Cultural Refinement
The expanse of a human life starts at conception—even before the child is actually born—and continues even after death, albeit in the minds and hearts of people who know the individual. Through the course of this journey, sixteen different points of time were earmarked by our seers—spanning from conception until death, all of which were to be recognized by means of special ceremonies. Apart from this, they envisaged a yearly ceremony (śrāddha) after the death of the individual that would honour their memory.
These sixteen defining points—‘rites of passage’—are the saṃskāras. Saṃskāra has several meanings including ‘refinement,’ ‘cultivation,’ ‘education,’ ‘positive transformation,’ ‘perfection,’ ‘consecration,’ ‘effect of past deeds,’ ‘embellishment,’ etc. In other words, it refers to ‘doing something well’ or ‘improving upon something while removing what is undesirable.’
Saṃskāra is neither a natural phenomenon nor is it artificially created; it is a culturing of nature that emphasizes the inner rather than the outward aspects of human life. Every phase of life is celebrated. These rites of passage aim to integrate the mind-speech-body[1] of the individual undergoing the saṃskāra. As with everything else, the ultimate objective of saṃskāra is Self-realization.
The sixteen saṃskāras[2] are:
1. Garbhādhāna (Celebrating the conception of a child)
2. Puṃsavana (Prayer for offspring; in essence, sanctifying the womb)
3. Sīmantonnayana (Relatives and friends of the expectant mother assemble to bring her cheer)
4. Jātakarma (Celebrating the birth of the child; a ritual to welcome the child into this world)
5. Nāmakaraṇa (Giving a name to the child, typically on the tenth or eleventh day after birth)
6. Niṣkramaṇa (First outing of the child, in the third or fourth month)
7. Anna-prāśana (First meal of solid food, after about six months)
8. Karṇa-vedha (Piercing the ear-lobes, typically in the seventh month)
9. Cūḍākaraṇa (Shaving the head and paring the nails, typically when the child is about three)
10. Vidyārambha (Start of education by teaching the letters of the alphabet; typically when the child is about five years old)
11. Upanayana (Taking the child to the teacher; beginning of formal education; when the child is at least eight)
12. Vedārambha (Ritual that marked the entry into Vedic education; for those who didn’t study Vedas, a ritual that marked the entry into their chosen field)
13. Keśānta / Ṛtu-śuddhi (Puberty rites; in the case of boys, shaving their facial hair and in the case of girls, the celebration of menarche)
14. Samāvartana (Ritual bath that signified the student’s graduation)
15. Vivāha (Marriage)
16. Antyeṣṭi (Post-death rites)
While saṃskāra is the refinement at the level of individual, saṃskṛti—loosely translated as ‘culture’—is refinement at the level of society. Saṃskāras are less abstract and far easier to define while saṃskṛti is less concrete and much more difficult to pinpoint. Compare this with trees in a forest; a certain tree may be fairly well defined but imagine the trouble when it comes to defining a forest!
Further, just as a forest cannot come into being without planting trees, a society cannot become cultured without refined individuals. Therefore, our seers laid out elaborate and tangible procedures for the culturing of the individual rather than offer grand prescriptions for society.
The philosophers and savants of the past ensured a constant connection between the abstract and the concrete, the idealistic and the realistic.
Having laid out the details for performing the different saṃskāras, they also issued a warning that blindly sticking to these rites does not amount to much if one does not possess the eight basic human qualities[3] – compassion for all beings, forbearance, not being jealous of others, purity, taking care not to over-exert oneself, auspiciousness, being free from misery, and not being greedy.[4]
When we see saṃskāras in the backdrop of the three layers of reality, we realize that these rituals are part of the adhi-yajña that forms a bridge between adhi-bhūta and adhi-daiva; further, saṃskāra becomes meaningful when it is rooted in adhyātma.
Paths to Lead a Fulfilling Life
Three cardinal practices have been presented to us by the seers: i. adhering to one’s inherent nature and working for the betterment of oneself and the society, ii. worship of the magnificent, and iii. contemplation on fundamental reality.[5]
Being aligned to sva-dharma demands not just courage and conviction but also personal integrity and disposition towards contentment.
The reverential worship of all that is endowed with splendour—be it a Supreme Being or any pinnacle seen in nature and culture—requires not only humility but also sensitivity and emotional richness.
