Upakarma is usually held on the full moon day of the month of Shravana. The significance of this day is that Lord Vishnu took the form of a horse and restored the Veda that was stolen from Lord Brahma by the demons. As lord Vishnu took the form of a horse, this incarnation is called Hayagriva or “horse-head”. So the day of upakarma is also celebrated as Hayagriva’s appearance day. Upakarma is performed on this day to mark beginning of the Vedic study year.
For Rig Vedins, it is performed on Shravana nakshatra day of Shravana month. For Yajur Vedins it is performed on Paurnami of Shravana month.
The purport of this ceremony is for the absolution of all sins committed during the year and the for reaffirmation of our commitment to leading a Dharmic life as dvijas and to seek the blessings of our ‘mula gurus’ and ‘rishis’.
Shastras say that it is not only for personal welfare but it also uplifts the society.
In the morning rise and perform nitya kṛiya [snāna, sandhya vandana etc.
Guru parampara Dhyānam
1.a. periya jīyar taniyan (Teṅgalai)
śrī śailesa dayā-pātraṃ dhī-bhaktyādi guṇārnavam |
yatindra-pravaṇaṃ vande ramya-jāmātaraṃ munim ||
I pay my obeisance to the sage Manavallamamuni who is an ocean of virtues such as intelligence and devotion and who received the mercy of his guru Sri Sailesa and is so attached to Ramanuja.
1.b. vedānta deśikan taniyan (Vaḍagalai)
rāmānuja dayā-pātram jñāna-vairāgya bhūṣaṇam |
śrīmat veṅkaṭa-nāthāryaṃ vande vedānta deśikan ||
I salute the lineage of preceptors and Vedanta Desikan who was the recipient of the mercy of
Ramanuja and is the ornament of knowledge and dispassion.
2. guru parampara taniyan
lakṣmī-nātha samārambhām nātha yāmuna madhyamām |
asmat ācārya paryantām vande guru paramparām ||
Beginning from the Supreme Lord, through Nathamuni and Yamunacharya, down to our own acarya I
salute the entire lineage of spiritual masters.
3. Rāmānuja taniyan
yo nitya-acyuta padāmbuja yugma rukma
vyāmohas tad itarāni tṛṇāya mene |
asmat guror bhagavato’sya dayaika sindhoḥ
rāmānujasya caraṇau śaraṇaṃ prapadye ||
I seek refuge in the feet of Bhagavad Ramanuja, our teacher who is an ocean of compassion, who
considered everything apart from the precious lotus feet of Krishna to be worthless.
Kāmokarsīt manyur-akārsīt japam
# After morning bath and sandhyāvandanam perform two ācamanam and sit down on a slightly raised
platform facing east.
# Place two darbhās on your seat.
# Wear a pavitram prepared out of two darbhās on your right hand ring finger and fold two darbhās
around your ring finger.
# Perform three prānāyāmas
Saṅkalpaḥ:
hariḥ oṁ tat sat | śrī govinda 3 | śubhe śobhane muhūrte adye śrī bhagavato mahāpuruṣasya
śrī viṣṇoḥ ājñaya pravartamānasya ādya brahmaṇaḥ dvitīya parārdhe śrī śveta varāha kalpe vaivasvata manvantare aṣṭāviṁśatīttame kali yuge prathama pāde jāmbu-dvīpe meroḥ dakṣiṇa dig-bhāge hiraṇmaya varṣe hiraṇmaya deśe ___________ deśe ___________ mahā nagari antargate vyavahārikānām prabhavādi
ṣaṣṭhi saṁvatsarānāṁ madhye ___________ nāma saṁvatsare dakṣina ayane hemanta rt̥ au siṁha māse śukla pakṣe paurṇamāsyāṁ śubha tithau ___________ vāsara yuktāyāṁ ___________ nakṣatra yuktāyām śrī viṣṇu yoge śrī viṣṇu karaṇe śubha yoga śubha karaṇe sakala graha guṇa viśeṣaṇa visiṣṭhāyām
Harih om tatsat. Govinda, Govinda, Govinda, with the sanction of the Supreme Being Lord Vishnu, in this period during the second half of the life-‐span of the demiurge Brahma, during the aeon of the White Boar, during the universal rule of Vaivasvata Manu in the 28th period, during the first quarter of the age of Kali, on the planet Earth in land south of mount Meru, in the Golden Land, in the country of ___________, in the city of _____________, in the year ___________, of the 60 year Jovian cycle, in the Southern solstice, during the winter season, in the month of Sravana in the bright fortnight, on the ___________, lunar day, on a ___________, day under the constellation of ___________, with auspicious conjunctions, and all the planets being benevolently disposed;
taiṣyām paurṇamāsyām adhyāyotsarjanā karaṇa prāyaścittārtham aṣṭhottara śata
saṅkhyayā – ‘kāmo ‘karṣīn manyur akarṣīt’ – iti mahā-mantra japā kariṣye.
