Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 22
औपनायनिकः कालो ब्रह्मक्षत्र विशां परः । आ षोडशादाद्वाविंशादा चतुर्विंशदब्दतः
aupanāyanikaḥ kālo brahmakṣatra viśāṃ paraḥ | ā ṣoḍaśādādvāviṃśādā caturviṃśadabdataḥ
ഉപനയനത്തിനുള്ള യുക്തകാലം—ബ്രാഹ്മണന് പതിനാറാം വയസ്സുവരെ, ക്ഷത്രിയന് ഇരുപത്തിരണ്ടാം വയസ്സുവരെ, വൈശ്യന് ഇരുപത്തിനാലാം വയസ്സുവരെ എന്നാണ് നിർണ്ണയം.
Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Scene: A traditional upanayana ceremony: a boy receives yajñopavīta from an elder, with guru present; Vedic fire, staff (daṇḍa), and begging bowl; Kāśī’s scholastic atmosphere suggested by palm-leaf manuscripts and temple spires.
FAQs
Saṃskāras must be performed in their proper season; timely initiation safeguards dharma and learning.
The instruction belongs to Kāśī Khaṇḍa’s dharma-context for Kāśī, though no specific tirtha is named in this verse.
Upanayana timing is prescribed with upper age thresholds for the three varṇas mentioned.