HINDU MANNERS

The Hindu social system has insisted on the harmony and cooperation of human beings. In society every individual belongs to a particular group and cultivates a specific nature, which determines human functions. Besides the performance of specific nature duties required by Dharma, there are certain functions and duties, which each individual has to perform, irrespective of his nature and class affiliation. Performance and fulfilment of such duties is general and applicable to all human beings, which is called Manavadharma. On the other hand, performance of duties prescribed for a class individual is called Varnadharma. In addition there is Svadharma, which defines the specific law of individual life. The Gita is so strong in its insistence upon the law of Svadharma. “By his own work (Svadharma) a man praised him from whom all things are projected”. “Better is death in one’s own law (Svadharma); for to follow another’s law is perilous”.

The original devotional movements, among the Hindus, while they sought release from the world (Moksha), assumed that as long as one was part of the world, one was part of the Hindu religious organization of life, with its caste, stages and goals. Each had his own Svadharma. The life of the householder or the ascetic, the goal of wealth or devotion, were all integrated into the religious organization of life. All were seeking release from Karma and transmigration. Devotion tended to be practised in addition to basic rituals and caste rules, although during some of the practices of the devotional movements, such as pilgrimages, caste distinctions, they were sometimes temporarily set aside. Svadharma applies to all levels of existence. Therefore, great significance has been given to sacraments in Hindu society, since they are regarded as a part of the religion. Because of this special feature of the sacraments, their sociological significance is constantly increasing.

In the context of Hindu society, sacrament means that activity that helps to achieve purity and as a result of which the complete development of the personality of the individual is made. Sacrament has been adopted as a means in Hindu society and is connected with physical and non physical aspects of man. This helps the sociological progress of the individual and develops in him respect for labour, virtue and duty. Although sacraments exist in all religions as sunnat among Muslims and baptism among Christians, but in Hindu society, they are related to the age, occasion and ashramas of the individual. Sacrament, according to Hindu view, is that activity, the performance of which makes a matter or person fit for use and develops ability in the person. According to Vir Mitrodaya, sacraments are that ability which arises by the performance of the activities prescribed and sanctioned by the shastras. Sacraments are religious activities, which, through mental and intellectual refinements, may develop complete personality of the individual. Sacraments are performed from birth to death. In Hindu religion, there is no provision for natural development of the personality. Sixteen sacraments of the Hindus are connected with some or the other aspects (physical, mental, social or educational) of personality and help their development. There are a number of sacraments, which have been described in the next chapter.

A Hindu, according to Dharma, Is placed in a broad classification, from the moment of birth in an environment conducive to his spiritual growth. This presupposes the concepts of Karma (actions). This codification of Dharma (Ashrama system) had universal application. Its thirty general values include truthfulness, compassion, austerity, purity of body and mind, non violence, charity, service to others and devotion to God. It was customary for a child born in a royal family to be educated to develop leadership qualities and the environment and education helped it to develop the necessary skills to rule. The Ashrama system (Brahmacharya, Grehastha, Vanaprastha and Sanyasa), through which an individual progressed, helped an individual to actualize his potential. This traditional system is no longer in practise.

Hindu customs and ceremonies fall under the category of sacraments viz. personality, material and spiritual development.

The sacraments

The actual religious life of a large number of Hindus is deviating from the standards prescribed in the scared works; but it is also true that many pious and earnest minded are still careful to impose a religious character on ever act and circumstances of their domestic life. This is specially true of the Hindu women.

Whatever estimate may be formed of the nature of Indian religious life, it is certain that a genuine Hindu of the old school does not lead two lives. His religion, as it is, can be described as based on his beliefs in his everyday existence. The religion of a Hindu is his constant companion. He never enters a place with the idea of offering common prayer. He visits shrines, with the idea of praying for himself. Darsan (reverence) to look at the deity is his main idea in visiting a temple, because he thinks that very view of a deity will conform merit on him. Prostration before the God, repetition of his mind or presentation of oblations (offerings) give him the consolation of pleasing the deity. His real religion is a affair of family usage, domestic rituals, and private observance. Interference by the priest (purohit) is tolerated. Sacredotism exerts as strong a power over family religion among Hindus, as it does in other religions, like priest in Christianity. Every incident, every circumstance, every operation in a Hindu home life is subject to ecclesiastical law. Each man finds himself cribbed and confined in all his moments, bound and fettered in all he does by the most minute socio-religious customs and traditions. The priests exert a lot of influence, right from the birth to death, even after the death, in the life of the Hindu. This influence is on the decline, because of the greed and fake priests coming up in this Kali Yuga. Howsoever the circumstances have changed, the religion of a Hindu (Dharma) is bound up in the bundle of his everyday existence.

As explained earlier, Hindu Sacraments are regarded as part and parcel or Dharma. It is the aim or Dharma to develop the individual in all aspects. Through the sacraments, the individual can be inspired to achieve the spiritual goals and merit for his day to day life. The person performing the sacraments is not only engrossed in the worldly life, but also establishes a harmony between physical things and spiritual aspirations. The form and number of sacraments have been a matter of great differentiation. According to Greha Sutra, the number of sacraments is 11; Gaytam Dharma Sutra numbers the sacraments has 40; Vaikhanasa numbers them as 18; Smriti Chandrika mentions the number of sacraments as 16. In ancient collection of domestic rules (Greha Sutras) and in the Code of Manu, twelve purificatory rites called Sanskaras (Sacraments) were prescribed for the purification of a man’s whole nature viz.: body, soul and spirit from the taint transmitted through the womb of an earthly mother.

