Upakarma
Encyclopedia
Upakarma called Veda Upaakarma or Avani Avittam or Jannivarada Hunnime (Sanskrit
: उपाकर्मम; Tamil
:ஆவணி அவிட்டம்; Kannada
: ಜನ್ನಿವರದ ಹುಣ್ಣಿಮೆ;Oriya
:ଶ୍ରାବଣୀ ଉପାକର୍ମ,shravani upaakarma) is one of the ancient Vedic rituals
practiced to date. The event is conducted once a year, in the month of Shraavana
(mid August - mid September) and all the Brahmins follow it. The main activity performed in an Upakarma is the changing of the Yajnopavita (Yagnopavita) or the Holy Thread, Tarpanam to Rishis and Vedarambha
.. The day and its subsequent day are of great significance to Brahmins.
Upakarma, in Sanskrit
, means "going near to and implicitly means to the teacher" and historically, the day was considered auspicious for beginning the Vedic studies.
observe the Yajur upakarma in the month of Shraavana
(August–September), on the full moon day ; more particularly, Yajur upakarma is held on the full-moon day that comes before the new-moon day of the month of Sravana (Avani
). Rig Vedic Upakarma is observed on the day in/on sukla paksha Shravan month which has Shravana nakshatra.Rig Vedic brahmins change the sacred thread on the day,whether purnima is there or not.Shukla Yajurvedic bramhins of North India
&Orissa do upaakarma in the preveous day if Purnima spans two days(shukla chaturdashi yukta Purnima). Sama Vedic Upakarma is observed on the day after Shravan Amavasyai,Hastha nakshatra such that they do the Gayatri japam on Ganesh Chaturti.
by the demons Madhu
and Kaitabha. As lord Vishnu
took the form of a horse, this incarnation is called Hayagriva
or "horse-head". After lord Vishnu
created lord Brahma
, he taught Brahma
the all eternal Vedas
. Once lord Brahma
had mastered the Vedas
, he was filled with pride that he was the only entity that had the knowledge of the all eternal and holy Vedas
. Lord Vishnu
thought otherwise and created demons Nectar
and Kaitabha from two water drops on the lotus that he mounts. He then instructed them to steal the Vedas
from Lord Brahma
and hide it. Thus, Lord Brahma
was in a fix that he was not able to save the holy and all eternal Vedas
from theft and prayed to Lord Vishnu
to do the needy. Lord Vishnu took the from of Hayagriva or Hayavadana and restored the all pervading Veda to safety,. thus curbing the pride of Brahma. So the day of upakarma is also celebrated as Hayagriva utpatti. As the Vedas
were restored on this day, Upakarma is performed on this day to mark a new beginning.
with a Upakarma and is temporarily terminated in Makaram with an Utsarjana ritual, to be restarted in the next Shravan
. However, it was found that six months in a year results in a very long period to complete the study of Vedas. In order to overcome this difficulty, Brahmins started skipping the Utsajana ritual and studied Vedas through all the months of the year.
On this day, a Prayachittam is performed on two counts - to pardon the sin of learning Vedas in the prohibited period of the year and a general request to pardon all the sins committed by them during the year. Homams are held and Poonal, the sacred thread, is changed on this day. More details:
The first step is a 'prayashchita', A prayer to atone the sins. It says, "For the removal of all my sins and thereby to secure a divine blessing and for qualifing myself to perform the essential duties of Brahmanas as prescribed in the vedas and smritis and adopted by the really good in their conduct I put on this Yagnopavita (the sacred thread (poonool(പൂണൂല്), in Malayalam(മലയാളം)), or "poonal" in Tamil)".
Then a new Yagnopavita is worn. When the thread is worn another mantra is recited which means -"I put on the sacred thread which is highly pure, is inseparable from God, is capable of prolonging life and is the foremost in the accomplishment of a Brahmana. May such pure Yagnopavita bring strength and dignity."
While removing the old thread, the mantra means -"I throw away the broken dirty old thread, may the new one bring on long life and Brahmana's brilliance."
