Upanayana or the wearing of the Sacred Thread ceremony is one of the most important duties of a Hindu.
Please read my posts on Samskaras, Upanayana.
Uapanayana
I received a call yesterday from reader in the US whether there is any procedure for performing the Upanayana Ceremony for the Blind and the Dumb and whether they are exempted from performing the Sandhyavandana.
In the earlier days the Blind and Dumb were exempted from Upanayana ceremony and consequently the Sandhyavandan.
Taking into consideration the importance of Upanayana and performance of Sandhyavandana, Sage Kapila has laid down rules for performing the Upanayana ceremony for the Blind and the Dumb.
All the procedure for Upanayana are to be followed for these handicapped.
But the father must chant the Mantras (for the Dumb) .
In the case of the Blind, the Samit must be placed by the Blind person.
The Blind must be made to write the Savitri with a Palasa stick in Water, Ghee, Milk and Curds.
The Dumb must perform Sandhyavandan by gestures.-Kapila Smriti 323-329
The much maligned Manusmriti reserves the strictest sanctions for Brahmins.
There are many citations in the Manu Smriti where these are mentioned.
In general, punishment for a Brahmin is thousand fold for an offense than what is being sanctioned for a Sudra.
Manusmriti,Laws of Manu.jpg
In this article we shall see how a Brahmin is declared as an Outcast in one instance, which is very serious.
That instance is Upanayana, wearing of the Sacred Thread)Ceremony)
”
36. In the eighth year after conception, one should perform the initiation (upanayana) of a Brahmana, in the eleventh after conception (that) of a Kshatriya, but in the twelfth that of a Vaisya.
37. (The initiation) of a Brahmana who desires proficiency in sacred learning should take place in the fifth (year after conception), (that) of a Kshatriya who wishes to become powerful in the sixth, (and that) of a Vaisya who longs for (success in his) business in the eighth.
38. The (time for the) Savitri (initiation) of a Brahmana does not pass until the completion of the sixteenth year (after conception), of a Kshatriya until the completion of the twenty-second, and of a Vaisya until the completion of the twenty-fourth.
39. After those (periods men of) these three (castes) who have not received the sacrament at the proper time, become Vratyas (outcasts), excluded from the Savitri (initiation) and despised by the Aryans.
40. With such men, if they have not been purified ac cording to the rule, let no Brahmana ever, even in times of distress, form a connexion either through the Veda or by marriage. “
The term Brahmana means one who has realized the Ultimate Reality.
Brahmins are one of the groups of India who pray for the welfare of the people in general , are ordained to be a role model for the Society and are expected to lead the society.
In exercise of this, Brahmins have been priests,Advisers to kings(which continues even today) and in some cases have also been Kings, though this is not the function of the Brahmins.
Brahmins are called ‘Vipra’ the ‘Inspired ones’ ‘Dwija ‘ Twice , first being born physically, the second,when a Brahmin is anointed with the ceremony and practice of the Upanayana, the opening of the third Eye.
The authority for the Brahmins are the Sruthi( which is heard), the Vedas, and the Smritis(The remembered).
The Vedas are four in number, Rig, Yajur(Krishna and Shukla), Sama and Atharva.
There are many Smritis.Vasishta,Vishnu, Manu and many more.
To be a Brahmin is no Birthright.
It is be nature and character one becomes a Brahmin.
Such is the expectations from the Brahmins, the Manu Dharma Shastra sanctions 1000 times more severe punishment for Brahmin for similar offence committed by the other groups like Kshatriya, Vaisya and Sudras.
There are references to Brahmins from time of the Vedas, about 5000 years old, and in the Purans.
Pippalatha, Katyayani.Angiras,Bharadwaja,Maitri, Gargi are some of the Brahmins who composed the Veda sutras.
Maitri, Gargi and Katyayani were women.
The Brahmins were spread through out the world as were the Vedas.