Contemplation on fundamental reality (ultimate truth) is carried out by the three-fold method of: a. learning and study (of Vedānta), b. constantly mulling over the concepts that have been learnt, and c. deep meditation on the ideas in a bid to realize the value by experience.[6]
These three practices form the basis for the three paths to leading a fulfilling life – the path of selfless action (karma-yoga), the path of love and devotion (bhakti-yoga), and the path of reasoning and wisdom (jñāna-yoga).[7] Without adhering to sva-dharma, it is practically impossible to attain Karma-yoga. Bhakti-yoga is unattainable without love for the Supreme. Jñāna-yoga is impossible without deep reflection.[8]
Karma-yoga is the path of focussing on the work at hand rather than fantasizing about the possible outcomes. We can control our actions but we cannot control the results of our actions[9]—and thus, we will be disappointed if we are motivated solely by the expectations of a certain result. Even so, we should continue to work without laziness.[10] When a seeker continues sincerely on this path, he eventually stays unaffected by both ‘good’ and ‘bad’ outcomes. Selfless action is indeed a smart approach to work.[11]
Bhakti-yoga is the path of celebrating the greatness of the Supreme[12] and dedicating all actions, big or small, to that Divine Splendour.[13] This is a path that can be taken by anyone—the only requirement is to be sincere in offering whatever is available.[14]
Jñāna-yoga is perhaps the most arduous path—demanding constant study, assiduous practice, deep contemplation, and detachment.[15] It is the path of reasoning, awareness, and sustained reflection on the nature of Brahman. The seeker trains himself to be like the lotus leaf that is not disgusted with its dirty surroundings nor attached to the purest drop of rain water falling on it.[16] He cultivates the trait of seeing the same Supreme spirit in all beings[17] and all beings within himself.[18] He learns to stay calm in the midst of the turmoil of daily life.[19]
All the three paths lead to the same goal and the idea is that each one of us has to choose a path suited to our temperament.[20]
[1] This trio is known as ‘tri-karaṇa’ – manas (mind), vāk (speech), and kāya (body).
While pariṣkāra is external (related to hygiene, purification, cleansing, embellishment, beautifying, etc.), saṃskāra is internal.
[2] In practice, the sixteen saṃskāras have been reduced to five or six – a few rites related to birth, the ceremony of initiation, wedding, and post-death rites.
[3] These eight basic human values are called ātma-guṇas by the ṛṣi Gautama in his dharma-śāstra treatise: “Yasyaite catvārimśat-samskārā na cāṣṭāv-ātma-guṇā na sa brahmaṇaḥ sāyujyaṃ sālokyaṃ gacchati.” (Gautama-dharma-sūtra 1.8.25)
[4] dayā sarveṣu bhūteṣu kṣāntir-anasūyā śaucam-anāyāso maṅgalam-akārpaṇyam-aspṛheti —Gautama-dharma-sūtra 1.8.24
[5] The Sanskrit terms are as follows: i. Sva-dharma-anuṣṭhāna, ii. Vibhūti-upāsana, and iii. Tattva-cintana.
[6] The three stages of learning: a. Śravaṇa (listening), b. Manana (contemplation), and c. Nididhyāsana (meditation). To know more about Vedānta, see pp. 114, 162 (fn. #191).
[7] Kṛṣṇa explains these three paths with remarkable clarity in the Bhagavad-gītā.
[8] In addition, we have Dhyāna-yoga (also termed ‘rāja-yoga’)—the path of meditation. It serves as a sort of bridge between bhakti and jñāna.
[9] Five factors govern the outcome of all actions: adhiṣṭhānam (situation), kartā (individual), karaṇaṃ pṛthag-vidham (different tools he has at his disposal), vividhāḥ pṛthak-ceṣṭāḥ (various ways in which he uses the tools and resources), and daivam (unknown forces). See Bhagavad-gītā 18.13–15
[10] Bhagavad-gītā 2.47
[11] Bhagavad-gītā 2.50. M Hiriyanna famously wrote, “…the Gītā teaching stands not for renunciation of action, but for renunciation in action.” (Outlines of Indian Philosophy. London: George Allen & Unwin, 1932. p. 121)
[12] See Bhagavad-gītā 9.13, 14
[13] Bhagavad-gītā 9.27, 28
[14] Whether we offer a leaf, a flower, a fruit or just water to the Supreme, as long as we do it with love, devotion, and a pure heart, it is gladly accepted. (Bhagavad-gītā 9.26)
[15] Bhagavad-gītā 6.35
[16] Bhagavad-gītā 5.10, 11
[17] Bhagavad-gītā 5.18, 6.32
[18] Bhagavad-gītā 6.29
[19] Bhagavad-gītā 5.23
[20] We just have to ensure that bhakti doesn’t lead to fanaticism, karma doesn’t lead to blind superstition, and jñāna doesn’t lead to dry scholarship and intellectual arrogance.
