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18. Hindu Practices
The time-honored Saṃskrta word Saṃskāra (Samskar or Sanskar) has a number of different meanings such as making perfect, refining, polishing, training, cultivation, molding, etc. All these meanings point in the direction of betterment. A saṃskāra takes a living being or even an inanimate object to a higher state of existence.
The etymology of this word in Samskrta is–Samyak kriyate anena karmanā, iti Saṃskārah – सम्यक् क्रियते अनेन कर्मणा इति संस्कारः (The ceremony which imparts the quality of appropriateness is a Saṃskāra). Saṃskāras make lasting impressions and channel our thoughts and actions in the direction of refinement.
Samskara is an vedic ritual that literally implies making someone eligible for doing something that he/she isnt before the samskara. For example: Annaprasana makes the child ready to start eating rice/solid food graduating from living off its mother’s milk. Similarly, Upanayan samskara makes the person eligible for learning vedas.
The closest English word to “saṃskāra” is “sacrament”, thought the English word has many limitations.
Source: The book Vivāha Saṃ̣skāra: The Hindu Wedding Ceremony.
Other reading material:
Relevant videos:
Contributor: Dilip Amin
URL of this page (18h): hinduspeakers.org/ufaqs/what-is-samskara-or-sacrament-in-hinduism/
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18. Hindu Practices
Samskaras (Sanskar) are vedic rituals performed at various stages of a Hindu’s life – some are performed by parents, others by self, and last ones by progeny.
Hindu society, since its emergence, has invested in the concept of saṃskāra, for the sake of its smooth functioning. The sages have prescribed that during the lifetime of a human being, several saṃskāras be performed. They envisioned human life as a progression of several stages of physical, psychological, social and spiritual advancement and ordained that appropriate saṃskāras be performed to mark the onset of each stage to make a lasting impression on the mind. Below are the 16 saṃskāras that signify the passage of a Hindu from one stage of the life to the next.
1 Garbhādhānam: Establishment of fetus, i.e. consummation of marriage
2 Puṃsavanam: In pregnancy (2nd or 3rd mo.)
3 Sīmantonnayanam: In pregnancy (6th or 7th mo.) (video)
4 Jātakarma: At birth ceremony. Praying for the child’s intelligence.
5 Nāmakaraṇam: Naming ceremony. Around the 12th day
6 Niskramaṇam: Child’s first outing. Around 2 to 4 months
7 Annaprāśanam: First feeding of solid food Around 6 months
8 Cūdā(Chauda) karma: Child’s first haircut (tonsure) as an offering to Īśvara
9 Vidyārambhah: Beginning of education – learning to read and write
10 Upanayanam: Taking the child to a Guru Sacred thread ceremony. Around 7 to 12 years
11 Vedārambhah: Start learning the Vedas or formal education
12 Samāvartanam: Graduation, return home
13 Vivāhah: Wedding
14 Vānaprasthah: Withdrawal from the duties of the householder stage of life
15 Saṃnyāsah: Renunciation
16 Antyestih: Final rites – cremation
Source: The book Vivāha Saṃ̣skāra: The Hindu Wedding Ceremony.
Other reading material:
Relevant videos:
Author: Dilip Amin
Location of this post (18h): https://www.hinduspeakers.org/ufaqs/what-are-16-samskaras/
Category:
18. Hindu Practices