Later after Sage Viswamitra consigned his sons beyond the Vindhyas to the Dakshina Desa, or Dravida, there appeared a distinction between the Brahmins of the North and those from the South.
The Brahmins from the South of the Vindhyas generally follow the Apasthamba Sutra, Apasthamba being a descendant of Viswamitra.
This sutra contains some material culled out from another great Culture the Tamils.
However there is commonality between the Brahmins from North and South.
For both of them the primary Deity is Agni, the God of Fire.
Both follow the Vedas.
Both have Upnayana, Jathakarma,marriage ceremonies up to Samskara (Death Rites)
There are minor variations in the mantras and both follow the basic 40 Samskaras.
Kalhana , in His Rajatharangini describes and assigns the geographical locations for Brahmins.
Karnataka (Kannada), Telugu (Andhra), Dravida (Tamil and Kerala), Maharashtra and Gujarat are Five Southern (Panch Dravida). Saraswata, Kanyakubja, Gauda, Utkala (Orissa), Maithili are Five Northern (Pancha Gauda).
This classification occurs in Rajatarangini of Kalhana, mentioned by Jogendra Nath Bhattacharya in “Hindu Castes and Sects.”
(1) Saraswat, (2) Kanyakubja, (3) Maithil Brahmins, (4) Gauda brahmins (including Sanadhyas), and (5)Utkala Brahmins .
In addition, for the purpose of giving an account of Northern Brahmins each of the provinces must be considered separately, such as, Kashmir, Nepal, Uttarakhand, Himachal, Kurukshetra, Rajputana, Uttar Pradesh,Ayodhya (Oudh), Gandhar, Punjab, North Western Provinces and Pakistan, Sindh, Central India, Trihoot, Bihar, Orissa, Bengal, Assam, etc. The originate from south of the (now-extinct) Saraswati River.
In Bihar, majority of Brahmins are Kanyakubja Brahmins, Bhumihar Brahmins and Maithil Brahmins with a significant population of Sakaldiwiya or Shakdwipi Brahmins.
With the decline of Mughal Empire, in the area of south of Avadh, in the fertile rive-rain rice growing areas of Benares, Gorakhpur, Deoria, Ghazipur, Ballia and Bihar and on the fringes of Bengal, it was the ‘military’ or Bhumihar Brahmins who strengthened their sway.
The distinctive ‘caste’ identity of Bhumihar Brahman emerged largely through military service, and then confirmed by the forms of continuous ‘social spending’ which defined a man and his kin as superior and lordly.
In 19th century, many of the Bhumihar Brahmins were zamindars.
Of the 67000 Hindus in the Bengal Army in 1842, 28000 were identified as Rajputs and 25000 as Brahmins, a category that included Bhumihar Brahmins.[19]
The Brahmin presence in the Bengal Army was reduced in the late nineteenth century because of their perceived primary role as mutineers in the Mutiny of 1857[20], led by Mangal Pandey.
The Kingdom of Kashi belonged to Bhumihar Brahmins and big zamindari like Bettiah and Tekari belonged to them.
In Gujarat,the Brahmin are classified in mainly Nagar Brahmin, Unewal Brahmin, [[Khedaval Brahmin]], Aavdhich Brahmin and Shrimali Brahmin.
In Haryana, the Brahmin are classified in mainly Dadhich_Brahmin, Gaud Brahmin, Khandelwal Brahmin. But large proportion of Brahmin in Haryana are Gaud (about 90%). Approximately all Brahmin in west U P are adi gaur.
In Madhya Pradesh, the Brahmins are classified in mainly Shri Gaud,
Sanadhya brahmin, Gujar-Gaud Brahmins. Majority of Shri Gaud Brahmins are found in the Malwa region (Indore, Ujjain, Dewas).
Eastern MP has dense population of Sarayuparain Brahmins. Hoshangabad and Harda Distt. of MP have a considerable population of Jujhotia (a clan of Bhumihar Brahmins, e.g. Swami Sahajanand Saraswati) and Naremdev Brahmins.
