Whether Upanayanam is prescribed for Girls?

In Manu Smriti, there is no reference about a Girl being initiated through Upanayanam.

In Manu Smriti ii-67 it is stated as follows:

VaivAhiko Vidhih StriNAm SamskAro Vaidika: Smritah !
Pati SevA Gurau VAso GrhArtho AgniparikriyA !!

For girls the VivAha Vedic ceremony is to be done in lieu of Upanayana.
Their Serving the husband is in lieu of Gurukula VAsa.
Their Performance of household duties is in lieu of worship of sacrificial fires

Avatars and Vedas

The following is from Rig Veda i-154-1 which praises about the Trivikrama Avatara wherein Bhagavan measured the entire Universe with his divine feet:

vishNornukam vīryāNi pravocam Yah pārthivāni vimamerajāmsi
yo askabhāyaduttaram sadhastham vicakramāNastredhorugāyah


The following is from Rig Veda i-154-2 which mentions both about Trivikrama Avatara and Narasimha Avatara whereby Bhagavan Killed the Demon Hiranya Kasipu by taking the form of Man-Lion.

pra tad vishNu stavate vīryeNa mrgo na bhīmah kucaro girishthāh
yasyorushu trishu vikramaNeshu adhikshiyanti bhuvanāni viśvā

Like the above there are many Vedic Verses which deal with the Avataras.

Whether Chanakya finds a place in Srimad Bhagavatham?

There is a reference about ChAnakya in Srimad BhAgavatham xii-1-1


nava nandAn dvijah kascit prapannAn uddharshayati !

tesAm abhAve jagatim maurya bhoksyanti vai kalau !!

A certain Brahmana {Chanakya} will destroy the dynasty of King Nanda and his eight sons. The Mauryas will rule over the earth in their absence in Kali Yuga.

Whether Avatar of God is mentioned in the Vedas ?

There is clear mention of the Avatar ( incarnation) of God in the Vedas.

It is obvious from the Vedic Verse ajAyamAno bahudhA vijAyate (forming part of Purusha Sukta) that though unborn, Bhagavan takes avatar and that those who are steadfast know well his true form. The meaning is that a mortal is born due to his Karma whereas Bhagavan takes an Avatar based on His free Will. He is not bound by any Karma as He is always unattached towards it.

The following is from Taittiriya Aranyaka iii-40, iii-41 of Krishna Yajur Veda.


ajAyamAno bahudhA vijAyate
tasya dheerA: parijAnanti yonim

The following is from Vajasaneya Samhita - Madhyandina Sakha xxxi-19 of Sukla Yajur Veda

ajAyamAno bahudhA vijAyate
tasya yonim paripasyanti dheerA:

KARMAS

The Karmas are of three types :

Sañcita -- Accumulated over countless previous Births
Prarabdha -- Which has to be necessarily experienced in this Birth
Agami -- Produced now due to Current Karmas to be experienced in future.

There is always the concept of limited applicability of freewill as well. By doing Prayascitta Karmas it is possible to mitigate the ill-effects to some extent.

Karma phalas are of three types Papa, Punya and Misra (Mixed).

If an action is done without attachment to its result, it does not bind the doer.

The Yuga dharma also influences a person in his actions.

Whether Mangalya Dharanam is mentioned in the Vedic Scriptures?

As per Grihya Sutras, there is no practice of Mangalya Dharanam.

The important marriage ritual which consummates Marriage is holding the hand of the Bride by the Groom and doing Sapta Padi ( Joint Seven steps)..

From the bride's side it is Kanya Danam.
From the Groom's side it is Pani Grahanam ( Holding of Hand)

But there has been the practice of Mangalya dharanam for a long period.

What is the meaning of the word "Sutra" appearing in the Abhivadanam?

Sutra refers to the Grihya/ Srauta Sutra according to which one has to perform the various Nithya and Naimittika Karmas as per Vedic tradition. For example, for Krishna Yajur Veda , Apastamba Sutra is the prescribed Sutra . One who is born in this lineage has to perform the Vedic rituals in Krishna Yajur Veda as ordained by Apastamba Rishi in the Apastamba Grihya/ Srauta Sutras.

ABHIVADANAM

How to say " Abhivaadaye----"


1. Abhivaadaye
2. (.........) (..........) (.........) Trayaarsheya
{ Mention three Seers if your Gotra has three seers}
(OR)
(.........)(.........) (..........) (.........) (.........) Pancaarsheya
{Mention five Seers if your Gotra has five seers }
pravaraanvita
3. (...........) gotraH
{ Mention your Gotra}
4. (...........) sutraH
{ Mention your Sutra}
5. (..............) shaakhaa adhyaayi
{ Mention your Veda Sakha}
6. Shri (..............) sharmaa
{Mention your Name}
naamaahaM asmi bhoH !

While doing AbhivAdanam the following points have to be kept in view:

1) If One does AbhivAdanam to a respected person, that other person should say pratyabhivadanam (blessing) .

2) One should not say AbhivAdanam to SannyAsis, Women (other than one’s mother), Deities , Group of people .

3) AbhivAdanam should be done only on a one to one basis.

4) AbhivAdanam during performance of Karmas like Sandhya vandanam is allowed.