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sri: Humble pranams to all devotees: 

Dates for 2002 Upakarma:
==================================
Rg Upakarma: Wednesday, August 21 
Yajur Upakarma: Thursday, August 22 
Sama Upakarma: Monday, September 9th

Gayatri Japam (For all): Friday, August 23rd.
===================================

Procedure: - Article from ramanuja.org (by Sri Mani): Dates and sankalpas 
modified for this year.
=========================
(1) Do morning nityakarmas including sandhyAvandanam as one 
would do on any other day.

(2) kAmo'kArshIt manyur akArshIt japam 
(first time upAkarmins [talai AvaNi aviTTam] skip this and goto (3))

Facing east:

(a) Acamanam twice
(b) prANAyAma
(c) sankalpam, including sAttvika tyAgam:

(i) guru-paramparA anusandhAnam. 

Chant your respective Guru Parampara

(ii) vighna nivAraNam / viSvaksena dhyAnam

SuklAmbaradharam vishNum SaSivarnam caturbhujam |
prasanna-vadanam dhyAyet sarva-vighnopaSAntaye ||

yasya dvirada-vaktrAdyAH pAriSadyAH paraH Satam |
vighnam nighnanti satatam viSvasenam tam ASraye ||

(iii) mahA-sankalpa

hariH om tat 
SrI govinda govinda govinda!

asya SrI-bhagavato mahApurushasya 
vishNor AjnayA pravartamAnasya
adya brahmaNe dvitIya-parArdhe SrI-Sveta-varAha-kalpe
vaivasvata-manvantare kaliyuge prathamapAde
jambudvIpe, bhAratavarshe, bharatakhaNDe,
SakAbde, meror dakshiNe pArSve
asmin vartamAnAnAm vyAvahArikANAm
prabhavAdi shashTi samvatsarANAm madhye
Chitrabanu nAma samvatsare
dakshiNAyane, Varsha Rtau, Simha mAse, Sukla pakshe,

Today's Day: (Guru) vAsara-sravaNa-nakshatra yuktAyAm,

paurNamAsyAm Subha-tithau, 

SrI-vishnu-yoga SrI-vishnu-karaNa Subha-yoga Subha-karaNa
evam guNa-viSeshaNa viSishTAyAm, 
asyAm Subha-tithau,

SrI-bhagavad-AjnayA 
[ SrIman-nArAyaNa-prItyartham OR bhagavat-kainkarya-rUpam 
depending on sampradAya ]

taishyAm paurNamAsyAm adhyAya-utsarjana-akaraNa-prAyaScitta-artham,
ashTottara-sahasra (1008) [ashTottara-Sata (108)] sankhyayA "kAmo'kArshIt 
manyur akArshIt" mahAmantra-japam karishye.

(iv) sAttvika tyAgam (see notes)

bhagavAn eva svaniyAmya sva-Sesha-bhUtena mayA 
sva-ArAdhana-eka-prayojanAya idam "kAmo'kArshIt 
manyur akArshIt mahAmantra-japam" svasmai svaprItaye 
svayam eva kArayati.

(e) Do japam of "kAmo'kArshIt manyur akArshIt" 1008 or 108 times 
as one has resolved.
(f) Acamanam once, followed by concluding sAttvika tyAgam

(3) Brahmacharis are supposed to have a haircut now.

(4) Perform mAdhyAhnikam, including mAdhyAhnika snAnam if one is
accustomed, followed by bhagavad-ArAdhanam. After this, strictly
speaking, one should wait until after midday (aparAhna) to perform
the upAkarma, but these days, due to exigencies of work, etc.,
people do it earlier. 

(5) Preparing for the upAkarma

Seated facing east, wearing a pavitram if available,
after Acamanam twice, prANAyama, and sankalpa, including
sAttvika tyAgam:

(repeat sankalpa portion from above, including dhyAna
slokas)

SrAvaNyAm paurNamAsyAm adhyAya-upAkarma karishye,
tad angam kAndarshi-tarpaNam karishye,
tad angam yajnopavIta-dhAraNam karishye,
tad angam snAnam karishye.

[ Brahmacharis add: tad angatayA maunji-ajina-daNDa-dhAraNAni karishye ]

(a) First, do the 'nimitta snAnam'. The very orthodox, performing this ritual
at a river bank or pushkariNi, would have done the snAnam immediately
upon reaching the water. If this is not possible, do mAnasika snAnam as 
a bare minimum by meditating on the lotus-eyed Lord. 

