Month: July 2016

  • What is Garbhadhana Samskara?

    What is Garbhadhana Samskara?

    Garbhadhan implies conception. Biology terminology calls it an outcome of sexual impulse. It’s natural.  It completes the motive of solemnizing marriage, i.e. reproduction. So, how it can be settled?

    Lord Krishna taught human the lesson of vedic civilization. Indian scriptures ‘Vedas’ recommend the Vivaha Samskara. It’s a marriage sacrament that transforms a household into ashram (a place of spiritual cultivation). This is why holy books of Hindu religion have mention of Grihasth Ashram.

    However, people think it a licence for sexual gratification. But it’s the mutual journey of the couple to the spiritual life. It teaches the spouses to give rise to the kind, intelligent and spiritually blessed child. Thereby, his/her parents as well as society will be blessed.

    Garbhadhana is a science of creating spiritual offspring. He/she should have pure conscience. The spiritual conscience of the parents, their health and astrological aspects impact it.

    Does it cure infertility?

    It’s a science but not a cure of infertility. Fertile couples perform it on an auspicious date & time. But no auspicious time and date can do any good to the parents who are incapable of conceiving.

    How it is observed?

    The literary meaning of ‘Garbhadhan’ means enriching womb with a young one. Its perfect time to observe this ritual is the fourth to sixteenth night after monthly cycle of the wife.

    Before Nisheka (conception), this ritual is conducted. People book a priest online or offline. The priest performs religious rites of the passage. It marks the intent of the parents to be blessed with a child.

    The couple should perform this ritual with fresh and jolly mood. It should worship lord Ganesha in the noon. The wife should take a bath before evening. She should wear ornaments, new cloths, festoons and garlands. She should worship while facing east. The married women who have children offer her wheat, oat, coconut. The chanting of hymns echoes the environment.  Both couple should put on clean white cloths to perform Upastha Sparsha Kriya. After spending night together, the husband should chant the mantra.

  • How Hindus Observe Naam Karanam Ritual?

    Birth continues life on the earth. This is why the occasion of a child’s birth becomes celebration. Parents, kith and kin walk on cloud nine. The extreme delight springs out. Their lineage continues with the birth of their heir.

    What is Naamkaran Sanskaar?

    Naam stands for name while Karan implies ‘to affect’. The conjunction of these two determines the name of the infant.

    Deciding name of the infant on an auspicious date and time is ‘Naam Karan’. Performing it in a ritualistic way as per customs is ‘Sanskaar’.  Its motto is to keeps the evil spirits away from the infant.

    How Hindus observes ‘Naam karanam’?

    Each culture and community follows different format for observing this ceremony. In Hindus, they do it in Aryans’ way. It’s an ancestral ritual.

    Some schedule fifth (Panchvi) or sixth (Chhathi) day post birth whereas some choose the day between twelfth and forty days. This celebration can be a familial affair or grand celebration. Some conduct this ritual in the presence of at least five women while for some it’s a lavished grand celebration.

    Hindus consult or book the priest online for deciding an auspicious date and time (Shubh Mahurat). On that pious day, the parents get ready in the new attire. Women in the family make the baby bath before the ceremony.

    The ritual begins with the cradle. Ladies sing traditional songs. The aunt covers the baby and the caravan of the ladies visit the well with him/her. But the urban lifestyle has no place for well in the household. So, the mother is accompanied to the tap or water source. She worships it with rice, turmeric powder, betel leaves and nut.

    Afterwards, the mother and the baby return. Baby’s aunt gifts gold or silver amulet, anklets, necklace and cloths for the infant. She gifts cradle also. She whispers the name in baby’s ear.

    Subsequently, the grand feast takes place. All the guests bring souvenir for the mother and the baby.

    How child’s name is decided in Hindus?  

    As per Indian Astrology, the priest draws the horoscope of the newly born. After reading it, the initial letter is found. Later, the family decides his/her name with the same initial letter. The decided name depicts the upcoming personality of the baby.

  • Jata Karman-Hindu’s First Ritual after Child’s Birth

    Indian culture has lots of traditions. Out of these, Jata karman is the very first ritual that is celebrated post birth of a child. It is extremely private rite for the family. This is why only parents, family and close relatives observe it together.

    What is Jata Karman?

    Jata Karman is a welcoming rite for an infant in the family. It signifies the bonding of the child with the father. It is the rite observed when the infant takes birth.

    How this ritual is performed?

    This ritual is very special for the father. He gets the chance to show his blood relation with the child. However, almost all rituals in hindu religion requires presence of the priest. But this one does not need any priest.

    On this occasion, the family gets together. The father plays prime role in this rite. He inspects the child at the maternity room first. Then he takes a bath for getting ready for the ritual.

    He takes clarified butter (ghee) and honey. Using his forefinger, he lets his child lick the concoction. For it, he touches the mix of ghee and honey on to his tongue. Subsequently, he comes closer to the infant’s ear and whispers his/her name. A few families chant hymns on this occasion.

    Gryhasutra has mention of Medhahanana which determines initialization of baby’s mind. It also elaborates that the child’s intellectuality activates.

    The people who enjoy strong bond with the Indian culture don’t forget performing this rite even abroad. For example, if a hindu family lives in Sydney, they book a priest in Sydney online or offline for it.

    What’s its significance?

    Supernatural beings scare a lot. It is believed that the child and the mother can come under the influence of negative energies post-delivery. This ritual draws a virtual protective circle around the child and the mother.

    Feeding child with the honey and the butter triggers mental development. The father prays for blessing wisdom to his child.

    The whispering of name signifies protection of the child from the sorcery. The name remains known to the parents only. Thereby, they ensure long life of their child.