What do three strands of Janeu (poonal) represent?

What Do Three Strands of Janeu (Poonal) Represent

Upanayana is one of the 16 samskaras expected to be performed by Hindus during the course of their lifetime.

Upanayana gives the person, the right to chant the ever powerful Gayathri Mantra.

During this ocassion, the boy gets to wear the sacred thread referred to as Yajnopaveetham.

It comprises of 3 strands tied with a knot. Though there are many references to what they represent, we will go only with the two most prominent ones.

One interpretation is that, these 3 strands are a constant reminder of 3 debts that a man holds in his lifetime. - Rishi Rina, Deva Rina & Pithru Rina. The debt to sages for imparting knowledge to us. Debt to Gods and ancestors for the life we have today. Debt to rishis can be cleared by chanting Vedic mantras, while that of Devas by performing yajna & sacrifices while ancestors by raising up a child and performing Shraddham sincerely. So this is what the 3 strands symbolise. 

Upon marriage, you get one more holy thread with 3 more strands. Though it is commonly referred to as the end of Brahmacharya Ashrama, some references say that it also represents the debts of your wife. So on a lighter note, you get debted even before you tie knot to her. Well this is on one side.

Anyway, the deeper meaning goes by that these 3 strands represent 3 prominent nadis in our body… Ida Pingala and Sushumna. When we mean nadis, they are not exactly physical nerves. You can’t cut the body to find them but technically they are like pathways for the breath to flow. Ida starts from left of the spine and gets connected to left nostril while Pingala flows similarly on the right and gets connected to the right nostril. Sushumna lies between them in the centre of the spine.

So when you do pranayama, you breathe through left and right nostril alternatively, don’t you?

When that happens, breath or the prana flows through Ida and leaves through PIngala or Flows through Pingala and leaves through Ida. This practice of pranayama cleanses the nadis so that you would be able to concentrate on the prana.

The objective of the person is to direct the prana to flow through the centre nadi, Sushumna.

But that cannot happen easily because there are 3 unseen knots along its pathway- Brahma Granthi, Vishnu Granthi and Rudra Granthi, the knot of Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra.

You have to untie these knots for the prana to pass through.

Yajnopaveetham has a knot which represents the knot of Brahma, In fact it is even termed as Brahma Granthi or Brahma mudichu. Untying of this inside you is the first step towards liberation. 

Inside you, the knot of Brahma is present near Mooladhara Chakra. By the way, Chakras are nothing but central focal points from where the energy is believed to flow to every part of your body balancing you physically, emotionally and spiritually. The other chakras are Manipura, Anahata, Vishuddha, Agnya and Sahasrara. The Knot of Vishnu is near Anahata Chakra while the knot of Rudra is near Agnya Chakra.

Now, what has to be done to untie these knots?

Apart from yogic practices, Unknotting of Brahma Granthi would begin when you overcome the fear of survival, & get detached from physical & materialistic pleasures. Unknotting of Vishnu GRanthi would begin when you get emotionally detached and sacrifice your ego. And finally unknotting of Rudra Granthi would begin when you surrender the pride you could get because of knowledge or service that you may do. Untying of these knots provides the way for the prana to flow through the central Sushumna.

And finally, Only when the prana leaves through the Sushumna nadi, arising the Kundalini & traversing the chakras, your soul can attain Moksha or liberation. Upon moksha, the Hindu scriptures declare the soul’s state as Nachapunaravarthathe Nachapunaravarthathe. That he does not come back & does not come back. This is believed to be the ultimate destination of every soul in the planet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNEAmB6IaDo