The boy then goes to beg alms, first from his mother and later from all other women gathered in the venue. These alms can be money, small rings of silver, rice, wheat or gold. Finally, the guru puts the Janeo on the boy. During the ceremony, holy water is sprinkled with a tuft of grass and simultaneously Gayatri mantra is recited. For the first time during this ceremony, the boy is taught to repeat the pious Vedic prayer for illumination called Savitri, or Gayatri from R'Gveda. He is taught to utter the sacred syllable 'OM' (AUM) and the other tire names of the seven worlds like Bhur, Bhuvar, Svar, etc. The boy gets accustomed to the Vedic texts through mantras. Teachings from Manu, Sanskrit books, law books starts after this Janeo ceremony. |