The meaning of the word Samskar is to cleanse the doshas (something not favourable). The purpose of different samskaras is to bring in eligibility into the human being to attain the four purushartha namely
Dharma, Artha, Kama & Moksha.
According to Shabar swami the meaning of samskar is-
Samskaro nama sa bhavati Yasmin jaate
padartho Bhavati yogyah kashchid arthasya Translation- Samskar is that which removes the defect from a person or a substance and makes it eligible.
There are two types of eligibility born out of the ritual of Samskar,
- The eligibility due to the birth of new gunas (qualities)
- The eligibility due to the removal of previous doshas (defects)
Thus there are two types of Samskaras namely-
Doshapanayan (removal of defects)
Gunadhaan (producing qualities)
(According to some scholars there exists a third type of samskar too which is known as Hinaangpurti or completing the missing part)
Let us try to understand the different types of samskaras by this example-
A mirror covered with dust is first cleansed with water and cloth, this activity will be called doshapanayan or malapanayan or removing the defects.
After that a specific chemical shall be used to make the mirror more brilliant than usual, this activity shall be known as gunadhaan or producing qualities (gunas).
Even the food we eat has been processed through different samskaras such as cleansing, boiling, cooking, adding other ingredients.
All of these activites can be classified into the categories of Doshapanayan or Gunadhaan samskar.
Similiarly to become eligible for Moksha and other purushartha (Dharma, Artha & Kama) a man shall undergo the different samskaras which are appropriate and rightful to him.
The rights of different varnas to different samskaras-
Yajnavalkyasmriti verse-10
Brahmakshatriyavittshudra varnaastvadyastrayo dvijah
Nishekaadishmashanantastesham vai mantratah kriyah
Translation- Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra among these four the first three are known as dvijas. From the samskar of Garbhadhaan to the last samskar (performed at the death) all of the samskaras shall be performed with vedic mantras of dvijas.
For the shudras 10 samskaras (starting from Garbhadhaan till Vivah samskaar) shall be performed without the chanting of Vedic mantras, only upanayan samskar shall not be performed for the shudras. As said in Yamasamhita
shudro pyevamvidhah karyo vina mantren samskritah
For women all the samskaras starting from Garbhadhaan till karnavedhak shall be performed without mantras and Vivah samskar shall be performed with mantras (Vedic), as said by Maharshi Vyas in Vyas-smriti.
Navaitaah karnavedhaanta mantravarja kriyah striyah vivaho mantratastasyah shudrasyaamantrato dasha
Translation- The nine samskaras up till the samskar of Karnavedha (ear piercing) shall be performed without mantras (Vedic) only the Vivah samskar shall be performed with the recital of mantras (Vedic), for Shudras even the Vivah samskar (marriage ceremony) shall be not performed with the recital of Vedic mantras.
Now the question arises that is it necessary to undergo the rituals of every samskar?
The answer is very simple, if one understands that this human life is not solely meant for enjoyment and if one aspires to worship different Devatas and his forefathers. If one aspires to attain the four purusharthas. If a Dvija aspires to learn the Vedas and its different parts.
Then yes all of the samskaras are certainly very important. As the samskaras purify the person undergoing them and make them eligible for attaining different purusharthas.
There are different lists of samskaras given in different scriptures, Rishi Jatukarnya gives a list of 16 samskaras, which are as follows
- Garbhadhaan
- Pumsavan
- Simantonnayan
- Jaatkarma
- Naamkaran
- Annpraashan
- Chudakaran
- Upanayan
- Vedarambha
- Brahmavarta
- Vedavrata
- Godan
- Samavartan
- Vivah
- Braahmavart
- Antyakarma
Maharshi Angira adds some more samskaras to the list such as
- Aagrayana
- Ashtaka
- Shravanikarma
- Aashvayujikarma
- Pratyavarohan
- Darshashraddha
- Vedarambha
- Vedotsarjan
- Panca maha yajna
Similiarly we find the list of 40 samskaras in Gautam smriti, somewhere else we find the description of 48 samskaras too.
In the upcoming threads we shall be discussing on each and every samskar (16) in great detail along with the procedure to follow that particular ritual of Samskar.