Nature & Purpose Yajur Upakrama Rg Upkrama
Listen to Upakarma MantraUpakarma (Avani Avittam): Nature and Purpose
Upakarma (/upaakarma/) means beginning or "Arambham", i.e. to begin the study of the Veda (Veda Adhyayanam). For example, Yajur Upakarma means to begin the study of the Yajur Veda. Those belonging to the Yajur Veda observe the Upakarma in the month of Sravana (August-September), on the day of the full moon (paurnami). Why begin study of the Vedas on this particular day? This auspicious day also happens to be the day when Lord Narayana took the avatara as Lord Hayagriva. Lord Hayagriva as we all know restored the Vedas to Brahma and also is the God of Knowledge.
The next question is: why do this every year? In the not too distant a past, Veda Adhyayanam was performed only during the period Avani to Tai (from mid-August to mid-January). Therefore, one is supposed to perform an "utsarjanam" in the month of Tai, i.e., a giving up of the learning of Vedas from Tai to Avani. Just like a Upakarma function there was a Utsarjana function in Tai. The period between January to August was then devoted to learning other branches of our shastras. Thus the cycle of Upakarma and Utsarjana with regard to Vedic studies was established. However, this method took 12 or more years to learn just one veda. Slowly this became impractical and Vedic studies continued throughout the year.
Therefore, the first thing to do before the Upakarma function is to do a praayaschitta (atonement) for having learned Vedas during the prohibited period. Specifically, one atones for not having performed the Utsarjanam in the month of Tai. That's why we begin the function by doing the "kAmo'karshIt..." japam. The purpose is declared as "adhyAya-utsarjana-akarana-prAyaScittArtham.." (to atone for not doing the utsarjana of Vedic study) and the sankalpam continues as "...ashTottara-sahasra-sankhyayA kAmo'karshIt manyur akArshIt mahA-mantra-japam karishye" (I will now do recite the great "kAmo'kArshIt" mantra 1008 times). The meaning in Tamil is "kAmaththAl seyya pattadhu, kOpaththAl seyya pattadhu" -- done out of desire, done out of anger. The correct way of chanting this mantra is "kAmo'karshIt manyur akArshIt". Don't add namo nama: etc. The right time to perform is immediately after your morning anushthanam like sandhya, samidaadaanam (if you are a brahmachari), brahma-yajnam etc. This is performed during the abhigamana kaalam. Brahmacharis are supposed to have a hair-cut (prefarably by a man!) after this.
The Kanda Rishis and their Significance
We saw that the "kAmo'karshIt manyur akArshIt" japam is done with a sense of contrition. Who else but Vasudeva can bear the burden of our acts of omissions and commissions with regard to shastras? SAstramayena sthira pradIpena -- Daya Devi (compassion of the Lord personified) lights the lamp of shastras so that the jiva can find its way to its home in the Absolute.
After the kamo'karsheeth japam, we proceed to perform the Upakarma function. It is done after mAdhyAhnikam and bhagavad-ArAdhanam (ijyA). The main purpose of the Upakarma function is to offer prayers and express our gratitude to those rishis who gave us the Vedas -- the rishis through whom the Vedic mantras were revealed. These rishis are known as "kaanda rishis". There are different rishis for the different Vedas. We are expected to worship those rishis who belong to our shakha or branch of the Veda, one of Yajur, Rk, Samam etc. The Yajur Veda consists of 4 kaandams. These are known as
- prAjApatya kaaNDam
- saumya kaaNDam
- Agneya kaaNDam and
- vaishvadeva kaaNDam.
These kaandams are named after those rishis who first taught the Vedas, viz., Prajapati, Soma, Agni and Vishvadeva. Subsequently we also offer our prayers to the Upanishads saamhiti, yaajniki, and vaaruni, and finally to Svayambhu and Sadasaspati, through whom the Yajur Veda came down to us.
The sankalpam is mainly taken for performing the Upakarma Homam. Then we say tad angam snAnam karishye, tad angam yajnopavIta-dhAraNam karishye, tad angam kANDarshi tarpaNam karishye -- which implies that all other activities like snaanam, yajnopaveeta dhaaranam, tarpanam etc., are only performed as an 'angam' or subsidiary to the Upakarma Homam (which is the angi or primary).