(b) Wear the new yajnopavItam (poonool-s) with appropriate mantras

(1) Sit squatting (kukkuTTAsanam) facing east. Acamanam twice
(2) prANAyAmam, wearing pavitram if available
(3) sankalpam, with sAttvika tyAgam:

adya pUrvoccarita evam guNa-viseshaNa-viSishTAyAm,
asyAm Subha-tithau,

SrI-bhagavad-AjnayA 
[ SrIman-nArAyaNa-prItyartham OR bhagavat-kainkarya-rUpam 
depending on sampradAya ]

Srauta-smArta-vihita-nitya-karma-anushThAna-
yogyatA-siddhyartham yajnopavIta-dhAraNam karishye

(4) Put one yajnopavItam on at a time. To do this,
hold the yajnopavItam with both hands, with your right 
palm facing up over your head, and your left palm facing
the ground. The top of the brahma-mudi (knot) should be
on your right palm and should be facing right. Then say
this mantra, while holding the sacred thread this way:

yajnopavIta-dhAraNa-mantrasya
brahmA Rshi:
trishTup chanda:
trayIvidyA devatA
yajnopavIta dhAraNe viniyoga:

yajnopavItam paramam pavitram, prajApater yat sahajam purastAt |
Ayushyam agryam pratimunca Subhram yajnopavItam balam astu teja: ||

Now wear the yajnopavItam. Acamanam once.

If you are married, repeat this procedure for the second yajnopavItam,
from the praNAyAmam and sankalpa to the mantra, and wear the thread.
Acamanam. The sankalpa is:

pUrvoccarita evam guNa-viseshaNa-viSishTAyAm,
asyAm Subha-tithau,

SrI-bhagavad-AjnayA 
[ SrIman-nArAyaNa-prItyartham OR bhagavat-kainkarya-rUpam 
depending on sampradAya ]


gArhasthyArham dvitIya yajnopavIta-dhAraNam karishyE

Wear the second yajnopavItam as before.

Then, after saying

upavItam chinnantu jIrNam kaSmala-dUshitam |
visRjAmi punar brahman varco dIrghAyur astu me ||

remove the old yajnopavItam(s) and discard them under a tree, in a river,
or some other natural place. Don't throw them in the garbage!

Acamanam again followed by sAttvika tyAgam.

(c) Brahmacharis should recite mantras for the darbha belt (maunji),
krishNAjina (a piece of deer skin), and palAsa daNDa
and if possible wear them (see notes for the mantras)
(d) Acamanam

(5) Nava kANDa Rshi tarpaNam

(a) Acamanam twice
(b) Facing north, walk knee-deep into a river or pool of fresh water
if possible. Otherwise stand where you are; traditionally, your clothes
should be wet. Do as you can.
(c) For each of the following, offer a mixture of (uncooked) rice,
black sesame seeds (eL), and water, as you say 'tarpayAmi'. Each line
should be said three times. Preferably, someone should help
by pouring the water as you release the rice and sesame, as this
makes it easier.

Wear the yajnopavItam as a necklace (nivItam). For the first seven, 
cup both your hands together, having the yajnopavItam's brahma-mudi 
(knots) resting in your palms and with the threads going between
your thumb and forefinger of each hand. The water should be released 
along with the sesame and rice between the two hands, at the base
of the little finger. This is known as Rshi tIrtham.

(i) prajApatim kANDarshim tarpayAmi
(ii) sOmam kANDarshim tarpayAmi 
(iii) agnim kANDarshim tarpayAmi
(iv) viSvAn devAn kANDarshIn tarpayAmi
(v) sAmhitIr devatA upanishadas tarpayAmi
(vi) yajnikIr devatA upanishadas tarpayAmi
(vii) vAruNIr devatA upanishadas tarpayAmi

Now, still nivItam, the water mixture should be released towards
you, off of the base of the hands near the palms (i.e., away from 
the fingertips). Typically this is done by pointing the fingers 
straight up, keeping the sides of the hands together. 
This is known as brahma-tIrtham.

(viii) brahmANaGM svayambhuvam tarpayAmi

Now the water should be poured as deva-tIrtham. This means that
the water mixture should be poured off the tips of the fingers.

(ix) sadasaspatim tarpayAmi
(x) See Note (f) below

(e) Return to upavItam, i.e., your poonool in its normal position.
Finish with Acamanam and sAttvika tyAgam, and change into dry clothes.

