Dharma and the individual

A long standing tension in many Asian religious philosophies:

-liberation (mosksa) through renunciation vs. social engagement (dharma)

-responses: dharma and moksa are worthy goals; stages in life to best pursue particular goals

Samskara: Hindu Rites of Passage

- life should be lived in sequential stages in accord with one's varna and gender

- each stage marked with an appropriate life-cycle ritual or samskara

- participation certifies that one is a member of the Hindu tradition

- as many as 40 samskara's prescribed, but only about 12 are commonly discussed

- most important are the Investiture with the Sacred Thread, Marriage, and Cremation

- through samskara Hindus affirms the religious authority of the Brahmin priest

The Sacred Thread (Upanayana) :

- prescribed for males twice-born (dvija) adolescent

- said to grant a second birth; initiation into the sacred knowledge of sacrifice

- boy must shave his head leaving only a tuft of hair, known as Sikha; he is given a staff, belt and antelope skin, symbolic of the ascetics, few possessions

- given a sacred thread; the priest whispers the Gayatri mantra in the boys ear

- transmission of the sacred verse (manta) is a common mode of spiritual initiation (diksa)

- embodies a fusion of the renouncer's way of life with the values of the householder

- marks entry into the student stage of life, the first of four prescribed stages

Marriage (vivaha)

Marriage forms the cornerstone of Hindu religious life

- marks girl's entrance into spiritual life; for both, marks the beginning of householder

- thus they support most other institutions religious forms

- Hindu marriages are responsible for the regular performance of religious rites

- Hindu marriages generally arranged by parents

- castes, age education... are important features in the decision marking process

- the prospective couple meet a few times to get to know each other

-astrology charts are consulted; horoscopic incompatibility would lead to an annulment

- men are able to remarry if the couple is unable to have children; women usually do not remarry

Hindu marriage is not primarily the joining together due to their manual love for each other, "love-based" attraction are envisioned as having unpleasant results for all concerned. marriages link individuals and connect family lineages. The man goal of marriage is to produce offspring, preferably a male heir.

The Hindu wedding ritual

- varies considerably by region; costly, often putting families of bride and groom in debt; more expensive for the family of the bride is dowry tradition if followed

- wedded couple emulates the kingly paradigm; the daughter is gifted to the groom

-bride becomes part of the grooms family and leave her own

- groom leads the bride around the sacred fire; followed by the spatapadi rite; leads the bride to take seven steps in a northerly direction; highpoint of the ceremony; this rite legally sanctions the marriage; the groom ties a thread neaklace symbolizing auspiciousness on the bride; applies bright red powder between the part in her hair- symbolizes married status