Samskara (Rite of Passage)

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Samskara (rite of passage)

Samskara (IAST: saṃskāra, sometimes spelled
samskara) are sacraments in Hinduism and other Indian
religions, described in ancient Sanskrit texts, as well as a
concept in the karma theory of Indian
philosophies. [1][2][3] The word literally means "putting
together, making perfect, getting ready, to prepare", or "a
sacred or sanctifying ceremony" in ancient Sanskrit and
Pali texts of India.[4]
In the context of karma theory, samskaras are

dispositions, character or behavioural traits, that exist as Samskaras are, in one context, the diverse
default from birth or prepared and perfected by a person rites of passage of a human being from
over one's lifetime, that exist as imprints on the conception to cremation, signifying
milestones in an individual's journey of life
subconscious according to various schools of Hindu
in Hinduism. Above is annaprashan
philosophy such as the Yoga school.[3][5] These perfected
samskara celebrating a baby's first taste of
or default imprints of karma within a person, influences
solid food.
that person's nature, response and states of mind.[3]
In another context, Samskara refers to the diverse

sacraments in Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism.[2][6][7] In Hinduism, the samskaras
vary in number and details according to regional traditions. They range from the list of 40
samskaras in the Gautama Dharmasutra from about the middle of the 1st millennium BCE,[8] to
16 samskaras in the Grhyasutra texts from centuries later.[1][9] The list of samskaras in Hinduism
include both external rituals such as those marking a baby's birth and a baby's name giving
ceremony, as well as inner rites of resolutions and ethics such as compassion towards all living
beings and positive attitude.[8]
Etymology and meaning

Saṃskāra (Sanskrit: संस्कार) has various context-driven meanings, that broadly refer to "the putting
together, accomplishing well, making perfect, a form of solemn recognition and getting ready,
engaging in works and acknowledging the purification of body by cleansing or mind by education
or an object by a process (such as polishing a gem or refining a metal)".[4] The term appears in the
Śrutis, and in the Smritis of diverse schools of Hinduism as well as the texts of Jainism, Buddhism
and Sikhism.[4][6] The etymological roots of the word samskara when it refers to rites of passage, is
also "preparation, purifying, perfecting" from one's past state to one's future state.[1]
The word samskara is rare in the oldest layer of Vedic literature, but its roots sam and kr occur
often enough.[10] The word appears in Rig Veda hymns 6.28.4 and 8.33.9, as well as other Vedic
texts, where the context suggests it simply means "purify, prepare". It appears in Jaimini
Purvamimamsa-sutra (500-200 BCE) many times, where it again means "prepare, perfect, polish"
something, either through action, speech or mind.[10][11] In sections 3.8.3, 9.3.25 and 10.2.49 of the
Jaimini Purvamimamsa-sutra, the word samskara is used to describe actions of "washing the
teeth, shaving the head, cutting nails, sprinkling water" as part of a ceremony.[10] Samskara is
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samskara_(rite_of_passage) 1/20
defined by ancient Indian scholar Shabara as, "that which prepares a certain thing or person fit for
a certain purpose".[11] Another ancient text Viramitrodaya defines samskara, notes Kane, as "a
peculiar excellence due to performance of certain actions which resides in the soul or the body of
the actor".[10]
samskara in Hindu traditions, states Kane, have been ceremonies, with the expression of outward
symbols or signs of inner change, marking life events of significance. They served a spiritual,
cultural and psychological purpose, welcoming an individual into a stage of life, conferring
privileges to the individual(s), expecting duties from the individual, and impressing on the
individual as well individual's social circle of his or her new role.[12]
Sanskāra, in modern usage, is sometimes used to mean "cultural, social or religious heritage".[13]
Samskara as a psychological concept

In the context of karma theory, Samskara are dispositions, character or behavioral traits either as
default from birth (previous lives in some schools of Hinduism), or Samskara are behavioral traits
perfected over time through Yoga, through conscious shaping of inner self, one's desire, sense of
moral responsibility and through practice.[3][5] In some schools of Hinduism, the psychological
concept of samskara is also known as vāsanā.[14][15]
These are viewed as traces or temperament that evolves through the refinement of an individual
inner consciousness and expressed personality, and is a form of "being-preparedness" in Vedantic
psychology.[3] In Samkhya and Yoga schools, samskara – also spelled as Samksara – are
impressions or residues that affect an individual's Gunas (behavior attributes). In Nyaya school of
Hinduism, not all Samskara are psychological.[3] Rites of passage, other actions, studies, diligent
preparation and inner resolutions trigger impressions or dispositions in the psyche of an
individual, in these schools of Hinduism, and these influence how the individual acts, perceives self
and the manner in which the individual responds to or accepts the karmic circumstances and the
future.[16]
Samskara as Sampradaya
Samskaras in Hinduism are Sampradayas that begin with one's birth, celebrate certain early steps
in a baby's growth and his or her welcome into the world in the presence of friends and family, then
various stages of life such as first learning day, graduation from school, wedding and honeymoon,
pregnancy, raising a family, as well as those related to final rites associated with cremation.[17]
These rites of passage are not uniform, and vary within the diverse traditions of Hinduism. Some
may involve formal ceremonies, yajna (fire) ceremonies with the chanting of Vedic hymns. Others
are simple, private affairs involving a couple, with or without friends, other families or a religious
person such as a priest or a pandit.[17]
Samskaras are not considered as an end in themselves, but are means of social recognition as well
as the passage of a person from one significant stage of life to another.[18] Various elements of
samskaras and rituals of passage are mentioned in Vedas of Hinduism, one of the oldest known
scriptures in the world. The most extensive, but divergent discussions of these rites of passage are
found in the numerous Dharmasutras and Grhyasutras from the 1st millennium BCE.[18][19] Many
of these rites of passage include formal ceremonies, with ritual readings of hymns, chants and
ethical promises, aiming to orient the individual(s) to that which is considered part of dharma
(right, good, just, moral, true, spiritual, responsible, duties to family members or society in
general), and essential actions such as those associated with last rites and cremation, charitable
works, or out of sraddha or items of faith.[18][20]
The purpose
Gautama Dharmasutra enumerates a large list of "forty outer karma samskaras" and "eight inner
karma samskara (good qualities)", all of whom have the purpose of empowering a human being to
discover, recognize and reach union with the Brahma-Atman (his or her Soul, Self, Highest
Being).[21] The ultimate purpose is to inculcate virtues, and samskaras are viewed in the Hindu
tradition as means – not as ends – towards ripening and perfecting the human journey of life.[21]
The eight good qualities listed by Gautama Dharmasutra are emphasized as more important than
the forty samskara rituals, in verses 8.21-8.25, as follows,
[...] (8.14-8.20)
These are the forty sanskara (sacramentary rites). (8.21)
Next, the eight virtues of the self: (8.22)