Carnatic Region procedure is followed in Karnataka, Andhra pradesh, Orissa and parts of Maharashtra. According to the Rig Veda Upakarma, first they start with Punyahvaachana followed Saptarshi Pooja, Utsarjana Homa and later by Upakarmaanga Saptarshi pooja, tarpana and homa.
In Yajur Veda Upakarma of Karnataka region, the procedure begins with Punyahavaachana, Pahi Trayodasha Homa, utsarjana and then Upakarma. Here they worship nava (nine) Kaanda Rishis who were the pioneers in the veda. Distinct feature of Karnataka's Upakarma is rishi pooja in detail, and utsarjana. The Dravida version of the same does not have them. After Yagnopavita daana, new yagnopavita will worn and later Veda Aarambham is done. Following the same will be Viraja Homa and Brahma Yagna. In the first year of Upakarma, Nandi is also performed. Bachelors or Brahmacharis will perform Agni Kaarya or Samhida Daanam. The prasadam of the day is specially made Satvada hittu made out of all fruits (banana, guava, grapes, custard apple, apple, dry fruits), milk, ghee, til, jaggery, cucumber and rice flour. This is said to be very good for the rishis who are considered to be old and don't have teeth. Hence this preparation. Also this is done jointly by men who come for the ceremony.
The procedure for the dravida yajurveda upakarma is as follows.
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
: उपाकर्मम; Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
:ஆவணி அவிட்டம்; Kannada
Kannada language
Kannada or , is a language spoken in India predominantly in the state of Karnataka. Kannada, whose native speakers are called Kannadigas and number roughly 50 million, is one of the 30 most spoken languages in the world...
: ಜನ್ನಿವರದ ಹುಣ್ಣಿಮೆ;Oriya
Oriya language
Oriya , officially Odia from November, 2011, is an Indian language, belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family. It is mainly spoken in the Indian states of Orissa and West Bengal...
:ଶ୍ରାବଣୀ ଉପାକର୍ମ,shravani upaakarma) is one of the ancient Vedic rituals
Historical Vedic religion
The religion of the Vedic period is a historical predecessor of Hinduism. Its liturgy is reflected in the mantra portion of the four Vedas, which are compiled in Sanskrit. The religious practices centered on a clergy administering rites...
practiced to date. The event is conducted once a year, in the month of Shraavana
Shraavana
Shraavana is a month of the Hindu calendar, also known as Sawan. In India's national civil calendar, Shraavan is the fifth month of the Hindu year, beginning in late July and ending in the third week of August. In the Tamil calendar, it is known as Aavani and is the fifth month of the solar year...
(mid August - mid September) and all the Brahmins follow it. The main activity performed in an Upakarma is the changing of the Yajnopavita (Yagnopavita) or the Holy Thread, Tarpanam to Rishis and Vedarambha
Praishartha
Praishartha also known as Vedarambha is the learning of Vedas and Upanishads in‘Gurukulam’ or ‘Pāṭhaśāla’. In the beginning of each academic period there is a ceremony called Upakarma and at the end of each academic period there is another ceremony called Upasarjana....
.. The day and its subsequent day are of great significance to Brahmins.
Upakarma, in Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
, means "going near to and implicitly means to the teacher" and historically, the day was considered auspicious for beginning the Vedic studies.
When is upakarma observed?
Different sects of people have different dates on which upakarma is performed. Traditional learners of YajurvedaYajurveda
The Yajurveda, a tatpurusha compound of "sacrificial formula', + ) is the third of the four canonical texts of Hinduism, the Vedas. By some, it is estimated to have been composed between 1400 and 1000 BC, the Yajurveda 'Samhita', or 'compilation', contains the liturgy needed to perform the...
observe the Yajur upakarma in the month of Shraavana
Shraavana
Shraavana is a month of the Hindu calendar, also known as Sawan. In India's national civil calendar, Shraavan is the fifth month of the Hindu year, beginning in late July and ending in the third week of August. In the Tamil calendar, it is known as Aavani and is the fifth month of the solar year...
