🌟 Purification and blessing
Many Hindus believe the rites purify the person and ask for the blessing of God, so the child grows up healthy and good.
Hinduism: Worship and Practice » Samskaras: Birth Rituals and the Sacred Thread
What you'll learn this session
Study time: 30 minutes
Edexcel spec: Paper 2 Hinduism (4RS1/2C), 3.3 (part 1)
- What the samskaras are and why Hindus celebrate them
- The birth rituals: jatakarma, namakarana and mundan
- The sacred thread ceremony (upanayana) and its meaning
- Different Hindu attitudes to these rites today
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Unlock This CourseMarking the stages of life
Most religions mark big moments in a person's life with a ceremony. These are called rites of passage. In Hinduism the main rites of passage are the samskaras. You met this word when you studied marriage as one of them. Here we look at the rites that come at the start of life.
Key terms:
- Rite of passage (recap from Family Life: Types of Family, Roles and Responsibilities): a ceremony that marks an important change in a person's life.
- Jatakarma: the birth rite, when a newborn baby is welcomed.
- Namakarana: the naming ceremony.
- Mundan: the first haircut of a child.
- Upanayana: the sacred thread ceremony.
- Janeu: the sacred thread itself, also called the yajnopavita.
- Dvija: "twice-born", a name for those who have received the sacred thread.
Traditionally there are sixteen samskaras. The word means something like "making perfect" or "refining". Hindus believe each rite purifies the person and marks a new stage. The rites also bring blessings and tie the person to their family and community. They start before birth and end with the funeral rite.
Why the samskaras matter
👪 Family and community
Relatives gather, elders give blessings and the child is welcomed into the family and into Hindu life. The rites also remind everyone of their duties.
Birth rituals
Hindu care for a child begins before birth. During pregnancy, families pray for the health of the mother and for a safe birth. Some hold a ceremony with blessings and prayers for the unborn child.
🍯 Jatakarma
Soon after birth, the father or a priest places a little honey or ghee on the baby's tongue and whispers Aum in the baby's ear. Honey and ghee stand for sweetness and goodness, and Aum is the sacred sound. It welcomes the baby into the world with a blessing.
📝 Namakarana
The naming ceremony is often held some days after the birth. Many families ask a priest to look at the baby's horoscope, a chart of the time of birth, which may suggest the first letter of the name. The name is then spoken to the baby and announced to the family.
✂ Mundan
In mundan, the child's first hair is shaved off. Many Hindus see this as leaving behind the impurities of the past, and as a fresh start. A prayer is said, and the family may hold a small ceremony.
Practice varies between families and regions. Which of these rites are held, and when, is different in different communities.
The sacred thread: upanayana
The upanayana ceremony marks a boy's start as a student of the Vedas. The word means "taking close", because the boy is brought close to a teacher. It begins the first life stage, the student stage (brahmacharya) that you met in the lesson on dharma and the four ashramas.
Traditionally the ceremony is held for boys of the three upper varnas: Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas. They are called dvija, "twice-born", because the thread is seen as a second, spiritual birth.
- The boy is washed and dressed for the ceremony, and a sacred fire is lit.
- The priest or guru places the sacred thread over the boy's left shoulder, so that it hangs across his body to the right hip.
- The priest or guru teaches him the Gayatri Mantra, the Rig Veda mantra you have already met, whispering it to him. This is his first formal teaching.
- The boy promises to study, to live simply and to respect his teacher. He then begins the student stage of life.
The thread is worn every day after this. It is made of three strands. Hindus give different explanations of the three: some say they stand for the three main deities, some for the three gunas, and some for duties to parents, teachers and God. Whichever is chosen, the thread reminds the wearer of his promises.
Different attitudes to the rites today
Hindus do not all agree about how important the rites are or how they should be done.
- Traditional view. Some families keep many of the samskaras, led by a priest, because they believe the rites purify and bless the person. For them the thread is a key part of being a dvija.
- Families who keep only a few. Many Hindus today, especially outside India, keep just a few rites. The naming ceremony and sometimes mundan are common. The thread ceremony may be short, or may be held only just before a wedding.
- Reformers. Groups such as the Arya Samaj offer the thread to girls and to people of every caste. They say a person's worth comes from learning and character, not from birth.
- Those who put belief first. Some Hindus say that devotion, good conduct and knowledge matter more than ritual, so the rites are optional.
Not all Hindus accept caste as a teaching of Hinduism, and many reject the idea that only some people should receive the thread.
Common mistakes
- Describing a ritual without saying why it matters. Say what it is for: blessing, purification, welcome or a new stage.
- Mixing up jatakarma (birth), namakarana (naming) and mundan (haircut).
- Saying every Hindu boy wears the thread. Traditionally only boys of the three upper varnas do, and many families no longer keep it.
- Saying all Hindus think the same. Give a traditional view and a reform or liberal view.
Exam-style question
(a) Outline two birth rituals in Hinduism. [4 marks]
(b) Explain why the sacred thread ceremony is important for Hindus. [6 marks]
(c) "All Hindus should keep the samskaras." Discuss this statement, considering the arguments for and against. In your answer you should include: reference to teachings; other (divergent) points of view, either within the religion or from other religions; your opinion or point of view using reasoned arguments. [10 marks]
Model answer
(a) In jatakarma, honey or ghee is placed on the baby's tongue (1) and Aum is whispered, to welcome the baby with sweetness and a blessing (1). In namakarana, the baby is given a name (1), often with a priest looking at the horoscope to help choose it (1).
(b) The sacred thread ceremony is important because it marks a boy's start as a student of the Vedas (1), when he begins the student stage of life (1). The Gayatri Mantra is whispered to him by the priest or guru as his first formal teaching (1). The thread is seen as a second birth, which is why those who receive it are called dvija (1). It has three strands, which remind him of his promises (1). It also gives him duties to study, live simply and respect his teacher, so it joins him to the Hindu community (1).
(c) Plan. For: the samskaras purify and bless each stage of life, they join the person to the family and community, and they are an old tradition passed down by priests. Against: many Hindus keep only a few rites and still follow dharma, reformers such as the Arya Samaj say the thread should be open to girls and all castes, and some say good conduct and devotion matter more than ritual. Possible conclusion: the rites are valuable for the meaning and community they give, but a person's character matters more, so they are better seen as a gift than a rule for every Hindu.
Exam tip
For a 6-mark "Explain why ... is important" question, do not just describe the ceremony. Give three or four reasons, each starting with "because" or "this means".