Compassion towards all creatures, patience, lack of envy, purity, tranquillity, having a
positive disposition, generosity, and lack of possessiveness. (8.23)
A man who has performed the forty sanskaras but lacks these eight virtues does not
obtain union with Brahman. (8.24)
A man who may have performed only some of the forty sanskaras but possesses these
eight virtues, on the other hand, is sure to obtain union with Brahman. (8.25)
— Gautama Dharma-sutras, Verses 8.14-8.25, Translated by Patrick Olivelle[8]
The 40 Samskaras
The Gautama Dharmasutra list the following forty rituals as outer samskaras:[8][22]
Garbhadhana (conception), Pumsavana (rite celebrating the fetus), Simantonnayana (parting

of pregnant woman's hair in 8th month), Jatakarman (rite celebrating the birth), Namakarana
(naming the child), Annaprashana (baby's first feeding of solid food), Choulam (baby's first
haircut, tonsure), and Upanayana (entry into school rite);[23]
the four vows associated with Vedic study;
graduation ritual at the conclusion of school;
marriage sva-dharma rite;
five sacrifices to gods, ancestors, humans, spirits, and all knowledge;
seven remembrances and donations (sacrifices) using cooked food, in the form of ancestral
offerings
seven remembrances and donations (sacrifices) in the presence of fire (yajna), to mark
harvests, seasons and deities
seven kinds of Soma sacrifices: agnistoma, atyagnistoma, ukthya, sodasin, vajapeya, atiratra
and aptoryama.
To obtain union with Brahman, one must also possess the eight virtues (compassion, patience,
non-envy, purity of thought speech and body, inner calm and peace, positive attitude, generosity,
and lack of possessiveness).
The 16 samskaras
There are diverse number of samskaras in Hinduism, varying by texts between 12 and 18 in the
Grhyasutras (Kalpa sastras). Of these, 16 are referred to as "Shodasha Samskaras" (Ṣoḍaśa
Saṃskāra).[9]
Intent to have a child ritual, Garbhadhana
Garbhadhana (IAST: Garbhādhāna, Sanskrit: गर्भाधान), also called Garbhalambhanam, literally

means attaining the wealth of the womb.[24] It is a private rite of passage, marking the intent of a
couple to have a child. It is a ceremony performed before conception and impregnation.[25] In
some ancient texts, the word simply refers to the rite of passage where the couple have sex to have
a child, and no ceremonies are mentioned.[7] Scholars trace this rite to Vedic hymns, such as those
in sections 8.35.10 through 8.35.12 of the Rigveda, where repeated prayers for progeny and
prosperity are solemnized,[24]
प्रजां च धत्तं द्रविणं च धत्तम्

bestow upon us progeny and affluence
— Rig Veda 8.35.10 - 8.35.12, Translated by Ralph Griffith[26]
The Vedic texts have many passages, where the hymn solemnizes the desire for having a child,
without specifying the gender of the child. For example, the Rigveda in section 10.184 states,[24]
विष्णुर्योनिं कल्पयतु त्वष्टा रूपाणि पिं शतु । आ सिञ्चतु प्रजापतिर्धाता गर्भं दधातु ते ॥१॥
गर्भं धेहि सिनीवालि गर्भं धेहि सरस्वति । गर्भं ते अश्विनौ देवावा धत्तां पुष्करस्रजा ॥२॥
हिरण्ययी अरणी यं निर्मन्थतो अश्विना । तं ते गर्भं हवामहे दशमे मासि सूतवे ॥३॥
May Vishnu construct the womb, may Twashtri fabricate the member, may Prajapati
sprinkle the seed, may Dhatri cherish thy embryo;
Sustain the embryo Sinivali, sustain the embryo Saraswati, may the divine Aswins,
garlanded with lotuses, sustain thy embryo;
We invoke thy embryo which the Aswins have churned with the golden pieces of Arani
(firewood), that thou mayest bring it forth in the tenth month.
— Rig Veda 10.184.1 - 10.184.3, Translated by HH Wilson[27]
The desire for progeny, without mentioning gender, is in many other books of the Rigveda, such as
the hymn 10.85.37. The Atharva Veda, similarly in verse 14.2.2, states a ritual invitation to the wife,
by her husband to mount the bed for conception, "being happy in mind, here mount the bed; give
birth to children for me, your husband".[24] Later texts, such as the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, in
the last chapter detailing the education of a student, include lessons for his Grihastha stage of
life.[28] There, the student is taught, that as a husband, he should cook rice for the wife, and they
together eat the food in certain way depending on whether they wish for the birth of a daughter or a
son, as follows,[28]
And if a man wishes that a learned daughter should be born to him, and that she should
live to her full age, then after having prepared boiled rice with sesamum and butter,
they should both eat, being fit to have offspring.
And if a man wishes that a learned son should be born to him, and that he should live
his full age, then after having prepared boiled rice with meat and butter, they should
both eat, being fit to have offspring.
— Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 6.4.17 - 6.4.18, Translated by Max Muller[29]
According to Shankaracharya, rather than meat the inner pulp of two fruits is cooked with rice.
The different Grhyasutras differ in their point of view, whether the garbhadhana is to be performed
only once, before the first conception, or every time before the couple plan to have additional
children.[30] To answer this question, the medieval era texts of various schools discussed and
offered diverse views on whether the ritual is a rite of passage for the baby's anticipation in the
womb (garbha), or for the wife (kshetra).[30] A rite of passage of the baby would imply that
Garbhadhana samskara is necessary for each baby and therefore every time the couple intend to
have a new baby, while a rite of passage of the wife would imply a one time ritual suffices.[30]
Nurturing the fetus rite, Pumsavana
Pumsavana (IAST: puṃsavana, Sanskrit: पुंसवन) is a composite word of Pums + savana. Pums as a
noun means "a man, a human being, a soul or spirit", while savana means "ceremony, rite,
oblation, festival".[31] Pumsavana literally means "rite for a strong or male baby", usually translated
as "nurturing a male fetus, bringing forth a male baby".[32] It is a ritual conducted when the
pregnancy begins to show, typically in or after the third month of pregnancy and usually before the
fetus starts moving in the womb. The ceremony celebrates the rite of passage of the developing
fetus, marking the stage where the baby begins to kick as a milestone in a baby's development.
The roots of the pumsavana ritual are found in section 4.3.23 and 4.6.2 of the Atharva Veda,
wherein charms are recited for a baby boy.[33] The Atharva Veda also contains charms to be recited
for the birth of a child of either gender and the prevention of miscarriages, such as in section
4.6.17.[33]
The ritual is performed in diverse ways, but all involve the husband serving something to the
expectant wife. In one version, she is fed a paste mixture of yoghurt, milk and ghee (clarified
butter) by him.[34] In another version, the pumsavana ritual is more elaborate, done in the
presence of yajna fire and vedic chants, where the husband places a drop of Banyan leaf extract in
the wife's right nostril for a son, and her left nostril for a daughter, followed by a feast for all
present.[35][36]
The time prescribed for the pumsavana differs in different Grhyasutras, and can be extended up to
the eighth month of pregnancy, according to some.
Parting hair and baby shower, Simantonnayana
Simantonnayana (IAST: Sīmantonnayana, Sanskrit: सीमन्तोन्नयन), also called Simanta or

