DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.636#0372
360 Ear-boring. Initiation.
times regarded as a different ceremony from that of cutting.
It had to be continued after the age of puberty at regular
"intervals throughout life.
Another ceremony followed, called Ear-boring (Karna-
vedha). This was treated by some as a distinct religious rite,
and had to take place after tonsure at three or five years of
age. Paraskara made it a Sanskara, but not so Asvalayana
or Gobhila. The boy was fed \vith honey or something sweet,
and made to sit down with his face towards the east. Then
two perforations were made in his right ear, and a particular
Mantra from the last hymn of the Sama-veda was recited.
Its first words may be thus translated : ' Let us hear what is
good with the ears, let us see what is good with the eyes.'
A similar operation was performed on the left ear, except that
three perforations were made and a different Mantra from the
Rig-veda (VI. 75.3) recited. The text may be thus translated:
' This bowstring drawn tight upon the bow and leading to suc-
cess in battle, repeatedly approaches the ear, as if embracing
its friend, and wishing to say something agreeable, just as a
woman makes a murmuring sound (in her husband's ear1).'
The next Sanskara was that of ' Initiation' (Upanayana),
which in the case of high-caste boys took place at eight years
of age, though it might be deferred to the age of sixteen.
This and marriage were perhaps the most important of all
the Sanskaras. The nature and significance of initiation
could scarcely be inferred from its name, Upanayana, which
simply means 'leading or bringing a boy to his Guru or
spiritual preceptor.' But in real fact, until the boy was so
brought, he could not be invested with the sacred thread, and
until he was so invested he could not be reckoned among the
' twice-born,' and until he was spiritually regenerated by the
act of investiture he could not be permitted to use a single
1 The only apparent reason for reciting this Mantra at the Karna-
vedha Sanskara is that the word Karya occurs in it.
times regarded as a different ceremony from that of cutting.
It had to be continued after the age of puberty at regular
"intervals throughout life.
Another ceremony followed, called Ear-boring (Karna-
vedha). This was treated by some as a distinct religious rite,
and had to take place after tonsure at three or five years of
age. Paraskara made it a Sanskara, but not so Asvalayana
or Gobhila. The boy was fed \vith honey or something sweet,
and made to sit down with his face towards the east. Then
two perforations were made in his right ear, and a particular
Mantra from the last hymn of the Sama-veda was recited.
Its first words may be thus translated : ' Let us hear what is
good with the ears, let us see what is good with the eyes.'
A similar operation was performed on the left ear, except that
three perforations were made and a different Mantra from the
Rig-veda (VI. 75.3) recited. The text may be thus translated:
' This bowstring drawn tight upon the bow and leading to suc-
cess in battle, repeatedly approaches the ear, as if embracing
its friend, and wishing to say something agreeable, just as a
woman makes a murmuring sound (in her husband's ear1).'
The next Sanskara was that of ' Initiation' (Upanayana),
which in the case of high-caste boys took place at eight years
of age, though it might be deferred to the age of sixteen.
This and marriage were perhaps the most important of all
the Sanskaras. The nature and significance of initiation
could scarcely be inferred from its name, Upanayana, which
simply means 'leading or bringing a boy to his Guru or
spiritual preceptor.' But in real fact, until the boy was so
brought, he could not be invested with the sacred thread, and
until he was so invested he could not be reckoned among the
' twice-born,' and until he was spiritually regenerated by the
act of investiture he could not be permitted to use a single
1 The only apparent reason for reciting this Mantra at the Karna-
vedha Sanskara is that the word Karya occurs in it.