(6) Traditionally there is now a upAkarma homa, where the rishis
and devatAs mentioned above are once again saluted using the sacred
fire. Then there is vedArambha, where the first four anuvAkas of the
yajur veda samhita are taught to the sishyas. This is the most 
important part of the upAkarma. This is followed by
jayAdi homam.

These may not be available if one is away from one's elders and
acharyas. At minimum, it is recommended that you recite one anuvAka
from your veda on this day. The Purusha Sukta suffices, for example.
If you haven't learnt any of your veda, you should do gAyatrI japam
in its place.

[ It is often erroneously thought that upAkarma or AvaNi aviTTam is
primarily the changing the yajnopavItam (poonool). This cannot be
further from the truth. Changing the poonool happens very often, 
whenever a significant vedic karma is performed. UpAkarma, however, is 
a rededication of oneself to the study of one's Veda, along with a 
salutations to the rishis who perceived and revealed the Vedic mantras 
to the world. This is the significance of the nava-kANDarshi tarpaNam
and the anuvAka recitation. ]
=============================================================
Notes :
(a) On the UpAkarma day, strictly speaking, the rule is to eat only after 
bhagavad-ArAdhana and the homam. If done properly this lasts well into
the afternoon. Because of the length of the procedure, young brahmacharis 
and those others who are absolutely unable to bear their hunger are permitted
to eat before the homam itself. The typical meal consists of idli and
appam, but usually excludes rice. Complete fasting is observed after this
through the night, in preparation for the next day's gAyatrI japam.
In some traditions one meal is eaten during the day and phalAhAram
is observed at night.

(b) The mantra for the kAmo'kArshIt japam is "kAmo'kArshIt manyur akArshIt". 
Most authorities end with this, and do not follow it by anything else.
However, in some traditions, the mantra is "kAmo'kArshIt manyur akArshIt namo 
namaH".

(c) Some people also change their yajnopavItam before the kAmo'kArshIt
japam, in addition to the changing done for upAkarma itself. It should
be remembered that the changing before upAkarma is the more important 
one, and if one only wants to change once, the upAkarma changing is
preferred.

The reason for this is as follows. the kAmo'kArshIt japam is done as an 
atonement, a prAyaScittam for not having done the traditional utsarjana 
sankalpa earlier in the year. The sankalpa for the japam says this explicitly
('adhyAya-utsarjana-akaraNa'). Just as upAkarma is the formal
recommencement of Vedic studies, the utsarjana is a sankalpa done to 
formally halt study of the Vedas and commence study of grammar, prosody, 
pronounciation, astronomy, etymology, etc., as well as other shastras,
all of which are helpful in understanding the Vedas. The year was 
therefore divided into two, one half for studying the Vedas, the other 
half for studying the VedAngas or Vedic accessories.

The utsarjana has unfortunately fallen into disuse for quite a while, 
so what remains is the meagre prAyaScittam for not having done it. 
Therefore, the important yajnopavItam changing is for the upAkarma.

(d) sankalpa details

The following is said for any major sankalpa (mahA-sankalpa). The 
underlined parts change depending on the day & year.

After acharya vandanam and vishvaksena dhyAnam,

hariH om tat (NOT "om tat sat")
SrI govinda govinda govinda!

asya SrI-bhagavato mahApurushasya 
vishNor AjnayA pravartamAnasya
adya brahmaNe dvitIya-parArdhe SrI-Sveta-varAha-kalpe
vaivasvata-manvantare kaliyuge prathamapAde
jambudvIpe, bhAratavarshe, bharatakhaNDe,
-------------------------------------------
SakAbde, meror dakshiNe pArSve (We are all souht of Meru no matter where on 
Earth)
asmin vartamAnAnAm vyAvahArikANAm
prabhavAdi shashTi samvatsarANAm madhye
Chitrabanu nAma samvatsare
---------------
dakshiNAyane, Varsha Rtau, Simha mAse, Sukla pakshe,
-------------------------------------- 
Today's Day: (Guru) vAsara-sravaNa-nakshatra yuktAyAm,
---------
paurNamAsyAm Subha-tithau, 


SrI-vishnu-yoga SrI-vishnu-karaNa Subha-yoga Subha-karaNa
evam guNa-viSeshaNa viSishTAyAm, 
asyAm Subha-tithau,

SrI-bhagavad-AjnayA 
[ SrIman-nArAyaNa-prItyartham OR bhagavat-kainkarya-rUpam 
depending on sampradAya ]

followed by the sankalpa for the particular karma.

