16 Samskaras: The ancient antidote to modern day mundane life

By Sidhharrth S Kumaar

Dull, repetitive, and alienated… the modern world has opened the doors to thousands of opportunities for mankind but at a cost. It has trapped the generation in a humdrum cycle of mundane lifestyle.  1

The constant hustle has made the man reach the pinnacle of accomplishments, but left no time to celebrate and express gratitude. This reminds me of our rich ancient culture where life was applauded as a huge celebration.

Our scriptures mention the presence of 16 Samskaras to celebrate major turning points in human life. While the 24*7 busy lifestyle has made modern life isolated and low on energy, the ancients believed in getting together and cherishing every significant moment to honor the gifts of life. 

Each person is unique in their own way and this uniqueness of each person can be deemed to be imprinted in the form of date of birth and name. 

In our research at NumroVani following the principles of zero numerology, when these samskaras are personalized based on date of birth and name, they deliver more benefic to human life. 

Samskaras means a set of “sacraments” and “rituals”. These rituals are performed in order to celebrate the entry of an individual into their next ashrama or a new stage of life. Beginning right before the birth of a child, these samskaras keep enriching human life even after death. 

The 16 Samskaras have lost their relevance in the current time. But with escalating stress levels and disappointing happiness index reports emerging around the world, it’s high time to reintroduce the 16 Samskaras in the modern world to fight unhappiness, loneliness, lack of gratitude, and a miserable lifestyle. 

The 16 Samskaras enwrap the entire journey of a human life cycle. There are 4 samskaras before the birth of a newborn, 11 samskaras during the course of their life, and 1 samskara after the soul leaves the body. 

Love and happiness multiply when they are shared. The relevance of these samskaras is to celebrate and share the significant chapters of your life with your loved ones, garner their best blessings, make prayers together to strengthen positivity, and take a break from the chaos of daily life.

This is how you can implement the 16 Samskaras in modern-day life – 

1. Garbhadhan (Conception) 

As mentioned before, the first samskara begins before the birth of a child. It requires modern-day parents to nurture positive thoughts and great health in order to conceive a healthy, beautiful, and intelligent child. 

2. Pumsavana (Prayers for fetus protection)

The second samskara is performed during the third or fourth month of pregnancy. The father of the child prepares a special dish for his wife to celebrate the good health of both the child and the mother. Depending on the culture and personal preferences, yajna is also performed for the well-being of the child or is limited to family members. 

3. Simantonayana (Baby shower) 

Performed during the 7th month of pregnancy, this samskara celebrates motherhood and encourages positive emotions in the soon-to-be mother. It involves the inclusion of close family members and friends who make the mother feel special with gifts and blessing the child in her womb. As the last three months of pregnancy are very hard, this ritual frees her from her worries and gives her time to relax and enjoy. 

4. Jatakarma (Birth ceremony)

This post-natal samskara is performed on the 6th day of the child’s birth. The ritual acts as a great way to share your happiness of becoming a parent with your family and friends. It also requires the father to touch the lips of the baby with honey and ghee which works as a beautiful father-child bonding moment. 

5. Namakaran (Name giving ceremony)

Names play a significant role throughout an individual’s life. For this reason, a name is given to the newborn after great consideration while taking into account the position of the moon during the baby’s birth and its sun sign. It is believed a good name will determine your child’s success and good fortune. 

6. Nishkramana (Introducing the child to the outdoors) 

Nishkramana works as another major bonding ritual between the child and its parents. According to the samskara, the parents take the child outside for the first time and introduce it to the panchamahabhuta (earth, water, fire, air, and ether). It’s a great way for the couple to spend some quality time with their child. 

7. Annaprashana (Feeding the child its first solid food) 

This samskara is celebrated with great cheer and happiness when the child is fed with solid food for the first time. Performed during the 6th month of the child’s birth, family members and friends come together to worship the Annapurna Devi and grant blessings for the child’s good health.  

8. Chudakarana (Shaving the child’s head) 

The Chudakarana samskara or Mundan samskara marks the introduction of personal hygiene to the child. The ceremony plays a major role in one’s life and is celebrated with grandeur. Mantras are chanted and prayers are made for the fast development of the child’s intellect.

9. Vidyarambh (Beginning of education) 

Your child’s first day at school deserves to be remembered and celebrated. You can do this by following the Vidyarambh samskara. On this day, the parents should take out some time to pray to Goddess Saraswati (The Goddess of Knowledge) along with their child. This develops deep respect in the child’s heart for knowledge and art. 

10. Karnavedha (Piercing of the ear)  

Another significant moment, the piercing of a child’s ear is celebrated by the ninth samskara. In modern times, people should not treat this major point only as a means to make a fashion statement but also pray to God to grant the child the ability to disintegrate between the good things and reject bad morals.

11. Upanayana (Sacred thread) 

Upanayana was formerly performed before the beginning of a child’s formal education. On this day, the child was introduced to the rules, disciplines, and duties of life. The child was also given a sacred thread called Yagnopaveetham to wear. In modern times, this ritual can still be celebrated in its modified form to teach the children the role of discipline and moral values to get ahead in life. 

12. Vedarambha (Study of Vedas and other ancient scriptures)

This auspicious day was celebrated with a yagna where the child was allowed to study the Vedas. Parents can still follow this rule to impart Vedic knowledge to their children. Reading the Vedas to their children will not only play as a great bonding activity but will also do wonders in developing their moral values and intelligence. 

13. Keshanta and Ritushuddhi (Celebrating the onset of Puberty) 

The present-day society is trying its best to normalize puberty and menstruation as it’s usually kept as a hush-hush topic. However, our ancestors celebrated this event as one of its samskaras. The tradition is still followed by many South Indian cultures. By following this samskara, modern-day parents can set a great example for their children. 

14. Samavartana (Graduation) 

It’s a necessity to take time out of your busy life to be with your child or close ones on the day of their graduation. Our ancestors also celebrated the end of one’s education with the samavartana samskara.

15. Vivaha (Marriage) 

Undoubtedly, marriage is the most important phase of anyone’s life. It is celebrated depending on the different cultures around the world. However, the vivaha samskara makes it mandatory to include family members and friends to celebrate this memorable day. With mantras, prayers, blessings, and holy Agni, one can enter a blissful phase of lifelong commitment and happy memories. 

16. Antyeshti (The Last rites) 

If life was a celebration, its ending should be glorious too. Upon the death of an individual, family and friends come together to say goodbye to the departed. The last rites go on for the next 13 days which include yagna and prayers.  

Life is a beautiful gift from God that deserves to be celebrated and treasured. The 16 Samskaras teach us exactly that. Unfortunately, these rituals have lost their relevance in the current time. But with escalating stress levels and disappointing happiness index reports emerging around the world, it’s high time to reintroduce the 16 Samskaras with personalization as per individual date of birth and name in the modern world to fight unhappiness, loneliness, lack of gratitude, and a miserable lifestyle and make India a happy place to live.  

(The author, Sidhharrth S Kumaar is Founder of NumroVani, and Astro Numerologist, Spiritual Business & Personalized Wellness Coach. He is a renowned name in Astro numerology. Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of the Financial Express Online.)