In the Upakarma Homam as well as in the tarpanam, the offerings are made to the kaanda rishis. In fact this tarpanam is so important that it is included as part of our nitya karma-anushthaanam, our daily worship. There are other minor points that are worth noting:
- Brahmacharis should wear maunji (belt made of sacred grass), ajinam (deerskin) and dandam (stick made of palaasa wood) after they wear the poonool (sacred thread). There are separate mantras for each.
- It is said that: purAtanAn parityajya which implies that you should wear a new set of clothes (veshti and uttarIyam) before the tarpanam and homam.
- It is also said that: kAndarshi tarpaNa-kAle punaH snAtvA Ardra vastra eva tat kuryAt, i.e, before performing the kaanda rishi tarpanam you should once again take a dip in the water and do it with wet clothes.
- The rishi tarpanam is done with the poonool in the nivita position (like a garland) and the water along with rice and sesame seeds should leave the root of the small finger.
- In some traditions you fast on the Upakarma day or at least fast till the end.
- In some traditions a general pitr tarpanam is also done.
Yajur Upakrama
(1) Do morning nityakarmas including sandhyAvandanam as one
would do on any other day.
(2) kAmo'kArshIt manyur akArshIt japam
(first time upAkarmins [talai AvaNi aviTTam] skip this)
(a) Acamanam twice
(b) prANAyAma
(c) sankalpam, including sAttvika tyAgam:
taishyAm paurNamAsyAm adhyAya-utsarjana-akaraNa-prAyaScitta-artham,
ashTottara-sahasra (1008) [ashTottara-Sata (108)] sankhyayA "kAmo'kArshIt
manyur akArshIt" mahAmantra-japam karishye.
(e) Do japam of "kAmo'kArshIt manyur akArshIt" 1008 or 108 times
as one has resolved.
(f) Acamanam once, followed by sAttvika tyAgam
(3) Perform mAdhyAhnikam, including mAdhyAhnika snAnam if one is
accustomed, followed by bhagavad-ArAdhanam. After this, strictly
speaking, one should wait until the afternoon (aparAhna) to perform
the upAkarma, but these days, due to exigencies of work, etc.,
people do it earlier.
(4) Preparing for the upAkarma
Seated facing east, wearing a pavitram if available,
after Acamanam twice, prANAyama, and sankalpa, including
sAttvika tyAgam:
SrAvaNyAm paurNamAsyAm adhyAya-upAkarma karishye,
tad angam kAndarshi-tarpaNam karishye,
tad angam yajnopavIta-dhAraNam karishye,
tad angam snAnam karishye.
[ Brahmacharis add: tad angatayA maunji-ajina-daNDa-dhAraNAni karishye ]
(a) First, do the 'nimitta snAnam'. The very orthodox, performing this ritual
at a river bank or pushkariNi, would have done the snAnam immediately
upon reaching the water. If this is not possible, do mAnasika snAnam as
a bare minimum.
(b) Wear the new yajnopavItam (poonool-s) with appropriate mantras
(c) Brahmacharis should recite mantras for the darbha belt (maunji),
krishNAjina (a piece of deer skin), and palAsa daNDa
and if possible wear them
(d) Acamanam
(5) Nava kANDa Rshi tarpaNam
(a) Acamanam twice
(b) Facing north, walk knee-deep into a river or pool of fresh water
if possible. Otherwise stand where you are; traditionally, your clothes
should be wet. Do as you can.
(c) For each of the following, offer a mixture of (uncooked) rice,
black sesame seeds (eL), and water, as you say 'tarpayAmi'. Each line
should be said three times. Preferably, someone should help
by pouring the water as you release the rice and sesame, as this
makes it easier.
Wear the yajnopavItam as a necklace (nivItam). For the first seven,
cup both your hands together, having the yajnopavItam's brahma-mudi
(knots) resting in your palms and with the threads going between
your thumb and forefinger of each hand. The water should be released
along with the sesame and rice between the two hands, at the base
of the little finger. This is known as Rshi tIrtham.
