosyanti homa: mangala
nama karana: parthiva
pausti karma; balada
anna prasana: suci
cuda karana: satya
upanayanama: samudbhava
samavartana: tejah
dhrti homa: dhrti
udicya karma: 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,
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: estblishing the pot of water

2. rekha sthapana: drawing the lines in the pit
3. utkara nirasana: taking out earth
4. rekah abhyuksana: purifying the lines with water
5. agni samskara: taking out the inauspicious fire
6. agni sthapana: installing the fire
7. agni avahana: calling the fire deity
8. agni puja: worship of the fire
9. visnu stuti: praise of visnu
10.brahma sthapana: receiving the brahma
11.caru sthapana: making the caru (cooked grains)
12.bhumi japa: respect to the earth
13.agni sammukhi karana: respects to the fire
14.trnadi sodhana: cleaning the area, strewing kusa
15.svastika nivedana: worshipping the directions
16.vimsati kasthika homa: offering of twenty sticks into the
fire
17.ajya samskara: purifying the ghee
18.sruva samskara: purifying the spoon
19.udakanjaliseka: pouring water around the fire
20.agni paryuksana: sprinkling water around the fire
21.virupaksa japa: prayer to virupaksa
22.amantraka homa: 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:

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 ahd 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).

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. Vvisnu 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.

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.)

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)

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)

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

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:
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.
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: calling the fire called vidhu
3. vidhu puja: worshipping vidhu with upacaras
4. amantrika homa: offering wood without mantra
5. mahavyaharti homa: offering ghee with vyahrti mantra
6. visnu smaranam: prayers to krsna
7. prayascitta homa: offerings of ghee to visnu to allay faults
8. mahavyahrti homa: offering ghee with vyahrti mantra
9. vaisnava homa: offerings of ghee to associates of the Lord
10.amantrika homa: offering wood without mantra
11.agni paryuksana: pouring water around the fire
12.darba jutika homa: offering grass into the fire
13.purna huti: final offering
14.santi dana: sprinkling proksana water over fire
15.brahmana daksina: giving gifts to brahmana vaisnavas
16.acchidra vacana: absolving deficiencies
17.kirtana: chanting the Lord's name,
18.pranama: final surrender
19. vaisnava seva: serve prasadam

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
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
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.

Tthe 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 upreme 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
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
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
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
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
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
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.

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

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

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.
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 .

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
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.

12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 2223
**** * * * * * * * * *

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.

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.

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 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
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
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
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.

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
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

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.

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.

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:

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
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.
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,

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.

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

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.

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).

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:

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

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

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

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

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.

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.
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
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.

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
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

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:
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 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.

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.

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
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 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 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.

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
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.
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.
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
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.

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.
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:
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.

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
(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
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
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
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.
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.

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

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
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.
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..

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:
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.
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
janardanaya namah touch heart with palm of hand 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
sarvesvaresvaro dadhatu
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.

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.

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

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

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.

(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.

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....)
.....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 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.

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.
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.

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:
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
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
om bhur bhuvah svah svaha 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 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 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.

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
astam viparetana
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.

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. 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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 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.
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.

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:
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:
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.
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.
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.)

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

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.
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

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.

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

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.
(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.
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
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.
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.)
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
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 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
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.

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
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:

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.
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.

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.
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.

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.

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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.