''Karnavedha'' ( sa, कर्णवेध, ) or ''Karnavedham'' is one of the sixteen major ''

samskaras Samskara, saṃskāra, saṅskāra or sanskara may refer to: * Sanskara (rite of passage), Hindu and Jain rites of passage * Samskara (ayurvedic), a technique in ayurvedic medicine * Samskara (Indian philosophy), the concept of imprints or impres ...

'' (sacraments) known as "Shodasha Samskaras" of

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...

. It is an

ear piercing An earring is a piece of jewelry attached to the ear via a piercing in the earlobe or another external part of the ear (except in the case of clip earrings, which clip onto the lobe). Earrings have been worn by people in different civilizations an ...

ceremony that is typically performed between the first and fifth years of life. This can also be performed during later years.Pandey, R.B., "The Hindu Sacraments (Sanskāra)" in S. Radhakrishnan (ed.) ''The Cultural Heritage of India'', vol.II, (1962, reprint 2003). Kolkata:The Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, , p.402 Brahmins, especially those studying the

vedas upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''. The Vedas (, , ) are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the ...

, undergo ''karnavedha'' and the other ''samskaras'' during their lifetime. The ''samskaras'' are mentioned in the

Brahmana The Brahmanas (; Sanskrit: , ''Brāhmaṇam'') are Vedic śruti works attached to the Samhitas (hymns and mantras) of the Rig, Sama, Yajur, and Atharva Vedas. They are a secondary layer or classification of Sanskrit texts embedded within ea ...

portion of the vedas. Some scholars advise that the performance of ''karnavedha'' should be considered just as important as ''

upanayanam ''Upanayana'' ( sa, उपनयनम्, lit=initiation, translit=Upanāyanam) is a Hindu educational sacrament, one of the traditional saṃskāras or rites of passage that marked the acceptance of a student by a preceptor, such as a ''guru'' ...

'' (sacred thread ceremony - another major ''samskara'') and the other sacraments as each holds its own symbolic spiritual value. While equally recommended for males and females, in modern times, ''karnavedha'' has become an uncommon practice amongst males. ''Karnavedha'' is considered a vedic rite of passage with symbolic spiritual significance. Some believe that it is intended to open the inner ears for receiving sacred sounds. Hearing of sacred sounds with concentration is considered meritorious in that it cleanses the mind and nurtures the spirit. During certain medieval periods, "''karnavedha''" became associated with religious attire and its performance became obligatory to the extent that its non-performance became regarded as sinful among some communities.

References

Samskaras Rituals Ear piercing {{Hinduism-stub ta:காதணி விழா