(i) prajApatim kANDarshim tarpayAmi
(ii) sOmam kANDarshim tarpayAmi
(iii) agnim kANDarshim tarpayAmi
(iv) viSvAn devAn kANDarshim tarpayAmi
(v) sAmhitIr devatA upanishadas tarpayAmi
(vi) yajnikIr devatA upanishadas tarpayAmi
(vii) vAruNIr devatA upanishadas tarpayAmi
Now, still nivItam, the water mixture should be released towards
you, off of the base of the hands near the palms (i.e., away from
the fingertips). Typically this is done by pointing the fingers
straight up, keeping the sides of the hands together.
This is known as brahma-tIrtham.
(viii) brahmANaGM svayambhuvam tarpayAmi
Now the water should be poured as deva-tIrtham. This means that
the water mixture should be poured off the tips of the fingers.
(ix) sadasaspatim tarpayAmi
(x) See Note (f) below
(e) Return to upavItam, i.e., your poonool in its normal position.
Finish with Acamanam and sAttvika tyAgam, and change into dry clothes.
(6) Traditionally there is now a upAkarma homa, where the rishis
and devatAs mentioned above are once again saluted using the sacred
fire. The there is vedArambha, where the first four anuvAkas of the
yajur veda samhita are taught to the sishyas. This is followed by
jayAdi homam.
These may not be available if one is away from one's elders and
acharyas. At minimum, it is recommended that you recite one anuvAka
from your veda on this day. The Purusha Sukta suffices, for example.
If you haven't learnt any of your veda, you should do gAyatrI japam
in its place.
[ It is often erroneously thought that upAkarma or AvaNi aviTTam is
primarily the changing the yajnopavItam (poonool). This cannot be
further from the truth. Changing the poonool happens very often,
whenever a significant vedic karma is performed. UpAkarma, however, is
a rededication of oneself to the study of one's Veda, along with a
salutations to the rishis who perceived and revealed the Vedic mantras
to the world. This is the significance of the nava-kANDarshi tarpaNam
and the anuvAka recitation. ]
Notes
(a) On the UpAkarma day, strictly speaking, the rule is to eat only after
bhagavad-ArAdhana and the homam. If done properly this lasts well into
the afternoon. Because of the length of the procedure, young brahmacharis
and those others who are absolutely unable to bear their hunger are permitted
to eat before the homam itself. The typical meal consists of idli and
appam, but excludes rice. Complete fasting is observed after this
through the night, in preparation for the next day's gAyatrI japam.
(b) The mantra for the kAmo'kArshIt japam is "kAmo'kArshIt manyur akArshIt".
Most authorities end with this, and do not follow it by anything else.
However, in some traditions, the mantra is "kAmo'kArshIt manyur akArshIt namo namaH".
(c) Some people also change their yajnopavItam before the kAmo'kArshIt
japam, in addition to the changing done for upAkarma itself. It should
be remembered that the changing before upAkarma is the more important
one, and if one only wants to change once, the upAkarma changing is
preferred.
The reason for this is as follows. the kAmo'kArshIt japam is done as an
atonement, a prAyaScittam for *not* having done the traditional utsarjana
sankalpa earlier in the year. The sankalpa for the japam says this explicitly
('adhyAya-utsarjana-akaraNa'). Just as upAkarma is the formal
recommencement of Vedic studies, the utsarjana is a sankalpa done to
formally halt study of the Vedas and commence study of grammar, prosody,
pronounciation, astronomy, etymology, etc., as well as other shastras,
all of which are helpful in understanding the Vedas. The year was
therefore divided into two, one half for studying the Vedas, the other
half for studying the VedAngas or Vedic accessories.
The utsarjana has unfortunately fallen into disuse for quite a while,
so what remains is the meagre prAyaScittam for not having done it.
Therefore, the important yajnopavItam changing is for the upAkarma.
(d) sankalpa details
The following is said for any major sankalpa (mahA-sankalpa). The
underlined parts change depending on the day and are specified below
for upAkarma this year (2001).
