Acharya prays with Initiate
Acharya sits on the north side of the Kunda, facing east, and the child sits in front of him, facing west.
Looking at the child, the Acharya says:
ओम् आगन्त्रा समगन्महि प्र सुमर्त्यं युयोतन ।
अरिष्टाः संचरेमहि स्वस्ति चरतादयम् ॥
Om aagantraa samaganmahee pra su yuyotana.
Ariṣhṭaa samcharemahi svasti charataadayam.1
Be blessed as you participate in this undertaking. May you always be protected from any distractions. May you receive your knowledge through powerful and positive communication with your teachers. May you shine with your wisdom and dispel ignorance and untruth. May you always shine. Be blessed and shine on.
आगन्त्रा coming to participate, coming to receive समगन्महि be received, secure, get प्र सुमर्त्यं eternal, very immortal युयोतन detach, keep away, ward off अरिष्टाः safe, protected, unharmed संचरेमहि very suitable and good – also positive communication स्वस्ति well-being, blessed, good चरतादयम् shine, light
The initiate says:
ब्रह्मचर्यमागामुप मा नयस्व ।
Brahmacharyam-aagaam-upa maa nayasva.2
As I approach my disciplined stage of celibacy and studies, may my intellect and wisdom ascend, never to decrease.
ब्रह्मचर्य stage of celibacy आगम् coming here उप near, ascendingly मा not नयस्व remove, take away
The Acharya asks:
Child replies:
My name is….
Acharya pours some water into the child’s right palm, reciting:
ओम् आपो हि ष्ठा मयोभुवस्ता न ऊर्जे दधातन । महे रणाय चक्षसे ॥
Om aapo hi ṣṭhaa mayo-bhuvastaa na oorje dadhaatana.
Mahe raṇaaya chakshase.4
Like water, which provides essential service to our bodies and the entire earth/nature systems, may my learning and knowledge, along with physical and mental strength, enable me to overcome any type of challenge in life. As water overcomes any object in its path, so too, please let me overcome any negative in life.
आपः water हि for, surely स्थ be, originate, exist मयोभुवस् earthly happiness, well-being, enjoyment ताः they नः us, I, mine ऊर्जे strength, vigor दधातन cause, hold, provide महे great, distinguished रणाय battle, combat, challenges चक्षसे vision
यो वः शिवतमो रसस्तस्य भाजयतेह नः ।
उशतीरिव मातरः ॥
Yo vah shivatamo rasatasya bhaajayateha nah.
Ushateeriva maatarah.5
Just like a child is fortunate to be cared for, protected, and fed by its mother, may we be blessed, protected, and provided with the best of wisdom.
यः who, which, that वः you, yours शिवतमः fortunate, bliss, prosperous, auspicious रसः medicine, alchemy, purpose, delight, delightful duty तस्य of that, then भाजयत pursue, receive/consume, feed इह here, in this place नः ours, I, mine उशतीः desire, agree, care, love इव like, as it were मातरः mother, parent
तस्मा अरं गमाम वो यस्य क्षयाय जिन्वथ ।
आपो जनयथा च नः ॥
Tasmaa aram gamaama vo yasya kshayaaya jinvatha.
Aapo janayathaa cha nah.6
Water is essential for life and abundant in everything. It makes the world habitable and allows us to produce grains, which gives us physical power. May we be similarly blessed with abundance in our endeavor to increase our wisdom.
तस्मै this, same, those अरम् with power गमाम be obtained, get वः you यस्य endeavor, who, which क्षयाय habitable, also – growth जिन्वथ animate, enliven, satisfy आपः water, calmness of water जनयथ cause, produce, beget, give birth च and नः us, I, mine
Acharya now sprinkles water over the child {an alternative way for this following verse (instead of sprinkling) is that the Acharya fills his hand with water and pours that from his into the child’s hands).:
त्सवितुर्वृणीमहे वयं देवस्य भोजनम् ।
श्रेष्ठं सर्वधातमं तुरं भगस्य धीमहि ॥
Tat-savitur-vriṇeemahe
vayaṃ devasya bhojanam.
Shreṣṭham sarvadhaatamam
turam bhagasya dheemahi.7
That eternal, omniscient Creator provides us with everything we need, the best environment for food, water, and sustenance. He is the remover of evil and the eternal benevolent Lord who provides us good fortune and happiness. We choose the path of worship as we honor our Omniscient, Almighty, Benevolent God.
तत् that सवितुः immanent principle, omniscient वृणीमहे choose, ask, prefer, select, accept वयम् We, I, mine देवस्य Almighty and luminescent Creator भोजनम् food, things for food श्रेष्ठम् best सर्वधातमम् all-benevolent, bearer of good for all तुरम् remover of evil भगस्य good fortune, prosperity धीमहि cause, provide
For the following three mantras, the Acharya pours water into the child’s cupped hands and, holding the child’s hands in his own, pours the water off into a collection utensil. In the place of असौ (asau), say the child’s name.
ओं देवस्य त्वा सवितुः प्रसवेऽश्विनोर्बाहुभ्यां पूष्णो हस्ताभ्यां हस्तं गृह्णाम्यसौ ॥
Om devasya tvaa savituh
prasave’shvinor-baahubhyaam pooṣhaṇo
hastaabhyaam hastam grihṇaami-asau.8
You are a child of the Almighty One. With my hands, I admit you into this path of development and growth. May health and wisdom accompany you.
देवस्य Almighty and luminescent Creator त्वा you सवितुः luminous, all-wise प्रसव descendant, offspring, give birth श्विन acceptance, admission बाहुभ्यां great strength, पूष्ण prosper, develop हस्ताभ्यां my own hands हस्तं hands गृह्णाम्यसौ I take
ओ सविता ते हस्तमग्रभीत्, असौ ॥
Om savitaa te hastamagrabheet, asau.9
For the sake of wisdom, I hold your hand into mine (accepting to lead to the path).
ओं सविता luminous, all-wise ते you, your हस्तमग्रभीत् hold hand असौ you, your
ओम् अग्निराचार्यस्तव, असौ ॥
Om agnir-aacharyas-tva, asau.10
In the name of the Almighty One, your teacher is appointed.
अग्नि all-powerful God आचार्य teacher त्व you असौ (name of child)
- Gobhil Grihyasutra 2.10.20, Mantra Braahmana 1.6.14
- Gobil Grihyasutra 2.10.21, Mantra Braahmana 1.6.16
- Gobil Grihyasutra 2.10.22, Mantra Braahmana 1.6.17
- Rig Veda 10.9.1 Yajur Veda 11.50, Atharva Veda 1.5.1
- Rig Veda 10.9.2 Yajur Veda 11.51, Atharva Veda 1.5.2
- Rig Veda 10.9.2 Yajur Veda 11.52
- Rig Veda 5.82.1
- Ashvalayan grihyasutra 1.20.4
- Ashvalayan grihyasutra 1.20.2
- Ashvalayan grihyasutra 1.20.5
Discover more from
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.