Simantakarana, literally means "parting the hair upwards".[37][38] The significance of the ritual is
to wish a healthy development of the baby and safe delivery to the mother.[39]
Simantonnayana ritual is described in many Gryhasutra texts, but Kane states that there is great
divergence in details, which may be because the rite of passage emerged in more a recent era,
before it receded into the background.[37] The texts do not agree on whether this rite of passage
was to be celebrated before or after pumsavana, early or late stage of pregnancy, or the nature of
ritual celebrations.[37] The texts also disagree whether Simantonnayana was a rite of passage of
the baby or of the pregnant woman, the former implying it must be repeated for every baby while
the latter implying it was to be observed once for the woman with her first pregnancy.[37][38]
The common element was the husband and wife getting together, with friends and family, then he
parts her hair upwards at least three times. In modern times, the "parting hair" rite of passage is
rarely observed, and when observed it is called Atha-gulem and done in the 8th month, with
flowers and fruits, to cheer the woman in the late stages of her pregnancy.[40] The ritual has more
commonly evolved into a ritual that shares characteristics of a baby shower, where the friends and
relatives of the woman meet, acknowledge and satisfy the food cravings of the expectant woman,
and give gifts to the mother and the baby in the seventh or eighth month of pregnancy.[39][41]
Yåjñavalkya Smriti verse 3.79 asserts that the desires of the pregnant woman should be satisfied
for healthy development of the baby, to prevent miscarriage and her health.[39] After the
Simantonnayana ritual or in the last months of the pregnancy, the woman is expected to not
overexert herself, her husband is expected to be by her and not to travel to distant lands.[39] This
rite of passage is regionally called by various names, such as Seemant, Godh bharai, Seemantham
or Valaikaapu.[42]
Childbirth ceremony, Jatakarman
Jātakarman literally means "rite of a new-born infant".[43][44] It is a rite of passage that celebrates
the birth of the baby.[45] It is the first post-natal rite of passage of the new born baby. It signifies
the baby's birth, as well as the bonding of the father with the baby.[46] In Hindu traditions, a
human being is born at least twice – one at physical birth through mother's womb, and second at
intellectual birth through teacher's care, the first is marked through Jatakarman samskara ritual,
the second is marked through Vidyarambha or Upanayana samskara ritual.[20] During a
traditional Jātakarman ritual, the father welcomes the baby by touching the baby's lips with honey
and ghee (clarified butter), as Vedic hymns are recited. The first significance of the hymns is
medhajanana (Sanskrit: मेधाजनन), or to initiate the baby's mind and intellect in the womb of the
world, after the baby's body formation has completed in the womb of the mother. The second part
of the hymns wish the baby a long life.[46]
The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, in the last chapter detailing lessons for Grihastha stage of life for a
student, describes this rite of passage, in verses 6.4.24 to 6.4.27, as follows,[28]
When a child is born, he prepares the fire, places the child on his lap, and having
poured Prishadajya of Dahi (yoghurt) and Ghrita (clarified butter), into a metal jug, he
sacrifices the mix into the fire, saying:
"May I, as I prosper in this my house, nourish a thousand ! May fortune never fail in its
race, with offspring and cattle, Svah !
I offer to thee [the baby] in my mind the vital breaths which are in me, Svah !
Whatever in my work I have done too much, or whatever I have done too little, may the
wise Agni make it right, make it proper, Svah !"
— Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 6.4.24[28][47]
The Upanishad includes prayer to deity Saraswati during this rite of passage, the goddess of
knowledge and wisdom in Hindu tradition. It also includes the threefold repetition of "Speech
Speech" with the assertion to the baby, "You are the Vedas! so, live a hundred autumns", into the
baby's ear by the father.[46][47] At the end of the ritual pronouncements by the father, he gives the
baby to the mother's breast for feeding.[28][47]
While the earliest Dharmasutras list Jatakarma and

