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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>

It is a ritual bath because it symbolises the crossing of the ocean of literature learning by the student - hence Vidyasnataka and Vratasnataka - meaning one who has bathed in the ocean of learning and one who has bathed in vows respectively. In Sanskrit literature, learning is compared to an ocean.

It is a ceremonial bath because it symbolises the crossing of the ocean of literature learning by the student - hence Vidyasnataka and Vratasnataka - meaning one who has bathed in the ocean of learning and one who has bathed in vows respectively. In Sanskrit literature, learning is compared to an ocean.

=== गुरुवनुज्ञा ॥ Permission of Guru ===

=== गुरुवनुज्ञा ॥ Permission of Guru ===

The permission of the teacher is essential and has been prescribed for the student to enter the next ashrama. The convocation speech emphasizes that the student continues the lineage.<blockquote>आचार्याय प्रियं धनमाहृत्य प्रजातन्तुं मा व्यवच्छेत्सीः (तैतिरीयोपनिषत् - शिक्षावल्ली)</blockquote>Having offered गुरुदक्षिणा, get married and see that you won't cut off the chain of progeny.

The permission of the teacher is essential and has been prescribed for the student to enter the next ashrama. The convocation speech emphasizes that the student continues the lineage.<blockquote>आचार्याय प्रियं धनमाहृत्य प्रजातन्तुं मा व्यवच्छेत्सीः (तैतिरीयोपनिषत् - शिक्षावल्ली)</blockquote>Having offered गुरुदक्षिणा, get married and see that you won't cut off the chain of progeny.

Before the ceremonial bath, the student has to obtain permission from the acharya to end his studentship and give him guru-dakshina - tuition fees as explained below in Parashara Smrti. <blockquote>गुरवे तु वरं दत्त्वा स्नायीत तदनुज्ञया । वेदव्रतनि वा पारं नीत्वा ह्युभयमेव वा ॥  '''पराशरस्मृतिः - आचारकाण्डः'''</blockquote>In similar lines the Yajnavalkya smrti also expresses the similar idea<blockquote>गुरवे तु वरं दत्त्वा स्नायाद्वा तदनुज्ञया । वेदं व्रतानि वा पारं नीत्वा ह्युभयं एव वा । । १.५१ । । (Yajn. Smrt. 1.51)<ref>Yajnavalkya Smrti (Acharaadhyaya [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9E%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%86%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D Vivahaprakarana]) </ref></blockquote>Manusmrti <blockquote>गुरुणानुमतः स्नात्वा समावृत्तो यथाविधि । उद्वहेत द्विजो भार्यां सवर्णां लक्षणान्विताम् । । ३.४ । ।<ref name=":2">Manusmrti ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83 Adhyaya 3])</ref></blockquote>

Before the ceremonial bath, the student has to obtain permission from the acharya to end his studentship and give him guru-dakshina - tuition fees as explained below in Parashara Smrti. <blockquote>गुरवे तु वरं दत्त्वा स्नायीत तदनुज्ञया । वेदव्रतनि वा पारं नीत्वा ह्युभयमेव वा ॥  '''पराशरस्मृतिः - आचारकाण्डः'''</blockquote>In similar lines the Yajnavalkya smrti also expresses the above idea<blockquote>गुरवे तु वरं दत्त्वा स्नायाद्वा तदनुज्ञया । वेदं व्रतानि वा पारं नीत्वा ह्युभयं एव वा । । १.५१ । । (Yajn. Smrt. 1.51)<ref>Yajnavalkya Smrti (Acharaadhyaya [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9E%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%86%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D Vivahaprakarana]) </ref></blockquote>Up to this time the student did not pay any thing to the Acharya. So at the time of taking leave from him he is expected to pay him according to his means, in the form of fees.