In Nepal, the hill or Khas Brahmins are classified in mainly Upadhaya Brahmin, Jaisi Brahmin and Kumain Brahmins.
Upadhaya Brahmins are supposed to have settled in Nepal long before the other two groups. Majority of hill Brahmins are supposed to be of Khasa origin.
In Punjab, they are classified as Saraswat Brahmins.
In Karnataka, Brahmins are mainly classified into Havyaka speaking Havigannada, Hoysala Karnataka speaking kannada, Shivalli and Kota speaking Tulu, Karahada speaking Marathi and have their own tradition and culture.
In Rajasthan, the Brahmins are classified in mainly Dadhich_Brahmin, Gaur Brahmin,Sanadhya brahmins, Rajpurohit / Purohit Brahmins, Sri Gaur Brahmin, Khandelwal Brahmin, Gujar-Gaur Brahmins. Rajpurohit / Purohit Brahmins are mainly found in Marwar & Godwad region of Rajasthan.Shakdwipiya Brahmins are also found at many places in rajasthan they are the major pujari in many temples of western rajasthan.
In Sindh, the saraswat Brahmins from Nasarpur of Sindh province are called Nasarpuri Sindh Saraswat Brahmin. During the India and Pakistan partition migrated to India from sindh province.
In Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, the Bhardwaj, the Dogra from Himalayan region of Indian subcontinent.
In Uttar Pradesh from west to east: Sanadhya, Gauda & Tyagi (western UP), Kanyakubja (Central UP), Sarayuparin (Central Uttar Pradesh, Eastern, NE,& SE UP) and Maithil (Varanasi), the South western UP, i.e. Bundelkhand has thick population of Jujhotia brahmins (branch of Kanyakubja brahmins: ref. Between History & Legend:Power & Status in Bundelkhand by Ravindra K Jain).
On the Jijhoutia clan of Bhumihar Brahmins, William Crooke writes, “A branch of the Kanaujia Brahmins (Kanyakubja Brahmins) who take their name from the country of Jajakshuku, which is mentioned in the Madanpur inscription.”[21] Mathure or mathuria Brahmins ‘choubeys’ are limited to Mathura area.
In West Bengal the Brahmins are classified in Barendra & Rarhi corresponding to the ancient Barendrabhumi (North Bengal) and Rarhdesh (South Bengal) making present day Bangladesh & West Bengal.
It is also said that Barendras are traditional Brahmins who practiced the art of medicinal science and surgery rather than the traditional function of being the teacher or the priest, and so many a times they are not considered true brahmins by the Rarhis, although they are their own offshoots.
The traditional accounts of the origin of Bengali Brahmins are given in texts termed Kulagranthas (e.g., Kuladīpīkā), composed around the 17th century.
They mention a ruler named Ādiśūra who invited five Brahmins from Kanyakubja [7], so that he could conduct a yajña, because he could not find Vedic experts locally.
Traditional texts mention that Ādiśūra was ancestor of Ballāl Sena from maternal side and five Brahmins had been invited in AD 1077.
Historians have located a ruler named Ādiśūra ruling in north Bihar, but not in Bengal. But Ballāl Sena and his predecessors ruled over both Bengal and Mithila (i.e., North Bihar).
It is unlikely that the Brahmins from Kānyakubja may have been invited to Mithila for performing a yajña, because Mithila was a strong base of Brahmins since Vedic age.
Another account mentions a king Shyamal Varma who invited five Brahmins from Kānyakubja who became the progenitors of the Vaidika Brahmins.
A third account refers to five Brahmins being the ancestors of Vārendra Brahmins as well.
From similarity of titles (e.g., upādhyāya), the first account is most probable.
Besides these two major communities there are also Utkal Brahmins, having migrated from present Orissa and Vaidik Brahmins, having migrated from Western and Northern India.