In order to atone for all the offences that I have committed I now recite 108 times the mantra —
‘desire is the cause, anger is the cause’.
Sāttvika tyāgam
Bhagavān eva sva-niyāmya sva-rūpa sthiti pravṛtti sva-śeṣataika rasena, anena ātmanā kartrā svakiyaiś-copakaraṇaiḥ svārādhanaika prayojanāya, parama-puruṣaḥ sarva śeṣī śrīyaḥ patiḥ svaśeṣa-bhūtam, idaṃ ‘kāmo ‘karṣīn manyur akarṣīt’ mahāmantra japa karma svasmai, svaprītaye svayam-eva kārayati ||
# Ācamanam x 2.
# Repeat the mantra at least 108 times.
kāmo ‘karṣīn manyur akarṣīn namo namaḥ
# having done ācamanam, wear a pavitri on the right ring-finger, facing the east
Saṅkalpaḥ
oṃ pūrvokta guṇa viśeṣaṇa visiṣṭhāyām etc.
bhagavad ājñayā bhagavat kaiṅkarya rupam — [anādi-avidyā-vāsanayā, pravartamāne, asmin mahati saṁsāra cakre, vicitrābhiḥ, karma gatibhiḥ, vicitrāsu yoniṣu, punaḥ puṇaḥ, anekadhā janitvā, kenāpi puṇya karma viśeṣeṇa, idānīntana mānuṣye dvija janma viśeṣaṁ prāptavato, mama [asmākam], iha janmani, pūrva janmasu, mayā [asmābhiḥ] kṛtānāṃ, mahā pātakāṇāṃ, niṣiddha śāstra-abhigamanaādīnāṃ, veśyādi saṁsarga nimittānāṃ, bālye, vayasi, kaumāre, yauvane, vārdhake, jāgrat, svapna, suṣupti avasthāsu, mano, vāk, kāya, sarvendriya, vyāpāraiśca, saṁsarga nimittānāṃ, bhūyo bhūyaḥ, abhyasthānāṃ, tatra tatra, garbhotpati, nimittānāṃ, tat saha-bhojana, tad ucchiṣtha bhakṣaṇa nimittānāṃ, vṛkṣa-cchedana, dhānya-raupaya, asat-chāstra-alāpa, grāmādhikāra, maṭhādikāra, paurohitya, parīkṣā pakṣa-pātaka, sama-pātakānāṃ, jñānataḥ, sakṛt-kṛtānāṃ, ajñānataḥ asakṛt-kṛtānāṃ, jñānata-ajñānataśca, abhyastānāṃ, atyanta-abhyasthānāṃ nirantara-abhyastānāṃ, saṅkarī karaṇānāṃ, malinī karaṇānāṃ, apātrī karaṇānāṃ, avihita karmācaraṇa, vihita karma tyāgādīnāṃ, prakīrṇakānāṃ, mahā-pātakānāṃ, ati-pātakānāṃ, evā navānāṃ nava vidhānāṃ, bahūnāṃ bahu vidhānāṃ, sarveṣāṃ, pāpānāṃ, apanodana dvārā, ayājya yājana, asat-pratigrahā, abhakṣya bhakṣaṇa, abhojya bhojana, apeya pānādi, samasta pāpa-kṣayārthaṁ, śrī-bhū nīlā sameta śrīman nārāyaṇa svāmi sannidau, trayas-triṁśat koṭi devatā sannidhau, brāhmaṇāḥ śrī-vaiṣṇavāḥ sannidhau, mama [asmākam] samasta pāpa kṣayārthaṁ2 — śrāvaṇyām paurṇamāsyām, adhyāyana upakarma kariṣye, [kariṣyāmaḥ] [tad aṅgaṁ snānaṁ kariṣye.] tad aṅgaṁ kāṇḍa ṛṣi tarpaṇaṁ kariṣye [kariṣyāmaḥ] – tad aṅgaṁ yajñopavīta dhāraṇaṁ kariṣye [kariṣyāmaḥ]
With the sanction of the Supreme Being, and as service alone, due to ignorance from time immemorial, we are wandering about in this great ocean of Samsara, impelled by our diverse karmas; becoming involved in diverse circumstances, and being born again and again in various species. At last, due to some specific act of great merit, we have been born as human beings, and moreover we have been granted the great privilege of becoming dvijas. In this birth and in our previous births, we have committed a great number of offences, which have caused us to become degraded; major