Namakarama as two different samskara, they evolve into one in
many Gryhasutra texts. By Pantanjali's time, these two rites of
passage had merged into one, and completed within the first
two weeks of the baby's birth, usually about the tenth day.[48]
Naming the baby ritual, Namakarana
Namakarana (IAST: Nāmakaraṇa, Sanskrit: नामकरण) literally

means "ceremony of naming a child".[49] This rite of passage is
usually done on the eleventh or twelfth day after birth, and
sometimes the first new moon or full moon day after the tenth
day of birth.[50] On the day of this samskara, the infant is
bathed and dressed in new garments.[51] His or her formal
name, selected by the parents, is announced. The naming ritual
solemnizes the child as an individual, marking the process by
which a child is accepted and socialized by people around him
or her. The Satapatha Brahmana verse 6.1.3.9 asserts that the
naming ceremony is a cleansing ceremony for the baby. The A new born's Namakarana
ceremony. The grandmother is
rite of passage also includes a gathering of friends and relatives
whispering the name into the baby's
of the new parents, where gifts are presented, and a feast
ear, while friends and family watch.
follows.[51]
The ancient Sanskrit texts provide numerous and divergent

guidelines to the parents for choosing names.[50] Most recommend that the boy's name be two or
four syllables, starting with a sonant, a semivowel in the middle, and ending in a visarga. A girl's
name is recommended to be an odd number of syllables, ending in a long ā or ī, resonant and easy
to pronounce.[50] Unpleasant, inauspicious, or words that easily transform into bad or evil words
must be avoided, state the Gryhasutras, while the preferred names are those affiliated with a deity,
virtues, good qualities, lucky stars, constellation, derivatives of the name of the father, or mother,
or the place of birth, or beautiful elements of nature (trees, flowers, birds).[50][51]
Baby's first outing, Nishkramana
Nishkramana (IAST: Niṣkrāmaṇa, Sanskrit: निष्क्रम) literally means "going out, coming forth",[52] is
the rite of passage where the parents take the baby outside the home and the baby formally meets
the world for the first time.[51][53] It is usually observed during the fourth month after birth. On
this ritual occasion the newborn is taken out and shown the sun at sunrise or sunset, or the moon,
or both. Alternatively, some families take the baby to a temple for the first time.[51] The rite of
passage involves bathing the baby and dressing him or her in new clothes. The baby's outing is
accompanied by both the mother and the father, siblings if any, as well some nearby loved ones,
such as grandparents and friends.[53][54]
The significance of Niskramana and showing the baby heavenly bodies is derived from their
significance of Sun, Moon and nature in the Vedic literature.[53] At the time the baby is present
before the sunrise or moon, it is the father who holds the baby and recites a hymn that means, "the
brilliant sun has risen in the east, he is like the hamsa (swan) of the pure worlds, let us salute him,
because he dispels darkness".[53]

When the baby is in presence
of the moon, the father says, "O Moon, thou whose hair is well
parted, let this child come to no harm, nor torn from the
mother".[53]
Baby's first solid food, Annaprashana
Annaprashana (IAST: Annaprāśana, Sanskrit: अन्नप्राशन) literally

means "feeding of food", and the rite of passage marks the first
Annaprashanam is the rite of
time a baby eats solid food, typically containing cooked rice.[51]
passage where the baby is fed solid
Most Gryhasutras recommend this ritual in the sixth month, or food for the first time. The ritual has
when the child shows the first teeth, with slow weaning of the regional names, such as Choroonu
baby from breast feeding to other sources food.[51][55] Some in Kerala.
texts recommend continued breast feeding of the child, as the
child adapts to the various foods. The ritual is usually
celebrated with cooked rice, in a paste of honey, ghee and curd.[55][56] Sankhyayana Gryhasutra
recommends that fish, goat or partridge meat gravy be added to the solid food that baby tastes for
the first time, while Manava Gryhasutra is silent about the use of meat.[55] The mother eats with
the baby, the same food. The father sits with them and participates in the rite of passage. The rite
of passage, in some texts, include charity and feeding of the poor, and ceremonial prayers by both
parents.[55]
Baby's first haircut, Chudakarana
Chudakarana (IAST: Cūḍākaraṇa, Sanskrit: चूडाकरण) (literally,

rite of tonsure), also known as choulam, caula, chudakarma,
mundana or "mundan sanskar" is the rite of passage that
marks the child's first haircut, typically the shaving of the
head.[51] The mother dresses up, sometimes in her wedding
sari, and with the father present, the baby's hair is cut and the
nails are trimmed.[57] Sometimes, a tuft of hair is left to cover
the soft spot near the top of baby's head.[51][57] A baby's first haircut is called
choulam samskara.
The significance of this rite of passage is the baby's cyclical step
to hygiene and cleanliness.[58] The ritual is seen as a passage of
purity. It is typically done about the first birthday, but some texts recommend that it be completed
before the third or the seventh year.[57] Sometimes, this ritual is combined with the rite of passage
of Upanayana, initiation to formal schooling.[51] The ritual may include recitation of prayers for the
child's long life and happiness.[57]
Baby's earlobe piercing rite, Karnavedha
Karnavedha (IAST: Karṇavedha, Sanskrit: कर्णवेध) literally means "ear-piercing".[59] This is a minor
rite of passage that is not mentioned in most Gryha-sutras.[51][60] Those that mention it state
different schedules, with some suggesting the ritual within the first four weeks after birth, others
suggesting within the first year.[51][61] The purpose of this optional ritual is primarily an
ornamentation of the body, and it is part of the baby's socialization process and culture emersion.
The piercing is usually done with a clean gold thread, or silver needle.[51][61]
For a baby boy, the right earlobe is pierced first.[51] For a baby girl, the left earlobe is. In case of
girls, the left nostril may also be pierced during this ritual.[51][61] The piercing of the earlobes
symbolically reminds the child, as he or she grows up, of beauty and social presence, of the
importance of hearing and speech in the wisdom of the

Vedas.[51]
Child's commencement to knowledge, Vidyarambha
Vidyarambha (IAST: Vidyāraṃba, Sanskrit: विद्यारम्भ) literally

means "beginning of study". It is also known as
Akshararambha, Aksharaabhyaasa, or Aksharasvikara. It is a
ritual that celebrates as a milestone, the child's formal attempt
to learn means of knowledge.[62] This includes steps where the
child, helped by the parents and other family members, does
one or more of the following: writes letters of the mother-
tongue, draws mathematical numbers or shapes, and plays a
musical instrument.[63]
The oldest texts that describe rites of passage, such as the