Pancha Dravida Brahmins.
Panch Dravida (the five classes of Southern India):
1) Andhra, 2) Dravida (Tamil and Kerala), 3) Karnataka, 4) Maharashtra and Konkon, and 5) Gujarat. They originate from north of the (now-extinct) Saraswati River.[15]
In Andhra Pradesh, Brahmins are broadly classified into 2 groups: Vaidika (meaning educated in vedas and performing religious vocations) and Niyogi (performing only secular vocation).
They are further divided into several sub-castes. However, majority of the Brahmins, both Vaidika and Niyogi, perform only secular professions.[22]
In Karnataka, Brahmins are broadly classified into 2 groups: Madhwa (followers of Shri Madhwacharya) and Smartha (followers of Shri Adi Sankaracharya).
They are further divided into several sub-castes.
The Tamil Brahmins (both Iyers and Iyengars) are also part of Karnataka Brahmin Community for ages.
Other than these groups, there are other brahmin communities viz, Havyaka, Kota, Shivalli, Saraswata etc.
Distribution of Brahmins in India
In Kerala, Brahmins are classified into three groups: Namboothiris, Pottis and Pushpakas. (Pushpakas are commonly clubbed with Ampalavasi community).
The major priestly activities are performed by Namboothiris while the other temple related activities known as Kazhakam are performed by Pushpaka Brahmins and other Ampalavasis. Sri Adi Shankara was born in Kalady, a village in Kerala, to a Namboothiri Brahmin couple, Shivaguru and Aryamba, and lived for thirty-two years.
The Namboothiri Brahmins, Potti Brahmins and Pushpaka Brahmins in Kerala follow the Philosophies of Sri Adi Sankaracharya.
The Brahmins who migrated to Kerala from Tamil Nadu are known as Pattar in Kerala.
They possess almost same status of Potti Brahmins in Kerala.
In Tamil Nadu, Brahmins belong to 2 major groups: Iyer and Iyengar.
Iyers comprise of Smartha and Saivite Brahmins and are broadly classified into Vadama, Vathima, Brhatcharnam, Ashtasahasram, Sholiyar and Gurukkal.
There are mostly followers of Adi Shankaracharya and form about three-fourths of Tamil Nadu’s Brahmin population.
Iyengars comprise of Vaishnavite Brahmins and are divided into two sects: Vadakalai and Thenkalai.
They are mostly followers of Ramanuja and make up the remaining one-fourth of the Tamil Brahmin population.
In Maharashtra, Brahmins are classified into five groups: Chitpavan Konkanastha Brahmins, Gaud Saraswat Brahmin, Deshastha Brahmin, Karhade Brahmin, and Devrukhe.
As the name indicates, Kokanastha Brahmin are from Konkan area. Gaud Saraswat Brahmins are from Konkan region or they may come from Goa or Karnataka, Deshastha Brahmin are from plains of Maharashtra, Karhade Brahmins are perhaps from Karhatak (an ancient region in India that included present day south Maharashtra and northern Karnataka) and Devrukhe Brahmins are from Devrukh near Ratnagiri.
In Madhya Pradesh the descendents of Somnath temple priests, Naramdev Brahmin, Who migrated from Gujrat to Madhyapradesh after the Mohd. Ghazni notorious forays in Saurashtra and desecration of Somnath, and sedenterized along the coast of Narmada river hence derived their name i.e. Narmdiya brahmin or Naramdevs. Guru of Adi guru Shankaracharya, shri Govindacharyaclaimed to belongs to this community who initiated him in the Omkareshwar in the bank of river Narmada. Naramdevs are in high concentration in Nimar (Khandwa and Khargone)and Bhuvana region (Harda) of Madhyapradesh.
