Before beginning please also read through my other post on Sandhyavandhanam. Click on the link icon below.
I would love to share the significance of Janeu / Poonol / Yagnopavitam / Yagnopavit. It is three sacred and holy cotton threads is symbol of spirituality, sacrifice, mother, role model etc. Wearing Janeu on the left shoulder represent three core idea of Hinduism, focusing on the spiritual journey; don’t forget the responsibility towards the parent and spiritual teachers. It means we all must remember the obligation of the God, Parents and Teacher. In many region of India, people arrange Yagnopavit ceremony with great joy, it means child enter in the Brahmacharya life and must focus on the study and spirituality, in ancient time only after Yagnopavit, child can go to Gurukul for study. Sixteen Sanskar of the life are mentioned and followed in our culture as per Holy Scriptures, Yagnopavit is one of the important Sanskar. As per this everyone have to start study after wearing the Janeu only. Janeu is worn on the left shoulder which means shouldering the burdens of life with patience. It runs over the heart indicating a life of faith and determination. It touches the back which is the symbol of commitment. Thus, symbolically Janeu instruct a man to a life of commitment, courage, determination, faith, patience. Young unmarried boys wear sacred janeu threads with 3 strands. The married men wear sacred threads with 6 strands. Three fibers are woven into one thread and the three threads are then knotted together. Three threads represent three stages of life, student – Brahmacharya, house holder – Gruhasta and retire – Vanprastha.
Lot of People has question why only Brahmins wear it ? There has been a lineage of traditions followed centuries by ancestors in families. Such families have been wearing Yagnopavitam ever since, until now. But simply wearing a thread doesn’t mean you are a brahmin or even wearing a yagnopavit after your Upanayanam also doesn’t classify you as a Brahmin. You have to stay committed to your generic duties as brahmacharya, gruhastha and vanaprashta along with performing Sandhyavandhanam and abstain from the 4 deadly sins (Alcohol and intoxicants, illicit sex, eating meat and tamasic food and gambling). Therefore if you wish to be a Brahmin, you are very welcome. Any Guru can give you the Upadesham / Brahmopadesh (procedure) to become one. Also if you claim yourself as Brahmin just by lineage without doing Sandhyavandhan and Gayathri Japam, then you my friend are not a Brahmin. We all are Brahmins by our duties and commitment and not by lineage, and this has been mentioned by Shri Krishna in Bhagavatam. Hence the title.
Also just to introduce myself, I am
“Abhivadaye angeerataha Bharadhwaja trayo Risheya
Barhaspatya pravaranvitha
Bharadhwaja gothra
Samashakha adhyay
Sri Hari sarmanama aham asmibho”
Decode this 🙂
Welcome to the path of peace 