Grhya Sutras — The Sixteen Life-Rites (Samskaras)
Ashvalayana Grhya Sutra / Paraskara Grhya Sutra · 1 · Verse 1
Sanskrit Original
गर्भाधानं पुंसवनं सीमन्तोन्नयनम्। जातकर्म नामकरणं निष्क्रमणमन्नप्राशनम्। चूडाकर्म कर्णवेधोपनयनं च। वेदारम्भः समावर्तनं विवाहः च। वानप्रस्थः संन्यासो मृत्युसंस्कारश्च — षोडशैते॥
garbhādānaṃ puṃsavanaṃ sīmantonnayanam | jātakarma nāmakaraṇaṃ niṣkramaṇam annaprāśanam | cūḍākarma karṇavedhopanayanaṃ ca | vedārambhaḥ samāvartanaṃ vivāhaḥ ca | vānaprasthaḥ saṃnyāso mṛtyusaṃskāraś ca — ṣoḍaśaite ||
The sixteen Saṃskāras (life-purification rites) as prescribed in the Gṛhya Sūtras: (1) Garbhādhāna (conception), (2) Puṃsavana (foetal rite), (3) Sīmanta (parting of hair), (4) Jātakarma (birth), (5) Nāmakaraṇa (naming), (6) Niṣkramaṇa (first outing), (7) Annaprāśana (first solid food), (8) Cūḍākarma (head-shaving), (9) Karṇavedha (ear-piercing), (10) Upanayana (sacred thread), (11) Vedārambha (beginning Vedic study), (12) Samāvartana (graduation), (13) Vivāha (marriage), (14) Vānaprastha (forest retirement), (15) Saṃnyāsa (renunciation), (16) Antyeṣṭi (last rites).