Arya Samaj

Devo · Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 5:14 pm Post subject: Sanskars

Sanskars
by
Dr. Deen B Chandora

How many religious ceremonies do Hindus have? Name the rites of passages or religious ceremonies of Sanskars or sacraments?

Prabhat · Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2006 10:54 am Post subject:

in december i have a havan at home, it is my daughters birtday, she wants to have a havan for her birtday and in combination with her last year at this school, she has to de exams. is it wise to ask the pundit to perform this

10. Upanayana - School entrance initiation. To help control the fear of separation from parents, and to help overcome the anxiety of entering a strange place such as school. It is also called Yajnopaveet Sanskar. It is usually conducted at the age of five years and onwards
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Namaste,
Prabhat

usgaonkar · Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2006 7:37 am Post subject: sanskar of marriage

As one can see from the above discussion that the sanskar of vivah (marriage) is distinct from that of Garbhadhan. The sanskar is defined in the scriptures as follows ( jaimini sutra).
That action which makes any thing or anybody eligible for doing a particular act is called sanskar or संस्कारो नाम स भवति यस्मिज्जाते पदार्थो भवति कस्यचिदर्थस्य ॥
Vivah or marriage in Hindus is not only a contract but a sanskar and therfore it cannot be reversed and therefore there is no Sanskrit equivalent of the word "Divorce".
What is vivah sanskar? Vivah is that sanskar by which man and his wife resolve to transform physical attraction (vasana) into love (prem) , love into worship (bhakti) and worship into sacrifice (tyaga). When the couple is comfortable that such graduation of emotions is possible they perform Garbhadhan and seek Indra's blessings for the progeny.

When couple candidly confesses that such graduation in emotions is not possible due to circumstances (external, physiological or mental) Crown can reverse the marriage.

This is the wisdom and strength of Hindu (or Vedic) marriage.

Surin Usgaonkar , Mumbai
also read : http://surinusgaonkarsays.sulekha.com/blogs/blogdisplay.aspx?cid=44722
and
http://surinusgaonkarsays.sulekha.com/blogs/blogdisplay.aspx?cid=58148

Prabhat · Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2006 1:26 pm Post subject:

Namaste mr. Usgaonkar,

first i like to welcome you.

my question, can only a wife ask for a divorce.

(If a husband is either of a bad character, or long gone abroad, or has become a traitor to the crown, or is likely to endanger life of his wife, or has fallen in the esteem of his community, or has lost virility, he may be abandoned by his wife: Translation by Dr R. Shamasastry © 1923)
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Namaste,
Prabhat

usgaonkar · Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2006 1:52 pm Post subject: Divorce

Dear Mr Prabhat:

Either partner in marriage can seek divorce. Kauntilya says divorce can be possible through mutual enimity . He uses a peculiar sanskrit phrase:
"parasparaam dveshaanmokshaH" परस्परम् द्वेशान्मोक्षः

(as a normal practice while reading ancient sanskrit literature, unless specified, gender is ignored . Most often it is used to complete shloka metre. This importance to adherence to poetical metre is understandable since the tradition was verbal (not written) and it is easier to know that you are making a mistake when you break the meter of the verse.)

regards
Surin

Prabhat · Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2006 1:56 pm Post subject:

Namaste mr Usgaonkar,

i live in holland, and the most couple who divorce, they divorce only for the holland law systeem. dos that mean the couple's are still married in vivaah sanskaar
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Namaste,
Prabhat

usgaonkar · Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2006 2:04 pm Post subject: marriage, divorce and sanskar

Dear Mr Prabhat

Pls refer to my definition of sanskar (above). Let us take simple example when butter is boiled it converts into clarified butter (called ghee in India) . The process cannot be reversed. What writ of the crown (or otherwise) can do is: declare a particular bowl of clarified butter to be unsuitable for consumption. Similarly Vivah sanskar cannot be reversed. What the law does is that it stops the futher consequences e.g. withdraws social sanction for further progeny, aplication of law of inheritance of property etc etc.

Regards

Prabhat · Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2006 2:11 pm Post subject:

Namaste,

Ghee is also cald Ghee in holland and suriname Wink

oke so what you are telling me, all the divorced people are still married.
and there is nothing that can reverse that.
_________________
Namaste,
Prabhat

Shishya · Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2006 7:39 pm Post subject:

Namaste Surin Ji,

Thank you for the very interesting posts. Two questions:

In the passage from Kauntilya you quoted, it states:

"parasparam dveshaanmokshaH" परस्परम् द्वेशान्मोक्षः

If I am correct, this means: "(In cases of) mutual emnity, release (from the bond of marriage is allowed)".

First: Would you agree with this translation?

Second: Would you say this is most similar to the practice of Catholics, in which context they speak of 'spousal separation' instead of 'divorce'?
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Namaste,

Shishya
ॐ

ॐ सह नावतु । सह तौ भुनक्तु । सह वीर्यं करवावहै । तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ॥
"Together may we be protected. Together may we be profited. Together may we do a hero's work. May we learn intelligently. May we never hate one another."
-Brihadaranyaka & Taittiriya Upanishads

usgaonkar · Posted: Sat Nov 04, 2006 3:55 pm Post subject: marriage, divorce and sanskar

praNaam Shishyaji

The translation is accurate. Yes it appears that it is like the Catholics however it would be inappropriate on my part to categorically comment on the catholic practices as I am not "well-studied" in them.

Another noteworthy point is that Kauntilya wrote this approx 300 BC and in contradiction to customs proposed by Naraadsmriti (12,90) etc where the Vedic marriage was regarded "irreversible" . Also, Kauntilya brought a paradigm shift in the civil jurisprudence by saying विवाहपूर्वो व्यवहारः (vivaahapUrvo vyavahaaraH)[Book III Ch II Verse 1] thereby saying marriage is cause of all (civil) disputes in the society. This was a shift as : according to Manu it is debt; according to Bhaargava it is landed property(house building); and, according to bR^ihaspati it is investments (deposit).

regards

Surin

Mitra · Posted: Sun Nov 05, 2006 1:23 am Post subject:

Namaste

Why is the Upanayana sanskaar being performed these days not at the initiation of education but prior to the wedding ceremony in some communities?
In south India the communities such as vaisyas and goldsmiths (swarnakaars) perform the ceremony on the day of the wedding or as a part of the preparation for the wedding. How come this practice creeped in? Is the Janev being used solely for the purpose of acting as a symbol which makes the person worthy of performing the Yagna?
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Namaste
Manurbhava

Shyena · Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2006 8:14 am Post subject:

Mitra · Posted: Tue Nov 21, 2006 4:59 am Post subject:

The Upanayana Sanskaar is not limited to just the celibacy vows. It is the initiation ceremony performed at the outset of education . It prepares the child for a period of dedicated study and self development - physical, mental and spiritual. So it involves several vows which aid the celibate to live an austere life free of distractions. It will be relevant and useful only when performed at the crucial stage of starting to seek knowledge and a Guru . It should be performed at 5,6,8 yrs respectively for brahmin, kshatriya & vaisya kids ( manu smriti) and according to some other sources at 8,11 ,and 12.
It also confers the right to perform yajna to the yajmaan. Literally Yajna+upaveet means "approaching or sitting at the Yajna".

So I was wondering is the Yajnopaveet being performed these days only for the second purpose, reduced in meaning and purpose.
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Namaste
Manurbhava

Shyena · Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2006 8:14 am Post subject: