Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Upakarma, means “beginning” and it is historic

Upakarma, means “beginning” and it is historically, the day was considered auspicious for beginning the Vedic studies. It is on this day that one has to start the study of vEdas after doing samarpana of what he has studied in the earlier year.

chAndra RugvEda upAkarma is done on the full-moon day of shrAvaNa month having shravaNa nakShatra as the nitya nakShatra.

yajurvEda upAkarma is also done on shrAvaNa full-moon day itself (whether or not that day has shravaNa nakShatra)

saura RugvEda upAkarma is done on the shravaNa nakShatra day falling in the saura month of simha (when the sun is in simha rAshi)

Even though the main function of Upakarma is yajnOpaveeta dhAraNa, it involves many rituals.

(1) samarpaNa of what we have studied (vEdas) from the previous upAkarma to this upAkarma to shree vEdavyAsa dEvaru.

(2) On this day at least we should learn to chant a few mantras of respective vEdas from our Guru (or purOhit)

(3) The purOhita also teaches one line of brahmasUtra, sarvamoola granthas, etc. as a mark of start of study of vEdas and other shAstra granthas. We must continue to study further. (But in majority of the cases, our study will end on that day itself!!) [;)]

(4) Every brahmana has to undergo upAkarma – All brahmanas should perform upAkarma hOma invariably. Only for those who are having sUtaka or vRuddhi (or ame) need not do upAkarma on that day. However, after the elapse o

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