History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v2.c23.313

v2.c23.313

*Caula* or *Cūḍākarma* or *Cūḍākaraṇa* :—(the first cutting of the hair on the child'd head). This saṃskāra is mentioned by every writer. 'Cūḍā' means the 'lock or tuft of hair' kept on the head when the remaining part is shaved (i. e. the śikhā); so cūḍākarma or cūḍākaraṇa means that rite in which a lock of hair is kept (for the first time after birth). We get 'cauḍa' from 'cūḍā'⁵⁹⁶ meaning 'a rite the purpose of which is keeping a lock of hair' and 'ḍa' and 'la' often interchange places. So we get 'cauḍa' or 'caula' also as the name of the ceremony.