Question

[Anand Hudli]

> What exactly is the significance of the Upanayanam ceremony or the Poonal as
> they say in South India?


   The primary significance of upanayana is that it makes one a dvija, a
   twice-born one. The upanayana makes one eligible for the study of vedas
    and vedaanta. But there are certain obligations that come with the
   privileges of the "sacred thread" (yajnopaviita) that one receives
   during the upanayana ceremony. The nityakarmas such as sandhyaa- vandana
    must be performed without fail; failure to perform the nityakarmas will
    invite pratyavaaya, undesirable or untoward consequences, according to
   the saying akaraNe pratyavaaya of the Miimaamsakas.

   There is a saying about the sandhyaavandana:

   saMdhyaahinaH ashuchirnityaM anarhaH sarvakarmasu |
   yadanyat.h kurute karma na tasya phalabhaagbhavet.h ||

   He who does not perform sandhyavandana is impure and is never
   eligible to perform all other (Vedic) karmas. Even if he
   performs other karmas, he will not obtain the fruits thereof.


   As long as the sacred thread is worn, the sandhyaa must be performed
   at least 2 times (sunrise and sunset) daily. Sannyasins are exempt from
    the sandhyaa; they do not wear the sacred thread. Shankara refutes the
    arguments of the Miimaamsakas, for example in the Giitaa bhaashhya:

   na hi nityaanaam-akaraNaat.h abhaavaat.h pratyavaayabhaavopapattiH |
   naasato vidyate bhaava iti vachanaat.h |

     There cannot be evil consequences from an absence, such as the
     nonperformance of the nitya karmas. This is supported by the
     Giitaa, which says "No existence can result from nonexistence."

   But note that Shankara is arguing here with the Miimaamsaka position
   that nitya karmas must *never* be given up. Shankara, after
   establishing that sannyaasa is established in jnaana, which
   is completely incompatible with karma, proceeds to show that
   giving up all karmas in sannyaasa is blemishless, ie there
   will be no pratyavaaya. On the other hand, one who is not
   a sannyaasin will have to perform nitya karmas. This position
   is compatible with Shankara's position.

   Accordingly, advaitins accept that nitya karmas must be done by
   those who have had their upanayana and who are not sannyaasins.
   Shri Abhinava Vidyateertha of Sringeri and Shri Chandrasekhara
   Saraswati of Kanchi both accept that sandhyaa-vandana must be
   performed after upanayana.

   Unfortunately, these days in India it has become fashionable to
   delay the upanayana and even if it is done, the boy will not be
   doing the sandhyaa-vandana daily. Some even discard the sacred
   thread because they think it is some kind of an embarassment!
   This is generally due to the influence of modernization or
   westernization. Perhaps, if the Indians living in the West and
   other people in the West point out the importance of the Vedas,
   it will be more convincing to the people in India. I am counting
   on this kind of reverse influence from the West.


> Dhanyavaadah

  Anand