Sri Bharatamata

Ashtottaram 96

 

 

96) OṀ SUSAṀSKĀRA BHŪMYAINAMAH:

           OṀ (AUM) -SU-SOME-SKAA-RA- BHOO- MYAI- NA-- MA- HA

 

 

(Sanskārah: means-disposition, refinement; Saṁskāras: means-Sacraments)

 

 

The word samskāra, in a technical sense, means a ritualistic act (accompanied by appropriate mantras) by which a person is rid of his defects and limitations, and made refined by adding some specialty. Such samskarās (sacraments) as listed in the smriṫis and dharma śāstrās vary from 16 to 40. However, 16 samskārās-generally called shoḍaśa- samskāras (sixteen sacraments) have been widely accepted. These sixteen sacraments start from the time of conception to the time of death and its rites being the last sacrament.

According to Hinduism, a human being is purified and refined by undergoing certain rites generally called saṁskārās. The Hindu scriptures do not consider birth as the starting point of life. It goes farther back, as it is conditioned by heredity, parentage and environment. Keeping this in mind, the samskāras start first with the conception. The sixteen sacraments are: 1) Garbhādāna 2) Pumsavana, 3) Sīmantonnayana, 4) Jātaka Karma, 5) Nāmakaraṇam, 6) Nishkramaṇa 7) Annaprāsana, 8) Ćūdakarma, 9) Upanayanam, 10 to 13) Vedavratās, 14) Samavartana, 15) Vivāha, 16) Anṫyeshṭi. In later dharmaśāsṫra literature, the four Vedavratās were omitted and the following four were added: Karṇavedha (piercing the ear-lobes); vidyārambha (same as aksharābhyāsa, learning the alphabet); vedārambha (first study of the Vedas); keśānta (cutting the hair or shaving the beard).

 

Saṁskārās like upanayanam are performed in certain varṇās only like brāhmaṇa varṇam. The actual meaning of upanayanam is 'to take the person to the guru (teacher). Now adays, many brāhmiṇs are performing this sacrament to their boys only for the sake of showing off to others that they are the brāhmiṇs and to let their children know about their superior caste. In reality no one is truly a brāhmiṇ without practicing all the duties as prescribed by the Vedic scriptures with all the restrictions imposed to be a true brāhmiṇ. Forget about in abroad, the brāhmiṇs in India even do not follow all the Vedic injunctions but they have no problem in showing off to everybody that they are brāhmiṇs.

 

The saṁskārās help to purify our mind and refine our attitudes and prepare us to achieve the ultimate life goal of mokṣha (liberation). It's like climbing the steps to reach the top and every little bit helps and we cannot reach high without climbing one step at a time. The ancient sages always kept the common man in mind and showed equanimity towards humanity and worked very hard with strict observations. Unfortunately, just like anything else in the world, because of selfishness and greed, the noble 'varṇavyavastha' has disappeared and the so called 'kulavyavastha' (caste system) has deep rooted in our society which is the culprit for the decay of our social system.

 

The land which has provided the sacraments for our spiritual progress is none other than our 'Susaṁskāra Bhūmi'.