upanyanam and vedic studies

A friend raised this query...

I would like to know whether our brahmin boys, before their Upanayanam is done, can be initiated to learn and chant Rudram/Chamakam. Kindly guide me as to what our scriptures say on this. I am sorry I am bothering you, yet I am taking this liberty.

My answer

Rudram is part of Yajurvedam. Chamakam too.

A young person becomes qualified to do Veda Adhyayanam only after he is taken through the Upanayana Samskaram. In fact Gayatri is the first Vedic mantra he gets initiated through Brahmopadesham.

And learning Gayatri is treated as almost equal to studying all Vedas.

So learning parts of Vedas..including Rudram Purushasooktham etc before Upanayanam is not to be done.

A guru if he is genuine will not teach too to the non-initiates.

. But if some neo guru or some CD teaches it or if some swami or baba permits it that is not according to our Srauta Smartha dictums.

An un-initiated (before Upanayanam) boy is not a dwija..and he is not entitled to study any part of Veda.

Of course if you choose to be liberal and modern that is a different issue.

I have no business to comment on that

I am seeing that some Vadhyars and some people who have memorized some Sookthams like Rudram are teaching boys without Upanayanam.. and parents too brag about it.

But that is not according to shastras.

You will see this clearly if you read any Srauta Grihya or Kalpasootram

Some sell themselves for money and popularity.

Note..

In some cases where a person dies and a person who is duty bound to perform the last rites chanting Veda mantrams.. and if such person in un initiated.. two alternates are in vogue..

First, the cremation can be done Thooshneem... without chanting any mantram

Also, Secondly the temporary upanayanam and initiation where the Vadyar acts as guru is done.. and the person is made to chant mantrams from Veda.. And the formal upanayanam and brahmopadesham can be done later..

( The second alternative is better because pitru karyams without Vedic chanting is almost impossible for us.)