In Gujarat, Brahmins are classified into eight groups: Anavil Brahmin, Audichya Brahmins, Bardai Brahmins, Girinarayan Brahmins, Khedaval, Nagar Brahmins, Shrimali Brahmins, Sidhra-Rudhra Brahmins and Modh Brahmins. The Modh Brahmins worship Matangi Modheshwari mata (Modhera) and are mostly found in North Gujarat and in the Baroda region.
Please read posts under Hinduism for More on Brahmins and Vedas.
Parents are expected to behave he way they expect their children to behave towards them or others when they become adults.
Parents are prohibited from using vulgar language or the use of harsh words in front of their children.
2.Dharma Svagriha.
Worship at Home.
Parents should set an examples of following the Anushtaanas laid down for them in the Shastras.
They must perform Sandyavandan thrice a Day.
Perform other duties like Aupaasanam and other nithya karmas-read my posts on Rituals of Hindus, Samskaaras.
Give the pride of place for the family Deity.
Worship the Gods at fixed time daily at Home.
Vedas do not speak about. building a Temple, much less visiting Temples.
3.Dharma Sambhashana.
Talking about Righteousness , Moral Books, Purans, Itihaas and of course the Vedas.
Parents are expected to read and teach children these sacred texts.
““Children should grow in the awareness of the brotherhood of man and the fatherhood of God. If no provision is made for this atmosphere and this teaching, we are denying them their due.”-Atharva Veda
The scripture also cautions parents that if children learn to worship money and material things, they will grow up admiring cruelty and deceit, rather than love and compassion.
‘One as the word and its meaning’ Abirami Andhadai
Women are regarded as Mother and The Taittriya says first respect is for Mother,
Matru Devo Bhava.Great Rishis like Kathyayani,Gargi were women.
“”What differentiates the Hindu brilliance in logic and rational thought from its Hellenistic parallel is that Hindus were very aware of the intellect’s limitations. They understood that only the feminine intuitive mind was capable of grasping the deepest spiritual truths in powerful flashes on intuition.”
Some of them are.
Gargi Vachaknavi – A female Rishi who challenged Yajnavalkya on questions relating to the human soul.
Maitreyi.
Lopamudra – Wife of Sage Agastya
Andal – A 8th century Tamil saint-poet and one of the twelve Alvars.
Karaikkal Ammeiyar – A 6th century Tamil saint-poet, one of the sixty three Nayanmars
Mangayarkkarasiyar – A Pandya Queen, wife of King Nedumaranan, one of the sixty three Nayanmars
Isaignaniyaar – A Tamil saint-poet, one of sixty three Nayanmars
Avvaiyar – A Sangam period Tamil saint-poet, ethicist, social reformer.
Akka Mahadevi – A prominent figure and Kannada poet of the 12th century Veerashaiva Bhakti movement.
Mirabai – Hindu mystical poet and a devotee of Krishna whose bhajans are sung all over India.
Lalleshwari – Hindu saint-poetess, and a mystic of the Kashmiri Shaivites.
“”A girl also should be brought up and educated with great effort and care.” (Mahanirvana Tantra); and “All forms of knowledge are aspects of Thee; and all women throughout the world are Thy forms.” (Devi Mahatmya)
Women, who so desired, could undergo the sacred thread ceremony or ‘Upanayana‘ (a sacrament to pursue Vedic studies), which is only meant for males even to this day. The mention of female scholars and sages of the Vedic age like Vac, Ambhrni, Romasa, Gargi, Khona in the Vedic lore corroborates this view. These highly intelligent and greatly learned women, who chose the path of Vedic studies, were called ‘brahmavadinis’, and women who opted out of education for married life were called ‘sadyovadhus’. Co-education seems to have existed in this period and both the sexes got equal attention from the teacher. Moreover, ladies from the Kshatriya caste received martial arts courses and arms training”
Wifehood in the Vedic Era
As in present, after marriage, the girl became a ‘grihini’ (wife) and was considered ‘ardhangini’ or one half of her husband’s being. Both of them constituted the ‘griha’ or home, and she was considered its ‘samrajni’ (queen or mistress) and had an equal share in the performance of religious rites.