=== समावर्तनम् (स्नातकम्) विवाहः च ॥ Snataka and Marriage ===

=== समावर्तनम् (स्नातकम्) विवाहः च ॥ Snataka and Marriage ===

A lot of confusion prevails as to the conduct of Samavartana and Marriage whether they should be conducted as contiguous events or not. Later when Upanayana lost its educational significance, it became more of a bodily samskara, more of a license for marriage. But because marriage could not take place before the Samavartana, it must be performed some time before marriage. In the present situations, in majority of cases Upanayana is performed followed by Samavartana immediately and all this has become symbolic. Unfortunately, it portrays that education of the person is completed even before it commenced.<ref name=":1" /> <blockquote>वेदानधीत्य वेदौ वा वेदं वापि यथाक्रमम् । अविप्लुतब्रह्मचर्यो गृहस्थाश्रममावसेत् ॥  (Manu. Smrt. 3.2)<ref name=":2" /></blockquote><blockquote>अनधीत्य द्विजो वेदान् अनुत्पाद्य तथा सुतान् । अनिष्ट्वा चैव यज्ञांश्च मोक्षमिच्छन् व्रजत्यधः ॥ (Manu. Smrt. 6.37)<ref>Manusmrti ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%B7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A0%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83 Adhyaya 6])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>गुरुगेहदनावृत्तः स्नातको  हि न कथ्यते । तत्परत्वविधानाच्च न तवत् दारसङ्ग्रहः ॥ (Shlok. Vart. Praty. 103 and 104)</blockquote>All the above stand for विवाहः after समावर्तनम् । We see that there is no insistence on performance of समवर्तनम् and  विवाह without pause.<blockquote>वेदमधीत्य स्नास्यन् प्रागुदयात् व्रजं प्रविश्य अन्तर्लोम्ना चर्मणा द्वारमपिधाय आस्ते। (Apas. Grhy. Sutr. 5.12.1)</blockquote><blockquote>रतिना सम्भाष्य यथार्थं गच्छति । (Apas. Grhy. Sutr. 5.12.14)</blockquote>Having discussed with a friend , the student would go to an आश्रम (गार्हस्थ्यम् , वानप्रस्थम् , संन्यासः ) as per his choice.

A lot of confusion prevails as to the conduct of Samavartana and Marriage whether they should be conducted as contiguous events or not. Later when Upanayana lost its educational significance, it became more of a bodily samskara, more of a license for marriage. But because marriage could not take place before the Samavartana, it must be performed some time before marriage. In the present situations, in majority of cases Upanayana is performed followed by Samavartana immediately and all this has become symbolic. Unfortunately, it portrays that education of the person is completed even before it commenced.<ref name=":1" /> <blockquote>वेदानधीत्य वेदौ वा वेदं वापि यथाक्रमम् । अविप्लुतब्रह्मचर्यो गृहस्थाश्रममावसेत् ॥  (Manu. Smrt. 3.2)<ref name=":2">Manusmrti ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83 Adhyaya 3])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>अनधीत्य द्विजो वेदान् अनुत्पाद्य तथा सुतान् । अनिष्ट्वा चैव यज्ञांश्च मोक्षमिच्छन् व्रजत्यधः ॥ (Manu. Smrt. 6.37)<ref>Manusmrti ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%B7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A0%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83 Adhyaya 6])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>गुरुगेहदनावृत्तः स्नातको  हि न कथ्यते । तत्परत्वविधानाच्च न तवत् दारसङ्ग्रहः ॥ (Shlok. Vart. Praty. 103 and 104)</blockquote>All the above stand for विवाहः after समावर्तनम् । We see that there is no insistence on performance of समवर्तनम् and  विवाह without pause.<blockquote>वेदमधीत्य स्नास्यन् प्रागुदयात् व्रजं प्रविश्य अन्तर्लोम्ना चर्मणा द्वारमपिधाय आस्ते। (Apas. Grhy. Sutr. 5.12.1)<ref>Apastamba Grhyasutras ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%86%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D#%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%9E%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4% Patala 5 Khanda 12])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>रातिना सम्भाष्य यथार्थं गच्छति १४ । (Apas. Grhy. Sutr. 5.12.14)</blockquote>Having discussed with a friend , the student would go to an आश्रम (गार्हस्थ्यम् , वानप्रस्थम् , संन्यासः ) as per his choice.

Therefore one cannot claim that both समावर्तनम् and विवाह are without any gap (अव्यवहित)।

Therefore one cannot claim that both समावर्तनम् and विवाह are without any gap (अव्यवहित)।