Uddālakavrata

By Swami Harshananda

Uddālakavrata literally means ‘penance prescribed by Uddālaka’.

Age Criteria for Upanayāna Ceremony[edit]

Any boy born in the family of a dvija^[1] is expected to undergo the Upanayāna sacrament within the prescribed age-limit. This age limit is:

16 years for a brāhmaṇa
22 years for a kṣattriya
24 years for a vaiśya

If he fails to do so, he is branded as patitasāvitrīka or vrātya.^[2]

Uddālaka Vrata[edit]

One of the expiations prescribed for such a person to become fit again for the Upanyāna sacrament is the Uddālaka Vrata. Since the sage Uddālaka-Āruṇi prescribed it, it has been named after him. A person who performs this vrata should subsist on the prescribed food as follows:

For two months on barley gruel
For one month on milk
For half-a-month on āmikṣā^[3]
For eight days on ghee
For six days on alms got without begging
For three days on water
Total fast for one day^[4]

References[edit]

↑ Dvija literally means the twice-born.
↑ ‘Sāvitrī’ means the Gāyatrī mantra.
↑ Āmikṣā means whey.
↑ Vaṣisthasmrti 11.76-79

The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

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[1] Dvija literally means the twice-born.

[2] ‘Sāvitrī’ means the Gāyatrī mantra.

[3] Āmikṣā means whey.

[4] Vaṣisthasmrti 11.76-79

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