Yajnopaveetam

[gopal_gg]

Share:

Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn WhatsApp Email Share Link

Sirs,

As per wikipedia,

Upanayana is one of the traditional rites of passage that marked the acceptance of a student by a guru and an individual's entrance to a school in Hinduism.
The upanayana was restricted in many medieval Indian texts to the upper classes, namely brahmins, kshatriyas and vaishyas.

However, vedic period texts such as the Baudhayana encouraged all members of society to under the Upanayana.

If above is the case, can non-brahmins who would like to learn vedam wear Yajnopaveetam?

Thanks

Gopalakrishnan

 

[sangom]

Sirs,

As per wikipedia,

Upanayana is one of the traditional rites of passage that marked the acceptance of a student by a guru and an individual's entrance to a school in Hinduism.
The upanayana was restricted in many medieval Indian texts to the upper classes, namely brahmins, kshatriyas and vaishyas.

However, vedic period texts such as the Baudhayana encouraged all members of society to under the Upanayana.

If above is the case, can non-brahmins who would like to learn vedam wear Yajnopaveetam?

Thanks

Gopalakrishnan

I have not seen anywhere so far that Baudhayana grihya or Dharma sUtra allows upanayanam of Sudras. Can you give the exact reference as to where it is said so?

 

[tks]

Sirs,

As per wikipedia,

Upanayana is one of the traditional rites of passage that marked the acceptance of a student by a guru and an individual's entrance to a school in Hinduism.
The upanayana was restricted in many medieval Indian texts to the upper classes, namely brahmins, kshatriyas and vaishyas.

However, vedic period texts such as the Baudhayana encouraged all members of society to under the Upanayana.

If above is the case, can non-brahmins who would like to learn vedam wear Yajnopaveetam?

Thanks

Gopalakrishnan

In today's world there is this caste (borrowed from portuguese) system.
There is really no Varna system today. What we have is a system where everyone can be in any of the Varnas at various points in time.

Purely from this perspective, anyone regardless of caste, creed, gender, color, race, and national origin, who has interest can study Vedas.

One does not need a symbol like Yajnopaveetam to study vedas.
However if one were to truly understand the meaning and significance of Sandhyavandanam and other such rituals, one will find that any sincere person can meditate on Gayathri Mantra and go through the rituals.

There is no authority needed from anyone to follow these customs. It is important to find a proper teacher to help. A true teacher will accept deserving students who is sincere to learn.

 

[gopal_gg]

Sir,

My reference was from Wikipedia. I suppose the author(s) have researched before putting the post in Wikipedia which has the distinction of being an on-line reference for almost anything today. I am not a vedic scholar to debate on whether Baudhayana grihya allows upanayanam of Sudras.

But my father, who is not a Brahmin by birth, learnt vedas from a gurukulam "Sri Purnanathanatha SriVidhya Peedam". This was almost some 52 years ago. He performed all rituals meticulously and wore a Yajnopaveetam.

I also wear Yajnopaveetam, perform pooja regularly and perform rituals and also learning Vedas. Out of curiosity I initiated this discussion.

Thanks for further assistance.

 

[sangom]

Sir,

My reference was from Wikipedia. I suppose the author(s) have researched before putting the post in Wikipedia which has the distinction of being an on-line reference for almost anything today. I am not a vedic scholar to debate on whether Baudhayana grihya allows upanayanam of Sudras.

But my father, who is not a Brahmin by birth, learnt vedas from a gurukulam "Sri Purnanathanatha SriVidhya Peedam". This was almost some 52 years ago. He performed all rituals meticulously and wore a Yajnopaveetam.

I also wear Yajnopaveetam, perform pooja regularly and perform rituals and also learning Vedas. Out of curiosity I initiated this discussion.

Thanks for further assistance.

Shri Gopal Sir,

You say that you are "also learning vedas". Will it be possible to give a brief description of how you learn the vedas, which are the vedas you have learnt/are learning, etc.

As to your initial post, do you think there is any real "demand" for learning vedas from non-brahmins and why do they want it.

