Karnavedha sanskaara

INTRODUCTION

This is the 9th sanskaara. This sanskaara is a very short ritual with just two mantras in addition to the havan mantras.

Karnavedh refers to the act of piercing or observing the ear at a time when the child is better able to discern the volume, pitch, notes, and versatility of sounds. In ancient times, the वेध related to the physical act of piercing of the ear. 

The ancient scriptures included this act as part of the custom of the time. Scholars like Sushrut (referred to as the father of medicine and the founder of plastic surgery), who lived in 600 BCE, wrote treatises that included this ear-piercing act from the medical perspective. At the time, doctors pierced boys’ ears because it prevented hernia and cryptorchidism (undescended testicles). 

This practice of ear-piercing is, in modern times, a fashionable act for girls and women. Males do not tend to get their ears pierced, and female ear piercing is and should be done in a sterile and proper facility.

Is karnavedha sanskaara still relevant?

The ancient reasons for this sanskaara may be argued to be irrelevant from the perspective of piercing of the ears. As noted, boys do not generally pierce their ears anymore, and, girls’ ears are usually pierced by trained professionals.

What gives us more grief in life – things that we see or things that we hear? What enters into the mind, sits there, and creates misery and vengeful thought? Most times, the things we hear make the most impact. This sanskaara focuses on the ear and “piercing” the ear for clear, thoughtful, filtered sounds that will foster calmness and control.

Thus, this sanskaara is vital from its philosophical perspective. The verses that Maharishi Dayanand included in this sanskaara are uniquely relevant to the ears as the organ of hearing and one’s ability to hear sounds without suffering physical or mental harm from sounds.

Tinnitus is on the increase in modern times. Many people, as they age, sense an inner sound created within the ear itself. The causes of tinnitus are manifold and include the impact of loud sounds and wax impaction. 

The two main verses of this Sanskaara encourage us to pray for healthy ears, the ability to focus, and the ability to control the volume and type of sounds entering the ear.

Time of Karnaveda