The Sixteen Samskars

The word Samskar does not have a good equivalent in the English language. It is not merely rites or rituals alone, nor is it a purificatory rite. The closest English word is “Sacrament”, but even that does not describe it completely. Samskars are impressions that embed themselves in the mind of an individual. According to the ancient sage Panini, they are the ornaments that decorate one's personality. They mark the important stages of one's life and enable one to live a fulfilling life complete with happiness and contentment. They pave the way for one's physical and spiritual journey through this life.

Samskars typically reflect the direction in which an individual should grow. This is because, for every Hindu, the ultimate goal is growth for him/herself while maintaining harmony with the society and harmony with the nature around us.

A general definition of Samskar, encompassing nearly all of the above is "to improve upon something while removing its undesirable attributes."

The Upanishads mention samskars as a means to grow and prosper in all four aspects of human pursuit (Purusharthas) - Dharma (righteousness), Artha (wealth), Kama (work and pleasure), and Moksha (liberation from the cycle of birth and death).

Although there are a total of 40 samskars, 16 of them are considered major ones. They are described in brief here.

No	Samskar-Sanskrit Name	Samskar-English Name
1	Garbhadhan	Conception
2	Punsavan	Fetus Protection
3	Seemantonayan	Mother-child protection
4	Jatkarm	Birth of child
5	Namkaran	Naming ceremony
6	Nishkraman	First outing
7	Annaprashan	First meal
8	Chudakarn	Shaving of child’s head
9	Karnavedh	Ear piercing
10	Vidyarambham	Beginning of studies
11	Upanayan	Sacred thread ceremony
12	Vedarambham	Beginning study of Vedas
13	Samavartan	End of formal studies
14	Vivah	Wedding
15	Vanprasth	Social Service
16	Antyeshti	Cremation

This Samskar presupposes a well-established home, a regular marriage, a desire to having children and a religious idea that Ishwar helps in getting a good healthy progeny. The ceremony for this Samskar has often been part of the wedding ceremony.

The assurance from the expectant mother is that she will do her duty, she will carefully watch her diet, behavior and her thoughts.

The second assurance is from the expectant father. The father must ensure that a proper external environment is created for positive growth and development of the child.

The third assurance is from the family and friends. This circle of family and friends is equally responsible for the child's development and well-being.

This samskar is performed for the well-being and comprehensive development of the child in the mother's womb. It is performed three months after the child is conceived. Around this time the fetus starts to acquire a recognizable shape as well as impressions or "samskars." To ensure proper samskars for the jiva-atman, incarnating via the unborn child, the family resolves to exert and seek the grace of devas.

This Samskar is performed in the seventh month of pregnancy to prevent the effects of negative tendencies on the normal growth of the child and the health of the mother. Simantonayan is to promote the development of the intellect.

The deity invoked is Raka, the presiding deity of the full moon. Their implications are that the pregnancy should be fruitful; the child should be endowed with sharp and penetrating intellect.

This fourth Samskar is related to the birth of a child. The word ‘Jatkarma’ comes from the root ‘ja’, meaning to be born. It is welcoming the child into the world. It has nothing to do with ‘Jati’ or ‘caste’, as is commonly misunderstood.

Preparation for this Samskar is performed immediately after the birth with a purpose to provide a suitable and natural atmosphere to the newly born child and the mother. The rituals performed and the mantras recited are meant for a healthy and long life.

This Samskar of naming the child is performed on the eleventh or hundred and first day of the birth. The name of the child has its own importance according to the scriptures and it predicts the future and the nature of the child. As Brahaspati said, "From the name, man attains fame. Therefore, the naming ceremony is very important."

Through the Namkaran Samskar the Jiva-atma in the form of the newborn child is welcomed into the pure, auspicious and inspiring family environment.

The custom of taking the child out ceremoniously is usually done 45 days after birth. The child is usually taken outside to a temple or some other natural surroundings. This ceremony implies the significance of taking out the child for the first time, looking at the Sun as well as getting exposed to the outside environment.

This Samskar is connected with the physical need of the body. Since food is not only a life and energy giving substance but also helps shape thoughts and feelings, feeding the child solid food for the first time becomes an important event.

The object of this ceremony is to pray to Ishwar to bless the child with good digestive powers, good thoughts and talents. It is performed when the child is six months old, which is the weaning time. The child is ceremoniously fed kheer or some other sweet food.

