The word ‘Upakurvāṇa’ (Upakurvana) generally means the norm in which a pupil, after completion of his learning from the Guru or the teacher while maintaining the brahmacarya (brahmacharya or a state of life when the pupil strictly maintain a sage like lifestyle and complete celibacy), gave the Guru or the teacher his deserving remuneration and thus,helped him. Consequently, as the pupil reached the state of giving the remuneration or daṣiṇā (dakshina), the pupil was now eligible for convocation and to attain the title of Brahmacārī (Brahmachari, one who had completed the brahmacarya (brahmacharya). After the convocation, the pupil would end his vrata or ritual of brahmacarya (brahmacharya) and would enter the stage of Gṛhasthāśrama (Grihasthasrama or the life of domesticity). In the Kūrma Purāṇa (Kurma Purana), the brahmacarya (brahmacharya) āśrama (asrama or stage of life) was divided into two stages- one was Upakurvāṇa (Upakurvana) and another was Naiṣthika (Naisthika). Upakurvāṇa (Upakurvana) was the ritualised name given to the pupil who completed the studies of Vedās (Vedas) in the Gurukula or a kind of traditional school and then entered the Gṛhasthāśrama (Grihasthasrama)-
Yo’dhītya (Yodhitya) vividhān (vividhan) Vedān (Vedan) Gṛhasthāśramamabrajet (Grihasthasramamabrajet)|
Upakurvāṇko (Upakurvanako) jñeyo (jneyo) naiṣthiko (naisthiko) maraṇāntikḥ (maranantikah)||