Dharmasutras, make no mention of Vidyarambha and go
direct to Upanayana ritual at the eighth year.[62] The later A Hindu girl after her Karnavedha
texts, such as the Samsakara Prakasha, from the first rite of passage (ear piercing)
centuries of 1st millennium CE, mention Vidyarambha as a rite
of passage in the fifth year of a child's life, suggesting that the
process of learning started shifting to an earlier age of a child with time. The ceremony is observed
on the same day for all children in their fifth year, on the day of Vijayadasami which is on the tenth
of the Hindu month Ashvin (September–October).[62][63] It includes a prayer to goddess Saraswati
and deity Ganesh,[62] a teacher is invited or the parents themselves work with the child to write
Lipi (letters of the alphabet), draw Samkhya (numbers) or pictures, and sometimes play with an
instrument.[63][64] In modern times, parents mark this rite of passage in the third year of the
child.[65]
Child's entrance into school, Upanayana
Upanayana (IAST:Upanayana, Sanskrit: उपनयन) literally means

"the act of leading to or near".[67] It is an important and widely
discussed samskara in ancient Sanskrit text.[68] The rite of
passage symbolizes the leading or drawing towards the self of a
child, in a school, by a teacher.[67] It is a ceremony in which a
Guru (teacher) accepts and draws a child towards knowledge
and initiates the second birth that is of the young mind and
spirit.[68]
Upanayana was an elaborate ceremony, that included rituals

Upanayana samskara ceremony in
involving the family, the child and the teacher. During this
progress. Typically, this ritual was
ceremony, a boy receives a sacred thread called
for eight-year-olds in ancient India,
Yajñopaveetam, that he wears. Yajñopavita ceremony
but in the 1st millennium CE it
announced that the child had entered into formal
became open to all ages.[66]
education.[69][70] In the modern era, the Upanayana rite of
passage is open to anyone at any age.[66]
Rajbali Pandey compares the Upanayana rite of passage to Baptism in Christianity where the
person is born again unto spiritual knowledge, in addition to it being the ancient Indian rite of
passage for the start of formal education of writing, numbers, reading, Vedangas, arts and other
skills.[71] The Upanayana rite of passage was also important to the teacher, as the student would
therefrom begin to live in the Gurukul (school).[68] Many medieval era texts discuss Upanayana in
the context of three Varnas (caste, class) – Brahmins, Kshtreyas and Vaishyas.[71] Several texts
such as Sushruta Sutrasthana, however, also include Sudras entering schools and the formal
education process,[72] stating that the Upanayana samskara was open to everyone.[69][73] The
upanayana ceremony extended to women, in ancient Sanskrit texts, and the girls who underwent
this rite of passage then pursued studies were called Brahmavadini.[74] Those who did not
performed upanayana ceremony at the time of their wedding. Instead of sacred thread, girls would
wear their robe (now called sari or saree) in the manner of the sacred thread, that is over her left
shoulder during this rite of passage.[74][75]
The education of a student was not limited to ritual and philosophical speculations found in the
Vedas and the Upanishads. They extended to many arts and crafts, which had their own but similar
rites of passages.[76] Aitareya Brahmana, Agamas and Puranas literature of Hinduism describe
these as Shilpa Sastras, and they extend to all practical aspects of culture, such as the sculptor, the
potter, the perfumer, the wheelwright, the painter, the weaver, the architect, the dancer, and the
musician. Ancient Indian texts assert that the number of the arts is unlimited, but each deploy
elements of 64 kala (कला, techniques) and 32 vidyas (विद्या, fields of knowledge).[76] The training of
these began from childhood, and included studies about dharma, culture, reading, writing,
mathematics, geometry, colors, tools, as well as traditions (trade secrets). The rites of passage
during apprentice education varied in the respective guilds.[77][78]
Vedarambha
Praishartha (or Vedarambha) is the rite of passage that marked the start of learning the Vedas and
Upanishads in Gurukulam or Pathashala (school). It was a fire ritual (yajna), where the teacher
and the student sat together, with the teacher reciting initiation hymns and the student following.
This ritual is missing in older texts, and Pandey suggests that the later tradition recognized the
difference between getting accepted in a school, and the actual start of Veda studies when the
student is ready to learn those texts.[79] In ancient India, the student's preparation involved
helping with school chores, living a simple life, going to villages and towns to seek donations of
food (Bhiksha), collect and bring water, collect fuel sticks for cooking, general maintenance of the
school and share the food he and others collect with his teacher and the student community. These
were on-going rituals of living at living, and not considered as a distinct rite of passage.[80] Prior to
the initiation of the Veda study, the student learnt the vocabulary, grammar and other basic
studies. The emphasis of the stage where the student started Veda study was both the
memorization and know the meaning of each hymn, verse or mantra.[81] Vedarambha marked the
actual start of the Veda study.[82]
Some texts describes two rituals each academic period (school year), one marking the start of Vedic
studies each year, called Upakarma or Upakarana. The other ceremony was held at the end of each
academic period, called Utasarjanam or Utsarga or Samapana, and marked the suspension of the
Veda studies for a certain period of the year.[83] The start of school ceremony, the Upakarma was
observed in the month of Sravana (August) every year.[83] It was held in the morning, and attended
by the students, the teacher, people in the Grihastha stage (householders, parents) and
Vanaprastha stage of life (retired, grandparents).[83] The Utsarga, closing the study year, was held
in the month of Magha (about February).[84]
Keshanta and Ritusuddhi
Keshanta (IAST: Keśānta) (literally, getting rid of hairs) is the first shave of a youth's facial hair.
This was typically observed about age sixteen, and the emerging beard and moustache were
shaved. The ceremony included gift giving such as to the barber and the teacher at his school.[85]
The coming of age ceremony ended with the student reciting

his vow of chastity and the code of Brahmacharya.[85]
Ritusuddhi, also called as Ritu Kala Samskara, is the

corresponding coming of age ceremony for girls, after
menarche or first menstruation. This milestone in a girl's life is
observed by her family and friends, with gifts and her wearing a
sari for the ritual.[86][87] The rite of passage is celebrated, in
modern times, as a "half-saree party" where the female
relatives and friends of the girl gather, and she receives and
wears a half-saree and other gifts. Thereafter, at ceremonious
events, she wears the half-sarees, until her marriage when she
puts on a full Sari.[88]
Graduation ceremony, Samavartana A Tamil Hindu girl (center) in 1870

