Samashti Upanayanam
May 08, 2011
Sage Apastambha said, “upanayanam vidyArthasya srutitaH samskAraH.” This means Upanayanam is a samskara (Hindu personal sacrament) that makes a spiritual-seeker student eligible to study the Śrutis (scriptures). Upanayanam is one of the main shodasha samskaras (16 samskaras) that each person is expected to go through in life. In the traditional Gurukul system of learning, it marks a milestone where a child would typically leave his/her home for Gurukul to be accepted as a disciple, with the guru imparting the all-important spiritual knowledge (study scriptures, learn Vedic chanting etc.). Initiation into brahmacharya through Upanayanam also qualifies the person for performing niyata-karmas, i.e., nitya-karmas (daily obligatory duties such as sandhyAvandanam) and naimittika-karmas (occasional obligatory duties such as shraaddham). Scriptural pramANam and significance of this nitya-karma can be found in IshAvAsyopanishat (Shulka-Yajurveda), Taittireeyopanishat (Krishna Yajurveda) and ChAnDogya Upanishat (sAmaveda). Importance of performing niyata-karmas is highlighted in Srimad Bhagavad Gita (niyataṁ kuru karma tvaṁ karma jyāyo hyakarmaṇaḥ… BG 3:08).
Chinmaya Mission D/FW conducted a Samashti Upanayanam (mass Upanayanam) on the auspicious day of Adi Shankara Jayanti and Gurudeva Sri Chinmayanada Jayanti, Sunday, May 8th 2011. The event was held at CM-Chitrakoot facility, at 900 North Beltline Rd, Irving, TX.
The event started at 7:15 AM with the lighting of lamp by CM D/FW resident Swamiji, Sri Sarveshanand-ji, and followed by Ganapati pooja, punyAhavAchanam, mAtru/saha bhojanam, yajnopaveeta dhAranam, Homam and bhikshAtana, and ended with Asheervachana or benediction by the elders and Swamiji to those initiated. The favorite part of the ceremony both for parents, moms in particular, and children alike was the mAtru/saha bhojanam, wherein the vatus (those initiated into brahmacharya) got an opportunity to be pampered one last time – sit on their mother’s lap and enjoy a hand-fed, 3-dish meal, served on real banana leaves specially shipped from Florida for the occasion. It was as traditional as you could expect with no “cutting corners” as one of the attendees put it.
The ceremony was directed and conducted by the officiating priest, Sankarmanchi-ji of Sri Lalitha Peetham of Plano, TX, under the guidance of our Swamiji. There were 13 boys and 5 girls (including two girls from California), who took part in this spiritual-initiation event. With the timely help of a dedicated army of volunteers, the ceremony went like a clock work and ended at 11:30 AM, paving the way for the two other scheduled events of the day – Guru pAdukA pooja and mAtru pooja.
Following the Samashti Upanayanam on May 8th, a sandhyAvandana camp was held at Chinmaya Saaket, from May 16th – 20th to help those who underwent brahmopadesham (upanayanam) with the “How To” of sandhyAvandanam steps. Ten brahmacharis and one adult parent availed of this opportunity.