The Chudakarna or Mundan samksar is performed during the first, third or fifth year of age. The purpose of this Samskar is to obtain long life, beauty, and welfare of the child. Typically, all the hairs are removed keeping only one strand of hair called Shikha or choti. According to the scriptures, inside the head, near the top, arteries are joined in a critical fashion and that is why it is a vital spot. It is also believed to be the place where the Atma enters the body during birth and leaves during death. The Chudakarn Samskar offers protection to this vital part, by keeping a strand of hair to protect the spot.

Ear lobe piercing, known as Karnavedh Samskar, is usually performed during the fifth or seventh month or third, fifth or seventh year after birth. The act of piercing the earlobe stimulates a nerve connected with intelligence. Karnavedh is common between males and females.

Knowledge and education have played an important place in the Hindu tradition. The Vidyarambham Samskar is done when a child is around five years of age, typically when he is ready to start formal education. The child is helped to write “OM” on a piece of paper or a plate of rice. In this task he can be helped by his Guru (teacher or parents).

This Samskar is performed to bring the child closer to Guru, Veda, Yama, Niyama, and other such training. This is the beginning of a training period in child's life when he is supposed to be observing a disciplined life totally devoted to learning. It is usually performed during the eighth year, eleventh year, or twelfth year of a child's life. During Vedic times, this ceremony was performed for both boys and girls. During the Middle Ages, when Sanatan Dharma declined due to many historical factors, it became a ceremony restricted to boys only.

The hallmark of ceremony is the wearing of Yagnopaveet (Sacred Thread) on the body. It denotes that one who wears the sacred thread should be pure in thought, word and deed. The three major strands also symbolize the three debts we owe: 1) debt to the Rishis, 2) debt to the Pitrs (ancestors) and 3) debt to the Devas.

As the name implies, this is the beginning of study of Vedas. Sometimes Yagnopaveet Samskar and the Vedarambha samskar are performed together. However, in later times it became necessary to give a separate samskar for the beginning of Vedic studies.

The word "samavartan” literally means "returning home from the house of the guru". This Samskar marks the end of formal education. It is performed at the end of Brahmacharya ashram. At the end of this Samskar, the student is given permission to enter the Grihasth ashram.

The Vivah samskar is the most important of all the Hindu samskars because it indicates entering Grihasth ashram - a life of a householder - where an individual's responsibilities towards the family, community, and society are emphasized. This samskar also unites not only two individuals but also two families, so there are many ceremonies performed during the Vivah samskar. The bride and the groom go around the fire seven times with seven Vedic mantras to protect, honor and share in sorrow or happiness.

The Hindu wedding ceremony is rooted in the Vedas. Society recognized and acknowledged the most basic instinct of all, i.e. for human companionship, and thus founded the institution of marriage. Experience has shown that life is full of conflicts, concerns, joys, sorrows, and has its ups and downs. The institution of marriage provides support to navigate this complex ocean of life. The ancient sages developed some guidelines to ensure that this institution was permanent and capable of creating a full life within the framework of Dharma, the code of right conduct. The idea behind the institution of marriage is to foster not self-interest but love for the entire family and society.

This samskar is performed after the grihasth (householder) has completed his responsibilities of family life, his children have settled into their own lives with their children. The person is now free to turn his thoughts towards others and give back to the society which served him during his life as a householder. He sees the whole society as his family. “Van-Prasth” does not mean leaving the home and going into the forest, as it is commonly believed, but rather it involves seeing society as a whole, symbolically as a forest, whereas in Grihasth, the stage of a householder, the individual is focused on nurturing his own family tree.

Antyeshti is the last Samskar of a person’s life. It is the only one performed after death, by one’s children. This is the final yagna, the final purificatory rite, when the body is offered to Agni (fire). It reduces it back to the five elements from which it was formed.

For a Hindu, life does not begin with birth, and it does not terminate with death. It is merely a cycle. His entire life is guided by the universal order of Dharma and lived according to the laws of Karma.

In the Antyeshti ceremony, the body’s five basic components - known as panch bhutas - prithvi (earth), jal (water), tej (fire), vayu (wind) and akash (space) are returned to the universe, thus maintaining the cosmic equilibrium.