Saṃskāra: The Rites That Make a Life

Six lessons have been about access. This one is about the thing access was to.

The lexicon gives saṃskāra as putting together, forming well, making perfect, accomplishment, embellishment, adornment, purification, cleansing, making ready, preparation — and then a run of concrete examples that are worth quoting in full: dressing of food, refining of metals, polishing of gems, rearing of animals or plants.

Further senses: cleansing the body; forming the mind, training, education; and then correction, correct formation or use of a word, cited to the Nirukta; and correctness, purity, especially of pronunciation or expression. Only after all of that: making sacred, hallowing, consecration; and a sanctifying ceremony.