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❁ Samåçrayanam ❁
The Çrîvaiß±ava Sacrament of Initiation
The formal process by which one performs çaranagati or takes refuge is
known as samåçrayanam and is a sine qua non for all members of the
Srîvaiß±ava community. It is similar to confirmation of the Christians or Bar-
mitzvah of the Jews, and one is not accepted as a fully fledged member of the
community until the ceremony has been performed.

The prospective Prapanna approaches an acharya and requests to be initiated as a

vaiß±ava. The acharya after satisfying himself as to the sincerity of the aspirant,
sets a time for the ceremony of the Five Sacraments (pañca-samskåra).
According to the Scriptures these sacraments should be conferred upon all who
sincerely request them, and the supplicant should not be examined too closely for
faults since in fact there are strictly no qualifications for taking refuge!

Striya¿ çûdras ca anuloma¿ kalyå±a gu±a samyuta¿ |

yadi tåni çiçyatve grh±iyat krpayå guru¿ ||

If a woman, or Sudra or outcaste applies for initiation and is

possessed of good qualities, then he/she should gladly be accepted by
the guru.
Vishvamitra Samhita 3:27.
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Program of Initiation
1. Udaka Çånti - Sanctification & Empowerment
In this ceremony jars of water are placed upon an altar and various cosmic forces
are invoked for their blessings. The rite is preceded by the invocation and
worship of Viçvaksena for the removal of all obstacles to the achievement of
success in ones spiritual endeavours. Various passages from the Vedas are
chanted by the priests invoking the cosmic forces. The presiding deity of the
mind (Indra) is invoked to protect the spiritual aspirant on the arduous spiritual
path and to give him/her the power to combat the enemies of spiritual
advancement - selfish desire, anger, delusion, greed, envy, pride etc. The cosmic
witness (Varuna) is invoked to watch the progress of the aspirant and to goad
him/her on to success. Agni (the presiding deity of fire) is invoked to purify the
aspirant from all previous sins and to offer protection and guidance. The forces
of wisdom are invoked to bestow learning and the ability to understand the
teachings. Thus the spiritual aspirants are absolved of all their previous sins and
offences and empowered to accept the teachings and to practice them.

Once the water has been sanctified through these Vedic chants the aspirants are
bathed and don new garments indicative of their re-birth.

2. Pu±yåha Våcanam
Another brief sanctification ceremony is done in order to purify all the
accessories of the ritual and the other participants. Prayers are offered for the
removal of all negative mental states which hinder the dawning of wisdom.

3. Rakßa Bandhanam
A rite of protection is done and a blessed thread is tied around the wrist of each
participant in order to protect them from all negativity that may be directed at
them during the actual initiation ceremony by opposing forces.
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4. Pra∞åna Homa
The fire representing wisdom is kindled and sanctified and then offerings are
made by the officiating priests reciting various Vedic hymns to Vishnu — the
Supreme Person. All oblations are made with the exclamation S∆åhå which means
— I am offering myself as an oblation for the welfare of all sentient beings. The
purpose of this Pañcaråtric initiation ceremony is to qualify and empower one for
the worship of the Supreme Being and for serving all the creation which is His
external manifestation. All sentient beings are moving temples of the divine and
the spiritual aspirant will practice mindfulness of this principle and act
accordingly to enhance the joy of all other sentient beings - even sacrificing ones
own happiness for that of others.

After the conclusion of the fire ceremony the first sacrament is conferred.

5. Tåpa
The sacrament of branding the aspirant with the symbols of the conch and discus
is done as penance for past sins and as a sign of ones complete self-dedication to
the spiritual path. This in turn brings about a reformation of the self and the
bearing of the marks of the conch and discus upon the shoulders remind one that
he/she is an eternal servant of the Lord. The discus Sudarsana reminds the
devotees that they are not subjected to the laws of time and fortune, and that they
should be free from the fear of being crushed by the false charges that are
brought against them by their enemies.

The following prayer is recited by the postulant prior to accepting the Discus
Brand:
O refulgent Sudarshana, as bright as an hundred thousand suns,
lead me from the darkness of ignorance and guide me on the Path
of the Supreme Godhead.

Before receiving the brand of the conch the supplication is recited:

O holy conch Panchajanya, your sound vibration (AUM)
destroys the heap of sins that have been accumulated by me
through my previous births. Save me who am drowning in the
ocean of Samsara from the attentions of the wicked.

The second of the five sacraments is now performed.

