It should be performed during the waxing phase of the moon on an auspicious day, before noon.

The child should be held on the lap of the mother.

Using a gold, silver or iron needle, the surgeon should take the right ear of the boy or left ear of a girl first, and pierce the ears with a single stroke.

@footnote:

The Véramitrodaya Saàskära Prakäça says: “A gold needle gives elegance, but one can use silver or even iron needles according to his means.”

Other texts say that a brähmaëa and a vaiçya should use silver needles, a kñatriya, gold, and a çudra, iron.

Gifts should be given to the vaiñëavas, and surgeon.

Vidyärambha

(Learning the Alphabet):

This is performed when the child is five, or at the same time as the hair cutting ceremony, but before Upanayanam. An auspicious day should be chosen when the sun is in the Northern course.

The child should be bathed, dressed in fresh cloth and decorated. The parents should perform Viñëu Ärcana. The teacher should face East, and the child should face him.

On a silver plate kum-kum should be sprinkled and with a gold pen the words “oà namo bhagavate väsudeväya” or “hare kåñëa” should be written and read three times by the child, with the help of the teacher. If silver and gold are not available other materials may be used, such as kuça grass or tulasé.

The child should pay his obeisances to the teacher, present the teacher with cloth and ornaments and circumambulate the Deities. Brähmaëas should give blessings. Women who have husbands and children alive should wave lamps in front of the child. Dakñinä should be presented to the brähmaëas and prasädam should be distributed.