WHETHER UPANAYANAM HAS TO BE PERFORMED ONLY WHEN THERE IS GURUBALAM?

The dharma SAstras prescribe age as the only criterion for performing Upanayanam. They have not mandated Gurubalam etc for performance of Upanayanam. There is  authority for performance of Upanayana even at the early age of five. We have to always keep in mind that in respect of any karma, dharma SAstras provide for multiple options and thus allowing from the age of five to sixteen for performance of Upanayanam with different associated benefits.

According to Manu, a BrAhmaNa who is desirous of brahmavarcas can perform Upanayanam at the age of five.
brahmavarcasa kAmasya kAryam viprasya pancame !
--- Manu
According to Angiras, a BrAhmaNa who is desirous of brahmaVarcas can perform Upanayanam at the age of five.
brahmavarcasa kAmasya pancame abde agrajanmanah !!
--- Angiras

Now the issue is that if some body strongly believes that Gurubalam is a must for this purpose, then it becomes a mental block for performance of Upanayanam within the age prescribed by SAstras. We need to understand that by Upanayanam one is drawn towards the Guru for study of Vedas. Hence Guru kataksham will be there for any one who undergoes Upanayanam.

 

But in the family if there is serious difference of opinion among the elders on this point, one can get it resolved by approaching one's own family Guru and act accordingly. If in the process the decision gets delayed, only the boy is deprived of the benefit of early study of Vedas.

The specific date for Upanayanam has to be fixed for the boy concerned based on PancAnga. One should not go by a common muhurta date as far as possible.

जय जय श्रीराधे

Whether it is correct to write in English as "GAyatri"?

It is गायत्री ---- ईकारान्तः

In English we have to distinguish between GAyatri and GAyatrI .

Some people use GAyatree .

In Transliteration , it has to be written as Gāyatrī

Anyhow, it should end with ई and that is important.

जय जय श्रीराधे

WHETHER ONE HAS TO START SANDHYOPASANA ONLY WITH SAYAM SANDHYA AFTER BRAHMOPADESA?

(1) According to VyAsa, after obtaining gAyatrI, one should start from sAyam sandhyA.
gAyatrIM tu guror labhdvA sAyam sandhyAmupakramet !
(2) According to gautama, starting from sAyam sandhyA one shall do trikAla sandhyA.
sandhyA trayam tu kartavyam sAyamadi tatah param !
(3) According to pracetas, one shall do sandhyopAsana starting from sAyam sandhyA.
abhyopAsayet sandhyAm sAyamAdi yathAkramam.!
Kindly note that according to jaimini , one shall start with mAdhyAhnika sandhyA.
tato madhyAhna sandhyAdi sarvakarma samAcaret !
According to our traditional practice, we start with MadhyAhnika sandhyA after brahmopadeSa.