wearing a half-saree, flowers and
jewelry from her Ritu Kala samskara
Samavartana (IAST: Samāvartana), or Snana, is the ceremony
rite of passage
associated with the end of formal education and the
Brahmacharya asrama of life. This rite of passage includes a
ceremonial bath.[89] This ceremony marked the end of school,
but did not imply immediate start of married life. Typically, significant time elapsed between
exiting the Brahmacharya stage of life and the entering of Grihastha stage of life.[90]
Anyone who had complete this rite of passage was considered a Vidyasnataka (literally, bathed in
knowledge, or showered with learning), and symbolized as one who had crossed the ocean of
learning.[91] This ceremony was a gathering of students and teacher. The student asked the teacher
for any gift (guru-dakshina) he desired, which if specified was the student's responsibility to
deliver over his lifetime.[92] Then, after a recitation of a graduate's dharma (snataka-dharma)[93]
and a fire ritual, the graduate took a bath. The ceremony occurred after completion of at least 12
years of school, that is either about age 21 or later.
Taittiriya Upanishad describes, in the eleventh anuvaka of Shiksha Valli, the snataka-dharma
recitation emphasized by the teacher to a graduate at this rite of passage.[94][95] The verses ask the
graduate to take care of themselves and pursue Dharma, Artha and Kama to the best of their
abilities. Parts of the verses in section 1.11.1, for example, state[94]
Never err from Truth,

Never err from Dharma,
Never neglect your well-being,
Never neglect your health,
Never neglect your prosperity,
Never neglect Svādhyāya (study of oneself) and Pravacana (exposition of Vedas).
— Taittirĩya Upanishad, I.11.1[94][95]
The eleventh anuvaka of Shiksha Valli list behavioral guidelines for the graduating students from a
gurukul,[96][97]
Be one to whom a mother is as god, be one to whom a father is as god,

Be one to whom an Acharya (spiritual guide, scholars you learn from) is as god,
Be one to whom a guest is as god.[96]
Let your actions be uncensurable, none else.

Those acts that you consider good when done to you, do those to others, none else.
— Taittirĩya Upanishad, I.11.2[94][95]
The third section of the eleventh anuvaka lists charity and giving, with faith, sympathy, modesty
and cheerfulness, as ethical precept for the graduating students at the Samavartana rite of
passage.[95]
The wedding rituals, Vivaha
Vivaha (IAST: Vivāha, Sanskrit: विवाह) is the rite of passage and

rituals associated with marriage.[98][99] While there are many
rituals in Hinduism, vivaha (wedding) is the most extensive
personal ritual an adult Hindu undertakes in his or her
life.[100][101]
The wedding rites and ceremonies begin with the engagement

