[Advaita-l] NEW YAGNOPAVITA DHARNA - PROCEDURE

[KAMESWARARAO MULA]

Dear Members,
                         Although one can purchase "brahmma threads" (upavita or yajñopavita) very inexpensively in the market in India, it is highly preferable for a brahmma to make them himself. Once you learn how to do it, with a little practice it becomes very simple. The main challenge is to make all strings equally long to avoid getting them tangled with each other. To make sure the strings remain equal in length, the upavita should be always taut while tying the knots. One may wind the upavita around ones knees while sitting on the floor, or one may use ones knee and another stable object like a heavy pot (preferable to two knees for getting sufficient length of the finished upavita). I was told that the size- length- of the yagnopa veetham should be, 16 times of finger size for the single thread. So it should be96such finger breadth for a gruhastha

Upavita: The sacred thread is given by the spiritual master (in vedic tradition by the father) along with instructions about how to chant the brahma-gayatri-mantra, its meaning, and the rules of conduct for life as a brahmachari. The sacred thread and the cloth worn on the upper body symbolise spiritual qualification and vaidika initiation (admission to the twice born status of the three superior varnas) for members of all communities who are eligible for that.
The cords of the sacred thread are made up of three strands. If the upper cloth (uttarya) is missing during a ceremony, the third cord of the upavita takes its place. The sacred thread must be made by a brahmana or brahma and tied with a brahma-granthi knot. The dangling part of the upavita must be tied under the navel, not on the chest (according to Katyayana). Traditionally, students of the Rug-Veda wore it between the chest and the navel; students of the Yajur-Veda at navel level, and students of the Sama-Veda at elbow level. 
The upavita must be changed when contaminated or spoiled. Although there is no reference in the scriptures about winding the upavita around the thumb while chanting Gayatri or during achamana and puja, it is common practice in most traditions & It can be done, but it is not compulsory. 
One should not be without upavita at any moment and must never allow it to come into contact with contaminated objects. It is a great offense to break the upavita of another brahmana, for which one must execute prayaschitta (great austerities to atone sins). While passing urine or stool, the sacred thread must be placed on the right ear, which is considered to be as good as a teertha (always pure) and thus remains suci, although the body is muci. Otherwise it will be considered contaminated. After the completion of asucha (purification/ taking a shower/wasing the feet, hands, mouth) the upavita can be again placed in its usual position (on the left side). If the thread is too short, it can be placed around the neck as a garland (while in the toilet which I always do as a normal practice). 
The Scriptures give information about the appearance of Gayatri devi in the form of time, for it is helpful for the meditation to chant Gayatri-mantra at the proper time. Gayatri-mantra must be chanted during the first sandhya which starts 24 minutes before sunrise and ends 24 minutes after. It is said that best is to chant when there are still stars in the sky, second best, when although the stars cannot be seen, the sun has not yet risen, and third best, when the sun is already in the sky. To chant Gayatri-mantra in one's home has a certain value; to chant in an open area is ten times better. To chant on the bank of or standing in a river up to the knees is a hundred times better, but chanting in the proximity of the Lord is infinitely better. 
The best way to chant Gayatri is manasika, in the mind. Yajñavalkya says one has to meditate on the sound of every syllable, on the meaning of every word, and of all the mantras, without moving the tongue or lips, without shaking the head or neck and without showing the teeth. The hands must be cleaned, and one must have brushed the teeth before taking the morning shower. The clothes must be dry and spotlessly clean. Tilaka must be worn on all the twelve parts of the body and the sika must be tied. Gayatri should not be chanted on a bed, in a car, or with the back towards a guru, temple, water, fire or a pippal tree. One should not wear shoes, doze, yawn, spit, look about or speak. If an important person such as an acharya arrives while chanting Gayatri, one must stop to receive him properly, and only resume after asking his permission. 
For a Vatuka/ Brahmmachari , it is advised that to  keep a single mudi which  can be made by Wrapping a thread three times around your knees (or one knee plus one object) and then hold the two ends between the fingers and thumb of the left hand. Make sure that all the strings have the same length.
For a Gruhasta , the same procedure  of 3 mudis, miminium & it is must.
However, It is general practice to keep 5 mudi’s i.e total of 15 single threads of equal sized 5 mudi’s. The importance of the other extra two (2) mudi’s is that one for any asoucha prayaschitta purpose, I mean you have not turned the yagnoavita to the ear duing urination  or not washed your legs & hands after urination. The dosha’s accumulated for those mistakes will be taken care by that mudi. Then coming to other mudi is for an extraordinary purpose , i.e in any emergency situation or to donate to another brahmanin person for immediate use where you don’t have the availability of new yagnopavita. 
  
Ideal way of changing Yagnopavita:  
Before to start the procedure, the new yagnopavita has to be applied fully with wetted haldi & kum-kum at the junction of the threads (mudi’s).
Chant the following mantra for putting on the sacred thread. 
(om) yajnopavitam paramagm pavitram  prajapater yat sahajagm puraståt 
       ayushyam agryam pratimuñca shubhram   yajñopavîtam bålam astu tejah 
Put on the new sacred thread. 
Chant the following mantra for removing the old sacred thread. 
upavitagm chinnatantugm   jirnam kanmala düshitam  visrijami punar brahman 
      varco dirghayur astu me 
Just Remove the old sacred thread from the left shoulder. Bring it down to waist level and break it string by string with both hands. Dispose of it in the same manner as old prasadam, being placed in “a sacred throw out” (to be composted – never to be left laying around, or discarded improperly) (or may be disposed of as digested sarpa/naga & it can be kept in the pot of tulasi plant or it can thrown on to the roof of the house.
Importance of GAYATRI JAPA During the New Yagnopavitha Dharana
It is advised & must at least 108 no.’s of Gayatri mantra when the both new & old one are there on the body after finishing the morning sandhya. After the removal of the old one, one has to do at least minimum of 108 No.’s of Gayatri mantra with the new yagnopavitha & then proceed for aparahna sandhya & sayam sandhya as a normal procudre.
More details with figures/reference are available in the Link:
http://www.salagram.net/Brahmin-threads.html

May I request all of the Thread Holders to utilize this Gold Standard Procedure for wearing the new yagnopavitha on Jandhayala Pournami i.e Sravana Pournami (15/8/2019)
Learned members may add or contribute with their  respective sampradayas.
Respect the Tradition & Up-Hold the deep rooted Cultures and  follow the Samparadaya.

Sri Guru Padaravindarpana Mastu
Kameswarananda Nadha