The single set of Poonal consists of a set of Three-line one and is worn to indicate that we are subject to the Thriputi upadhis (Body, Mind and Intellect or Jagrat Swapna Sushupti Avastha or Satwa Rajas Tamas gunas). The three lines are having a knot (known as Brahma Mudichchu) together, inseparably. The beginning and end portions of the threads are bound together with the knot. This knot is put by Sastrigal or Vadhyar chanting specific Manthra to give us relief from the Tripudi effects. We need to guard against these three upadhis, which are hindrances in our evolution. Hence Poonal is of three-line structure, symbolically to protect us from the effects of this Thriputi status This is first worn during Thread Ceremony wherein our father takes the seat of a Guru and makes us wear it through chanting manthra and initiates us into Gayathri Japa. From now on we are eligible to perform all rituals prescribed for Brahmacharis. It is said that after Thread ceremony only one becomes a Brahmin – Dwijanma or takes a second birth (the real birth of a Brahmin). Why so? The word Brahmin means “Brahmani Ithi Charanthi Brahmanaha”. The one who is established in Brahman is a Brahmana. After thread ceremony, a Brahmachari is supposed to live on alms and pursue his studies in Vedas and perform Nithya Vruthi and Sadhana prescribed for evolution. Therefore, he is termed as Brahmin, as he is getting established in the Brahmnical way.
Different Structure of Poonal for different stages in life:
Brahmacharis need protection for themselves only from the Thriputi status. Hence one set of Three-line Poonal is prescribed to them. After marriage, the Gruhastha has to protect not only himself but his wife too, who is not coming under the Sandhya Vandanam process. Therefore, he has to wear two sets of Three Line Poonal at the time of marriage – one set for himself and the other for his wife. Once he becomes a full-fledged Gruhastha (i.e. becoming a father), he has to protect also the offspring (the child in the form of broonam in the womb of his wife) and hence at the time of Seemantha Kalyanam (wedding at first progeny) in the sixth month of wife’s pregnancy, he wears three sets of Three Line Poonal. Also there is a belief that the three sets has to be worn at the time of marriage itself because a Gruhastha must always has an angavasthram (a piece of cloth on the shoulder) and in case he is going without it any time, this third set will represent that angavasthram. Also there is another belief that the third set has to be added only while starting performance of apara kriya.
Applicability of this rule to Sanyasins:
Regarding Sanyasins, they are beyond the Thriputi, having won over these upadhis through their Sadhana or Tapas. For them these rules will not apply because, they are always one with the Paramatman in their Samadhi or Sadhana. . Sanyasins are beyond this Thriputi, they need not wear Poonal and hence no rituals. Moreover, they do not belong to any religion, caste or creed. Hence they are exempted from this rule. As they are believed to be in Samadhi, Sadhana, the Sandhya Vandanam – nay other rituals - is not binding on them. However, when they are not in Samadhi, they also used to perform certain poojaas or rituals during these Sandhyas, as our Puranas have explained.
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