1. Garbhadana or Garbha-Lambhana : Impregnation. This is the first sacrament, which followed immediately on every matrimonial union. In ancient times, no bridegroom approached the bride till the fourth night, after the completion of the marriage ceremony. The present interval of two, three or four years, is quite unsupported by ancient Sutras. This first rite was sometimes called Chaturthi Karma. During the previous day, the bride and the bridegroom, after ablutions purified their bodies, and before approaching his wife, which act might bring another human being into the world, the bridegroom repeated two mantras (R'Gveda X. 186): “Let all pervading Vishnu prepare her womb; let the creator shape the forms; let Prajapati be the impregnator; let the creator give the embryo.” This sacrament, in modern times, is a physical act and has lost its religious sanctity.

2. Pumsavana : Punsavan: the impregnation rite: this rite was followed after three months. This rite was performed for getting a handsome strong male child (son). According to Vedic texts, the husband prayed, by the side of his wife, that she might give birth to a son. In this sacrament wife used to observe fast and wear new clothes. A son is fancifully said to mean one who delivers a parent from a hell called Put. The well being of the parent’s soul, after death, is believed to depend on the proper performance of the shraddha ceremonies by a son, and that the partition of the family inheritance is by law made dependent on the due celebration of such rites. This is the reason why there is a craving for a son, rather than a daughter. A son is to every Hindu, the first and the last of all necessary wishes. With the introduction of the family planning and the new laws of Hindu inheritance, the craving for the son has diminished; but still its importance has not lost. Aitareya-Brahmana of the R’Gveda VII.3.13 says, “When a father sees the face of a living son, he pays a debt in him, and gains immortality. The pleasure, which a father has in his son, exceeds all other enjoyments. His wife is a friend, his daughter an object of compassion, his son shines as his light in the highest world.” Manu says, “a man is perfect when he consists of three: himself, his wife and his son.” (VII.3) Yajnavalkya says, “immortality in future worlds and heavenly bliss are obtained by means of sons, grandsons and great grandsons.”

A further supplementary rite Anavalopna (Anavalobhana) for the prevention of miscarriage was customary in some localities. It was performed by sprinkling the juice of a stalk of Durba grass in the wife’s right nostril, with the repetition of certain mantras. This rite is no longer in practice. The importance of having a male child, however diminished, still lies in his exclusive right of offering flames to the pyre of his parents.

3. Seemantonnyan or hair parting : this sacrament is performed in the fourth month of the pregnancy. It starts with the oblation to fire, with repetition of the Vedic texts (Atharva Veda VII.17.1 Rigveda III.59.1; V.25; II 32.4-5). The woman then performed her ablutions in pure water; fragrant oil was poured on her head and a line or parting (Simanta) was drawn three times through her hair from the fore head upwards with three stalks of kusa grass bound together. Three sacred words called vyahritis (Bhur, Bhavar, Svar) and the hallowed syllable OM (AUM) uttered during each operation. Certain medicines, having purifying efficacy for the remaining period of gestation, were also given. Musical entertainment and cheering took place, thought essential for the proper development of the unborn child. The idea for the proper development of the unborn child. The idea was that the body of the mother should be consecrated and protected from evil influences at the critical period of gestation. This rite is only performed for the first pregnancy.

4. Jata Karman or birth ceremony : this sanskara (sacrament) is performed after the birth of the infant and before the severing of the umbilical cord, by the father. Honey and ghee (clarified butter) mixed together, stirred by a golden rod or spoon, a small portion of the mixture is introduced into the of mouth of a newborn infant. This rite symbolized good fortune. Certain texts were repeated (R’Gveda II.21.6; III.36.10) with the prayer: “ O long lived one, may you live a hundred years in this world, protected by the gods.” Both the ears of the infant were then touched with the golden rod repeating the prayer, “May Savitri, May Saraswati, may the Asvins, grant the wisdom.” Lastly, rubbing the shoulders, the prayer uttered is, “become firm as a rock, sharp as an axe, pure as gold; thou art the Veda called a son, live thou a hundred years. May Indra bestow on thee his best treasures.”

5. Nam karan (Nam karana – name giving): among the Hindus, giving a name, is a solemn religious ceremony, fraught with important consequences in it’s bearing on the future prospects of the infant. Asvalayasa laid down the rules based on the sound and meaning in name giving. The name of the boy should be two, four or even syllables and have a soft consonant for the first letter and a semi vowel in the middle e.g.. Bhadra, deva etc. Sarman (prosperity) for Brahmins and varman for Ksatriyas; Gupta (protected) for vaishays and Dasa (slave) for Sudras were prescribed. The female names were required to be agreeable, soft, clear, captivating, auspicious and ending in long vowels. This sacrament is performed on the 10^th or 11^th day of the birth of the child. On this occasion, food is given to the Brahman etc. according to Manu, Nam karan of each caste should be made in different way.

6. Nishkramana (Carrying out). In this sacrament, the child is taken out of the house for the first time and is made to have a “Darshan” of the sun. This sacrament is performed by the parents after four months of the birth of the child. The prayer made the occasion is: “that eye like luminary, the cause of blessings to the gods (or placed in the sky by the gods), rises in the east; may be behold it for a hundred years.” “May we hear, may we speak, may we be free from poverty for a hundred years and more.” (R’Gveda VII.66.16; Vaj – Samhita XXXVI.24).

7. Annaprasana (food giving): this is very popular and important sacrament performed in the sixth month of the birth of the child. The child carried by the father, is placed between the gathered relatives and friends. The family priest offers prayers fort the welfare of the child. The invitees present gifts. Now that the child is fit to consume solid food, the father of the child or any other member of the family, gives food, usually rice cooked in milk (kheer), to the child. In Bengal, this preparation is called Pias.