Yajñopavītam - the "Sacred Thread"
Upanayana also called "sacred thread ceremony", is commonly known for being a Hindu ritual, where the concept of " Brahman" is introduced to a young boy.
In Hinduism, this ceremony is performed on only boys of at least 5 years of age from the Brahmin Caste. The youngster is taught during the ceremony the secret of life through a main concept called "Brahmopadesam" (This gives the individual the nature of Brahman - the Ultimate Reality). This is also alternatively called the "GAYATHRI MANTRA". Once this cermony is completed, the child becomes Brahmacharya as prescribed in Manusmriti (is the stage when the young child leads a student life (ideally in the Gurukul - in the household of the Guru). Brahmacharya is the first of the four phases of human life, namely, Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha, and finally Sanyasa.)
The hallmark of having gone through the Upanayana ceremony is the wearing of the Yajñopavītam (Sacred Thread) on the body. The thread is circular, being tied end-to-end (only one knot is permissible); it is normally supported on the left shoulder and wrapped around the body, falling underneath the right arm. The length of the thread is generally 96 times the breadth of four fingers of a man, which is believed to be equal to his height. Each of the four fingers represents one of the four states that the soul of a man experiences: waking, dreaming, dreamless sleep and knowledge of the absolute.
Yajñopavītam has three threads (actually only one thread, folded three times and tied together) each consisting of three strands. These threads represent
Goddess Gayathri(Goddess of mind),
Goddess Saraswathi (Goddess of word) and
Goddess Savithri (Goddess of deed).
It denotes that one who wear the sacred thread should be pure in his thought, word and deed. The sacred thread reminds a Brahmachari to lead a regulated life with purity in his thought, word and deed. These threads also represent the debt that is owed to the guru, parents and society.
The knot in the middle represent the formless "Brahman" the pure form of energy which pervades all. The sacred thread illustrates the fact that everything in the universe emerge from and then merge with Brahman.
The sacred thread is supposed to be worn for the rest of one's life after the ceremony has been performed. A new thread is worn and the old thread discarded every year; the change-over ceremony is held on a specific date calculated as per the Hindu calendar.
The sacred thread has close and essential connection with the concept of Pravaras related to Brhamin Gotra system ( Refer my earlier blog on the Gotra - the lineage) which reflects the number of most excellent 7 Vedic Rishis belonging to that particular lineage to which the wearer of sacred thread belongs.
I am a Brahmachrya practising the Brahmopadesam daily and will continue to do so all my life.
Thursday, April 30, 2009 | | 3 Comments
Naadi Josiyam - Astrology
Nadi அச்ற்றோலோலோகி (nāḍi jyotiṣa) is a form of Hindu astrology practised in Tamil Nadu, India. It is based on the belief that the past, present and the future lives of all humans were foreseen by Hindu sages in ancient times and written down as Palm Leaf Manuscripts (nāḍi grantha).
The texts are written in Vatteluttu, which is an ancient Tamil script. There are different schools of thought as to the author of these leaves. They were written by a great Tamil sage called Agathiyar who had divine revelations. This doctrine of astrology was made famous by astrologers around the Vaitheeswaran Temple in the state of Tamil Nadu and is still practiced around the temple by their descendants.These Nadi leaves were initially stored in the premises of Tanjore Saraswati Mahal Library of Tamilnadu. The British rulers later showed interest in the Nadi leaves concerned with herbs and medicine, future prediction etc; but ironically left most of the Nadi prediction leaves to their loyal people. Some leaves got destroyed and the remaining were auctioned during the British rule. These Nadi leaves were obtained and possessed by the families of astrologers in Vaitheeswaran Temple. This is an art passed down the years from one generation to the other.
