Vibhuti / Thiruneeru (Holy Ash) Vibhuti (Sanskrit : vibhūti ; Tamil : Thiruneeru ) is a word that has several meanings in Hinduism. Generally, it is used to denote the sacred ash which is made of burnt dried wood in Vedic rituals. The Hindu devotees make a paste by mixing vibhuhti with water and apply it as three horizontal lines across the forehead and other parts of the body to please Lord Shiva. Vibhuthi smeared across the forehead to the end of both eyebrows is called Tripundra. . Meaning: In Sanskrit, Bhoothi means Aishwaryam, meaning wealth, treasure, precious. Vi-bhoothi with an Upasarga (preposition "vi") means very or more valuable. The synonyms of Vibhuhti in Sanskrit as said in the Amara-kosha is "Vibhuthi: bhoothi: Aishwaryam".Vibhuhti can also be called as Bhoothi,Aishwaryam,Basma etc.,. Sacred ash : Vedic scriptures say as follows "Lalaata Shoonyam Smashaana Tulyam",which means that "an empty forehead is comparab...
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Chudakarma Samskara/ Mundan Samskara (Week 52) Chudakarma Samskara like many other rituals aims at blessing the child to have a long fulfilling life. Chudakarma Samskara or Mundan Samskara or the first haircut of the baby is an important tradition in India and relatives and friends are invited to bless the child. Chudakarma is a ceremony in which a child’s hair is shaved for the first time. All the hair from the child’s head, except a tuft of hair on the crown part, is shaved off. This tuft is left remaining because it is believed that an important artery passes through this part of the head and shaving here may prove to be fatal. The term ‘chuda’ or ‘shikha’ refers to this tuft. This practice of leaving a tuft unshaven is rarely practiced nowadays. The child usually receives his/her first mundan in either the first year or the third year of age. A priest is called to conduct the rituals according to the traditions and a barber is called to shave off the hair. The hair on ...
Annaprasana (Week 25-Week 28) Annaprasanna Samskar is a ritual that marks an infant’s first intake of food other than milk. The ceremony is usually arranged in consultation with a priest, who suggests an auspicious date on which to conduct the ceremony. The ceremony is usually carried out when the child is about 6 – 7 months of age. The mother or grandmother will prepare a small bowl of payesh (boiled rice, milk & sugar) which is blessed in a brief pooja. The child will generally be held in the mother's lap, and a senior male family member (grandfather or uncle) will feed it a small spoonful of the payesh. Other members of the family then take turns to give the child a taste. The feeding ceremony is often followed with a game, in which the child is presented with a tray containing a number of objects. These will include a bangle or jewel (symbolizing wealth), a book (symbolizing learning), a pen (symbolizing career) and a clay pot or container of earth/soil (sym...
Karnavedha (Week 12-Week 24) Karnavedha is one of the Hindu Sanskars performed for a child. It is an ear piercing ceremony that is performed on the 12th or 13th day after the birth or when the baby is 3 to 6 months old. This can still be performed in later in the third or fifth year for some Hindu children. Nowadays, both the " Mundan " and the "Karnavedha" are done together. This ceremony is performed on an auspicious day and it should be performed on the first half of the day. On the day of "Karnavedha", the mother bathes the child first and dresses him/her well with new clothes and ornaments. The father of the child performs the ceremony and a surgeon or goldsmith does the job of piercing the child’s ear. The needle used for piercing the ear lobes can be made of gold, silver, copper or steel. The ears are pierced by covering with white yarn. The child is placed on the lap of the mother (in the South Indian community the child is placed on the mot...
Nishkramana Samskar (Week 6-Week 7) Nishkramana Samskar is an important Vedic Samskara associated with a new born baby and carried out when the child is taken out of the house for the first time. This custom is carried out usually in the fourth month when all the motor and sense organs of the baby are strong enough to tolerate the sun, the wind etc. In some cultures, this custom is carried out after the initial confinement period is over. On the day of the Nishkramana, a square area in the courtyard from where sun can be seen is plastered with cow dung and clay and the sign of Swastika is marked on it. The mother of the child scatters grains of rice over it. The child is brought, and the ceremony ends when the father makes the child look at the sun with the sound of the conch-shell and the chanting of Vedic hymns. The parents of the child invoke the Panchabhoota (5 elements) – earth, water, space, air and fire. Worship is also offered to the Surya (Sun God) and Chandra (moon god)...
Naamakarna/ Naamkaran (Week 1- Week 2) The next important Samskara is, Naamakarna/ Naamkaran (naming of the child). There are two purposes of naming the child - the first is that the name is used to address the child , and the second is that the name should raise good feelings inside the person, which reminds him of his goal . That is why in the olden days babies were named after gods or after one of their ancestors. In addition, it is believed that when naming a baby girl the chosen name should be sweet and nice to say as girls in the Hindu household are depicted as Goddess Laxmi. There's a saying in Hindi Ghar Ki Laxmi Betiyaan which literally translates that daughters' are the image of Goddess Laxmi in the house. Mostly when a baby is to be named parents of the newborn consult an astrologist to calculate the first letter of the infant's name in harmony to the infant's birth time, date of birth, day of birth, Raas...
Jata-Karma (Week 1) This Samskara is conducted as soon as a child is born.The main objective of this ceremony is to inculcate some values in the child even though he/she does not understand their importance and also to arouse all the sensory organs . The father must go to the river and bathe and present gifts to holy people which signifies pleasing their ancestors. After 10 days of the birth of the child, the father should perform Jata-Karma ( natal rights) for the child. The father places the child on his lap by saying a mantra ( usually Gayathri Mantra is recited), smells the forehead of the child and then he says the is meant for the development of the intellect of the child. He then says the Nakshatra (birth star) of the child in the child's right year. Then the father of the newborn smears a drop of honey on a gold ring and rubs the child's tongue with it saying a mantra. This rite is said to symbolise good fortune. The mantr...
Samskara The word Samskara (sacrements). The rishis (saints) of ancient India have derived many Samskaras for a man from his birth to death. The objective of Samskaras created is to help Hindus to live with certain principles and develop as Hindus and also as a tool to reach the Almighty. There are as many as SIXTEEN main Samskaras in a man's life. Pre- Natal Garbhādhāna Puṁsavana Sīmantonnayana Childhood Jātakarma Nāmakaraṇa Nikshramana Karṇavedha Annaprāśana Chudakarma Educational Vidyārambha Upanayana Vedārāmbha Keśānta Samāvartana Marriage Vivāha Last Antyeṣṭi