"Shaishave
abhyastavidyãnãm yauvane vishayaishinãm;
Vãrdhakye munivruttinãm yogenãnte tanutyajãm."
Vãrdhakye munivruttinãm yogenãnte tanutyajãm."
Kalidasa,
Raghuvansha (1-8)
Childhood is a period of learning (Brahmacharya Ashrama), youth is a period of fulfilling his desires by practising
what he has learnt (Gruhastha Ashrama),
for silent contemplation during old age he renounces worldly activity (Vanprastha Ashrama) and then endeavours
for God-realisation, after which he leaves his body.
Since eternity man has
strived to improve his own self. This realisation, unique only to mankind, has
led him to think deeper about his physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing.
Towards this end, the seers of ancient period prescribed a set of observances,
known as Samskaras.
What does Samskara mean?
Samskaras are believed to reform and sanctify the
person for whom they are performed at critical
moments of life
from conception in the mother’s womb to the cremation of the body after death. These Samskaras are deemed necessity for unfolding a person’s latent capacities
for development. It is believed that Samskaras
have influenced even beyond death, as they determine the course of the soul.
The nearest English word
for Samskara is sacrament, related to the phrase 'rite of passage'. In the
Oxford English Dictionary, sacrament is defined as a "religious ceremony
or act regarded as an outward and visible sign of inward or spiritual
grace." In classical Sanskrit literature, such as Raghuvamsha, Kumarsambhava,
Abhijnana-Shakuntala, Hitopadesha and Manu Smruti, Samskara means:
education, cultivation, training, refinement, perfection, grammatical purity,
polishing, embellishment, decoration, a purificatory rite, a sacred rite,
consecration, sanctification, effect of past actions (karmas), merit of karmas,
etc.
A general definition of Samskara, encompassing nearly all of the above is "to improve upon something while removing its undesirable attributes."
Number of Samskaras
In antiquity there was a great divergence of opinion about the number
of rites of passage. Classics of Ayurveda have not expounded in detail about
the number of Samskaras, however various Hindu philosophy have.
The number of Samskaras in Hindu philosophy fluctuates from 12 to 18 and even more. But during the course of time and consensus among learned scholars 16 Samskaras have become popular (Shodasha Samskara) which are as follows,
1. Garbhadhana
Samskara (Procedure followed during conception)
2. Pumsavana
Samskara (Engendering the desired sex to the foetus)
3. Simantonnayana
Samskara (Baby shower/ Parting of hairs/Pre-birth ceremony)
4. Jatakarma
Samskara (Procedures of new born care / Natal Rites)
5. Namakarana
Samskara (Naming Ceremony)
6. Nishkramana
Samskara (First Outing of Child after birth)
7. Annaprashana
Samskara (Initiating first external feed to child)
8. Chudakarma
Samskara (First tonsure of the child)
9. Karnavedhana
Samskara (Piercing ear lobes of the child)
10. Aksharalekhana Samskara (Initiating to learn alphabets)
11. Upanayana
Samskara (Sanctification of male child)
12. Vedarambha
Samskara (Initiation of education)
13. Kesanta / Godana
Samskara (Cutting of hairs)
14. Samavartana
Samskara (Completion of education/ Betrothal)
15. Vivaha
Samskara (Marriage ceremony)
16. Antyesti
Samskara (End rites/Death rituals)
The succeeding posts will deal with Scientific appraisal of individual Samskaras in relation to childhood