of a couple, and extend to rites of passage after the completion
of wedding. They are typically very colorful, and celebrations
may extend for several days.[102] The detailed rituals and
process in a Hindu wedding vary. Nevertheless, there are a few
key rituals common in Hindu weddings - Kanyadaan,
Panigrahana, and Saptapadi, which are respectively, giving
A rite of passage with yajna
away of daughter by the father, voluntarily holding hand near
ceremony often marks a Hindu
the fire to signify union, and taking seven steps with each step
wedding.
includes a vow/promise to each other before fire. The Vivaha
samskara is essentially a Vedic yajna ritual, with recitation of
Vedic hymns. The primary witness of a Hindu marriage is the Vedic fire-deity (or the Sacred Fire)
Agni, in the presence of family and friends.[103]
Post-wedding rites of passage include Grihapravesa – the welcoming of the bride to her new home
by groom's mother, father, brother(s), or sister(s), and other relatives. Chaturthikarma – literally,
"the rite performed on the fourth day after wedding", is the rite where the first domestic fire is lit
marking the food-related householder life of the new couple.[104]
Honeymoon, or the act of first sexual intercourse after the wedding, is known as Nishekam
(Sanskrit: निषेक).[105][106]
Vratas
Vrata literally means a vow or practice, any pious observance, act of devotion or austerity such as
fasting.[107] These were cyclical rites of passage of those in Grihastha (householder) stage of life,
typically as reminder of some pious action, reflective, spiritual side of life. Most Gryhasutras and
several Smritis include four Veda-vratas as samskara after graduation, as means of continuing self-
education.[108] The four Vratas includes Sukriya (study Rigveda), Sakvara, Vratika and Upanishad
Vrata. The rite of passage ceremony for each of these marked the start of the self study by the
householder, which lasted between 1, 3, 6 or 9 years each.[108]
Cremation ritual, Antyeshti
Antyesti (IAST: Antayeṣṭi, Sanskrit: अन्त्येष्टि) (literally, last rites or last sacrifice), sometimes referred
to as Antima Samskaram, Antya-kriya, Anvarohanyya, or Vahni samskara, are the rituals
associated with funeral.[109] This samskara is not mentioned in the lists of samskaras in most of
the grhyasutras and other texts that discuss samskaras. The details and procedures of this rite are
given in separate texts, dealing only with this topic.
A dead adult Hindu is mourned with a cremation, while a dead child is typically buried.[110][111] The
rite of passage is performed in harmony with the sacred premise that the microcosm of all living
beings is a reflection of a macrocosm of the universe.[112] The soul (Atman, Brahman) is the
essence and immortal that is released at the Antyeshti ritual, but both the body and the universe
are vehicles and transitory in various schools of Hinduism. They consist of five elements: air,
water, fire, earth and space.[112] The last rite of passage returns the body to the five elements and
origins.[110][112] The roots of this belief are found in the Vedas, for example in the hymns of
Rigveda in section 10.16, as follows,
Burn him not up, nor quite consume him, Agni: let
not his body or his skin be scattered,
O all possessing Fire, when thou hast matured him,
then send him on his way unto the Fathers.
When thou hast made him ready, all possessing
Fire, then do thou give him over to the Fathers,
When he attains unto the life that waits him, he
shall become subject to the will of gods.
The Sun receive thine eye, the Wind thy Prana (life- A Hindu cremation rite in Nepal. The
principle, breathe); go, as thy merit is, to earth or samskara above shows the body
heaven. wrapped in saffron on a pyre.
Go, if it be thy lot, unto the waters; go, make thine
home in plants with all thy members.
— Rigveda 10.16[113]
The final rites of a burial, in case of untimely death of a child, is rooted in Rig Veda's section 10.18,
where the hymns mourn the death of the child, praying to deity Mrityu to "neither harm our girls
nor our boys", and pleads the earth to cover, protect the deceased child as a soft wool.[114]
The last rites are usually completed within a day of death. His or her body is washed, wrapped in
white cloth if the dead is a man or a widow (red if her husband is still alive),[111] the two toes tied
together with a string, a Tilak (red mark) placed on the forehead.[110] The dead adult's body is
carried to the cremation ground near a river or water, by family and friends, and placed on a pyre
with feet facing south.[111] The eldest son, or a male mourner, or a priest then bathes before leading
the cremation ceremonial function.[110][115] He circumambulates the dry wood pyre with the body,
says a eulogy or recites a hymn in some cases, places sesame seed in the dead person's mouth,
sprinkles the body and the pyre with ghee (clarified butter), then draws three lines signifying Yama
(deity of the dead), Kala (time, deity of cremation) and the dead.[110] The pyre is then set ablaze,
while the mourners mourn. The ash from the cremation is consecrated to the nearest river or
sea.[115] After the cremation, in some regions, the immediate male relatives of the deceased shave
their head and invite all friends and relatives, on the tenth or twelfth day, to eat a simple meal
together in remembrance of the deceased. This day, in some communities, also marks a day when
the poor and needy are offered food in memory of the dead.[116]
Samskara in Jainism
Similar to Hinduism, samskara serve as a rite of passage into a new phase of life in different sects
of Jainism.[117][118]
In the Digambara school, all 16 Hindu samskaras (see above) were incorporated by Jinasena in the
Adipurana as part of 53 kriyas, of which 23 rites of passage are described for the Jain householder,
with the last culminating in renunciation of household life.[117][119] For those who skip the
householder stage of life, the equivalent rite of passage was the 11th pratima, and called diksha
(initiation into mendicancy).[117]
In the Śvētāmbara school, 16 samskaras similar to the Hindu rites of passage are described, for
example, in the Acara-Dinakara of Vardhamana.[117][120] It includes rituals described above, such
as those associated with conception, birth, name giving, ear piercing, baby's first haircut,
studentship, wedding and death.[117]
There are some differences between symbolism associated with samskara rites in Hinduism and
Jainism. The fire ceremony has Vedic significance in the former, while it symbolizes the
Tirthankaras, Ganadharas and Kevalins in Jainism. The mantras are often derived from Vedic
texts in Hinduism, while they are derived from Jain texts such as Ratnatraya in Jainism. The oaths
in some rites of passage include the vow of ahimsa (non-violence, non injury to all human beings
and living beings) in both, but is of exclusive significance in Jainism.[117]
Sanskars in Sikhism
Although Sikhs may individually recognise many rites of passage, four are universally important in
Sikh religious life. They are the four main sanskars:[121]
1. Naam Karan, "Naming a Child" ― the rite of naming a newborn at the Gurdwara; traditionally,
it is during this rite that male Sikhs take the middle name Singh and female Sikhs take the
middle name Kaur alongside their given first name.
2. Amrit Sanskar (also called Amrit Sanchar), "Ambrosia Rite" ― the Sikh rite of initiation
(sometimes described as the 'Sikh baptism'); converts to Sikhism may take the traditional
middle name of Singh or Kaur after receiving amrit although this is not a requirement.
3. Anand Karaj, "Blissful Union" ― the Sikh rite of marriage.
4. Antam Sanskar, "Final Rite" ― the Sikh funeral rites; traditionally, Sikhs are cremated during
the funeral ceremony and the ashes are collected and immersed in a body of water.
Other rites of passage such as Dastar Bandhi, the first tying of the Dastar (the traditional Sikh
turban), may also be celebrated.[122]
See also
Hindu genealogy registers at Haridwar
Dharmasutras
Kalpa (Vedanga)
Vedas
Dharma
Kama
Artha
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Oriental Research Institute, pages 807-811
84. PV Kane, Upakarana, Chapter XXIII (https://archive.org/stream/HistoryOfDharmashastras-PVK
aneVol2Part2#page/n117/mode/2up), History of Dharmasastras, Vol II, Part II, Bhandarkar
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86. Sacred Samskaras (http://www.hinduismtoday.com/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=404
3) Rajbali Pandey, Hinduism Today, May/June 2001
87. Heidi Munan (2012), Hindu Puberty Rites in CultureShock! Malaysia: A Survival Guide to
Customs and Etiquette, ISBN 978-1558680708, page 74
88. Lene Jensen (2015), The Oxford Handbook of Human Development and Culture, Oxford