After acharya vandanam and vishvaksena dhyAnam,
hari om tat SrI govinda govinda govinda!
asya SrI-bhagavato mahApurushasya
vishNor AjnayA pravartamAnasya
adya brahmaNe dvitIyaparArdhe SrI-Sveta-varAha-kalpe
vaivasvata-manvantare kaliyuge prathamapAde
jambudvIpe, bhAratavarshe, bharatakhaNDe,
SakAbde, meror dakshiNe pArSve
asmin vartamAnAnAm vyAvahArikANAm
prabhavAdi shashTi samvatsarANAm madhye
vikrama nAma samvatsare
dakshiNAyane, varsha Rtau, SrAvaNa mAse, Sukla pakshe,
paurNamAsyAm Subha-tithau,
(if in the USA):
soma-vAsara-sravaNa-nakshatra yuktAyAm,
(if in Madras or Singapore):
bhauma-vAsara-sravishTa-nakshatra yuktAyAm,
SrI-vishnu-yoga SrI-vishnu-karaNa Subha-yoga Subha-karaNa
evam guNa-viSeshaNa viSishTAyAm,
asyAm Subha-tithau,
SrI-bhagavad-AjnayA
[ SrIman-nArAyaNa-prItyartham OR
bhagavat-kainkarya-rUpam OR
bhagavat-prItyartham, depending on sampradAya ]
followed by the sankalpa for the particular karma.
Having said a mahA-sankalpa once for a particular ritual, it need not be
said again and again in its entireity. It is enough to say "pUrvoccarita
evam guNa-viSeshaNa viSishTAyAm, asyAm Subha-tithau, SrI-bhagavad-AjnayA..."
(e) sAttvika tyAgam details
sAttvika tyAgam is a moment of contemplation whereby one dedicates
the act and all its fruits entirely to Bhagavan, and where one recognizes
that Bhagavan himself is performing the act through you entirely for His own
purposes. Typically, as an expression of this attitude, a brief sentence
is stated before and after performing the karma. In an abbreviated form,
here is one version:
Before doing the karma:
bhagavAn eva svaniyAmya sva-Sesha-bhUtena mayA
svasmai svaprItaye svayam eva [name of the act] kArayati.
After doing the karma, say the same thing, except replace the
last word "kArayati" with "kAritavAn".
(f) After the kANDa-rishi tarpaNam, some people add:
Rg-vedam tarpayAmi
yajur-vedam tarpayAmi
sAma-vedam tarpayAmi
atharvaNa-vedam tarpayAmi
itihAsam tarpayAmi
purANam tarpayAmi
kalpam tarpayAmi
Some also now recommend pitR tarpaNam (prAcIna-vItam) for
those whose fathers are no longer alive.
(g) procedure for wearing the yajnopavitam (poonool)
(1) Sit squatting (kukkuTTAsanam) facing east. Acamanam twice
(2) prANAyAmam, wearing pavitram if available
(3) sankalpam, with sAttvika tyAgam:
Srauta-smArta-vihita-nitya-karma-anushThAna-
yogyatA-siddhyartham yajnopavIta-dhAraNam karishye
(4) Put one yajnopavItam on at a time. To do this,
hold the yajnopavItam with both hands, with your right
palm facing up over your head, and your left palm facing
the ground. The top of the brahma-mudi (knot) should be
on your right palm and should be facing right. Then say
this mantra, while holding the sacred thread this way:
yajnopavIta-dhAraNa-mantrasya
brahmA Rshi:
trishTup chanda:
trayIvidyA devatA
yajnopavIta dhAraNe viniyoga:
yajnopavItam paramam pavitram, prajApater yat sahajam purastAt |
Ayushyam ugryam pratimunca Subhram yajnopavItam balam astu teja: ||
Now wear the yajnopavItam. Acamanam once.
If you are married, repeat this procedure for the second yajnopavItam,
from the praNAyAmam and sankalpa to the mantra, and wear the thread.
Acamanam.
Then, after saying
upavItam chinnantu jIrNam kaSmala-dUshitam |
visRjAmi punar brahman varco dIrghAyur astu me ||
remove the old yajnopavItams and discard them under a tree or some
other natural place. Don't throw them in the garbage!
Acamanam again followed by sAttvika tyAgam.
