Third PooNal (Sacred Thread)

Dear fellow-Iyers


It is correct that the Brahmachari during his Upanayanam is invested with, and at all times thereafter wears, one single three-thread yagnopaveetham (or "poonal"). When he enters into the married state, he is invested with, and at all times wears, two three-thread yagnopaveetham. When his Brahmin dharma-pathni is pregnant, and he performs the "Seemantham" , he is invested with, and thereafter at all times wears, three three-thread yagnopaveetham. When he takes adhyayanam of the fourth Vedam, i.e. Adharvanam, he undergoes special Vedopadesam (instruction) and is invested with the fourth yagnopaveetham upon graduation.

Some not-too-knowledgabl e vaadhyaars, when conductiong Brahmin Vivaaham ceremonies, try to say the groom should wear a "third" poonal. Purportedly, this is in case he "forgets" to wear a second utthareeyam (yagna-vasthram, ) when pefoming homam. The "third" poonal purportedly shields him from incurring the wrath of the powerful Vedic deities such as Agni, Soman, and Prajaapathi, for being improperly attired during the ultra-sacred function. The stupidity of this argument will be apparent when one considers the tale of the Emperor who had no clothes. An anga-vasthram cannot be replaced by a sacred yagnopaveetham, whatever the tedentious argument.

Performing Apara-kriya to one's parents or ancestors has nothing to do with it.

There is a creeping practice among some Shoodrans whereby, when they perform death ceremonies for their deceased Shoodran relatives at a Hindu temple, they ask the kurukkal there -- and he sometimes accedes to their request -- to let them wear a single three-thread poonal for some of the stages of the death ceremonies. That is removed and destroyed at the conclusion of the death ceremonies.

I personally disapprove of, and strongly discourage, such a new "fad", and take pains to advise the compliant Brahmin temple priests (kurukkals) accordingly. One does not find orthodox Brahmin family priests, known as Shaasthrigals, acceding to such strange requests.

S Narayanaswamy Iyer