Special Attire of a Student during Upanayana (उपनयने विशेष-परिधानम्)

Upanayana is a unique ritual with specific procedures whose symbolism impose upon the pupil certain external marks of differentiation concerning his dress, equipment, and appearance by which he is identified out and recognized.

The goals of the special attire prescribed in the texts for a student are to primarily teach him to live a simple life with less needs, with humility, closely associate with nature, avoiding luxury and decorations, leaving the ahamkara or riches, and live harmoniously with his co-students.

Acharya Ashrama has its own code of conduct as described in the Dharmasutras and Grhyasutras. However, all students based on his varna had special rules to follow, had a dress code, and specific activities. Whatever be their objectives of study, students were to have certain marks of differentiation concerning their attire. Following is a list of these characteristic features which a student has to follow starting from the Upanayana samskara.

अजीनानि ॥ Ajina

Smriti Chandrika mentions that according Brhaspati,

कृष्णाजिनं ब्राह्मणस्य रौरवं क्षत्रियस्य तु। वस्ताजिनं तु वैश्यस्य सर्वेषां वा गवाजिनम् ॥ (Smrt. Chan. Part. 1 Page 74)

The Brahmachari is to wear Ajina as upper garment of the skin of certain animals. It should be the skin of Krishna or Ena, black buck (an antilope skin), for a Brahmana ; of Ruru, or spotted deer, for a Kshatriya ; of Vasta or Aja, goat, for a Vaishya [Brihaspati; Yama ; Sankha]. It may also be cowhide [gavyam] for all, according to Paraskara (sarveshaam vaa gavyam) and of spotted deer for all, according to Yama. We find similar recommendations in Gṛhyasūtras of Asavalayana, Baudhyāna and Kaṭhaka with slight changes here and there; like Baudhyāna prescribes the skin of black deer suited for all varnas so does Kaṭhaka agree with him except for prescribing the skin of tiger for Kṣatriya, representing the courage and valour and skin of spotted deer for Vaishya.

वासांसि ॥ Vasa

Smriti Chandrika mentions that according to Gautama,

शाणक्षौमचीरकुतपास्सर्वेषां कार्पासं वाऽविकृतम्। (Smrt. Chan. Part. 1 Page 75)

Vasa is the lower garment which may be made of the following materials, according to viz. (i) shana (शाणं शणविकारम्), hemp (2) kshauma (क्षौममतसीसूत्रनिर्मितम्), fibre of atasi plant (3) chiira, darbha, or kusha grass (चीरं दर्भादिनिष्पन्नम्) ; (4) kutapa, (कुतपः पार्वतीयाजरोमनिर्मितः कम्बलः) wool derived from mountain goats and used to make kambala (कम्बलः) or blankets and (5) Kaarpaasa (कार्पासम्), cotton.

According to Vasishtha, it may be only woven cotton cloth (वसिष्ठोऽपि --- सर्वेषां वा तान्तवमरक्तम् । taantavam-araktam). But it should be woven or manufactured in the home of the pupil for purposes of the ceremony (Vaasah sadyah krittotam (Baudhayana, G.S., ii, 5, ii)). This shows the use of loom and khaddar in every household in those days. According to Taittiriya Aranyaka [ii, i], cloth could alternate with skin (ajinam vaso va dakshinatah upaviya).

Manu defined the kind of the lower garment based on the Varna vyavastha.

वसीरन्नानुपूर्व्येण शाण-क्षौमाविकानि च । (Smrt. Chan. Part. 1 Page 75)

The Brahmana should use Vasa of Shana (शाण), the Kshatriya of Kshauma (क्षौम), and the Vaishya of Avika (अविका) or goat's wool. But most texts agree that different varnas should use a cloth (Vasa) of different colours. The Brahmana should use his Kaarpaasa ((कार्पासम्) which is white, clean, and fresh, and coloured red with manjishta. The Kshatriya should have his Kshauma cloth coloured yellow, and the Vaishya Kausheya cloth [Vasishtha].

According to Apastamba, the Brahmana should use cloth coloured with kashaya, a vegetable dye (vriksha-kashaya-nirmitam varksham), the Kshatriya manjishtha cloth, and the Vaishya haridra (yellow) cloth.

Danda

The Brahmachari is also to be equipped with a danda or staff of wood of lengths which are different for different castes. The different woods mentioned are Bilva, Palana, Vata, Khadira, Pilava, Udumbara, Plaksha, Nyagrodha, Vetasa, Ashvattha, and, failing these, any wood fit for use in sacrifice (yajniya). It should reach up to head in length for a Brahmana, up to forehead for a Kshatriya, and up to nose for a Vaishya. But in all cases, it should be straight, beautiful, non-terrifying (anudbegakara), unburnt, and in its natural condition (satvacha) [Yama].

Mekhala

The Brahmachari’s uniform also comprises a mekhala or girdle made of different materials for different varnas of students. It was a girdle of sort garment which was offered to an initiate by acharya during the ceremony of Upanayana along with the chanting of the mantras. It is made of munja grass for the Brahmana, something made of munja is expressed as Mounji; since the munja grass is tied as a girdle in this Samskara, it also gained the name of Maunjibandhana. Mekhala is made of jya (bowstring) for Kshatriya (symbolizing his military avocation), and shana, thread for the Vaishya. It may also be of rope used for yoking the oxen to the plough (symbolical of agriculture as his occupation).

