Hindus : Under what circumstances & Why , the Sacred Thread (Poonool/Janiv) is to be replaced with a new one?

Good question.

'Yagnopaveetham paramam pavithram ....'

Yagnopaveetham is 'the best among those that purify'

So the purity of the Yagnopaveetham is to maintained. If it becomes impure it is to be changed with a new one.

When once, a person starts wearing Yagnopaveetham generally it should not be removed and it should be worn always (24 hours and 365 days).

Due to wear and tear, it may get soiled or worn out or gets broken and needs to be changed. One should not wear a broken or worn out Yagnopaveetham.

Whenever there is a need to change Yagnopaveetham it should not be removed recklessly. It should be changed first with a new one as per the laid down procedure and then the old is to be removed.

Apart from this, it should be changed under the following circumstances.

On the day of Upakarma that falls once in a year.

After Sutakam (birth impurity) and Asaucham (death impurity) period.

After visiting the Cremation Ground, or touching a Corpse, or carrying a corpse.

After touching a woman during her monthly periods.

After getting a sarvanga shaving or a hair-cut by a barber.

In Vadakalai Sampratayam for getting Prapatti (paranyasam) from Acharyan one should go after sarvanga shaving and with a changed Yagnopaveetham.

In addition to the above to have a 100 % pure Yagnopaveetham before doing any samskara ( vivaha, pumsavana, seemantha, punyagavachana, annaprasa like functions.)

Rituals like Sashtiapthapoorthi, or doing Navagraha Homam or Sri Sudhasana Homam like Kamya karmas.

Before doing any Yagna.

Any Pitru Poojanam (annual srardha, masikams, una masikams like).

During Pitru Poojanam, Yagnopaveetham is occasionally offered to Boktha(s) along with vastram. Then the Boktha is to change his vastram and Yagnopaveetham before taking meals in srardha.

Sacred Thread

It should be changed under the following circumstances.

Due to wear and tear, it may get soiled or worn out or gets broken and needs to be changed. One should not wear a broken or worn out Yagnopaveetham.

On the day of Upakarma that falls once in a year.

After Sutakam (birth impurity) and Asaucham (death impurity) period.

After visiting the Cremation Ground, or touching a Corpse, or carrying a corpse.

After touching a woman during her monthly periods.

After getting a sarvanga shaving or a hair-cut by a barber.

If for some reason, the sacred thread is lost or slips off, it should not be reused. A new sacred thread (that has been got as prasad from Yagnopaveeteswara) should be worn.

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Baby Beauty

My answer is in accordance with generally followed tradition. If there are any extra occasion according to family tradition that should also be followed. Please note, the entire thing is ritual oriented and tradition oriented.

1. Annual upaakarma day.

2. When it breaks for any reason.

3. When there occurs 'aasoucham' (impurity due to death or birth in family), at the end of that period.

4. Return from overseas trip.

5. Just before one's own marriage muhoortham;

6. Before beginning pitr karma oriented rituals, like ceremony (say father or mother), naandi sraddham (invoking predecessors for their blessings before ritualistic functions that includes seemantham also)etc.

Yes, if a person had been to a funeral or visited a house for condoling death and body is still there, then also it requires a change, according to the tradition. But no need upon hair-cut etc.

@Additional

The 'why'portion of the question: Due to tradition, to have a feeling of purity and concentration during a ritual and re-engagement to the daily chore.

@@Nandi

As stated,, this is more of a tradition than due to any scriptural dictate. There is nothing wrong in changing as and when you feel impurity. What I have stated is the more general practice. If you are following stricter code you are most welcome. After all, all these practices make people more and more systematic and disciplined. How far they want to is decided therefore by the family practices.

There could be several circumstances and situations preventing one from performing the rituals that you have cited.One of my orthodox friends whom I posed your question to informs me that there is something called Hiranya Shradh which is one of the remedies.I wouldn't know.I found this question somewhat interesting which is why I took the trouble to check with a pal. Have a Good Day. Edit:-By the way,my friend informed that the rites need to be performed at certain specified sacred places,two of which he mentioned as Benares and Nashik.

There are several occasions.

1. When it becomes old and dirty.

2. After the funeral of a close relative.

3. After the solar of lunar eclipse.

4. During Pitru tarpana, Amavasi, etc.

5. In every Avani Avitam.

6. Sraddha, Nandhi, etc.

Why it is replaced.....that I don't know. I don't wear it and so there is no question of replacing.

During Nariel Poornima for certain.Maybe when one gets married.Also when there is death of a very close relative.Above all whenever the janoi gets dirty or breaks.

Have a Nice Day.

Nandi Sir

WISH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR 2013

Actually i came here to wish you only as already great answers are given.

Why you were not seen for a quite long time?

Keep posting interesting questions here, and i might give my thoughts on some of them.

Janeu is not root Vedic indian custom. It derived from greek/scythians.

Janeu never mentioned in Vedas, Gita and true 9 upnishdas.

When some one dies from the family,to purify, a new thread is used.