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6. Pu±¥ram
The second sacrament guarantees protection against temptation. The body is
considered to be the temple of the Lord and so through the application of the
sacred markings one sacralises one's physical being. The forehead is the seat of
Kesava, which means that He is thought of as protecting the mind from negative
thoughts. The belly is the seat of Narayana the breast that of Mådhava, the throat
is that of Govinda or 'the giver of delight'; the right side is the seat of Viß±u, the
'all-pervading-lord'; the right arm is the seat of Madhusûdana, and the right
shoulder that of Trivikrama, the Mighty Lord who with His three strides
measured the universe; the left side is that of Våmana; the left arm is that of
Çrîdhara, and the left shoulder that of H®ßikeça, the Lord and guide of the senses
and the mind. The back is the seat of Padmanåbha - the original fountainhead of
creative power. The neck is the seat of Lord Damodara, the all independent
Lord, who is always dependant upon His devotees. And finally the head is
thought to be the seat of Våsudeva or the-one-who-dwells-everywhere.

Many Sacred texts enjoin this custom and further stress that no religious work
yields merit if the performer is devoid of the sacred marks.

The pundram that is worn on the forehead and body has three lines-- two vertical
white ones with a red line in the middle. These lines represent the Holy Feet of
the Lord, with the goddess of mercy between them. The projecting line running
down the nose, represents the First Principle — Parabrahman, the rootless root.

7. Dåsya nåma
The third sacrament is that of the Nåmakara±a or name-giving. It is the noble
ambition of the penitent soul to earn a name worthy of a true servant of the Lord
- "a dåsya nåma". In Tamil the word Tiru is added before the word nama to
signify, that the person who has received such a name has become the object of
Divine favour in as much as he or she has been favoured by the spiritual master
by giving a name other than the one by which one is ordinarily known by all
and sundry. Such a name preserves the moral integrity, and acts as a powerful
protection against temptation by reminding one constantly, that the servitude of
God and the devotees, is the very essence of one's being and the goal of one's
existence.
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8. Mantra upadeça
The fourth sacrament is the bestowal of the sacred mantras — the three jewels.
Mantra is so called because it protects the mind and redeems one from Samsåra
or cycle of birth and death. The Postulants are now instructed in the recitation
and meaning of these three sacred texts.

9. Yåga
The fifth sacrament is that of complete self-surrender to the Supreme Person and
the acceptance of the governance of ones life by the sacred canons of the
Pañcaråtra. This means following a sacred routine of life as laid down in the
canons of the Tantric texts, known as 'aradhana-viddhi', or the method-of-
divine-servitude. A sacred routine of life means, a routine that is calculated to
sanctify one's life. Life consists of a series of actions which may be mental,
verbal or physical, and these actions can become sacred when a routine is
followed which transforms one's thoughts, actions and aspirations. The routine
must be planned in such a way as to leave no room for indulgence in anything
unworthy and undesirable. The prapanna undertakes the division of the daily
programme into five parts; abhigamana, upadåna, ijya, svadhyåya & yoga.

Abhigamana - briefly means the daily visit to the temple of the

Lord in order to worship the iconic manifestation. In the present
circumstances because this is physically not possible it refers to the
recollection and contemplation upon the four main Vaiß±ava
Shrines — Srirangam, Tirupati, Kanchi and Melkote.

The second part is the upadåna, which consists of collecting all

the articles of worship such as flowers, fruit darbha grass, tulsi
leaves etc. All the articles offered to God must have been acquired
by honest and fair means.

The third part is called îjya which includes such activities as the
daily worship of the Lord in ones home, and the performance of
the pañca-maha-yajñas or the five-great-sacrifices enjoined in the
Scriptures. Every person is under obligation throughout his/her life
to repay five debts ; to the deities by making offerings, to the
manes by performing sraddha rites, to the rishis by religious
studies, and to society by feeding guests and strangers, and finally
to the birds and the beasts by food offerings.
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Before beginning to eat, the food should first be offered to the

Lord in the form of offerings to the five vital breaths (pranahuti).
Having partaken of food, one should then in the evening engage in
s∆ådhyåya — the study of the Sacred texts such as the hymns of
the Alvars, Itihasas, Puranas and other sacred literature, and
expound the mysteries of the sacred mantras to others who are
willing to listen.

Then before retiring to bed one should perform yoga — meditation

upon the divine form of the Lord with all His excellent attributes,
the remembrance of which removes all mental impurities. The
mind which is difficult to restrain, is brought under control by
steady mindfulness, contemplation, controlling of the senses and
speech. And then finally one should retire to bed with the thought
that one is safe at the feet of the Lord.

In this manner not a moment of the day is wasted in idle pursuits. Such an ideal
sacred routine of life can be followed only be the grace of the Supreme and All-
merciful Lord. Indeed fortunate are those that can lead such a life, they are truly
the favourites of the Lord, and are worthy to be followed by others.

Thus in brief is given the description of the five purificatory rites which sanctify
and empower one to follow the path of the Pañcaråtra, to achieve perfection and
to practice a life-style through which life's mission is fulfilled.