Veda => Knowledge
Friday, December 25, 2015
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Thursday, December 10, 2015
Sacred Thread
The sacred thread is made up of nine fibres. One deity is established in each fibre as follows.
1. Omkar,
2. Agni (deity of fire),
3. Nag (serpent),
4. Som (moon),
5. Pitar (ancestors),
6. Prajapati (deity of procreation),
7. Vayu (air),
8. Yama (deity of death) and
9. Vishvadevata (deity of the universe).
Three strands are created by twisting three of the nine fibres in each strand.
The three Vedas - Rugveda, Yajurveda and Samaveda are established on each of these strands. Three fibres are woven into one strand and the three strands are then knotted together. This knot is called the Brahmagatha (gatha means a knot) or the Brahmagranthi (granthi means a gland). [The knot of sacred grass (darbha) tied to a gold ring (pavitrak) is also called a Brahmagranthi.] It is the site of establishing the Atharvaveda.
The three strands represent the
three stages (ashrams) -
Based on 96 items listed the length of sacred thread should be 96 times the breadth of a finger (angul).
तिथिर्वारं च नक्षत्रं तत्त्ववेदगुणान्वितम् । कालत्रयं च मासाश्र्च ब्रह्मसूत्रं हि षण्णव ।।
Meaning:
https://www.google.com/search?site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=643&q=sacred+thread
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sacred+thread
1. Omkar,
2. Agni (deity of fire),
3. Nag (serpent),
4. Som (moon),
5. Pitar (ancestors),
6. Prajapati (deity of procreation),
7. Vayu (air),
8. Yama (deity of death) and
9. Vishvadevata (deity of the universe).
Three strands are created by twisting three of the nine fibres in each strand.
The three Vedas - Rugveda, Yajurveda and Samaveda are established on each of these strands. Three fibres are woven into one strand and the three strands are then knotted together. This knot is called the Brahmagatha (gatha means a knot) or the Brahmagranthi (granthi means a gland). [The knot of sacred grass (darbha) tied to a gold ring (pavitrak) is also called a Brahmagranthi.] It is the site of establishing the Atharvaveda.
The three strands represent the
three stages (ashrams) -
- celibate student (brahmacharya),
- the married householder (gruhastha) and
- retired householder (vanaprastha);
- the fire worshipped in the home (garhapatya),
- the fire placed in the south (dakshinagni) and
- the sacred fire lit for a specific spiritual purpose (ahvaniya)
- spiritual knowledge (dnyan),
- devotion (bhakti) and
- action (karma).
Based on 96 items listed the length of sacred thread should be 96 times the breadth of a finger (angul).
तिथिर्वारं च नक्षत्रं तत्त्ववेदगुणान्वितम् । कालत्रयं च मासाश्र्च ब्रह्मसूत्रं हि षण्णव ।।
Meaning:
- 15 auspicious dates (tithis) +
- 7 days of the week +
- 27 lunar asterisms +
- 25 principles +
- 4 Vedas +
- 3 components (gunas) +
- 3 time periods (kals) +
- 12 months = 96.
Thus, the length of the sacred thread (yadnyopavit) is 96 times the breadth of a finger (angul).
Comparative importance of various rituals
Comparative importance of various rituals
| The ritual | Importance % |
| 1. Supporting rituals | 5 |
| 2. The resolve of the boy on whom the sanskar is being performed | 2 |
| 3. The resolve of the one performing the thread ceremony | 1 |
| 4. Installation of the deity of the pandal | 1 |
| 5. Shaving the hair | 1 |
| 6. Gifts from the family (a form of blessing) | 1 |
| 7. The ritual of installation of the pot | 1 |
| 8. Performing the thread ceremony | 5 |
| 9. Wearing new clothing | 1 |
| 10. Wearing the hide of a deer | 2 |
| 11. Wearing the sacred thread | 8 |
| 12. The resolve of establishing discipleship | 2 |
| 13. A prayer asking for the Gayatri mantra | 2 |
| 14. Learning the Gayatri mantra | 2 |
| 15. Application of holy ash or tilak | 2 |
| 16. Tying of the girdle | 2 |
| 17. The ritual of holding the staff | 10 |
| 18. The code of conduct preached by the priest | 10 |
19. A vowed religious observance to be
followed by the boy undergoing the thread ceremony | 5 |
| 20. Asking for alms | 10 |
| 21. The ritual of generation of spiritual intellect | 5 |
| 22. Farewell to the deity of the pandal | 2 |
| 23. Others | 20 |
| Total | 100 |
https://www.google.com/search?site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=643&q=sacred+thread
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sacred+thread
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