KIRAN ATMA: vaishya

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Hinduism - Who Are Vaishyas?

The vaishyas were the third of the four main social groupings (varnas) in ancient Hindu social theory, having less influence than the brahmins and kshatriyas but higher rank than the shudras.

The vaishyas' social role in this kind of society was economic activity, which provided the material foundation for social existence.

This concept is replicated in the Purusha Sukta, which describes the vaishyas as being produced from the Primeval Man's (purusha's) thighs—a common euphemism for the genitals, and therefore the most direct connection with fruition and reproduction.

In reality, the vaishyas regarded jatis (endogamous social groupings, frequently designated by hereditary profession) engaged in a wide range of economic activities, from farming to animal husbandry to various crafts and services.

~Kiran Atma

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Hinduism - What Are Three Debts Of The Twice Born?

All "twice-born" males, defined as men born into one of the three "twice-born" categories in Indian society—brahmin, kshatriya, or vaishya—were required to repay three "debts" according to legend.

The earliest of these obligations was to the gods, for which sacrifices were made.
The Vedas, the world's oldest and most authoritative religious scriptures, were used to repay the second obligation, which was to the sages.
The last obligation was to the ancestors (pitrs), which was paid by having a son in order to guarantee that the ancestral ceremonies may continue uninterrupted.

~Kiran Atma

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Hinduism - What Is Tarpana?

(“satisfying”) Tarpana is a ceremony of remembrance in which one delivers libations of water to one's ancestors in order to satisfy their thirst.

Tarpana fulfills one of the Five Great Sacrifices, "sacrifice to the ancestors." These five sacrifices are obligatory daily religious observances (nitya karma) for a "twice-born" house holder, that is, a householder who was born into one of India's three "twice born" groups—brahmin, kshatriya, or vaishya—and received the adolescent religious initiation known as the second birth.

Tarpana may also be a one-time religious deed (naimittika karma) that should be done while bathing (snana) at pilgrimage sites (tirthas).

The ritual itself is pretty straightforward.

The performer first bathes in order to become ritually pure, then scoops water into his joined hands and tips his fingers forward to drain the water.

According to some texts, the water should also be mixed with sesame seeds, a component linked with funeral gifts.

Tarpana was regarded a companion ritual to the memorial service known as shraddha, albeit tarpana was done considerably more often as a required daily deed.

One symbolically feeds one's ancestors to satisfy their hunger in the shraddha ceremony, while one gives them water to relieve their thirst in the tarpana rite.

~Kiran Atma

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Hinduism - What Are The Two Hindu Initiation Ceremonies Of Upanayana Samskara And Diksha?

In general, an initiation is a ceremony in which a person is bestowed with new powers, abilities, and responsibilities.

There are two main ceremonies of religious initiation in the Hindu religion.

The upanayana samskara, also known as the "second birth," is a teenage religious initiation performed on a "twice-born" male—that is, a member of the brahmin, kshatriya, or vaishya group.

The second form of initiation, diksha, is bestowed on a person at the discretion of a guru or religious preceptor and has no restrictions on who may get it or when.

You may also want to read more about Hinduism here.

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