Gāyatrī upadeśa — receiving the mantra
The central moment: the father or teacher, often under a cloth covering both of them, whispers the Gāyatrī mantra (Ṛgveda 3.62.10) to the child, line by line, and the child repeats it.
“oṃ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ, tat savitur vareṇyaṃ, bhargo devasya dhīmahi, dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt” — “We meditate on the glorious light of the divine Sun; may it inspire our minds.” It is a prayer for a clear, awakened intellect.
Ṛgveda 3.62.10