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Samskara 11 of 16 · Education
Upanayanam
उपनयनम्
Sacred thread ceremony · 8th–12th year
The story
Upanayanam is called the second birth. The sacred thread is placed upon the young seeker and the guru imparts the Gayatri mantra — the most luminous of all Vedic prayers. From this day the child becomes a student of life, the thread a constant reminder of the responsibility that knowledge brings.
How it is done
The sacred thread is given before Agni and the guru imparts the Gayatri mantra.
Significance
The second birth — initiation into the Gayatri mantra and the life of a seeker. The thread reminds one of the responsibility to knowledge.
Arrange Upanayanam for your family
VDS conducts this samskara with trained pandits at your home or at the ashram.