offences, acts that have been forbidden by Shastra; during childhood, youth and adulthood; in the various levels of consciousness, while awake and while dreaming; wittingly and unwittingly, and in delusion; by our actions, speech and mind; through all our senses and through our acts of daily living; an enormous number of sins have been committed such as eating with the unsuitable people, eating contaminated food, destruction of trees and plants, discussion of unbeneficial literature, disrespecting elders, community leaders and priests, and failing to remain neutral and balanced, committing transgressions knowingly once and unknowingly many times, offences done repeatedly, deeds that have spiritually contaminated us, and made us unworthy of our status as dvijas. We have done those deeds which we should not have, and refrained from doing what we should have; miscellaneous sins, major sins and even mortal sins. For the absolution of all the nine types of sins; two of the mind — believing in false doctrines, thinking badly of others, three of speech: lying, slander and gossip and four of body: taking that which was not given, causing injury to other living beings, not rendering assistance to others in time of need and sexual misconduct. And for the additional offences of sacrificing for those who were unworthy of participating, for accepting gifts from unworthy donors, eating forbidden items, for enjoying forbidden pleasures, drinking forbidden drinks, for the absolution of all these sins, in the presence of all the 33 devas, in the company of Brahmins and Srivaishnavas we shall now perform this Upakarma rite consisting of sanctification, and offering of libations to the Rishis and the changing of the sacred thread.
Yajñopavīta Dhāraṇa Krama
Changing of the Sacred Thread
bhagavad ājñayā bhagavad kaiṅkarya rūpam śrauta smārta vihita sadācāra nitya karma anuṣṭhāna yogyata siddhyarthaṁ brahma-tejo’bhivṛddhyarthaṁ yajñopavīta dhāraṇaṁ kariṣye.
In order to invoke the grace of the Supreme Lord, as service to Him, in order to observe the injunctions of the sacred law and to obtain the right to perform my daily obligatory duties, in order to increase my spiritual learning I shall now don the sacred thread.
1. Repeat the following and do the indicated nyāsas
yajñopavīta dhāraṇa mahā-mantrasya;
brahmā ṛṣiḥ | [touch the forehead]
triṣṭup chandaḥ [touch the mouth]
trayī vidyā devatāḥ [touch the heart]
yajñopavīta dhāraṇe viniyogaḥ |
# Hold the sacred thread with the left hand over the pañcapātra and the right hand palm upwards towards the ceiling and recite the mantra;
yajñopavītaṁ paramam pavitraṁ, prajāpateḥ yat sahajaṁ purastāt |
āyuṣyaṁ agriyaṁ pratimuñca śubhraṁ, yajñopavītaṁ balaṁ astu tejaḥ ||
This sacred thread, supremely holy, born with Prajapati of yore, conducive to long life, and excellent, wear this pure sacred thread; may it conduce to strength and vigour.
