Karmas for a Brahmin since birth

Thus spake Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetathipathi Shri Jayendra Saraswati Sankaracharya Swamigal

6. Annaprasana:

In the 6^th month of the child Annam mixed with curd, honey, ghee should be given to the child in the prescribed manner; as per Vedic procedure.

7. Choulam:

Third year keep tuft (kudumi) as per laid down procedure

8. Upanayanam

 For Brahmin boy upanayanam has to be done in the 8^th year (counted from Karbham (womb)).  Out of the 14 smartha karmas upanayanam is most important.  Upanayanam should not be performed to First son on the first month. (Should not do for Jyeshta puthran on Jyeshta month). 

Adeesargal:

Rig Veda            Brihaspathi,

Yajurveda           Sukran
Sama Veda        Angarakan

Atharva Veda     Budhan

   

It is good to perform upanayanam on the day of Adeesa.

The outer limit for upanayanam is 16 years, Over 8 years of age upanayanam can be done only after doing proper prayachitam. If upanayanam is not done within 16 years Brahmanyam will go.  He will not be eligible to do Vedadyayna, Vaideeka karmas, dhanam etc.

After upanayanam Brahmachari should follow these:

·         Wear all times Dhandam, Ajinam (deer skin), Mounji (thread on waist)

·         Do everyday Trikala sandhyavandanam and Brahmayagnam

·         Go for Bikshai and offer it to the Guru and eat with his permission

·         DO Samithadanam morning and evening everyday

·         Do Vedadyanam of his Shaka

Is it possible to all these in today’s condition? Yes, it was happening 50 years ago so why not now?

These have to be followed at least for the first year after upanayanam.

Every Brahmin should know and do the following minimum daily requirements:

• Snanam  (bath)
• Sandhya
• Japam
• Homam
• Devapooja
• Athithi satkaram

It is the very essential duty of a father to ensure his son gets enough tutoring to perform these basic things.

Every Brahmachari, after performing Samithadanam, prays to Agni devatha as under:

Shradamr, Medham, Yashaha, Pragnyam, Vidyam Buddhim, Shriyam, Balam, Aayushyam, Tejaha, Arogyam, Dehime Havyavahana

When everyday he prays like this sincerely he will definitely get everything with blessing of Agni devatha. Like a beetle constantly reminds its young about its presence one by stinging it everyday, Brahmachari gets complete blessings of Agni Devatha by daily prayers as stated above.

If one is unable to do Snanam, Sandhya, Japam, Homam, Deva pooja, Athithi pooja he must do Gayathri Japam everyday.  Brahmanathvam will leave him for ever if he fails to do Gayathri everyday.

We imagine that we are the body and do so much makeup and dressing but forget the soul the existence of which the body is alive and attractive. What is the use of thinking power that we are endowed with?

We do not see much difference between birds, animals, reptiles etc. They also eat, sleep and procreate.  We do the same thing.

This body is made up of five elements. Even if one of the elements is absent we can not be alive. If they are not balance we feel acute discomfort. We get obesity, cold and cough, acidity, constipation, rheumatic ailments etc with such imbalance. Easwara has created every species with such precision and protecting us.  Is it not necessary we pray to Him everyday? What is the use of our human birth if we do not realize this simple truth and fail to pray everyday?

We have to introspect where we were before this birth, what we were, how and why we are born, where we will go from here. If we do not do this what is the difference between human beings who have thinking power and others who do not have?

Wet wood will not catch fire.  Only after it dries by the heat (of sun) it can be lighted. Similarly the mind that is immersed in vasanas (attraction to material things) will get realization (Gnyanam). Using the Agni of Vairagyam the mind has to be dried to get Gnyanam. This is called purity of mind.

Brahmacharya, Ahimsa, Daya, Desire less for worldly things, cleanliness, not brooding, (feel sad or self pity), Truth (sathyam), humble, steady mind (sthira Budhhi), not sentimental, Eswara dhyna, Friendship of enlightened people (realized souls), interest in scriptures like Upanishads and such dharma Shastras and work of realized souls, see all equally, devoid vanity and prestige, solitude (eakantham),  desire for moksham (realization of self) are tools for purity of mind.

A question may arise in the mind of the reader that we started with Upanayanam and we are talking different subject.  Every man has to think all these then only he would be able to appreciate the necessity for doing the daily duties. In order to stress this importance of daily duties we had to tell all the related aspects.

Every citizen will have to pay taxes as per law. As a man desires to acquire wealth like crop, minerals, rains, fertility of land etc through nature and mother earth he has to pay taxes to the Devas (the Almighty, Eswara).

Can a man produce a grain of rice or a blade of grass? All these are creation by Him. Therefore we have to pay, our obeisance; it is our duty. This is the superior thinking of Hindu religion.and dharma prescribed by the Vedas  

What we learn in cradle remain till we die. What we teach and how we mould our child from childhood will determine his life quality and his attitude to life around him.

A father who is interested in the welfare of his child must perform the upanayanam of his child in right time and teach Vedas for a minimum of one year, teach him the all aspects of  Brahmacharya ashram,  do everyday sandhya, Gayathri japam, Brahma yagnyam in correct manner, read good scriptures, befriend devotees to God (Adiyargal).

Narayana