HINDU ENCYCLOPEDIA

सनातन धर्म भूमिका

Meaning of "diksha"

Word

Diksha

Sanskrit

दीक्षा

IAST

dīkṣā

In General

The word diksha comes from the root diksh, which means to dedicate oneself. In Upanayana, one get diksha to chant Gayatri Mantra.

Diksha meansinitiation to begin a spiritual sadana. It can be sanyasa, study a text or just a custom to get a mantra for daily practice. Initiation usually involving ceremony connected with burning fuel sticks or lighting a lamp, it simply meant that just like the dry stick or fuel that catch fire quickly, the student should get fired up and enthused about his study or tread in his spiritual journey.

Veda

The Vedic belief is that, by Diksha an Inner sight is opened for the disciple.

The deeper secret during the initiation is depicted in Atherva veda(11.5.3) states:

The acharya initiating the brahmacharin

Take him within himself (acharya) as a mother the child

Three nights he carries him in his belly

To see him (the Brahmacharin) was born, Devas eagerly come

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Word Sanskrit IAST In General Veda Purana