(h) mantras for wearing the maunji, ajina, and palAsa daNDa:
(1) maunji
, , , ,,
iyam duruktAt paribAdhamAnA Sarma varUtham punatIna AgAt |
- - - - - -
, , , ,
prANApAnAbhyAm balamAbharantI priyA dEvAnAGM subhagA mEkhaleyam ||
- - - - - - - - - -
, , , ,
Rtasya gOptrI tapasa: parasvIghnatI raksha: sahamAnA arAtI: |
- - - - - -
, , , , ,
sAna: samantamanu parIhi bhadhrayA bhartAraste mekhale mA rishAma ||
- - - - -
(2) ajina
, , , , ,
mitrasya cakshur dharuNam balIyas tejo yaSasvi sthaviraGM samiddham |
- - - - - - - -
, ,
anAhanasyam vasanam jarishNu parIdham vAjyajinam dadhe'ham ||
-- - - - - - -
(3) daNDa
, , , ,
suSravassuSravasam mA kuru yathA tvaGM suSrava: susravA asyevamahaGM
- - - - - - - -
, , , , ,, ,,
suSravassuSravA bhUyAsam yathA tvaGM suSravassuSravo devAnAm nidhigOpO-
- - - - - - - -
,, , ,
'syevamaham brAhmaNAnAm brahmaNo nidhigOpO bhUyAsam ||
- - - -
Rg Upakrama
(1) Do morning nityakarmas including sandhyAvandanam as one
would do on any other day.
(2) kAmo'kArshIt manyur akArshIt japam
(first time upAkarmins skip this)
(I am including this because I think this part is the same as for
yajur veda. Please fix or skip if I am mistaken.)
(a) Acamanam twice
(b) prANAyAma
(c) mahA-sankalpam, including sAttvika tyAgam:
adhyAya-utsarjana-akaraNa-prAyaScitta-artham,
ashTottara-sahasra (1008) [ashTottara-Sata (108)] sankhyayA "kAmo'kArshIt
manyur akArshIt" mahAmantra-japam karishye.
(e) Do japam of "kAmo'kArshIt manyur akArshIt" 1008 or 108 times
as one has resolved.
(f) Acamanam once, followed by sAttvika tyAgam
(3) Perform mAdhyAhnikam, including mAdhyAhnika snAnam if one is
accustomed.
(4) Preparing for the upAkarma
Seated facing east, wearing a pavitram if available,
after Acamanam twice, prANAyama, and mahA-sankalpa, including
sAttvika tyAgam:
SrAvaNyAm SravaNa-nakshatre
adhItAnAm chandasAm ayAta-yAmatvAya
vIryavattA-siddhyartham adhyAya-upAkarma karishye,
tad angam tarpaNAdi karishye,
tad angam snAnam karishye.
(a) Bathe once again (at least mAnasika snAnam:
apavitra: pavitro vA sarvAvasthAm gato'pi vA |
ya: smaret puNDarIkAksham sa bAhyAbhyantara-suci: ||
Think of Lord as the lotus-eyes Pundarikaksha and
sprinkle a little water (prokshaNa) on the place
where you will sit/squat. )
(5) maNDala-deva-tarpaNam, etc.
(a) Acamanam twice
(b) sankalpa specifically for the tarpaNam:
SrAvaNyAm SravaNa-nakshatre adhItAnAm vIryatA-siddhyartham
svAdhyAya-Atmaka-deva-rshi-pitR-prItyartham sAvitryAdi-
nava-pradhAna-devatAnAm agnyAdi-vimSati-maNDala-devatAnAm
brahma-yajna-devatAnAm ca tarpaNam karishye
(c) tarpaNam done upavItI (yajnopavItam in standard position)
(I can't give you any more details about how it
is to be done. Probably this should be deva-tIrtham)
sAvitrIm tarpayAmi
brahmANam ''
SraddhAm ''
medhAm ''
prajnAm ''
dhAraNAm ''
sadasaspatim ''
anumatim ''
chandobhya Rshibhya: ''
agnim ''
aptRNasUryam ''
agnim ''
Sukantam ''
agnim ''
Apa: tRpyantu
agnim tarpayAmi
maruta: tRpyantu
agnim tarpayAmi
varmANam tarpayAmi
agnim tarpayAmi
mitrAvaruNau tRpyetAm
agnim tarpayAmi
indrAsomau tRpyetAm
indram tarpayAmi
agnimarutau tRpyetAm
pavamAnasomau tRpyetAm
somam tarpayAmi
agnim tarpayAmi
samjnAnam tarpayAmi
viSvadevA: tRpyantu
devatA: tRpyantu
agnis tRpyatu
vishNus tRpyatu
prajApatis tRpyatu
brahmA tRpyatu
vedA: tRpyantu
devA: tRpyantu
Rshaya: tRpyantu
sarvANi chandAmsi tRpyantu
omkAra: tRpyatu
vashaTkAra: tRpyatu
vyAhRtaya: tRpyantu
sAvitrI tRpyatu
yajnA: tRpyantu
dyAvA-pRthivI tRpyetAm
antariksham tRpyatu
aho-rAtrANi tRpyantu
sankhyA: tRpyantu
sAnkhyA: tRpyantu
siddhA: tRpyantu
sAdhyA: tRpyantu
samudrA: tRpyantu
nadya: tRpyantu
gAva: tRpyantu
giraya: tRpyantu
kshetroushadhi-vanaspati-gandharva-apsarasa: tRpyantu
nAgA: tRpyantu
vayAmsi tRpyantu
viprA: tRpyantu
yakshA: tRpyantu
bhUtAni tRpyantu
(d) tarpaNam done nivItI (yajnopavItam like a necklace/garland.