Nadi astrologers say only a certain number of souls' future predictions are there in the leaves. They are reported cases of exact match in the past details and future predictions.The manuscriptsRitter (The Secret of Indian Palm Leaf Libraries pp.81-85) describes his experiences of many Nadi centers he visited in India and the result of Carbon 14 test conducted in the famous "Institute for Ion Radiation of Physics Department 'placed in Nuclear Research Centre, Rossendorph, Saxen, Germany. This institute has been responsible to decide the age of ancient paintings and other documents of national importance in Germany, Thomas Ritter contacted expert C 14 scientists Prof. Fradrik and Dr. Hanse of the institute. He also confirmed from the experts on Tamil language in Germany that the matter is in fact Tamil language script. It is about predictions and not some religious matter.The Carbon 14 test was performed in 1995 and yielded an age of some 350 years, placing the manuscript in the 17th century.ProcedureUsually, the astrologer (better to say a "reader") asks for the thumb impression (right hand for males and left hand for females). The astrologer (i.e."reader") then searches his repository of leaves for the seeker's classification of thumb print. Finally, the minimum possible set of matching leaves is brought. Every leaf corresponds to some individual and hence will bear the birth and kinship details of its seeker. Then the "Reader" goes on reading the details mentioned on the palm leaf one by one. e.g. "your (i.e. seker's) name is Ramesh." If it is correct the seeker has to reply yes or no. Suppose if the name is correct, the reader reads the next detail written on the same leaf, e.g. "your mother's name is Seeta." Again the seeker has to confirm the same or otherwise. If his/her mother's name is not Seeta, he/she has to reply just "no". That means the leaf does not belong to him/her. Hence the reader starts reading another palm leaf. And the procedure continues. So the seeker is asked a series of questions, based on the verses, so as to find the exact match. These questions are to be answered yes or no. The exact leaf of the seeker is said to get only "yes" responses from the seeker. If all the details on the one and the same leaf are 100% correct, then that leaf belongs to the seekar. It is said that the details such as father/mother's name, seeker's name, name of the wife( if married), details of children, prefession, Hindu astrology birth chart, present age of the seeker, date of birth of seeker etc, are found mentioned on the palm leaf. Once the exact leaf is found, the astrology tells the seeker's name, parents' name, spouse's name and many other details about his future, since they are all written in the leaf. The future is mentioned in such a way that a folder within a folder, e.g. If the seeker is not married at the time of reading, in the general chapter, it might have been written that his marriage will take place at e.g. 27 years of age. If the seeker desires more details regarding his married life then he has to refer to the seventh chapter which deals with only married life and may contain name of wife, her background etc etc. The first chapter (kandam) in the leaf has the general overview of its seeker's life.
1. It contains a gist of future predictions corresponding to the 12 houses of the horoscope, a general overview of the seeker's life with age. Is also a general summary of the 11 kandams that follows it:
2. This Kandam is about Family, Education, Eyes, Money and Intuition etc.
3. This Kandam is about Brothers & Sisters, Relationships between them and self.
4. This Kandam is about Mother and Comforts through House, Land and Vehicles.
5. This Kandam is about Children and births, reason for not having any, future lifestyle of children.
6. This Kandam is about troubles and hardships due to Disease, Debts Enemies, Litigations or Cases.
7. This Kandam is about first Union or Marriage and Status of married life. Also contains hints of valuable information about the name of the future spouse, horoscope, age of marriage, and some characteristic features of the spouse etc.
8. This Kandam is about lifespan and Longevity, Accidents and dangers with indication of time and age during one's lifetime.
9. This Kandam is about Father, Wealth, Visits to holy places, Fortune; Benefit from the preaching's of Guru and holy people, charitable deeds and social life.
10. This Kandam is about Career, Job, Profession and Business, Good and Bad times in career. Future predictions about growth, prosperity and losses in one's job or business.
11. This Kandam is about Second or further marriages, Profits in business etc.
12. This Kandam is about Expenditures, Foreign Visits, Next birth and Salvation.
Please keep an eye on this, as i will be posting more on this.....dad here i come with my questions....
Sunday, April 12, 2009 | | 4 Comments