# wear the new thread.
# gṛhastha should repeat the following saṅkalpa and repeat the performance with a second thread.
Grihastha Saṅkalpaḥ
asyām subha tithau, bhagavat ājñayā, bhagavat kaiṅkarya rūpaṁ, gārhasthya arthaṁ dvitīya yajñopavīta dhāraṇaṁ kariṣye;
On this auspicious day with the sanction of the Supreme Person and as service to Him alone, and to be established in the state of a householder I now don the second sacrificial thread.
# don the second thread.
# repeat the following śloka and then remove the old thread
upavītaṁ bhinna tantum jīrnaṁ kaśmala dūṣitam |
visrajāmi hare brahman varco dīrghāyur astu me ||
I now again discard this old sacrificial thread, thread-‐bare, worn, and stained, may I attain brahmic radiance and longevity O Brahma.
– repeat acamanam twice.
Tarpanam
# Perform tarpanam with water containing sesame & akṣata. If possible it should be done while standing in a river or in the sea, but if not it can be done pouring the water into trays.
# Wear the yajñopavītam around the neck like a garland [nivītam] – grasp it with the thumbs and offer the water with the palms cupped and dropping the water from between the palms.
# [if using a panchapatra hold the yajñopavītam with the thumb of the right hand and pour the water into the right hand with the left.]
# Offer from the ṛṣi tirtha;
1) oṃ prajāpatiṁ kāṇḍa ṛṣīṃ tarpayāmi
2) oṃ somaṁ kāṇḍa ṛṣīṃ tarpayāmi
3) oṃ agniṁ kāṇḍa ṛṣīṃ tarpayāmi
4) oṃ viśvān devān kāṇḍa ṛṣīṃ tarpayāmi
5) oṃ sāguṁhitīr devatā upaniṣadas tarpayāmi
6) oṃ yājñikīr devatā upaniṣadas tarpayāmi
7) oṃ vāruṇīr devatā upaniṣadas tarpayāmi
# offer from the brahma tirtha;
8) oṃ brahmānaṃ svayaṁbhuvaṁ tarpayāmi
# offer from the devata tirtha;
9) oṃ sadasaspatiṁ tarpayāmi
Vedārambha
Saṅkalpam — śrī bhagavad ājñayā bhagavad kaiṅkarya rupeṇa śrāvaṇyām paurṇamāsyām svādhyāya upakarma antargate brahma yajñena yakṣye ||
ārambha mantra — kṛtañca kariṣyāmi, bhagavan nityena, bhagavat kainkarya rūpeṇa, mahā vibhūti cāturātmyā, brahma-yajñena bhagavantaṁ vāsudevam arcayiṣyāmi ||
I am engaged in doing that which has already been done; it is the daily rite; the service of the Supreme Being Sri Krishna; I shall now adore the Divine Vasudeva through this rite of Brahma-‐yajna.
# Wash the hands while reciting;
vidyudasi vidya me pāpmān anṛtāt satyam upaimi ||
O Lord you are the Supreme Light; make me mindful of my transgressions, by this may I reach the
Truth.
# Repeat ācamanam silently, wipe mouth and then wash hands.
# Touch water and then touch each of the following parts of the body.
Head – all fingers.
Eyes – ring finger.
Nose – index finger.
Ears – little finger.
Chest – palm of the hand.
# Wash hands again, spread darbha and be seated thereupon.
# Place pavitris on both hands and then do three prāṇāyāmas.
# Sit with the right leg above the left one and clasp the brahmānjali then recite;
om bhūḥ | tat sa̍vi̱tuḥ vare̎ṇyaṁ |
om bhuvaḥ | bhargo̍ devasya dhīmahi |
om suvaḥ | dhiyo̱ yo na̍ḥ pracodayā̎t |
om bhūḥ | tat sa̍vi̱tuḥ vare̎ṇyaṁ | bhargo̍ devasya dhīmahi |
om suvaḥ | dhiyo̱ yo na̍ḥ pracodayā̎t |
om bhūḥ bhuvaḥ suvaḥ | tat sa̍vi̱tuḥ vare̎ṇyaṁ bhargo̍ devasya dhīmahi |
dhiyo̱ yo na̍ḥ pracodayā̎t |
om bhūḥ bhuvaḥ suvaḥ | tat sa̍vi̱tuḥ vare̎ṇyaṁ bhargo̍ devasya dhīmahi |
dhiyo̱ yo na̍ḥ pracodayā̎t |
# Recite the first verse of each of the Vedas;
Rig Veda:
agnim ī̎ḷe pu̱rohi̍taṁ ya̱◊asya̍ de̱ΔΔam ṛ̱tΔΔijaṁ̎ | hotā̎raṁ rat≤a̱ ∞āta̍mam || 1 ||
I Praise Agni, the Chosen Mediator, the Shining One, the Minister, the summoner, who most grants ecstasy.