tarpaNam should probably be done Rshi-tIrtham)
Satarcina: tRpyantu
mAdhyamA: tRpyantu
gRsnamada: tRpyatu
viSvAmitra: tRpyatu
vAmadeva: tRpyatu
atri: tRpyatu
bharadvAja: tRpyatu
vasishTha: tRpyatu
pragAthA: tRpyantu
pAvamAnya: tRpyantu
kshudra-sUktA: tRpyantu
mahA-sUktA: tRpyantu
(e) tarpaNam done prAcIna-vItI (yajnopavItam on opposite side.
tarpaNam should probably be pitR-tIrtham)
jaimini-vaiSampAyana-paila-sUtrabhAshya-bhArata-mahAbhArata-
dharmAcAryA: tRpyantu
jAnanti-bAhavi-gArgya-gautama-Sakalya-bAbhravya-mANDUkya-
mANDukeyA: tRpantu
gArgI tRpyatu
vAcaknavI tRpyatu
baDabA: tRpyatu
prAtitheyI tRpyatu
sulabhA tRpyatu
maitreyi tRpyatu
kahoLam tarpayAmi
kaushItakam tarpayAmi
mahAkaushItakam tarpayAmi
bharadvAjam tarpayAmi
paingam tarpayAmi
mahApaingam tarpayAmi
suyajnam tarpayAmi
sAnkhyAyanam tarpayAmi
aitareyam tarpayAmi
mahaitareyam tarpayAmi
bAshkalam tarpayAmi
gArgyam tarpayAmi
gautamam tarpayAmi
sujAtavaktram tarpayAmi
audavAhim tarpayAmi
mahaudavAhim tarpayAmi
saujAmim tarpayAmi
Saunakam tarpayAmi
ASvalAyanam tarpayAmi
ye ca anye AcAryA: te sarve tRpyantu
(f) If one's father is no longer alive, now pitR tarpaNam
(e) Return to upavItam, i.e., your poonool in its normal position.
Finish with Acamanam and sAttvika tyAgam, and change into dry clothes.
(6) yajnopavIta dhAraNam (listed in Notes for Yajur Veda but probably the same
for Rg Veda)
(a) Wear the new yajnopavItam (poonool-s) with appropriate mantras
(b) Brahmacharis should recite mantras for the darbha belt (maunji),
krishNAjina (a piece of deer skin), and palAsa daNDa
and if possible wear them
(7) Traditionally there is now a upAkarma homa, where the rishis
and devatAs mentioned above are once again saluted using the sacred
fire. The there is vedArambha, where the beginning of the Rg Veda
is taught to the sishyas.
These may not be available if one is away from one's elders and
acharyas. At minimum, it is recommended that you recite one anuvAka
from your veda on this day.
[ It is often erroneously thought that upAkarma or AvaNi aviTTam is
primarily the changing the yajnopavItam (poonool). This cannot be
further from the truth. Changing the poonool happens very often,
whenever a significant vedic karma is performed. UpAkarma, however, is
a rededication of oneself to the study of one's Veda, along with a
salutations to the rishis who perceived and revealed the Vedic mantras
to the world. This is the significance of the tarpaNam and the
anuvAka recitation. ]
(7) Next is bhagavad-ArAdhanam, as you would do on any normal day.
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Notes
(a) On the UpAkarma day, complete fasting is observed at night and a small
meal is eaten during the day. This meal typically consists of idli or
something similar, but excludes rice. Please also remember that you
are not supposed to eat anything until after bhagavad-ArAdhanam.
