Mantras for CHANGING your JANEU / POONAL / YAGNYOPAVITAM (5 mins max)

The shastras already mention the circumstances / conditions under which the Poonal / Janeu has to be changed

1. Once in a year on the day of Upakarma;
2. Whenever there is Jataasoucham or Mruthaasoucham (birth/death in the family) after completion of the stipulated period of asoucha.
3. Whenever one visits the Cremation Ground or touches a Corpse.
4. Whenever one happen to touch a woman during menstruation.
5. Whenever the threads of Yagnopaveetham are severed or it is soiled or worn out.
6. Whenever one attends 10th day ceremony and gives Dharmodaka.

Whenever there is a need to change Yagnopaveetham it should NOT BE REMOVED recklessly. First wear the new one and then remove the worn out as per the laid down procedure.

Hold the yagnyipavitam with the BRAHMA MUDI (KNOT) on the right palm in between the thumb and index finger facing up and the other end held by the left palm on the panchapatram (silver / copper / brass container) while saying hte below mantras and wear the yagnyopavitam at the end of the mantras.

BRAHMACHARIS (Unmarried) should wear just ONE 3 STRAND YAGNYOPAVITAM, GRIHASTAS can wear 2 / 3 of the 3 STRAND YAGNYOPAVITAM. And the following mantras should be chanted before wearing each of the 3 YAGNYOPAVITAM.

“YAGNYOPAVITAM, PARAMAM PAVITRAM, 

YAGNYOPAVITAM BALAMASTSU TAEJAHA“

take ONE UDRINI of WATER from the PANCHAPATRAM (hold the UDRINI on left hand and pour the water into the right hand and sip it) before uttering each of the 3 mantras “Acchutaya Namaha, Anantaya Namaha, Govidaya Namaha”.

1. With your THUMB (right hand)
1. touch your right CHEEK and chant- Keshava, 
2. touch your left CHEEK and chant – narayana
2. With your RING finger (right hand)
1. touch your right EYE and chant – madhava, 
2. touch your right EYE and chant – govinda,
3. With your INDEX finger (right hand)
1. touch your right NOSE and chant – Vishnu, 
2. touch your right NOSE and chant – Madhusudhana,
4. With your Little finger (right hand)
1. touch your right EAR and chant – Thirvikrama 
2. touch your right EAR and chant – Vamana
5. With your MIDDLE finger (right hand)
1. touch your right SHOULDER and chant – Shridhara, 
2. touch your right SHOULDER and chant – Rishikesha,
6. With your right hand
1. touch your NAVEL and chant – Padmanabha 
2. touch the TOP OF YOUR HEAD and chant – Damodara

Mantra for removing OLD YAGNYOPAVIAM (you can remove all the strands at once).

Again perform ACHAMANAM & ANGAVANDANAM.

Done for the day!

JAYA JAYA SHANKARA, HARA HARA SHANKARA!