🪷 समावर्तन · samāvartana
Saṁskāra #14 of 16 · The graduation from student-life (homecoming from the gurukula) · stage: completion
🪷 Vedārambha / Keśānta / Samāvartana · Krishna's 64-kalā graduation
Krishna completed the entire Vedic curriculum at Sāndīpani in 64 days (which would normally take 12 years) — and offered the guru-dakṣiṇā of restoring Sāndīpani's drowned son. The samāvartana (graduation) ceremony marked Krishna's formal entry into the kṣatriya-householder stage.
— Bhāgavata 10.45.31-49
Dharmic Purpose
To formally complete the gurukula-phase · to receive the snānaka (graduate) status · to take final blessings from the guru before entering gṛhastha-āśrama · the student is now ready to assume household responsibilities, marry, and continue the family lineage.
Canonical Timing
After completion of Veda-study (traditionally 12 years per Veda · or 24-48 years for all four) · marks the transition from brahmacarya to gṛhastha (or sannyāsa)
Source-Text Citations
- Manu Smṛti III.4 — "vedān adhītya vedau vā vedaṁ vāpi yathākramam · aviplutaḥ brahmacaryaḥ gṛhasthāśramam āviśet"
- Āśvalāyana Gṛhya-Sūtra III.8 · Pāraskara Gṛhya-Sūtra II.6
samāvartana Source-Anchor Spine
This saṁskāra is route-linked to its lifecycle index, muhūrta doorway, paramparā boundary, exact Krishna-līlā or Bhagavad-Gītā anchors where available, and the Bindu/Philosophy constitutional pages. Manu-Smṛti and Gṛhya-Sūtra citations remain as text because they are not yet first-class local corpus routes.
Ritual Essence
The student bathes ceremonially in a sacred river or kuṇḍa · removes the brahmacāri-cloth · puts on full householder-attire · takes leave of the guru with gifts (guru-dakṣiṇā) · returns home as a snānaka · the family welcomes him with mantras.
Modern Adaptation
In academic contexts often paralleled with university graduation · in religious contexts performed after completion of formal scripture-study · marks readiness for marriage.
Jyotiṣa Considerations
Auspicious nakshatra · prefer waxing moon · Jupiter or Mercury in benefic position · Sun in own/exalted sign
🪷 A muhūrta-finder is available for this saṁskāra.
🪷 ॐ श्री गणेशाय नमः · श्री गुरवे नमः 🪷
📚 See Also
- samāvartana Muhūrta-Finder · Find auspicious dates for this rite
- 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 III.4 — "vedān adhītya vedau vā vedaṁ vāpi yathākramam · aviplutaḥ brahmacaryaḥ gṛhasthāśramam āviśet" — Manu Smṛti — the foundational source for the 16-saṁskāra enumeration
- Āśvalāyana Gṛhya-Sūtra III.8 · Pāraskara Gṛhya-Sūtra II.6 — 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.)