Samasrayana

Samasrayana or Pancha Samskara (meaning Five Purifications) is a Pañcaratra rite practiced in all forms of Vaishnavism. Samasrayana means 'to approach with all sincerity and truthfulness to Acharya'. During this rite, the acharya initiates a person, irrespective of sex, caste, social status etc., as his or her sishya. It is a commitment from the disciple that he or she will live as per the wishes of the acharya. Thus, the person gets the link to the Vaishnava tradition.

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Samasrayana consists of the guru bringing the initiate into the srivaishnava flock through five steps: (1) thapaha-embossing the impression of Vishnu's sudarshana discus on the right shoulder of the initiate and of Vishnu's panchajanya conch on the left shoulder of the initiate - using an ember-heated silver seal; (2)pundraha-introducing the twelve locations in the body where Vishnu resides and thus are to be marked with the Vaishnava tilak sign; (3)dasaha tatha namaha-adding the suffix dasan (servant - of Vishnu and Ramanuja) to the initiate's name; (4)mantraha- teaching the Vaishnava mantram; (5) aradhana-initiating the disciple in the proper form of the ritual worship of Vishnu.

Males undergo the samasrayana ritual soon after their upanayana (sacred thread) ceremony or after their wedding - this varies depending on which subsect of srivaishnavism one belongs to. Females typically undergo this soon after their wedding.