Upakarmam Fesetivals - उपकर्मम
A bird is called Dwija or twice born, since it is first born as an egg and then comes out of it as a bird. Similarly, a Brahmin is called a Dwija since he has the ordinary birth as well as the spiritual birth by the ceremony called upanayanam performed for him by his parents and family guru or preceptor.
The upanayanam has a deep spiritual significance. With the ordinary eyes, men are able to see everything belonging to the physical world. But the Hindus believe in the existence of fourteen lokas (worlds) also called talas. Each loka is like this physical world of ours full of conscious entities as well as minerals, vegetables and animals.
The fourteen lokas are named Bhur-loka, Bhuvar- loka, Survar- loka, Mahar- loka, Janar- loka, Tapar- loka, Satya- loka, Brahma- loka, Pitri- loka, Soma- loka, Indra- loka, gandharva- loka, Rakshasa- loka and Yaksha- loka.
Represent by the expression tala, they go by the names Atala, Vitala, Sutala, Karatala, Rasatala, Mahatala and Patala, and seven other names.
The end and aim of a human being should be to vivify his consciousness in each and every one of these worlds and work there, just as he works here in this physical world. This is in fact said to be the Summum bonum of life in this world.
The word 'upanayanam' means additional eye. By his knowledge of things beyond mundane, the guru (preceptor) becomes an eye- opener to the youth who begins to see the next higher world. In fact this ceremony was performed for Arjuna by Sri Krishna in the battlefield. By strenuous application day after day, the youth develops this new sight more and more till it is fully open. In this way he is said to open and develop seven sights before completing his evolution.
The thread worn by Brahmins symbolizes the play of spiritual forces in his finer bodies radiating the spiritual light around him. The carbon filament within an electric bulb may rightly be compared to this sacred thread worn by the Hindus which in fact represents seven such threads of fire in his seven bodies in as many worlds of fine matter.
It is laid down in Hindu Dharma Sastras that a portion of everything earned or acquired should be distributed as charity. The Brahmins acquire and store only spiritual force which is represented by the sacred thread called Poonul. So by distributing these sacred strings they are supposed to distribute a portion of the spiritual force acquired by them. People increase their stock of spiritual energy by wearing these threads.
The Upakarma religious ceremony is performed by the Hindus following the Yajurveda, in the month of Sravana, called Avani in Tamil, corresponding to the English months of August- September, on the full moon day if it happens to be free from defects. It the full moon day in Avani is not free from defects, then the full moon day in the month of Purattasi (September- October) is selected. If that day too is wanting in purity required for the purpose, then the full moon day in the month of Adi (July- August) is selected.
The people who follow the Rig Veda observe the ceremony in the month of Avani when the asterism Sravana (aquiloe) is in the ascendancy. The people who follow the Sama Veda observe the ceremony in the same month Avani but on the day when the asterism Hasta (corvi) and the tithi Panchami prevail.
The recitation of the Vedas on this day is said to be very meritorious. Libations of water are poured to propitiate the manes of the departed souls and the sages who had taken the trouble to preserve and hand over to posterity the Vedas the source of religious beliefs and ceremonies.
The Vedas are said to have worshipped Lord Siva called Iswara in several places. The most important of those places are the temples at Vedaranyam in the district of Tanjore, Tiruvazhundur near Kuttalam in the same district, Tirukkalukunram in the Chingleput district, Tiruvedikkudi near Tanjore and tiruppanaivasa near Shiyali.
It is said that once the Vedas were revealed to the sages by God himself at Tiruvottiiyur near Conjeevaram. The goddess is said to have had the mysteries of the Vedas revealed to her by Iswara at a place called Uttarakosamangai near Ramnad. Further, God is said to have chanted the Vedas at a place called Tiruthuruthi near Mayavaram, in the guise of a Brahmachari youth.
The upanayanam has a deep spiritual significance. With the ordinary eyes, men are able to see everything belonging to the physical world. But the Hindus believe in the existence of fourteen lokas (worlds) also called talas. Each loka is like this physical world of ours full of conscious entities as well as minerals, vegetables and animals.
The fourteen lokas are named Bhur-loka, Bhuvar- loka, Survar- loka, Mahar- loka, Janar- loka, Tapar- loka, Satya- loka, Brahma- loka, Pitri- loka, Soma- loka, Indra- loka, gandharva- loka, Rakshasa- loka and Yaksha- loka.
Represent by the expression tala, they go by the names Atala, Vitala, Sutala, Karatala, Rasatala, Mahatala and Patala, and seven other names.
The end and aim of a human being should be to vivify his consciousness in each and every one of these worlds and work there, just as he works here in this physical world. This is in fact said to be the Summum bonum of life in this world.
The word 'upanayanam' means additional eye. By his knowledge of things beyond mundane, the guru (preceptor) becomes an eye- opener to the youth who begins to see the next higher world. In fact this ceremony was performed for Arjuna by Sri Krishna in the battlefield. By strenuous application day after day, the youth develops this new sight more and more till it is fully open. In this way he is said to open and develop seven sights before completing his evolution.
The thread worn by Brahmins symbolizes the play of spiritual forces in his finer bodies radiating the spiritual light around him. The carbon filament within an electric bulb may rightly be compared to this sacred thread worn by the Hindus which in fact represents seven such threads of fire in his seven bodies in as many worlds of fine matter.
It is laid down in Hindu Dharma Sastras that a portion of everything earned or acquired should be distributed as charity. The Brahmins acquire and store only spiritual force which is represented by the sacred thread called Poonul. So by distributing these sacred strings they are supposed to distribute a portion of the spiritual force acquired by them. People increase their stock of spiritual energy by wearing these threads.
The Upakarma religious ceremony is performed by the Hindus following the Yajurveda, in the month of Sravana, called Avani in Tamil, corresponding to the English months of August- September, on the full moon day if it happens to be free from defects. It the full moon day in Avani is not free from defects, then the full moon day in the month of Purattasi (September- October) is selected. If that day too is wanting in purity required for the purpose, then the full moon day in the month of Adi (July- August) is selected.
The people who follow the Rig Veda observe the ceremony in the month of Avani when the asterism Sravana (aquiloe) is in the ascendancy. The people who follow the Sama Veda observe the ceremony in the same month Avani but on the day when the asterism Hasta (corvi) and the tithi Panchami prevail.
The recitation of the Vedas on this day is said to be very meritorious. Libations of water are poured to propitiate the manes of the departed souls and the sages who had taken the trouble to preserve and hand over to posterity the Vedas the source of religious beliefs and ceremonies.
The Vedas are said to have worshipped Lord Siva called Iswara in several places. The most important of those places are the temples at Vedaranyam in the district of Tanjore, Tiruvazhundur near Kuttalam in the same district, Tirukkalukunram in the Chingleput district, Tiruvedikkudi near Tanjore and tiruppanaivasa near Shiyali.
It is said that once the Vedas were revealed to the sages by God himself at Tiruvottiiyur near Conjeevaram. The goddess is said to have had the mysteries of the Vedas revealed to her by Iswara at a place called Uttarakosamangai near Ramnad. Further, God is said to have chanted the Vedas at a place called Tiruthuruthi near Mayavaram, in the guise of a Brahmachari youth.