 

[crbsram]

Namaste

In Puranas we see that even Kings used to undergo study of Vedas. Whether it is ok for Shudras or not. Again it is a controversial topic. We can instances where some current age critics claim that Aitareya who was a Chandala has contributed to some of the mantra bhaga in Rig Veda and Suta who wrote a magnum opus "Suta Samhita" is also a shudra. But I would like to keep all these things aside. First how many of them who has undergone upanayana is doing thier nithya karmaanushtana, Brahma Yagnya, Agnihotra, Sva Shaka Adhyana and undergoing study of their sva Grhya Sutra. If most of people who has undergone upanayana would have done these, we don't need to worry about whether Shudras has adhikara to vedas or not.

Again the comment I have given above are of my point of view.

Thanks
C.R.Bala

Bhava Shankara Deshika Me Sharanam

Om Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Mahaswami Charanaaravindhabhyaam Namaha

 

[gopal_gg]

Sir,


I do pooja every day. As a natural progression, I have developed a liking for chanting veda mantras with proper connotation. I do not have a Guru. I have learnt/ learning to chant Rudram, Chamakam, Suktams, Sahasramanams by hearing them again and again.

I continue to pray to my father to bless me with a Guru. Am not debating whether there is any demand to learn vedas from non-brahmins. My approach is anyone who wishes to learn is a brahmin.

I have still not got a reply to my query.

Thanks again for your assistance.

 

[sangom]

The vedas were the accumulated repository of the aryan wisdom at one point of time, very long ago. Brahmins made very good use of learning the vedas by rote and kept their exalted social status, thereby. But, today these vedas are no longer of any use in earning a living and that is why even the brahmins have taken to other avocations because learning the vedas won't give them any livelihood. So it is unwise to recommend veda study to NBs now.

 

[biswa]

Sangomji,

I am far from being a Vedic scholar. But what I have been told is that most of the Vedas are about performing rituals. The highest thought is actually in the Vedanta which may be timeless and more applicable to this age. What are your thoughts on recommending reading the Upanishads instead of the Vedas?

 

[talwan]

I think Upanishads are more relevant than Vedas as they dwell on Brahmam and Mukthi.
Alwan

 

[sangom]

Sangomji,

I am far from being a Vedic scholar. But what I have been told is that most of the Vedas are about performing rituals. The highest thought is actually in the Vedanta which may be timeless and more applicable to this age. What are your thoughts on recommending reading the Upanishads instead of the Vedas?

Biswaji,

The notion that the Upanishads give the highest quality of thoughts about vedanta, brahman & mukti and so on is rather a publicity which we find more strident after the Ramakrishna Mission came into being. The Upanishads also contain much of junk (statements or beliefs that are untrue or make no sense). However, it is true that some thinking about the reason behind this apparent world, universe, birth & death, etc., are scattered in various Upanishads. But any attempt to learn any consistent high philosophy from all the Upanishads (we have even an "Allopanishad"!) will be like searching the needle in the haystack.

In the present case the real demand of the OP seems to be for Upanayanam, going to a teacher.

 

[biswa]

Sangomji, what you say is probably true of any subject. Any textbook contains a lot of filler. And in general, I find Sanskrit poetry to be rather opaque, talking in riddles.

That said, true intelligence (or perhaps wisdom) lies in locating that needle in the haystack. And certainly to read the Upanishads, no yagnapaveetham should be necessary.

 

[tbs]

Sangomji, what you say is probably true of any subject. Any textbook contains a lot of filler. And in general, I find Sanskrit poetry to be rather opaque, talking in riddles.

That said, true intelligence (or perhaps wisdom) lies in locating that needle in the haystack. And certainly to read the Upanishads, no yagnapaveetham should be necessary.

hi


not everybody is shankaracharyas....for karmakanda yagnopavitham required....for sanyasi yagnopavitham NOT required....so for three

ashramas required yahnopavitham.....brahmanacharya/grihastha/vaanaprastha.....even some vaishnava sanysis are having

yagnopavitham....for veda patasala admission....YAGNOPAVITHAM IS MUST AND BASIC QUALIFICATION TO ENTER VEDA

PATASHALA....

 

[vgane]

Dear Shri Gopal,

I appreciate your study of Vedas, slokas and mantras....I think irrespective of your caste you can wear Yagnopaveetam....I guess that was a must for studying Vedas..In Tamil Nadu the Acharis, Chettaiyar used to wear the the sacred thread..Even our Sankaracharaya of Kanchi Mutt blessed Chevalier Shivaji Ganesan with a Yagnopaveetam who proudly shared with one and all..Bless you for your sincerity & dedication in learning Vedas

 

[gopal_gg]

Dear Sirs,

Thank you for your guidance.