What is the significance of the three strings present in the holy cross belt put in the Upanayanam ritual?

(A satsaṅga was done on 27-06-2021 in view of the occasion of marriage of Chi. Veena Datta and it is recorded below.)

Swāmi replied: This ritual is done just before sending the child to Sadguru for learning knowledge. The three strings in the holy thread indicate the three qualities called sattvam, rajas and tamas. Rajas is inert energy, which is the starting material for creation and stands for Brahmā. Sattvam is the awareness (which is also a specific work form of energy formed in a specific functioning nervous system) generating knowledge standing for Viṣṇu. Tamas is the solidified energy called matter standing for Śiva. The inert energy is the starting material to create the universe since matter and awareness are different forms of the same inert energy. The energetic body taken as medium by God to become energetic incarnation consists of two components called energy and awareness. The human body taken as medium by God to become human incarnation consists of three components called energy, matter and awareness, which are represented by the three strings of the holy thread. The child is asked to catch the three strings representing the human incarnation or Sadguru, (who is made of these three components represented by these three strings present in His body or medium) for getting true spiritual knowledge. Sat (Absolute reality) means God and guru means preacher indicating God as the spiritual preacher. This thread represents the Sadguru, who is to be caught by a spiritual aspirant. Without understanding this, there is no use in putting this thread and there is no harm in not putting this thread. Catching this thread with fingers and uttering the prayer on Sadguru (tat savituḥ…) is the indicated essence. If one catches Sadguru there is no use of this thread. If one does not catch Sadguru, then also, there is no use of this thread. A person, who realized this truth removes this holy thread and is worshipped by the society as the saint.

In marriage, the father-in-law presents another holy thread to the son-in-law. This holy thread belongs to his daughter (bride), which should have been put by him to his daughter. In the marriage, the father-in-law puts the responsibility of his daughter on his son-in-law so that half of merit (puṇyam) earned by the son-in-law goes to his wife. This clearly proves that the girls also have the right for this ritual called Upanayanam. As I told, Upanayanam means becoming close to God through prayer-songs (Gāyatrī) and if this main essence is achieved there is no use of this ritual. If this main essence is not achieved, then also, there is no use of this ritual. Based on this meaningless ritual, the foolish priests have created split in Hinduism.

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