Yajur Veda:
i̱ṣe tvo̱rje tvā̍ vā̱yava̍s sthopā̱yava̍s stha de̱vo va̍s savi̱tā prārpa̍yatu̱ śreṣṭha̍tamāya̱ karma̍ṇa | ā pyā̍yadhvamaghniyā deva-bhā̱gam ūrjasvatī̱ḥ paya̍svatīḥ prajāva̍tīr-anamī̱vā a̍ya̱kṣmā mā va̍s ste̱na īśata̱ māghaśa̍guṃ so ru̱drasya̍ he̱tiḥ pari̍ vo vṛṇaktu dhru̱vā a̱smin gopa̍tau syāta ba̱hviryaja̍mānasya
pa̱śūn pā̍hi || 1 ||
O Palasha branch I am cutting you in order to use you as an offering to the gods. O Calves! Depart from your mothers to the forest to eat grass and again return to your master’s house in the evening. O Cows the Supreme Lord that is within you impels you so that your milk may be used in the sacrifice.
Sāma Veda:
agna̱ āyā̍hi vī̱taye̍ gṛṇā̱no ha̱vya dā̍taye | nihotā̍ satsi ba̱rhiṣi || 3 ||
Agni moves and arouses the desires of the devotee to bestow oblations. He presides below in existence and binds us with desires to the variegated sense activities.
Atharvana Veda:
śan-no̍ de̱vīr-a̱bhiṣṭa̍ya̱ āpo̍ bhavantu pī̱taye̎ | śaṃ yor-a̱bhisrava̍ntu naḥ || 4 ||
May the excellent waters be helpful to us for our bliss and our drink. May they flow all around, for curing our ailments, and preventing us from falling prey to them.
Puruṣa Sūkta Parāyaṇam
om taccha̱ṁ yorāvṛ̍ṇīmahe | gā̱tuṁ ya̱jñāya̍| gā̱tuṁ ya̱jñapa̍taye | daivī̎ sva̱stira̍stu naḥ | sva̱stirmānu̍ṣebhyaḥ | ū̱rdhvaṁ ji̍gātu bheṣa̱jam | śanno̍ astu dvi̱pade̎| śaṁ catu̍ṣpade | om śānti̱ḥ śānti̱ḥ śānti̍ḥ ||
hariḥ om ||
om sa̱hasra̍śīrṣā̱ puru̍ṣaḥ | sa̱ha̱srā̱kṣaḥ sa̱hasra̍pāt | sa bhūmi̍ṁ vi̱śvato̍ vṛ̱tvā | atya̍tiṣṭhaddaśāṅgu̱lam || 1 || puru̍ṣa e̱veda1 sarvam̎ | yadbhū̱taṁ yacca̱ bhavyam̎| u̱tāmṛ̍ta̱tvasyeśā̍naḥ | yadanne̍nāti̱roha̍ti || 2 || e̱tāvā̍nasya mahi̱mā | ato̱ jyāyā!