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Students were prescribed to keep some vratas (observances or vows) through certain periods of time before the different texts of a course in Vedic studies could be taught to him.   

Students were prescribed to keep some vratas (observances or vows) through certain periods of time before the different texts of a course in Vedic studies could be taught to him.   

The Brahmachari starts his career by taking on the '''Savitri Vrata (सावित्रीव्रतम्)''' as a part of the [[Upanayana (उपनयनम्)|Upanayana]] ceremony. [[Brahmacharya (ब्रह्मचर्यम्)|Brahmacharya]] literally means "attendance on Brahma or Veda” and involves the observances which the student has to keep through certain periods of time before the different Vedic texts which he has to learn can be taught him. Thus the study of the Veda is opened by the Savitri vrata. Based on the varna of the student, the Savitri taught to him varies with different Chandas. This Vrata might last for a time period ranging from three days to one year. According to Paraskara [ii, 4, 3, 6], the Savitri Vrata may last for one year, six months, twenty-four days, twelve days, six days, or three days. Many observe a period of three days for this first of the Brahmacharin's vratas. During this time, the student had to live on special food, which was not to be either pungent or saline, or milk, and to beg that food from different women both from the household as well as the neighborhood. Manu [ii, 50] mentions that the pupil must beg food first from his mother, then from his sister, then from his own maternal aunt and then from a female who will not disgrace him by a refusal.<ref name=":1">Mookerji. Radha Kumud, (1947) Ancient Indian Education (Brahminical and Buddhist) London: MacMillan And Co., Ltd. (Page 182-190)</ref>   

The Brahmachari starts his career by taking on the '''Savitri Vrata (सावित्रीव्रतम्)''' as a part of the [[Upanayana (उपनयनम्)|Upanayana]] ceremony. [[Brahmacharya (ब्रह्मचर्यम्)|Brahmacharya]] literally means "attendance on Brahma or Veda” and involves the observances which the student has to keep through certain periods of time before the different Vedic texts which he has to learn can be taught him. Thus the study of the Veda is opened by the Savitri vrata. Based on the varna of the student, the Savitri taught to him varies with different Chandas. This Vrata might last for a time period ranging from three days to one year. According to Paraskara [ii, 4, 3, 6], the Savitri Vrata may last for one year, six months, twenty-four days, twelve days, six days, or three days. Many observe a period of three days for this first of the Brahmacharin's vratas. During this time, the student had to live on special food, which was not to be either pungent or saline, or milk, and to beg that food from different women both from the household as well as the neighborhood. Manu [ii, 50] mentions that the pupil must beg food first from his mother, then from his sister, then from his own maternal aunt and then from a female who will not disgrace him by a refusal.<ref name=":1">Mookerji. Radha Kumud, (1947) Ancient Indian Education (Brahminical and Buddhist) London: MacMillan And Co., Ltd. (Page 182-190)</ref>

 

'''Medhajanana (मेधाजननम्)''': After three days’ observance of the Savitri Vrata, the ceremony of Upanayana is ended by the performance of the Medhadjanana rite whereby the gods are invoked for the development of the Brahmachari’s mental powers [Bharadvaja Gr. S., i, 10]. Then onwards [[Brahmacharyashrama (ब्रह्मचर्याश्रमः)|Brahmacharya]] or studentship formally begins under prescribed conditions governing the life and studies of the pupil dwelling in his teacher’s house.<ref name=":1" />   

'''Shukriya Vrata (शुक्रियव्रतम्)''' refers to duties of holiness and is to be observed for three days, or twelve days or one year or any other time period according to the Acharya's discretion. <blockquote>यां वान्यां भप्रशस्तां मन्येत तस्यां शुक्रिये ब्रह्मचर्यमादिशेत् ९ त्रिरात्रं ब्रह्मचर्यं चरेद्द्वादशरात्रं संवत्सरं वा यावद्वा गुरुर्मन्येत १० (Sank. Grhy. Sutr. 2.2.10)<ref>[https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%99%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%A8%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 Shankhayana Grhyasutra] </ref></blockquote>By this Vrata, the student is enabled to study the main portion of the Veda.   

'''Shukriya Vrata (शुक्रियव्रतम्)''' refers to duties of holiness and is to be observed for three days, or twelve days or one year or any other time period according to the Acharya's discretion. <blockquote>यां वान्यां भप्रशस्तां मन्येत तस्यां शुक्रिये ब्रह्मचर्यमादिशेत् ९ त्रिरात्रं ब्रह्मचर्यं चरेद्द्वादशरात्रं संवत्सरं वा यावद्वा गुरुर्मन्येत १० (Sank. Grhy. Sutr. 2.2.10)<ref>[https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%99%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%A8%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 Shankhayana Grhyasutra] </ref></blockquote>By this Vrata, the student is enabled to study the main portion of the Veda.