Having said a mahA-sankalpa once for a particular ritual, it need not be 
said again and again in its entireity. It is enough to say "pUrvoccarita 
evam guNa-viSeshaNa viSishTAyAm, asyAm Subha-tithau, SrI-bhagavad-AjnayA..." 

(e) sAttvika tyAgam details

sAttvika tyAgam is a moment of contemplation whereby one dedicates
the act and all its fruits entirely to Bhagavan, and where one recognizes
that Bhagavan himself is performing the act through you entirely for His own
purposes. Typically, as an expression of this attitude, a brief sentence
is stated before and after performing the karma. In an abbreviated form, 
here is one version:

Before doing the karma: 
bhagavAn eva svaniyAmya sva-Sesha-bhUtena mayA 
sva-ArAdhana-eka-prayojanAya idam [name of the act] 
svasmai svaprItaye svayam eva kArayati.

After doing the karma, say the same thing, except replace the 
last word "kArayati" with "kAritavAn".

(f) After the kANDa-rishi tarpaNam, some people add:

Rg-vedam tarpayAmi
yajur-vedam tarpayAmi
sAma-vedam tarpayAmi
atharvaNa-vedam tarpayAmi
itihAsam tarpayAmi
purANam tarpayAmi
kalpam tarpayAmi

Some also now recommend pitR tarpaNam (prAcIna-vItam) for
those whose fathers are no longer alive.

(g) procedure for wearing the yajnopavitam (poonool)
(h) mantras for wearing the maunji, ajina, and palAsa daNDa:

(1) maunji
, , , ,,
iyam duruktAt paribAdhamAnA Sarma varUtham punatIna AgAt | 
- - - - - -
, , , ,
prANApAnAbhyAm balamAbharantI priyA dEvAnAGM subhagA mEkhaleyam ||
- - - - - - - - - - 
, , , ,
Rtasya gOptrI tapasa: parasvIghnatI raksha: sahamAnA arAtI: |
- - - - - -
, , , , , 
sAna: samantamanu parIhi bhadhrayA bhartAraste mekhale mA rishAma ||
- - - - - 

(2) ajina

, , , , , 
mitrasya cakshur dharuNam balIyas tejo yaSasvi sthaviraGM samiddham | 
- - - - - - - - 
, ,
anAhanasyam vasanam jarishNu parIdham vAjyajinam dadhe'ham || 
-- - - - - - - 

(3) daNDa
, , , , 
suSravassuSravasam mA kuru yathA tvaGM suSrava: susravA asyevamahaGM
- - - - - - - - 
, , , , ,, ,,
suSravassuSravA bhUyAsam yathA tvaGM suSravassuSravo devAnAm nidhigOpO- 
- - - - - - - -
,, , ,
'syevamaham brAhmaNAnAm brahmaNo nidhigOpO bhUyAsam ||
- - - - 
=========================================================================== 


Upakarma (Avani Avittam): Nature and Purpose - by Sri Vijayaraghavan 
==================================================
Upakarma (/upaakarma/) means beginning or "Arambham", i.e. to begin the study 
of the Veda (Veda Adhyayanam). For example, Yajur Upakarma means to begin 
the study of the Yajur Veda. Those belonging to the Yajur Veda observe the 
Upakarma in the month of Sravana (August-September), on the day of the 
full moon (paurnami). Why begin study of the Vedas on this particular day? 

This auspicious day also happens to be the day when Lord Narayana took the 
avatara as Lord Hayagriva. Lord Hayagriva as we all know restored the Vedas 
to Brahma and also is the God of Knowledge. 

The next question is: why do this every year? In the not too distant a past, 
Veda Adhyayanam was performed only during the period Avani to 
Tai (from mid-August to mid-January). Therefore, one is supposed to 
perform an "utsarjanam" in the month of Tai, i.e., a giving up of the learning 
of 
Vedas from Tai to Avani. Just like a Upakarma function there was a Utsarjana 
function in Tai. The period between January to August was then devoted to 
learning other branches of our shastras. Thus the cycle of Upakarma and
Utsarjana with regard to Vedic studies was established. However, 
this method took 12 or more years to learn just one veda. Slowly this became 
impractical and Vedic studies continued throughout the year. 