(b) The mantram for the kAmo'kArshIt japam is "kAmo'kArshIt manyur akArshIt".
It is not followed by "namo namaH".
(c) sankalpa details
The following is said for any major sankalpa (mahA-sankalpa).
What is specified below is for Rg upAkarma this year (1999).
After acharya vandanam and vishvaksena dhyAnam,
hari om tat SrI govinda govinda govinda!
asya SrI-bhagavato mahApurushasya
vishNor AjnayA pravartamAnasya
adya brahmaNe dvitIyaparArdhe SrI-Sveta-varAha-kalpe
vaivasvata-manvantare kaliyuge prathamapAde
jambudvIpe, bhAratavarshe, bharatakhaNDe,
SakAbde, meror dakshiNe pArSve
asmin vartamAnAnAm vyAvahArikANAm
prabhavAdi shashTi samvatsarANAm madhye
vikrama nAma samvatsare
dakshiNAyane, varsha Rtau, SrAvaNa mAse, Sukla pakshe,
paurNamAsyAm Subha-tithau, soma-vAsara-SravaNa-nakshatra yuktAyAm,
SrI-vishnu-yoga SrI-vishnu-karaNa Subha-yoga Subha-karaNa
evam guNa-viSeshaNa viSishTAyAm,
asyAm Subha-tithau,
SrI-bhagavad-AjnayA
[ SrIman-nArAyaNa-prItyartham OR
bhagavat-kainkarya-rUpam OR
bhagavat-prItyartham, depending on sampradAya ]
followed by the sankalpa for the particular karma.
(e) sAttvika tyAgam details
sAttvika tyAgam means dedicating the act one is performing
or has performed entirely to Bhagavan, and that Bhagavan is
performing it through you entirely for Himself. It is said
before and after performing the karma. In an abbreviated form,
here is one version:
Before doing the karma:
bhagavAn eva svaniyAmya sva-Sesha-bhUtena mayA
svasmai svaprItaye svayam eva [name of the act] kArayati.
After doing the karma, say the same thing, except replace the
last word "kArayati" with "kAritavAn".
(f) procedure for wearing the yajnopavitam (poonool)
(1) Sit squatting (kukkuTTAsanam) facing east. Acamanam twice
(2) prANAyAmam, wearing pavitram if available
(3) sankalpam, with sAttvika tyAgam:
Srauta-smArta-vihita-nitya-karma-anushThAna-
yogyatA-siddhyartham yajnopavIta-dhAraNam karishye
(4) Put one yajnopavItam on at a time. To do this,
hold the yajnopavItam with both hands, with your right
palm facing up over your head, and your left palm facing
the ground. The top of the brahma-mudi (knot) should be
on your right palm and should be facing right. Then say
this mantra, while holding the sacred thread this way:
yajnopavIta-dhAraNa-mantrasya
brahmA Rshi:
trishTup chanda:
trayIvidyA devatA
yajnopavIta dhAraNe viniyoga:
yajnopavItam paramam pavitram, prajApater yat sahajam purastAt |
Ayushyam ugryam pratimunca Subhram yajnopavItam balam astu teja: ||
Now wear the yajnopavItam. Acamanam once.
If you are married, repeat this procedure for the second yajnopavItam,
from the praNAyAmam and sankalpa to the mantra, and wear the thread.
Acamanam.
Then, after saying
upavItam chinnantu jIrNam kaSmala-dUshitam |
visRjAmi punar brahman varco dIrghAyur astu me ||
remove the old yajnopavItams and discard them under a tree or some
other natural place. Don't throw them in the garbage!
Acamanam again followed by sAttvika tyAgam.
(5) mantras for maunji, ajina, and daNDa dhAraNam
(a) maunji
prAvepAmA bRhatA mAdayanti pravA tejA hariNe vavRtAnA: |
somasyeva maujavatasya bhaksho vibhIdako jAgRvirmahyamacchAn ||
(b) ajina
RRk-sAmAbhyAm-abhihitau gAvau te sAma nAvita: |
Srotram te cakre AstAm divi panthAS carAcara: ||
(c) daNDa
esha ksheti rathavIthir maghavA gomatIranu ||
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