Literally 'making perfect, purification, cleansing', derived from the Sanskrit word 'sanskr' meaning 'to form well, to put together'. Sanskara has come to refer to a ceremony, which is performed as a purification rite for an individual or family. According to Hindu belief, ceremonies are performed at two levels: shrauta and grihya. Shrauta ceremonies are performed on a grand scale, with more than one priest and a large number of people in attendance. Grihya ceremonies are small and private, performed at home with or without a priest. Sanskaras are 'grihya'.
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Parental
The 16 common sanskaras are
- Garbhadana or conception: All sources recognise this as the
first sanskara. It consists of rites performed before conception
in the belief that it ensures a healthy child
- Punsavana or ensuring a male child.
- Simantonayana or parting of the hair: This ceremony is
performed by the husband for the wife to protect her from evil spirits and Sanskara from
ill health during the pregnancy
. - Jatakarman or birth ceremony.
- Namakarana or naming ceremony.
- Nishkarma or the child's first outing, performed to protect the
child from evil spirits and other malevolent forces that are considered to exist outside
the home.
- Annaprashana or the first feed of solid food to the
child.
- Chudakarana or tonsure.
- Karnavedha or piercing the ear. Although this was done
originally only to beautify the child, it acquired the belief that it would protect the
child against disease.
Marriage
Death Sanskars
Sanskaras can be categorized as:
-
The Prenatal Sanskaras, from Garbhadana to Simantonayana.
- The Childhood Sanskaras, from Jatakarman to Karnavedha, to ensure the proper mental and physical growth of the child
- The Marriage Sanskara, after which a person begins the life of a householder (see Ashram), and becomes a responsible member of society.
- The Death Sanskara or Antyeshti, which is the final ceremony performed for an individual.
.3. The Educational Sanskaras, from Vidyarambha to Samvartana.
These religious ceremonies are believed to sanctify the mind, body and intellect of the individual so that he can become a more complete member of the community. They provide a spiritual aspect to the important events in a person's life, from birth till death.
The Jaiminisutras (see Sutra) explain that the sanskaras are acts that prepare a person for a specific purpose, like studenthood or marriage. The Tantravartika says that they are those rites that result in the generation of new qualities in an individual, like fitness, education, and responsibility. According to the Viramitrodaya, the sanskaras can be categorised into two sets. One set consists of those ceremonies that make a person eligible to perform other actions. For example, after the Upanayanam, a person is eligible to study the Vedas. The other set of sanskaras remove impurities from an individual. For example, Jatakarman removes the impurities of the womb from the baby.
According to the Ashvalayana Grihyasutra (see Sutra) the sanskaras from Jatakarman to Chudakarana are performed with Vedic mantras if the child is male, and without Vedic mantras for female children. The Shudras were allowed to perform some sanskaras but without Vedic mantras. There is some inconsistency over which sanskaras they could perform. According to Veda Vyasa, they could perform all except the five educational ones.
From ancient times, the sanskaras have been considered necessary as the physical representation of a symbolic change in the life of an individual. They also impress upon the individual the importance of his new role, and inspire him to observe the accompanying rules. The sanskaras provide opportunities to express love and affection, and to be festive. The Hindus believe that each individual requires protection, consecration and refinement. For this, they depend upon god, as well as their knowledge of the natural world. Sanskaras, therefore, are a mixture of religious and secular aspects. Each sanskara was to be performed at a certain time in the life of a man, in a certain manner, and required specific components. The main components for the performance of sanskaras are
Agni: The fire is the protector and messenger between men
and gods.
Prayers, Appeals and Blessings: Prayers and appeals are made and blessings
sought of both the gods and elders. Lustration: Water forms a very important part
of all sanskaras. Because of its constant motion and sound, and its power, water was
believed to be a living force. In addition, many lakes, rivers, and other water bodies had
healing powers, which made water even more mystic. Therefore its ritual use was
incorporated into all sanskaras. Bathing is a precondition to performing a sanskara, to
cleanse oneself of all physical, mental, and spiritual impurities. Sipping water and being
sprinkled with water are essential to many sanskaras and symbolise ceremonial bathing. For
example, during Vivaha, the bride is sprinkled with water to rid her of any sins committed
in the past and cleanse her for her new life.
Sacrifice : Born of the natural human impulse to thank Nature or a Supreme Creator, domestic yagyas evolved as gestures of thanksgiving, except during Antyeshti when sacrifices are made to propitiate the gods on behalf of the deceased.
Orientation: The east is associated with light, warmth, life and happiness because the sun rises in the east. The west is associated with darkness and cold because the sun sets there; the south with Yama because he is believed to come from the south; the north is not malevolent but irrelevant in this respect. For an auspicious sanskara, the individual faces eastwards. For Antyeshti alone, which is an unhappy event, the direction is reversed. Symbolism: The presence of certain objects, usually material, symbolise specific qualities and have spiritual significance. It is believed that contact with these objects results in the individual imbibing similar qualities. For example, a stone is a symbol of steadfastness. Anyone who stands on a stone is believed to imbibe the stone's stability in his character, and this notion appears in Upanayanam and Vivaha.
Taboos: These sprang from the fear of things going awry during sensitive and difficult times, like pregnancy, marriage and death. 'Safeguard' taboos hence appeared, which became rigid beliefs over time. For example, for 10 days after the birth of a child, the home is considered impure (see Jatakarman). This belief developed out of the need to confine the mother and child in a room to protect them from infection in the days before chemical antiseptics and disinfectants. However, now the practice has a religious sanction and is rigidly followed, especially in rural areas.
Cultural elements: There are certain rules about ethics, hygiene, and other social customs to be observed when performing sanskaras, like purifying the site before the ceremony begins. This means a thorough cleansing and sometimes performing havan.
Spiritual atmosphere: A pre-requisite for any sanskara. The person for whom the ceremony is being performed and others involved should think of god and of the duties and responsibilities that will be part of their life after the ceremony. They should be in the correct frame of mind to understand and appreciate the solemnity of the ritual.
Nowadays, most sanskaras are not performed formally, except Vivaha and Antyeshti. Namakarana and Annaprashana are often performed without making an occasion of them and without Vedic mantras for either boys or girls. Since most sanskaras have lost their original meaning and are considered purely ceremonial, more than one is often performed at the same time. For example, Jatakarman and Namakarana are usually performed together. Upanayanam is now usually performed on the day of the marriage.