Symbolism of Uniform

There is spiritual significance behind each of these external marks prescribed for the Brahmachari.

Apastamba states [D.S., i, i, 3, 9] : “He who wishes the increase of Brahmana power shall wear Ajina (skins) only; he who wishes the increase of Kshatriya power shall wear cloth only ; he who wishes the increase of both shall wear both [cf. Gopatha Brahmana, i, 2, 4]. Hiranyake§in [i, i, 4, 6] calls the skin as " a chaste, mobile vesture ”.

The symbolism of Vasa or garment is thus explained by Paraskara [ii, 2, 7] : “ In the way in which Brihaspati put the garment of immortality on Indra, thus I put (this garment) on thee, for the sake of long life, of old age, of strength, of splendour.” Hiranyakesin [i, i, 4, 2-3] extends still further this symbolism by stating that the student puts on the garment that he may be clothed " with long life, in the increase of wealth, and be a protector of human beings against imprecations ”.

The Mekhala was made of a triple chord to indicate the protection of the three Vedas encircling the child. It was tied round his waist to the recitation of verses stating that it was a daughter of the deity Shraddha (Faith) and a sister of the sages {svasa rishinam), born of tapas {tapaso’dhijdta) {Av., 133, 4], the protector of purity {rita), and asceticism {tapas), against evil [Varaha, Gr. S., 5]. Hiranyakesin calls the Mekhala the blessed one who has come to us, who drives away sin, purifying, our guard, and our protection” [i, i, 4, 4]. Gobhila [ii, 10, 37] and Paraskara [ii, 2, 8] also call the Mekhala the girdle of protection.

The Danda also has a spiritual meaning. According to Paraskara [ii, 2, 12-13], the student is to be equipped with it "for the sake of long life, holiness, holy lustre”, or because "he enters upon a long Sattra” [cf. Satapatha, xi, 3, 3, 2 ; Katyayana, Sr. S., vii, 4, 1-4]. Mdnava Gr. S., i, 22, ii takes the staff as an aid to the traveller on the quest of Truth. Vardha Gf. S., 6 takes it to indicate that, armed with it, the Brahmachari will guard the Vedas. Apararka (on Yajnavalkya, i, 29) takes a materialistic view of it as a weapon of defence to the Brahmachari when he is out in the forests to collect firewood, in darkness, or unknown places like a tank or river.

Application of principles of uniform

There is spiritual significance behind each of these external marks prescribed for the Brahmachari.

1. Apastamba states [D.S., i, i, 3, 9] : “ He who wishes the increase of Brahmana power shall wear Ajina (skins) only; he who wishes the increase of Kshatriya power shall wear cloth only; he who wishes the increase of both shall wear both [cf. Gopatha Brahmana, i, 2, 4]. Hiranyakesin [i, i, 4, 6] calls the skin as "a chaste, mobile vesture”.
2. The symbolism of Vasa or garment is thus explained by Paraskara [ii, 2, 7] : “In the way in which Brihaspati put the garment of immortality on Indra, thus I put (this garment) on thee, for the sake of long life, of old age, of strength, of splendour.” Hiranyakesin [i, i, 4, 2-3] extends still further this symbolism by stating that the student puts on the garment that he may be clothed "with long life, in the increase of wealth, and be a protector of human beings against imprecations ”.
3. The Mekhala was made of a triple chord to indicate the protection of the three Vedas encircling the child. It was tied round his waist to the recitation of verses stating that it was a daughter of the deity Shraddha (Faith) and a sister of the sages (svasa rishinam), born of tapas (tapaso’dhijata) {Av., 133, 4], the protector of purity (rita), and asceticism (tapas), against evil [Varaha, Gr. S., 5]. Hiranyakesin calls the Mekhala "the blessed one who has come to us, who drives away sin, purifying, our guard, and our protection” [i, i, 4, 4]. Gobhila [ii, 10, 37] and Paraskara [ii, 2, 8] also call the Mekhala the girdle of protection.
4. The Danda also has a spiritual meaning. According to Paraskara [ii, 2, 12-13], the student is to be equipped with it "for the sake of long life, holiness, holy lustre”, or because "he enters upon a long Sattra ” [cf. Satapatha, xi, 3, 3, 2 ; Katyayana, Sr. S., vii, 4, 1-4]. Manava Gr. S., i, 22, ii takes the staff as an aid to the traveller on the quest of Truth. Varaha Gf. S., 6 takes it to indicate that, armed with it, the Brahmachari will guard the Vedas. Apararka (on Yajnavalkya, i, 29) takes a materialistic view of it as a weapon of defence to the Brahmachari when he is out in the forests to collect firewood, in darkness, or unknown places like a tank or river.
5. The equipment of the Brahmachari is completed by the Yajnopavlta or sacred cord to be worn by him in three sets of three threads each. These nine threads (tantu) are consecrated to the following nine deities who impart to them their own potency, viz. (i) Omkara, (2) Agni, (3) Naga, (4) Soma, (5) Pitri, (6) Prajapati, (7) Vayu, (8) Surya, (9) All Deities together. The thread is to be made of cotton (karpasa) for a Brahmana, of sana for a Kshatriya, and of goat’s skin for a Vaishya [Manu]." He who does not know the divine origin and significance of the Upavita will have all his religious ceremonies such as Snana, Dana, or Japa fruitless.”