Vidyarambha

(Learning the Alphabet):

This is performed when the child is four or five.

The child should be bathed, dressed in fresh cloth, and decorated. The parents should perform Vishnu Arcana. The teacher should face East, and the child should face him.

On a silver, plate kumkum should be sprinkled and with a gold pen the words “om namo bhagavate vasudevaya” should be written and read three times by the child, with the help of the teacher. If silver and gold are not available other materials may be used, such as kusha grass or Tulasi.

The child should pay his obeisances to the teacher, present the teacher with cloth and ornaments and circumambulate the Deities. Brahmanas should give blessings. Women who have husbands and children alive should wave lamps in front of the child. Dakshina should be presented to the Brahmanas and prasadam or vegetarian meals should be distributed.