(August–September), on the full moon day ; more particularly, Yajur upakarma is held on the full-moon day that comes before the new-moon day of the month of Sravana (Avani
Avani
Avani is a small village in the Kolar district in Karnataka, India, about ten miles from Kolar Gold Fields. The village is located 50 km from the twin towns of Muddenahalli-Kanivenarayanapura. It is also a popular location for rock climbing.-Legend:...
). Rig Vedic Upakarma is observed on the day in/on sukla paksha Shravan month which has Shravana nakshatra.Rig Vedic brahmins change the sacred thread on the day,whether purnima is there or not.Shukla Yajurvedic bramhins of North India
North India
North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...
&Orissa do upaakarma in the preveous day if Purnima spans two days(shukla chaturdashi yukta Purnima). Sama Vedic Upakarma is observed on the day after Shravan Amavasyai,Hastha nakshatra such that they do the Gayatri japam on Ganesh Chaturti.
Upakarma Variation
According to Nirnaya Sindhu following conditions should be taken care for deciding the date of upakarma- RigvedaRigvedaThe Rigveda is an ancient Indian sacred collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns...
Upakarma:Should be done on the day in shraavanaShraavanaShraavana is a month of the Hindu calendar, also known as Sawan. In India's national civil calendar, Shraavan is the fifth month of the Hindu year, beginning in late July and ending in the third week of August. In the Tamil calendar, it is known as Aavani and is the fifth month of the solar year...
where shravanaShravanaShravana is the 22nd nakshatra or lunar mansion as used in Hindu astronomy and astrology. It belongs to the constellation Makara or Capricorn....
is the star and spans at least from sunrise to mid day.But not in Uttara Ashadha if present during sunrise. - SamavedaSamavedaThe Sama veda , is second of the four Vedas, the ancient core Hindu scriptures. Its earliest parts are believed to date from 1700 BC and it ranks next in sanctity and liturgical importance to the Rigveda...
Upakarma: Should be done on hastaHasta-Sanskrit:*Hasta , a Sanskrit word meaning hand gesture or position*Hasta , a measure of length*the thirteenth Nakshatra of Hindu Astrology-Spanish:...
nakshatraNakshatraNakshatra is the term for lunar mansion in Hindu astrology. A nakshatra is one of 27 sectors along the ecliptic...
on bhadrapada shuklapaksha - Krishna Yajurveda: i.e. Taittiriyas & Maitrayanis should do on shravistha, dhanistha,(avittam in Tamil),on shraavana month,whether it falls on purnima yukta Pratipada (Pratipat)during sunrise (Telugu- paadyami) or prathama.
- Shukla Yajurveda: i.e. Vajasaneyi Kanvas and Madhyandinas do in purnima day if purnima is present up to evening.But if punima and pratipada both are present on next day(para viddha) they should do on previous day when chaturdashi stays in day and then purnima comes after mid day(purva viddha).Under no condition they should do/avoid doing in krishna paksha pratipat or broadly speaking they should finish upakarma before approach of krishna paksha.but they postpone upakarma to the next day if purnima is having Uttara Ashadha nakshatra.
- Atharva Veda: They do on the day when purnima lasts during sunrise.(udaya vyapini tithi)
Upakarma in Eclipse/Solar Sankramana
- If there occurs EclipseEclipseAn eclipse is an astronomical event that occurs when an astronomical object is temporarily obscured, either by passing into the shadow of another body or by having another body pass between it and the viewer...
and sankranti when sun enters leoLEOLEO as an initialism may refer to:* Low Earth orbit, a satellite path* Law enforcement officer, an official* Louisville Eccentric Observer, a newspaper* LEO , an electronic device* LEO , a lunar mission...
(masa pirrapu/avani 1st in Tamil) during purnima,the people having upakrama for that day should be finished prior to punima when hastaHasta-Sanskrit:*Hasta , a Sanskrit word meaning hand gesture or position*Hasta , a measure of length*the thirteenth Nakshatra of Hindu Astrology-Spanish:...
nakshatra is available(generally shravana shukla PanchamiPanchamiPanchami is the fifth day of the fortnight in Hindu lunar calendar.-Festivals:Nag Panchami is a Hindu festival celebrated by Hindus in most parts of India. It is celebrated in Shravan month. On this day, people worship Nāga Devata . People go to temples and snake pits and worship the snakes...
