Dwija

Dwija is derived from the Sanskrit roots "dvi" (two) and "ja" (born). The term signifies a second birth, distinct from the physical one. Its usage signifies a spiritual awakening or consecration, marking a transition into a new phase of existence or understanding within the Hindu tradition.

"Twice-born ". In days of old this term was used only of the Initiated Brahnians; l)ut now it is applied to every man Wlouging to the first of tlie four castes, who has und<'rgone a certain ceremony. Dwija Brahman (Sl:.j. The investure with the sacred thread that now constitutes the "second birth". Even a Hudra who chooses to pay for the honour becomes, after the ceremony of passing through a silver or golden cow — a dwija. Dwipa (^h.). An island or a continent. The Ilindus have seven \ Sapla dwipa) ; the Buddhists only four. This is owing to a misun<lerstood reference of the Lord Buddha who. using the term m«'taphorically, applied the word dwipa to the races of men. The four Root-races which preceded our fifth, were compared by Siddhartha to four continents or isles which studded the ocean of birth and death — Samsara. Dynasties. In India there are two, the Lunar and the Solar, or the Soniat'ansa and the Suryavausa. In Chaldea and Egypt there were also two distinct kinds of dynasties, the divine and the human. In both countries people were ruled in the beginning of time by Dynasties of Gods. In Chaldea they reigned one hundred and twenty Sari, or in all 432,000 years; which amounts to the same figures as a Hindu Mabayuga 4,320,000 years. The chronology prefacing the Book of (h ncsvi (Engli.sh translation) is given "Before Christ. 4004"'. But the figures are a rendering by solar years. In the original Hebrew, which preserved a lunar caleidation. the figures are 4,320 years. This "coincidence" is well explained in Occultism. Dyookna (h'ab.). The shadow of eternal Light. The "Angels of the Presence" or archangels. The same as the Frromr in the Vrndidad and Zoroastrian works. Dzyn or Dzjian (Tih.). Written also Dzin. A corruption of the Sanskrit DJn/an and Jndna (or gnj/dna phonetically "i-^Visdom. divine knowledge. In Tibetan, learning is called dzin. E. LL.— The fifth letter of tlie English alphabet. The he (soft) of th.Hebrew alphabet beeonies in tlie Ehevi system o

The term Dwija, meaning "twice-born" in Sanskrit, offers a profound lens through which to examine the nature of spiritual awakening. It speaks to a profound transformation, a shedding of the old self for a new, consecrated existence. Mircea Eliade, in his seminal work on religious experience, often highlighted the importance of initiatory rites across cultures as passages from a state of ignorance or profane existence to one of sacred knowledge and belonging. The Upanayana ceremony, the quintessential rite of passage for the twice-born in Hinduism, involves the investiture with the sacred thread, a tangible symbol of this spiritual rebirth. This is not merely a symbolic act; it is an invitation to a new way of being, a commitment to the pursuit of dharma, artha, kama, and moksha, the four aims of human life as understood within the tradition. The thread itself, worn across the body, signifies the interconnectedness of all things and the individual's place within the cosmic order. For the modern seeker, the concept of being "twice-born" resonates with the Jungian notion of individuation, the process of psychological integration and self-realization, where one must confront and transcend the limitations of the ego to achieve a more authentic self. It suggests that true birth is not a singular event but a continuous process of becoming, a conscious choice to awaken to a deeper reality beyond the superficial. It is the genesis of a soul that has consciously chosen its path, rather than simply being cast upon it. This deliberate act of spiritual self-creation is a timeless aspiration, a call to live a life imbued with purpose and meaning, a life that is truly born anew.