Guest
Yagnopaveetham is a triple stranded sacrificial filament joined by a knot called Brahmagranthi that is worn by those initiated into the Gayathri recital. Yagnopaveetham means a sacred covering on the body without which a Yagna or a sacred ritual cannot be performed. It is also called as Brahmasuthram. In Telugu it is called as Jandhyam, In Tamil it is Poonal, In Kannada it is called as Janivara. In English it is called sacred thread. Yagno-pavita means ‘thread of sacrifice’ that symbolizes the sacrifice of ego, anger & selfishness. 'Janivara“, the sacred thread is a composition of 3 threads, signifying Goddesses Gayatri (thought), Saraswati (word) and Savitri (deed) respectively. In olden days both men and women used to wear Yagnopaveetham. But nowadays only men who are eligible and initiated into Gayathri Manthra wear it. Among the Varnas, Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vysya who is a dwija can wear Yagnopaveetham. They should start wearing from the day they are initiated into the Gayathri Manthra which generally happens through a ceremony called Upanayanam. There are many interpretations about the three strands of Yagnopaveetham. It symbolizes three trinal Lords (Brahma Vishnu, Maheswara) and when tied together it becomes Para Brahma; three worlds (Bhu-Bhuvar- Suvar); three feminine energies (Lakshmi, Saraswathi and Durga); and three tattwas or qualities (Sattwa, Rajo, Tamo). It is also interpreted as, three strands representing Ida, Pingala and Sushumna nadi through which the Kundalini energy manifests as prana and consciousness. The three strands also indicate that one who wears it should have a triple control over his mind speech and body (thought, word and deed) Dwija Dwija mean twice born. There is no difference between one child and another at the time of birth. All are born out of the mother's womb only. This is the first stage of life (Sudra). Second stage is getting upadesa of Gayathri at the time of Upanayanam when the boy becomes Dwija or twice-born. He is then purified. The third stage is Vipra when one has mastered the study of the Vedas. The fourth stage is Brahmana when he actually realizes the Brahman through the knowledge of the Self. One becomes a Brahmana not by birth but only when one realizes the Supreme Brahman. One becomes a Brahmana by action and not by birth. Why should one wear Yagnopaveetham? Wearing Yagnopaveetham would increase the longevity of a person who wears, gives physical and mental strength through the worship of Sun God (Savitha) using Gayathri Mantra initiated during his Upanayanam. By wearing Yagnopaveetham one gets purified both externally and internally. By wearing Yagnopaveetham one gets the eligibility to perform spiritual and sacred rituals as prescribed in Vedas for his Varna. Sacred rituals performed by wearing Yagnopaveetham give good results. !Vinayagnopaveethenaa Bhojanam Kurthe Dwijam Ajamoothrapureershena Rethassevanamevacha!! One should not attend to nature calls, eat food, and participate in sexsual pleasures without Yagnopaveetham. It is a prerequisite for learning Veda. It is a passport to obtain Vedic education. Yagnopaveetham is a mark of formal entry into Brahminhood. It gives power and authority to pursue one’s spiritual path. Significance of wearing Yagnopaveetham The Vedic link that a child looses when the umbilical cord is cut is re established in the form of Yagnopaveetham. In other words, Yagnopaveetham serves as an umbilical cord that connects him not just his immediate parents not just the three generations but the entire tree of generations and the Rishi on whose root the whole tree flourished. The three strands remind the wearer that he has to pay off the three debts (Runas) he owes to the ancient seers, ancestors and to the God viz. Deva, Rushi, Pithru Runa. Yagnopaveetham is not a mere symbol to identify a community. Yagnopaveetham has sanctity of its own and one has to qualify himself for wearing it not by birth alone but also by practice. He alone is a Brahmin who does his Nithya Karma, follows the path of Sanatana Dharma and remains free from ego, avarice, anger and pride. What is the use of Yagnopaveetham for the one who is known to the world as a Brahmin? It is not something that is worn for the world to know. It is for the realization of Brahman within. The one who has thrown away his Yagnopaveetham but has led a life of truth is nobler compared to the one who wears Yagnopaveetham but does nothing to justify it. Most interestingly the sanatkumAra saMhitA gives two forms of upanayanaM, the vedic form for dvijas and tantric agnimukhaM version for women and shUdras. On recieving that they may perform several rites, but the pA~ncharatric brahmin is still supposed to perform vaidika rites to various deities in addition to the internal pA~ncharatric sacrifices to vedic deities given in the rudra rAtra