/shashtiShashtiShashti is the sixth day or tithi of a pakSha or fourteen-day phase of the moon. The word comes from the Sanskrit cardinal ShaRh , whence the ordinal number ShaShTha , fem...
.and for samavedaSamavedaThe Sama veda , is second of the four Vedas, the ancient core Hindu scriptures. Its earliest parts are believed to date from 1700 BC and it ranks next in sanctity and liturgical importance to the Rigveda...
,if there is sankramana(purattasi 1st) to kanya in bhadrapada then shraavana month's hasta should be considered. - If shraavanaShraavanaShraavana is a month of the Hindu calendar, also known as Sawan. In India's national civil calendar, Shraavan is the fifth month of the Hindu year, beginning in late July and ending in the third week of August. In the Tamil calendar, it is known as Aavani and is the fifth month of the solar year...
suddha Panchami(hasta) day is having sankramana/sankranti and purnima is having eclipse then upakarma is postponed to SamavedaSamavedaThe Sama veda , is second of the four Vedas, the ancient core Hindu scriptures. Its earliest parts are believed to date from 1700 BC and it ranks next in sanctity and liturgical importance to the Rigveda...
upakarma day,i'e. bhadrapada hasta nakshatra but only Vajasaneyi Shukla Yajurveda people can do upakarma on the Panchami(hasta) having simha sankramana and avoid upakarma on purnima having eclipse. - No one should do upakarma on a day having uttarashadha nakshatra or a lunar eclipseLunar eclipseA lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes behind the Earth so that the Earth blocks the Sun's rays from striking the Moon. This can occur only when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are aligned exactly, or very closely so, with the Earth in the middle. Hence, a lunar eclipse can only occur the night of a...
Legend
Upakarma is usually held on the full moon day of the month of Sravana. The significance of this day is that Lord Vishnu took the form of a horse and restored the Veda that was stolen from Lord BrahmaBrahma
Brahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...
by the demons Madhu
Madhu
Madhu may refer to:* Madhu, a term in Hindi-Urdu, Sanskrit, and other languages for honey and alcohol * Madhu, in Hindu mythology, one of the asura brothers Madhu-Kaitabh, killed by Lord Vishnu...
and Kaitabha. As lord Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
took the form of a horse, this incarnation is called Hayagriva
Hayagriva
Hayagriva is a horse-headed deity that appears in both Hinduism and Buddhism.-Hinduism:...
or "horse-head". After lord Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
created lord Brahma
Brahma
Brahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...
, he taught Brahma
Brahma
Brahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...
the all eternal Vedas
Vedas
The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism....
. Once lord Brahma
Brahma
Brahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...
had mastered the Vedas
Vedas
The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism....
, he was filled with pride that he was the only entity that had the knowledge of the all eternal and holy Vedas
Vedas
The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism....
. Lord Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
thought otherwise and created demons Nectar
Madhu
Madhu may refer to:* Madhu, a term in Hindi-Urdu, Sanskrit, and other languages for honey and alcohol * Madhu, in Hindu mythology, one of the asura brothers Madhu-Kaitabh, killed by Lord Vishnu...
and Kaitabha from two water drops on the lotus that he mounts. He then instructed them to steal the Vedas
Vedas
The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism....
from Lord Brahma
Brahma
Brahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...
and hide it. Thus, Lord Brahma
Brahma
Brahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...
was in a fix that he was not able to save the holy and all eternal Vedas
Vedas
The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism....
from theft and prayed to Lord Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
to do the needy. Lord Vishnu took the from of Hayagriva or Hayavadana and restored the all pervading Veda to safety,. thus curbing the pride of Brahma. So the day of upakarma is also celebrated as Hayagriva utpatti. As the Vedas
Vedas
The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism....
were restored on this day, Upakarma is performed on this day to mark a new beginning.
