Moonja/ Vratabandhan/Upnayan - A vedic sanskar

We do many religious functions and ceremonies in traditional fashion so that we gain the objective we have in mind e.g. increase in health and wealth for our near and dear ones, wish fulfilment etc etc, but we don’t understand the significance and the meaning of the rituals we carry out. We do rituals as per the instructions of the Pandit but do we ever ask him why or even wonder if the Pandit himself knows what is going on? (Some are even seen chatting on cell phones while conducting Poojas).

Let us start from the name itself. Moonja is a type of grass which grows very rapidly. Rig Veda mentions that dangerous insects hide in these grasses. It can grow to a height of 10 feet. During the Vedic era this grass was used to filter Somras (an alcoholic beverage). Shapaph Brahmana mentions that Asanas (seats) were made from this grass.

During the Upnayan/ Vratabandhan ceremonies the Mekhala (waist band) for the Batu (child for whom the ceremony was being done) was made from this grass and hence the name Moonjibandhan.

Upnayan means to take closer (Up=Close and Nayan=the process of getting closer). The children (Batus) were taken for education or sent away to Gurukuls and hence taken closer to the Acharyas or Gurus. This was the commencement of their learning process (similar to the word Upvas which doesn’t mean fasting, it means Up=Close Vas=To God).

As per the Shashas, Brahman/Shatriya/Vaishya kids would begin their education at ages 8/11/12 respectively and this was a process by which their learning of the Vedas etc. started in the prevalent system.

The Shudras did not have the right to Veda-adhyan as the Upnayan ceremony for them has been described in the Pancharatnagama of the Vaishnavas. It is for learning the sciences rather than the Vedas. Young girls also had an Upnayan ceremony in Vedic times and the same has been described in Harita Dharmasutra.

Upnayan ceremony is to be conducted by the Acharya but if the child’s father is a Veda Samana and Vedavidya Nishnat (expert in Vedas) then he can be the Acharya. By participating in this ceremony, upon completion the Batu accepts Brahmacharya.

By doing the study of the Vedas and other Vidyas a human being repays the debt he owes the Rishis who wrote these (by putting the knowledge into practice). After the Upnayan ceremony, the Batu gains Dwijatra (2nd birth) also called Punarjanam; the 1st from the mother and the 2nd from the Acharya. Upnayan is described in detail in the Gruhsutras, the Granthas preceeding it like the Atharvaveda, Sathpath Brahmanya, Chandodhya Upnishad and the Bruhadharanyaka Upnishad have only references to it.

It actually precedes the Vedas and was prevalent in the Aryan culture in India and in Iran (Persia). The Parsis have a ceremony very similar called the Navjyot. Briefly the Vedic Sanskar of Upnayan is as follows: The Guru gets the Batu to sit to his right and then lights the Agni. After the rituals and prayers of Agni and Mandani (placement) of the Pooja, the Batu is given a Kaupin (Langot) to wear. He is also given an Ajin (Deer skin), then the Yagnapavit (The holy thread worn across the shoulders).

Yagnapavit is also called Janava. It is made of 3 threads; on it are knots which represent 3 Vedas, 3 Gods, 3 Fires, 3 Obligations and 3 Lokas. On the knots are the 3 Matras and Nada including Ohmkar (Ohm) and the end of the knots is where Gayatri Devi stays.

During the Yagnapavit the Acharya holds the Batus hands and gets him to say the Mantras with the Fire as witness. The Batu informs the Acharya of his Gotra and Kulvichar (details of his lineage and/or which Rishi he has descended from). Then the Acharya renames the Batu and gives him Updesh (advice) about Savitri Mantra and then ties the Mekhala (made of Moonja Grass) around the waist of the Batu and gives him a Dand (staff) made out of Palas wood. After this the Batu immediately proceeds to ask for Bhiksha (alms). The 1st person he asks Bhiksha from is his mother. After receiving the alms he hands them over to his Acharya and proceeds with the Seva and his learning process and is now initiated into Brahmacharya.

Upnayan is defined in the Sanskrit Kosh as:

Gruhayukta Karmana Yen Samip Niyato Guroha|

Balo Vedaya Tada Yogad Balaspopanayam Viduaha||

It means that the Gruhusukta Karma which takes a Batu towards the Guru for Veda Adhayana is called Upnayan.

In the Rig Veda the Brahmacharya is used to mean learning or Adhyayan. The chatra (student) was called Bramachari and the teacher Acharya.

Acharya Upnayamano

Brahmacharin Krishnate Garbhamant

Te Ratristrita Udare Vibhati

Te Jata Drushtasamisayanti Deva

It means the Acharya doing the Upnayan symbolically gives birth to the Batu after 3 days. (Symbolically the Acharya or the teacher has taken the Batu into his womb and after 3 days the Batu has a symbolic rebirth).

The Batu is also given a piece of (and in some cases an entire) deer skin. The deer is supposed to be Chanchal (unstable temperamentally) and it is supposed to give stability of mind to the Batu. It is only after all these ceremonies are completed that the Batu is ready to study the scriptures (knowledge texts).

Capt. Shekhar Vadke