Therefore, the first thing to do before the Upakarma function is to do a 
praayaschitta (atonement) for having learned Vedas during the prohibited
period. Specifically, one atones for not having performed the Utsarjanam in 
the month of Tai. That's why we begin the function by doing the 
"kAmo'karshIt..." japam. 
The purpose is declared as "adhyAya-utsarjana-akarana-prAyaScittArtham.." 
(to atone for not doing the utsarjana of Vedic study) and the sankalpam 
continues 
as "...ashTottara-sahasra-sankhyayA kAmo'karshIt manyur akArshIt 
mahA-mantra-japam karishye" 
(I will now do recite the great "kAmo'kArshIt" mantra 1008 times). 
The meaning in Tamil is "kAmaththAl seyya pattadhu, kOpaththAl seyya pattadhu" 
-- done out 
of desire, done out of anger. The correct way of chanting this mantra is 
"kAmo'karshIt manyur akArshIt". Don't add namo nama: etc. 
The right time to perform is immediately after your morning anushthanam like 
sandhya, 
samidaadaanam (if you are a brahmachari), brahma-yajnam etc. This is performed 
during the abhigamana kaalam. Brahmacharis are supposed to have a hair-cut 
(prefarably by a man!) after this. 

The Kanda Rishis and their Significance 
We saw that the "kAmo'karshIt manyur akArshIt" japam is done with a sense of 
contrition. 
Who else but Vasudeva can bear the burden of our acts of omissions and 
commissions 
with regard to shastras? SAstramayena sthira pradIpena -- Daya Devi (compassion 
of the Lord personified) 
lights the lamp of shastras so that the jiva can find its way to its home in 
the Absolute. 
After the kamo'karsheeth japam, we proceed to perform the Upakarma function. 
It is done after mAdhyAhnikam and bhagavad-ArAdhanam (ijyA).
The main purpose of the Upakarma function is to offer prayers and express our 
gratitude to those rishis who gave us the Vedas -- the rishis through whom the 
Vedic mantras were revealed. These rishis are known as "kaanda rishis".
There are different rishis for the different Vedas. We are expected to worship 
those rishis 
who belong to our shakha or branch of the Veda, one of Yajur, Rk, Samam etc. 
The Yajur Veda consists of 4 kaandams. These are known as 

prAjApatya kaaNDam 
saumya kaaNDam 
Agneya kaaNDam and 
vaishvadeva kaaNDam. 

These kaandams are named after those rishis who first taught the Vedas, viz., 
Prajapati, Soma, Agni and Vishvadeva. Subsequently we also offer our prayers to 
the 
Upanishads saamhiti, yaajniki, and vaaruni, and finally to Svayambhu and 
Sadasaspati, 
through whom the Yajur Veda came down to us. 

The sankalpam is mainly taken for performing the Upakarma Homam. Then we say 
tad angam snAnam karishye, tad angam yajnopavIta-dhAraNam karishye, 
tad angam kANDarshi tarpaNam karishye -- which implies that all other 
activities like snaanam, 
yajnopaveeta dhaaranam, tarpanam etc., are only performed as an 'angam' or 
subsidiary 
to the Upakarma Homam (which is the angi or primary). 

In the Upakarma Homam as well as in the tarpanam, the offerings are made to the 
kaanda rishis.
In fact this tarpanam is so important that it is included as part of our nitya 
karma-anushthaanam, 
our daily worship. There are other minor points that are worth noting: 

Brahmacharis should wear maunji (belt made of sacred grass), ajinam (deerskin) 
and 
dandam (stick made of palaasa wood) after they wear the poonool (sacred 
thread). 
There are separate mantras for each. 
It is said that: purAtanAn parityajya which implies that you should wear a new 
set of clothes 
(veshti and uttarIyam) before the tarpanam and homam. 
It is also said that: kAndarshi tarpaNa-kAle punaH snAtvA Ardra vastra eva tat 
kuryAt, 
i.e, before performing the kaanda rishi tarpanam you should once again take a 
dip 
in the water and do it with wet clothes. 
The rishi tarpanam is done with the poonool in the nivita position (like a 
garland) 
and the water along with rice and sesame seeds should leave the root of the 
small finger. 
In some traditions you fast on the Upakarma day or at least fast till the end. 
In some traditions a general pitr tarpanam is also done. 
========================================================


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