yajñôpavītá n. the investiture of youths of the three twice-born castes with the sacred thread or (in later times) the thread itself (worn over the left shoulder and hanging down under the right

• originally put on only during the performance of sacred ceremonies but its position occasionally changed [cf. prācīnāviitin, niviitin]

• in modern times assumed by other castes, as by the Vaidyas or medical caste in Bengal

• cf. upanayana and IW. 192) TBr. &c. &c. (-dāna n. -dhāraṇa-mantra m. -nāśa-prâyaścitta-prayoga m. -nirmāṇa-paddhati f. -paddhati f. -pratiṣṭhā f. -pratiṣṭhā-sañcikā f. -mantra m. -vidhi m. N. of wks.)

• ○ta-ka n. the sacred thread L. (cf. bālayajñôpav○)

• ○ta-vat mfn. invested with the sacrifice thread MBh. Hariv.

• ○tín mfn. id. ŚBr. GṛS. MBh.