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YagneopavitIn the
past, in Bharat Varsha (India), the 'yagneopavit'
(thread ceremony) was performed by the people
belonging to the three castes - Brahmins, i.e.
teachers, professors, ministers and the learned
people; Kshatriyas, i.e. people of martial class
and rulers; and Vaishyas, i.e. people dealing with
agriculture and commerce - for their
children.
A typical Yagneopavit ceremony
It involved performance of a great yagna,
in which all the Degas were invited by suitable incantations to bless the
children during the course of their initiation to the most sacred mantra
- Gayatri mantra - by the Kula Guru (family priest). The Gayatri is symbolized
by the three folds of the sacred thread of a fixed length, sanctified by
proper incantation, which is worn by the boy on his initiation.
Upanayana or Yugnopavit
Upanayana is one of the most
important SAMASKARAS (symbolic events) in the life of the child. In the ancient
times a child was initiated into the pursuit of secular knowledge (like
astronomy, mathematics, metaphysics, logic, medicine and other vedic literature)
as well as into the realm of spiritual development by putting him on the task of
learning and practicing ....
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Significance of the Yagneopavit
Ceremony
In the past, in Bharat Varsha
(India), the 'yagneopavit' (thread ceremony) was performed by the people
belonging to the three castes - Brahmins, i.e. teachers, professors, ministers
and the learned people; Kshatriyas, i.e. people of martial class and rulers; and
Vaishyas, i.e. people dealing with agriculture and commerce - for their
children. >>>
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The title above contains two words, the SamskAra and
YajnyoPavEtam. We will take each wordand understand its meaning and the
significance for us. However, before we do that it will add togo through a digression on some of the elementary
understanding of Indian cosmogony vis-à-vis individual living being.
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Additional Comments
The upanayana ceremony was conducted for
both sexes in ancient India. Naturally there are similar ceremonies in
other countries and cultures. The word for Christians is CONFIRMATION.
This is one of the 'sacraments'. The sacrament is a deformed version of
SAMASKARA. The jews tie a thread of several strands, others tie on their
waist, etc. >>>
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