Changes

In early times it was performed when the education of the youth was over; marriage usually followed, but it was not necessarily immediate. Various grhyasutras elaborate about this occasion and the necessary rituals to be followed which included primarily a ceremonial bath given to the student, following which he is called [[Snataka (स्नातकः)|Snataka]].<blockquote>वेदमधीत्य स्नास्यन् . . .। आपस्तम्बगृह्यसूत्रम्, १२.१॥ </blockquote><blockquote>vedamadhītya snāsyan . . ॥ Āpastambagṛhyasūtram, 12.1॥</blockquote>Having completed the study of Veda, Vedāṅgas, Mīmāṃsā etc., while going to have the ceremonial bath . . .

In early times it was performed when the education of the youth was over; marriage usually followed, but it was not necessarily immediate. Various grhyasutras elaborate about this occasion and the necessary rituals to be followed which included primarily a ceremonial bath given to the student, following which he is called [[Snataka (स्नातकः)|Snataka]].<blockquote>वेदमधीत्य स्नास्यन् . . .। आपस्तम्बगृह्यसूत्रम्, १२.१॥ </blockquote><blockquote>vedamadhītya snāsyan . . ॥ Āpastambagṛhyasūtram, 12.1॥</blockquote>Having completed the study of Veda, Vedāṅgas, Mīmāṃsā etc., while going to have the ceremonial bath . . .

Those who simply memorized the texts of Vedas, without understanding the meaning and without following the rules of conduct prescribed for a Brahmachari, were excluded from the right of performance.<ref name=":1" />

Those who simply memorized the texts of Vedas, without understanding the meaning and without following the rules of conduct prescribed for a Brahmachari, were excluded from the right of performance.<ref name=":1" /><blockquote>अन्यो वेदपाठी न तस्य स्नानम्। (M.G.S. 1.2.3)</blockquote>However, according to Vishnu, some people were compulsorily required to lead the life of a Brahmachari on physical grounds. They were the hump-backed, the blind by birth, the impotent, the lame and the diseased. <blockquote>कुब्जवामनजात्यन्धक्लीबपङग्वार्तरोगिणाम्। व्रतचय भवेत्तेषां यावज्जीवमानशतः।</blockquote>They did not perform their Samavartana because Vivaha was not possible in their case.<ref name=":1" />

 

 

 

== Procedure ==

== Procedure ==

Ornaments, garlands, collyrium, tuban, umbrella, and shoes, and other necessities and conforts of a householder, the use of which was forbidden to him in the Brahmacharya ashrama were now to be formally and officially offered to him by his teacher with the recitation of proper mantras.<ref name=":0">Altekar, A. S. (1944) ''Education in Ancient India.'' Benares : Nand Kishore and Bros.,</ref>   

Ornaments, garlands, collyrium, tuban, umbrella, and shoes, and other necessities and conforts of a householder, the use of which was forbidden to him in the Brahmacharya ashrama were now to be formally and officially offered to him by his teacher with the recitation of proper mantras.<ref name=":0">Altekar, A. S. (1944) ''Education in Ancient India.'' Benares : Nand Kishore and Bros.,</ref>   

=== ॥ Snana ===

=== स्नानम् ॥ Snana ===

This samskara is also called Snana because bathing is an important aspect here. According to some anthropologists, bathing was meant for washing away divinity from the student. During his Brahmacharya period, he was living in contact with the deities and he also develops a divine influence around him. So before returning to the ordinary world, he had to remove the divine influence which would be otherwise polluted and thereby incurring divine displeasure. Also the Brahmacharya period is regarded as a long yajna, so just as for any yajna where an Avabhrta bath is taken, so also a ceremonial bath marks the end of Brahmacharya period.<ref name=":1">Pandey, Rajbali. (2002 Reprint) ''Hindu Samskaras : Socio-Religious Study of the Hindu Sacraments.'' Delhi : Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Pvt. Ltd.</ref>

This samskara is also called Snana because bathing is an important aspect here. According to some anthropologists, bathing was meant for washing away divinity from the student. During his Brahmacharya period, he was living in contact with the deities and he also develops a divine influence around him. So before returning to the ordinary world, he had to remove the divine influence which would be otherwise polluted and thereby incurring divine displeasure. Also the Brahmacharya period is regarded as a long yajna, so just as for any yajna where an Avabhrta bath is taken, so also a ceremonial bath marks the end of Brahmacharya period.<ref name=":1">Pandey, Rajbali. (2002 Reprint) ''Hindu Samskaras : Socio-Religious Study of the Hindu Sacraments.'' Delhi : Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Pvt. Ltd.</ref>