File:The World's Parliament of Religions - an illustrated and popular story of the World's First Parliament of Religions, held in Chicago in connection with the Columbian exposition of 1893 (1893) (14578766947).jpg

Identifier: worldsparliament01barr (find matches)
Title: The World's Parliament of Religions : an illustrated and popular story of the World's First Parliament of Religions, held in Chicago in connection with the Columbian exposition of 1893
Year: 1893 (1890s)
Authors: Barrows, John Henry, 1847-1902
Subjects: World's Parliament of Religions, Chicago, 1893 Religions
Publisher: Chicago : Parliament Pub. Co.
Contributing Library: Princeton Theological Seminary Library
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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rites connected with it, is the most importantof all. It is called Upanayana, the taking to the guru, but it may be yetbetter described as Initiation. The four subsidiary rites make up the fourpledges which the neophyte takes on initiation. This rite is performed onmale children alone at the age of from 5 to 8 in the case of Brdhmanas anda year or two later in the case of others, except S udras, who have nothingto do with any of the rites save marriage. The young boy is given apeculiarly prepared thread of cotton to wear constantly on the body, pass-ing it crossways over the left shoulder and under the right arm. It is themark of initiation, which consists in the imparting of the sacred secret ofthe family and the order to the boy by his father and the family guru. Theboy pledges himself to his teacher, under whose protection he henceforthbegins to reside and carry out faithfully the four vows he has taken, viz.,study, observance of religion, complete celibacy, and truthfulness. This
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INTKRIOR OF A HINDU TKMPl.E, TIIK UOU VISHNU CAKVEU IN SOUD STONB 322 PARLIAMENT PAPERS: SECOND DAY. period of pupilage ends after nine years at the shortest, and thirty-six yearsat the longest period. The boy then returns home, after duly rewarding histeacher, and finds out some suitable girl for his wife. This return in itselfmakes up the fifteenth Samskdra. The last, but not the least, is vivdha,matrimony. The Sutras and Smrtis are most clear on the injunctions aboutthe health, learning, competency, family connections, beauty, and above all,personal liking of the principal parties to a marriage. Marriages betweenchildren of the same blood or family are prohibited. As to age, the booksare very clear in ordaining that there must be a distance of at least tenyears between the respective age of wife and husband, and that the girl maybe married at any age before attaining puberty, preferably at lo or ii,though she may be affianced at about 8 or 9. Be it remembered that mar-riage and con

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