Divorce, Remarriage & Widowhood
Divorce and remarriage of women were allowed under very special conditions. If a woman lost her husband, she was not forced to undergo the merciless practices that cropped up in later years. She was not compelled to tonsure her head, nor was she forced to wear red sari and commit ‘sahagamana’ or dying on the funeral pyre of the dead husband. If they chose to, they could live a life of a ‘sanyasin’ or hermit, after the husband passed away.
”
Polyandry
One can only grudgingly admit that there are few references of polyandry in the Vedas. In the
marriage hymn of Rigveda
xxxi
, Surya is married to Aswins. The marriage of Rudasi with Maruts
is also find place in it.
xxxii
There are some passages in which the wife is mentioned in connection
with husband in plural.
xxxiii
It is interesting to note that later Vedic literature do not approve
polyandry though legalize the polygamy.
xxxiv
Widow Marriage
As in the case of a widower, the widows are allowed to marry again. It may sound strange, but
the funeral hymn in Vedas exhorts widow to marry the one who holds her hand is willing to
marry.
xxxv
It also shows that the brother of the deceased took charge of the widow. Atharveda
too mentions of women marrying second time.
xxxvi
The passages do not suggest that the women
should marry only her brother-in-law.
xxxvii
Sati
Atharvaveda
xxxviii
, however, shows a strange funeral ritual of the Vedic age, which has preserved
some formalities similar to the custom of Sati. It depicts a widow lying by the side of her
husband’s corpse on the funeral pyre and being asked to come down. A prayer was offered that
she should lead a prosperous life, enjoying the bliss of children and wealth. The passage is open
for interpretation either way.
Niyog
/Levirate
Women’s right to have children was granted by the practice of
Niyoga
/Levirate.
xxxix
As there are
few instances of remarriage of widows, and in the absence of clear injunction of widow-
marriages, one can safely assume that this practice was more popular than remarriages.
Religious and Social life of Women
The Vedic society was quite free and did not pose much restriction upon the free movement of
their women. They were educated along with boys of their own age, free to move with them,
5
approach them for marriages and took part in sports and extra curricular activities, of course
within the accepted norms and customs of the society. We do not come across the system of
purdah in the Vedic society. Even the life after marriage does not change much in their social
interaction. The marriage hymn itself requires th
e bride to be shown to all the assembled guests
at the end of the marriage rituals.
xl
The practice still continues in Hindu marriages. It is also
hoped that the bride will be able to speak with
composure in public assemblies down to her old
age.
xli
The presence of ladies in social and public gathering therefore, was a normal feature in
Vedic time.
xlii
They were quite free to associate them
selves with others on the occasion of
festivals and rejoicing.
xliii
The Vedic Aryans were
mostly occupied in military activities
as they were engaged in the task of
carving a homeland for themselves. They had, therefore, to rely upon a greater degree of
cooperation from their women folk. Women are depicted in Vedic literature as taking part in
agriculture and in manufacture of bows, arrows and other war materials. They were also engaged
in weaving cloth, dying, embroidery and basket-making. They were also engaged in teaching,
independent of their man-counterpart. The cultivation of fine arts like music, dancing and
painting was the domain of the women only. Musical reciting of the Sama-hymns was the special
function of ladies.
xliv
The Vedas regard women as untouchable during her monthly period. This temporary impurity is
assigned to their taking over from India one third of the sin of Brahmana murder, which he
incurred when he killed Vritra.
xlv
Child bearing is regarded as the special function of women,
and evil spirits are believed to be very of anxious to visit them during their periods to prevent
conception. They may also harm her husband. One stanza in Vedic hymn prays that the bride
should have no evil eye and hopes that she would not be the cause of the sudden death of her
husband.
xlvi
During the time of confinement, the women are regarded as impure as the
phenomenon of menstruation is considered to be repeated at the child birth.
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