The Upanayana in the Sūtras

The Vedas are called as the first literature of the world, where the education system of the
then Indian society is nicely portrayed. In ancient Indian society, the character of an individual
was formed by performing saṁskāras. The Hindus performed some saṁskāras for receiving
education.Among the Kalpasūtras, the Gṛhyasūtras and the Dharmasūtras have mentioned about
the saṁskāras connected with education, domestic rites such as marriage, śrāddhas and five great
sacrifices called pañcamahāyajña, viz., Brahmayajña, Pitṛyajña, Devayajaña, Bhūtayajña and
Nṛyajña, etc., which are fully related to the human life of then Indian society. They describe some
saṁskāras which are related to education, viz., Upanayana, Vedavratas, Upākarman, Utsarjana
and Samāvartana.