̍śca̱ pūru̍ṣaḥ | pādo̎’sya̱ viśvā̍ bhū̱tāni̍ | tri̱pāda̍syā̱mṛta̍ṁ di̱vi || 3 || tri̱pādū̱rdhva udai̱tpuru̍ṣaḥ | pādo̎’sye̱hā”bha̍vā̱tpuna̍ḥ | tato̱ viśva̱ṅvya̍krāmat | sā̱śa̱nā̱na̱śa̱ne a̱bhi || 4 || tasmā̎d vi̱rāḍa̍jāyata | vi̱rājo̱ adhi̱ pūru̍ṣaḥ | sa jā̱to atya̍ricyata | pa̱ścādbhūmi̱matho̍ pu̱raḥ || 5 || yatpuru̍ṣeṇa ha̱viṣā̎ | de̱vā ya̱jñamata̍nvata | va̱sa̱nto a̍syāsī̱dājyam̎| ghrī̱ṣma i̱dhmaḥ śa̱radd-ha̱viḥ || 6 || sa̱ptāsyā̍sanpari̱dhaya̍ḥ | triḥ sa̱pta sa̱midha̍ḥ kṛ̱tāḥ | de̱vā yad ya̱jñaṁ ta̍nvā̱nāḥ | aba̍dhna̱n pu̍ruṣaṁ pa̱śum || 7 || taṁ ya̱jñaṁ ba̱rhiṣi̱ praukṣan̍ puru̍ṣaṁ jā̱tama̍gra̱taḥ | tena̍ de̱vā aya̍janta | sā̱dhyā ṛṣa̍yaśca̱ ye || 8 || tasmā̎d ya̱jñāt sa̍rva̱ huta̍ḥ | saṁbhṛ̍taṁ pṛṣadā̱jyam | pa̱śū1stā1śca̍kre vāya̱vyān̍ | ā̱ra̱ṇyān grā̱myāśca̱ ye || 9 || tasmā̎d ya̱jñāt sa̍rva̱ huta̍ḥ | ṛca̱ḥ sāmā̍ni jajñire | chandā!̍si jajñire̱ tasmā̎t | yaju̱s tasmā̍d ajāyata || 10 || tasmā̱d aśvā̍ ajāyanta | ye ke co̍bha̱yāda̍taḥ | gāvo̍ ha jajñire̱ tasmā̎t | tasmā̎jjā̱tā a̍jā̱vaya̍ḥ || 11 || yat puru̍ṣa̱ṁ vya̍dadhuḥ | ka̱ti̱dhā vya̍kalpayan | mukha̱ṁ kima̍sya̱ kau bā̱hū | kāvū̱rū pādā̍vucyete || 12 || brā̱hma̱ṇo̎’sya̱ mukha̍māsīt | bā̱hū rā̍ja̱nya̍ḥ kṛ̱taḥ | ū̱rū tada̍sya̱ yadvaiśya̍ḥ | pa̱dbhyā1 śū̱dro a̍jāyata || 13 || ca̱ndramā̱ mana̍so jā̱taḥ | cakṣo̱ḥ sūryo̍ ajāyata | mukhā̱d indra̍ścā̱gniśca̍ | prā̱ṇād vā̱yur a̍jāyata || 14 || nābhyā̍ āsīd a̱ntari̍kṣam | śī̱rṣṇo dyauḥ sama̍vartata | pa̱dbhyāṁ bhūmi̱r diśa̱ḥ śrotrā̎t | tathā̍ lo̱kā1 a̍kalpayan || 15 || vedā̱ham e̱taṁ puru̍ṣaṁ ma̱hāntam̎ | ā̱di̱tya va̍rṇaṁ̱ tama̍sastu̱ pā̱re | sarvā̍ṇi rū̱pāṇi̍ vi̱citya̱ dhīra̍ḥ | nāmā̍ni kṛ̱tvā’bhi̱vada̱n yadāste̎ || 16 || dhā̱tā pu̱rastā̱dyamu̍dāja̱hāra̍ | śa̱kraḥ pravi̱dvān pra̱diśa̱ś cata̍sraḥ | tam e̱vaṁ vi̱dvān a̱mṛta̍ i̱ha bha̍vati | nānyaḥ panthā̱ aya̍nāya vidyate || 17 || ya̱jñena̍ ya̱jñama̍yajanta de̱vāḥ | tāni̱ dharmā̍ṇi pratha̱mānyā̍san | te ha̱ nāka̍ṁ mahi̱māna̍ḥ sacante | yatra̱ pūrve̍ sā̱dhyāḥ santi̍ de̱vāḥ || 18 ||
a̱dbhyaḥ saṁbhū̍taḥ pṛthi̱vyai rasā̎cca | vi̱śvaka̍rmaṇa̱ḥ sama̍varta̱tādhi̍ | tasya̱ tvaṣṭā̍ vi̱dadha̍drū̱pame̍ti | tatpuru̍ṣasya̱ viśva̱mājā̍na̱magre̎ || 19 ||
