About
Sanskara means "refining" or "making perfect": like a gem that is cut and polished, a person is believed to be shaped by these rites of passage, each performed with prayer, mantras and the blessings of family and elders. They are described in the Grihya Sutras, the Dharmashastras and the Puranas.
The number varies between texts — the Gautama Dharmasutra counts forty — but the list of sixteen (shodasha sanskara), associated with the Vyasa Smriti, is the most widely known. Some are performed by almost every family today (Namakarana, Annaprashana, Mundan, Vivaha, Antyeshti); others survive mainly in traditional families. Customs differ greatly by Veda, region and community.
The sixteen sanskaras
Frequently asked questions
What are the 16 sanskaras?
Garbhadhana, Pumsavana, Simantonnayana, Jatakarma, Namakarana, Nishkramana, Annaprashana, Chudakarana (Mundan), Karnavedha, Vidyarambha, Upanayana, Vedarambha, Keshanta, Samavartana, Vivaha and Antyeshti.
What does sanskara mean?
"Refining" or "perfecting" — a rite that shapes and sanctifies a stage of life.
Are all sixteen still performed?
Not by most families. Namakarana, Annaprashana, Mundan, Vivaha and Antyeshti are almost universal; others are kept mainly in traditional families.
Why do lists of sanskaras differ?
Different texts count differently — the Gautama Dharmasutra lists forty — and each Veda's Grihya Sutra describes its own rites. Sixteen is the most popular count.