Upanayanam & kasi yatra

Upanayanam does not mean just putting round the neck three strands of
cotton thread. It means that there are not only two eyes but a third also.
That is the jnana netram (wisdomeye). Open that eye and recognise your
swa-swarupa (own form); that is what is taught. Upanayanam means additional
eye. They say that the eye must be opened and for that purpose they give
training in pranayamam (breath control). After that they give Brahmopadesam
(Initiating about Brahman), give the boy a begging bowl and tell him to go
about begging. The first bhiksha is mathru (mothers). When the father gives
Brahmopadesam, the mother gives three handfuls of bhiksha (rice) to enable
the young boy to do manana (repeat inwardly), the upadesa given by the
father. He is expected to fill his stomach by begging, stay in the Gurus
house for training and realise his self by opening the jnana netram. That is
the significance of Upanayanam. Forgetting all that, what is done at present
is this: pranayamam has come to mean just closing the nose with the fingers
and pretending to control the breath; Brahmopadesam means just to cover both
the father and the son with a new dhoti when the father whispers something
in the ear of the son; bhiksha means just filling up the begging bowl with
money. What could they preach to the boy when the father who gives the
upadesa and the priest who gets this done,do not know the real significance
of Upanayanam? Not only that. After receiving the required knowledge by
staying with the Guru for a sufficiently long time, the Guru used to send
the boy to his parents to find out whether his mind would get caught in
worldly affairs or turn towards sannyasa. After staying for some time in
their own homes, the boys used to start on a pilgrimage to Banaras, devoid
of worldly desires and with a view to renouncing them completely. At that
time, parents having girls of marriageable age dissuade the boys from going
to Banaras and offer them their daughters in marriage. Those that are
strongly inclined towards renunciation would go without caring for the
offers of marriage and those that are otherwise, return home and accept the
offer of marriage. All that is forgotten now. Pilgrimage to Banaras at
present means the young man puts on a silver-lined silk dhoti, his eyes are
coloured black, his forehead bears a caste mark, his feet are ornamented
with yellow and red paste, his body is smeared with sandal-paste, his neck
is adorned with flower garlands, an umbrella is spread over his head and
wooden sandals are worn on his feet and he walks on stylishly to the
accompaniment of music. When the girls brother comes and offers his sister
in marriage and presses him to accept the offer, he says, I want a wrist
watch. I want a motor cycle, I want this and I want that. If you give them,
I can marry, otherwise not. Afraid that the marriage which is arranged may
fall through, the parents of the bride give whatever is demanded. Then they
have photos, feasts and presentation of cloths and the like. Nowadays,
bhikshas are used for filling up the begging bowl with rupees and
pilgrimages to Banaras are used for extracting dowries.

Source: Letters from and Recollections of Sri Ramanasramam Book

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Love And Love Alone

Om Namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya

 

knr

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If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God.
Painful moments, trust God.

  Every moment, thank God