Institute, page 408
91. Kathy Jackson (2005), Rituals and Patterns in Children's Lives, University of Wisconsin Press,
ISBN 978-0299208301, page 52
92. PV Kane, Snana or Samavartana, Chapter VII (https://archive.org/stream/historyofdharmas029
210mbp#page/n463/mode/2up), History of Dharmasastras, Vol II, Part I, Bhandarkar Oriental
Research Institute, pages 406-409
Institute, pages 412-417 (note: link has missing pages)
94. Taittiriya Upanishad (https://archive.org/stream/AitareyataittiriyaUpanishadsWithShankaraBhas
hya-English/05AitareyataittiriyaUpanishadsWithShankaraBhashya-English#page/n93/mode/2u
p) SS Sastri (Translator), The Aitereya and Taittiriya Upanishad, pages 89-92
95. Paul Deussen, Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-
8120814684, pages 229-231
96. Taittiriya Upanishad (https://archive.org/stream/thirteenprincipa028442mbp#page/n301/mode/2
up) Thirteen Principle Upanishads, Robert Hume (Translator), pages 281-282
97. Original: मातृदेवो भव । पितृदेवो भव । आचार्यदेवो भव । अतिथिदेवो भव । यान्यनवद्यानि कर्माणि तानि सेवितव्यानि ।
नो इतराणि । यान्यस्माकँ सुचरितानि तानि त्वयोपास्यानि । नो इतराणि ॥ २ ॥; Taittiriya Upanishad (Sanskrit) (h
ttps://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/तैत्तिरीयोपनिषद्), Wikisource
98. BBC News article on Hinduism & Weddings (https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/hinduism/r
itesrituals/weddings.shtml), Nawal Prinja (24 August 2009)
99. Hindu Saṁskāras: Socio-religious Study of the Hindu Sacraments, Rajbali Pandey (1969), see
Chapter VIII, ISBN 978-8120803961, pages 153-233
ISBN 978-81-208-0396-1, see Chapter VIII, pages 153–233
101. James G. Lochtefeld (2001), The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: A-M, Rosen Publishing,
ISBN 978-0-8239-3179-8, page 427
102. Sari nights and henna parties (https://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/7498e59c-2233-11dd-a50a-000077b
07658.html#axzz2aqrbE3eF), Amy Yee, The Financial Times, 17 May 2008
103. Bajpai, Shiva (2011). The History of India - From Ancient to Modern Times (http://www.himalay
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Himalayan Academy Publications (Hawaii, USA), ISBN 978-1-934145-38-8; see pages 4, 73-
74
105. niSeka (http://spokensanskrit.de/index.php?tinput=niSeka&direction=SE&script=HK&link=yes&
beginning=0) Sanskrit - English Dictionary, Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, Germany
106. Jörg Gengnagel and Ute Hüsken (2005), Words and Deeds: Hindu and Buddhist Rituals in
South Asia, Otto Harrassowitz Verlag, ISBN 978-3447051521, pages 155-156
107. vrata (http://www.sanskrit-lexicon.uni-koeln.de/cgi-bin/tamil/recherche) Monier-Williams'
Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, Germany
109. Antayesti (http://spokensanskrit.de/index.php?script=HK&beginning=0+&tinput=funeral+&trans
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110. Carl Olson (2007), The Many Colors of Hinduism: A Thematic-historical Introduction, Rutgers
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on Death
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Ritual Illustrated by the Jain Rite of Worship, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0198279471,
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8120815780, pages 291-300
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(Editors: Jörg Gengnagel and Ute Hüsken), Otto Harrassowitz Verlag, ISBN 978-3447051521,
pages 199-200
121. "The Sikhs and Their Way of Life - Sikh Ceremonies and Festivals" (https://www.sikhmissionary
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Further reading
Critical analysis of childhood samskaras (sacraments) in light of contemporary science (https://
www.researchgate.net/publication/323144083_CRITICAL_ANALYSIS_OF_CHILDHOOD_SAN
SKARAS_SACRAMENTS_IN_LIGHT_OF_CONTEMPORARY_SCIENCE) Deepshikha and
Rai Amit Kumar (2014), Int. Journal Ayur. Pharma Research, 2(2), pp. 95–100.
Culture as the Designer (https://direct.mit.edu/desi/article-abstract/21/4/41/69656/Culture-as-th
e-Designer), Lalit Das (2005), Design Issues, MIT Press, 21(4), pp. 41–53.
The Existential, Social, and Cosmic Significance of the Upanayana Rite (https://www.jstor.org/s
table/3269551), Carl Olson (1977), Numen, Vol. 24, Fasc. 2, pp. 152–160.
Thomas N. Siqueira, The Vedic Sacraments, Thought, Volume 9, Issue 4, March 1935, pp.
598–609, doi:10.5840/thought1935945 (https://doi.org/10.5840%2Fthought1935945).
External links
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28/04/2023, 12:43 Samskara (rite of passage) - Wikipedia

Samskara (rite of passage)

In the context of karma theory, samskaras are

In another context, Samskara refers to the diverse

Etymology and meaning

Samskara as a psychological concept

Next, the eight virtues of the self: (8.22)

— Gautama Dharma-sutras, Verses 8.14-8.25, Translated by Patrick Olivelle[8]

Garbhadhana (conception), Pumsavana (rite celebrating the fetus), Simantonnayana (parting

Intent to have a child ritual, Garbhadhana

Garbhadhana (IAST: Garbhādhāna, Sanskrit: गर्भाधान), also called Garbhalambhanam, literally

प्रजां च धत्तं द्रविणं च धत्तम्

— Rig Veda 8.35.10 - 8.35.12, Translated by Ralph Griffith[26]

— Rig Veda 10.184.1 - 10.184.3, Translated by HH Wilson[27]

Nurturing the fetus rite, Pumsavana

Parting hair and baby shower, Simantonnayana

Simantonnayana (IAST: Sīmantonnayana, Sanskrit: सीमन्तोन्नयन), also called Simanta or

Childbirth ceremony, Jatakarman

— Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 6.4.24[28][47]

While the earliest Dharmasutras list Jatakarma and

Naming the baby ritual, Namakarana

Namakarana (IAST: Nāmakaraṇa, Sanskrit: नामकरण) literally

The ancient Sanskrit texts provide numerous and divergent

Baby's first outing, Nishkramana

because he dispels darkness".[53]

Baby's first solid food, Annaprashana

Annaprashana (IAST: Annaprāśana, Sanskrit: अन्नप्राशन) literally

Baby's first haircut, Chudakarana

Chudakarana (IAST: Cūḍākaraṇa, Sanskrit: चूडाकरण) (literally,

Baby's earlobe piercing rite, Karnavedha

importance of hearing and speech in the wisdom of the

Child's commencement to knowledge, Vidyarambha

Vidyarambha (IAST: Vidyāraṃba, Sanskrit: विद्यारम्भ) literally

The oldest texts that describe rites of passage, such as the

Child's entrance into school, Upanayana

Upanayana (IAST:Upanayana, Sanskrit: उपनयन) literally means

Upanayana was an elaborate ceremony, that included rituals

Keshanta and Ritusuddhi

The coming of age ceremony ended with the student reciting

Ritusuddhi, also called as Ritu Kala Samskara, is the

Graduation ceremony, Samavartana A Tamil Hindu girl (center) in 1870

Never err from Truth,

— Taittirĩya Upanishad, I.11.1[94][95]

Be one to whom a mother is as god, be one to whom a father is as god,

Let your actions be uncensurable, none else.

The wedding rituals, Vivaha

Vivaha (IAST: Vivāha, Sanskrit: विवाह) is the rite of passage and

The wedding rites and ceremonies begin with the engagement

Cremation ritual, Antyeshti

University Press, ISBN 978-0813540689, pages 93-94

25. garbhAdhAna&direction=SE&script=HK&link=yes&beginning=0 niSeka (http://spokensanskrit.d

69. PV Kane, Samskara, Chapter VII (https://archive.org/stream/historyofdharmas029210mbp#pag

90. PV Kane, Samskara, Chapter VII (https://archive.org/stream/historyofdharmas029210mbp#pag

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