vedā̱hame̱taṁ puru̍ṣaṁ ma̱hāntam̎| ā̱di̱tyava̍rṇaṁ̱ tama̍sa̱ḥ para̍stāt | tame̱vaṁ vi̱dvāna̱mṛta̍ i̱ha bha̍vati | nānyaḥ panthā̍ vidya̱teya̍’nāya || 20 || pra̱jāpa̍tiścarati̱ garbhe̍ a̱ntaḥ | a̱jāya̍mano bahu̱dhā vijā̍yate | tasya̱ dhīrā̱ḥ pari̍jānanti̱ yonim̎| marī̍cīnāṁ pa̱dam i̍cchanti ve̱dasa̍ḥ || 21 || yo de̱vebhya̱ āta̍pati | yo de̱vānā̎ṁ pu̱rohi̍taḥ | pūrvo̱ yo de̱vebhyo̍ jā̱taḥ | namo̍ ru̱cāya̱ brāhma̍ye || 22 || ruca̍ṁ brā̱hmam ja̱naya̍ntaḥ | de̱vā agre̱ tada̍bruvan | yastvai̱vaṁ brā̎hma̱ṇo vi̱dyāt | tasya̍ de̱vā asa̱n vaśe̎ || 23 || hrīśca̍ te la̱kṣmīśca̱ patnyau̎| a̱ho̱rā̱tre pā̱rśve | nakṣa̍trāṇi rū̱pam | a̱śvinau̱ vyāttam̎| i̱ṣṭam ma̍niṣāṇa | a̱muṁ ma̍niṣāṇa| sarva̍m maniṣāṇa || 24 || hariḥ om || om taccha̱ṁ yorāvṛ̍ṇīmahe | gā̱tuṁ ya̱jñāya̍| gā̱tuṁ yajñapa̍taye | daivī̎s sva̱stira̍stu naḥ | sva̱stir mānu̍ṣebhyaḥ | ū̱rdhvaṁ ji̍gātu bheṣa̱jam | śanno̍ astu dvi̱pade̎| śaṁ catu̍ṣpade ||
om śānti̱ḥ śānti̱ḥ śānti̍ḥ ||
# Taking water in the right hand sprinkle it around the head with;
oṃ satyaṁ tapaḥ śraddhāyāṃ juhomi |
# Repeat three times;
namo̍ brahma̍ṇe̱ namo̍ ‘stva̱gnaye̱ nama̍ḥ pṛthi̱vyai nama̱ auṣa̍dhībhyaḥ |
namo̍ vā̱ce namo̍ vā̱cas-pa̍taye̱ namo̱ viṣṇa̍ve bṛha̱te ka̍romi || om śāntiḥ x 3 ||
I pay my obeisance to Brahma (The Vedas) and to you O Agni (Fire of Wisdom), to the Earth (my Support) and to the Herbs (that nourish me). Salutations to Speech and the Lord of Speech, salutations to Vishnu (the omnipresent Truth), this I do for the Sacred Vedas. Om Peace Peace Peace.
# Wash the hands;
vṛṣṭir asi vṛśca me pāpmān-anṛtāt satyam upāgām ||
O Lord Thou art the cause of separation; separate me from sin. From untruth I have reached the Truth.
# ācamanam.
Dedication of Action
kāyeṇa vācā manasendriyair vā buddhyātmanā va prakṛtair svabhāvāt |
karomi yadyat sakalam parasmai nārāyaṇāyeti samarpayāmi ||
Whatever I achieve through action or speech, by thought or sense organ, by intellect or Self or through my natural disposition, all that I dedicate to the Supreme Lord Sriman Narayana.
