 SAMSKARA or Hindu rites of passage,

according to the ancient sage PANINI,

are the ornaments that decorate one’s
personality.

 The UPANISHADS as a means to grow

and proposer in all four aspects of
human pursuit- Dharma(righteousness),
Artha (wealth),Karma and kama (work
and pleasure)and Moksha (salvation)
Samskara a cultural purpose governing
the evolution of the society because
they comprehend sacrifices and rights
that have for their aim domestic felicity
resulting from the gain of the long life ,
wealth and intellectual vigour .
 According to different Hindu sages and
scripts the samskaras varies from each
other in number .
The sage Aswalayana lays down 11
customs Bauddahayana , Paraskar and
Varaha Explain 13 . Maharsi Gautama
talks of 40 samskara . How ever 16
samskaras or “SODASA SAMSKARA” that
Grihyasutras gave are consider the
most important .
1. Garbhadhana 9. Karnaveda
2. Pumsavana 10. Vidyarambha
3. Simantonnayana 11. Upanayana
4. Jatakarman 12. Vedarambha
5. Namakarana 13. Kesanta
6. Nishkramana 14. Samavartana
7. Annaprasanna 15. Vivaha
8. Chudakarana 16. Antyesti
1. GARBHADHANA(conception) the first
sacrament which means ,placing the seed in
the womb. it is sacred duty of the married
couple to approach each other in the proper
time for sake of progeny ,which the race might
continue.

2. PUMSAVANA(Engendering a male issue) is the

samskara in the third or fourth month of
pregnancy.

3. SIMANTONNAYANA(Parting the hair) in which

the hairs of a pregnant woman are
ceremoniously parted.
4. The first samskara of childhood is
JATKARMAN (natal rites) is made up
several items and is generally performed
before the severing of the navel string .
5. The man giving ceremony,
NAMAKARANA(naming)comes next.
6. NISHKRAMANA (first outing), is the name
given to the taking of the child for the
first time out of the house.
7.ANNAPRASANA(first feeding with boiled
rice to child), it is primarily connected
with the physical necessity of the child.
8. CHUDAKARANA(tonsure) is the eighth
samskara the purpose of which is the
achievement of long life for its recipient

9. KARNAVEDHA(piercing the ear lobes) is

the sacrament connected with the
piercing of the ear , perfomed between
the the first and fourth year of the child.
10. VIDYARAMBHA(learning the alphabet)
is the tents sacrament and it marks the
beginning of the studies or learning
alphabets.
11. UPANAYANA( holy thread ceremony) is
the most important sacrament . The most
striking feature of the upanayana lies in the
belief that by its performance the initiate is
given a cultural and spiritual rebirth .
12. VEDARAMBHA(beginning of vedic
study) .

13. The KESANTA(cutting the hair) as the

name suggest is a sacrament connected
with the first saving of the students beard .

14.SAMAVARTANA(graduation) is the
sacrament performed when the students
returns form the home after completing
the study .
VIVAHA(marriage) is the most important
samskara . There are 8 types of marriage
mentioned in the smritis .

ANTYESTI(funeral) the last sacrament in the

life of a Hindu because for a Hindu the
value of the next world is higher than that
of the present .
 The samskaras of sacraments from an
important section of the karma-kanda ,
because they are believed to reform
and sanctify the person , for whom they
are performed .