Significance
The learning of the Vedas begins in the month of ShravanShravan
Shravan is a Sanskrit word, which literally means listening.* Shravanam is one of the nine most important angas of bhakti.Shravan Kumar belonged to the time when King Dashratha ruled Ayodhya. He was born of poor and blind parents, but they had brought him up remarkably well. He was strong healthy...
with a Upakarma and is temporarily terminated in Makaram with an Utsarjana ritual, to be restarted in the next Shravan
Shravan
Shravan is a Sanskrit word, which literally means listening.* Shravanam is one of the nine most important angas of bhakti.Shravan Kumar belonged to the time when King Dashratha ruled Ayodhya. He was born of poor and blind parents, but they had brought him up remarkably well. He was strong healthy...
. However, it was found that six months in a year results in a very long period to complete the study of Vedas. In order to overcome this difficulty, Brahmins started skipping the Utsajana ritual and studied Vedas through all the months of the year.
On this day, a Prayachittam is performed on two counts - to pardon the sin of learning Vedas in the prohibited period of the year and a general request to pardon all the sins committed by them during the year. Homams are held and Poonal, the sacred thread, is changed on this day. More details:
The first step is a 'prayashchita', A prayer to atone the sins. It says, "For the removal of all my sins and thereby to secure a divine blessing and for qualifing myself to perform the essential duties of Brahmanas as prescribed in the vedas and smritis and adopted by the really good in their conduct I put on this Yagnopavita (the sacred thread (poonool(പൂണൂല്), in Malayalam(മലയാളം)), or "poonal" in Tamil)".
Then a new Yagnopavita is worn. When the thread is worn another mantra is recited which means -"I put on the sacred thread which is highly pure, is inseparable from God, is capable of prolonging life and is the foremost in the accomplishment of a Brahmana. May such pure Yagnopavita bring strength and dignity."
While removing the old thread, the mantra means -"I throw away the broken dirty old thread, may the new one bring on long life and Brahmana's brilliance."
Procedure of Avani Avittam
The procedure of upakarma varies from state to state. However there are two main procedures one followed in the old Carnatic Region and other in the Dravida region.Carnatic Region procedure is followed in Karnataka, Andhra pradesh, Orissa and parts of Maharashtra. According to the Rig Veda Upakarma, first they start with Punyahvaachana followed Saptarshi Pooja, Utsarjana Homa and later by Upakarmaanga Saptarshi pooja, tarpana and homa.
In Yajur Veda Upakarma of Karnataka region, the procedure begins with Punyahavaachana, Pahi Trayodasha Homa, utsarjana and then Upakarma. Here they worship nava (nine) Kaanda Rishis who were the pioneers in the veda. Distinct feature of Karnataka's Upakarma is rishi pooja in detail, and utsarjana. The Dravida version of the same does not have them. After Yagnopavita daana, new yagnopavita will worn and later Veda Aarambham is done. Following the same will be Viraja Homa and Brahma Yagna. In the first year of Upakarma, Nandi is also performed. Bachelors or Brahmacharis will perform Agni Kaarya or Samhida Daanam. The prasadam of the day is specially made Satvada hittu made out of all fruits (banana, guava, grapes, custard apple, apple, dry fruits), milk, ghee, til, jaggery, cucumber and rice flour. This is said to be very good for the rishis who are considered to be old and don't have teeth. Hence this preparation. Also this is done jointly by men who come for the ceremony.
The procedure for the dravida yajurveda upakarma is as follows.
- First the Rishi Tharpanam (offering prayers to the ancient Rishis) is read out.
- Brahmin bachelors perform 'Samitha Daanam' and 'kamo karshith japam' after Mahasankalpam.
- Thereafter, Kaanda Rishi tharpanam is performed with the help of family priest or elders.
- As per the rituals, all the male members should have a light meal at night.
- Next day after an early bath, 'Gayathri Japam' is read out by everyone. Thereafter, Appam & Idli are served.
- Green Gram, Dhal or Kondai Kadalai Sundal are offered as Neivedhyam for the Homam (Fire ritual).
- The Homam is performed either in the house or in temples and the Arti is performed after everyone returns home.
- Neivedhyam - Payasam, Vada, Gingely seeds, Rice. The other items that are served on this day are Curd Pachadi, Kosumalli Curry, Koottu, Pitlay, buttermilk, soup, rasam, dhal and chips, appalams.