🪷 चूडाकर्म · cūḍākarma
Saṁskāra #8 of 16 · The first hair-cutting (tonsure) · stage: childhood
Dharmic Purpose
To shave the natal hair (which carries the impurities of intra-uterine life) and leave a tuft (śikhā) on the back of the head where the sahasrāra-cakra terminus is · marks the child's growing capacity to bear dharmic discipline · a śuddhi-saṁskāra (purification rite).
Canonical Timing
1st year (some traditions) or 3rd year · in odd-numbered year · auspicious tithi and nakshatra
Source-Text Citations
- Manu Smṛti II.35 — "cūḍākarma dvija-ātīnāṁ sarveṣām eva dharmataḥ · prathame 'bde tṛtīye vā kartavyaṁ śruti-coditam"
- Āśvalāyana Gṛhya-Sūtra I.17 · Pāraskara Gṛhya-Sūtra II.1
Ritual Essence
Father places his right hand on the child's head · invokes Sūrya for protection · the barber shaves the hair while mantras are recited · a small tuft (śikhā) is preserved · the shaved hair is offered to Gaṅgā or buried at a sacred place.
Modern Adaptation
Performed at family temple or tīrtha (Tirupati is famous for cūḍākarma) · the hair is offered to the deity · the child wears a topknot (śikhā) traditionally · in modern practice often the śikhā is given up after upanayana.
Jyotiṣa Considerations
Prefer Pūrva-Phalgunī, Uttara-trayam, Hasta, Citrā, Svātī, Puṣya, Mr̥gaśirā, Revatī · avoid Tuesday, Saturday
🪷 ॐ श्री गणेशाय नमः · श्री गुरवे नमः 🪷
📚 See Also
- All 16 Saṁskāras · index · Garbhādhāna through Antyeṣṭi · the full lifecycle
- Saṁskāra Muhūrta Finder · Pick auspicious dates for any of the 16 rites
- Paramparā · Vyāsa-Nārada lineage · The chain transmitting Manu-Smṛti through generations
- Birth-Chart Calculator · See if YOUR Lagna supports performing this rite
📖 References
- Manu Smṛti II.35 — "cūḍākarma dvija-ātīnāṁ sarveṣām eva dharmataḥ · prathame 'bde tṛtīye vā kartavyaṁ śruti-coditam" — Manu Smṛti — the foundational source for the 16-saṁskāra enumeration
- Āśvalāyana Gṛhya-Sūtra I.17 · Pāraskara Gṛhya-Sūtra II.1 — Gṛhya-Sūtra — the household-ritual treatise specifying mantra + procedure
- Bhāgavata Purāṇa · saṁskāra-context in various skandhas — Krishna-līlā models the saṁskāras (Krishna's own nāmakaraṇa · cūḍākarma · etc.)