Spirituality

The Shodasha Sanskaras – Part 1 of 2

The word Shodasha means 16 and the word Sanskara translates to psychological imprints, but in this case, it means a rite of passage for a human. The meaning makes sense because each of these rites of passages leaves a deep and lasting imprint on a person’s subconscious and conscious minds. In an average Sanatan household, a person goes through 16 of these Sanskaras from their conception to their cremation and in this blog, we discuss the First Nine Sanskaras, their meaning, importance, and origins. 

1. Garbhadharan Sanskara (The Beginning of the End) –

Garbhadhana means getting pregnant. Garbh meaning womb and Dharan meaning getting a child in the womb. The Garbhadhana Sanskar is performed by a married couple. The act of conception of a baby is raised to a sacred act, purifying the parents to raise the vibrational frequencies of the unborn child. There are certain rules prescribed in the scriptures for this process, which when followed, ensure the birth of a healthy child both mentally and physically. There is also the mention of the husband and wife praying to the Divinity to bless them with a progeny, before indulging into the act of conception. 

The importance of this Sanskara is that when followed properly, the child is born with minimal to nil Karmic baggage and is spiritually inclined since birth, making his or her journey smooth and easy on Earth. 

There are different days, dates and times prescribed in the scriptures as well, for conceiving a healthy child. The most important thing to keep in mind here is that the conception should be under normal and mutually agreeable circumstances when both the husband and wife are at peace and happy together. 

Scholars trace this rite to Vedic hymns, such as those in sections 8.35.10 through 8.35.12 of the Rigveda, where repeated prayers for progeny and prosperity are solemnized. 

2. Punsavana Sanskara (Protection of the Fetus) –

Once the baby is conceived and the mother is in between the second and the fourth month of pregnancy, the couple performs the Punsavana Sanskar. The word Punsavana translates to “protecting the fetus”. The roots of Punsavana are found in sections 4.3.23 and 4.6.2 of the Atharva Veda where there are multiple hymns and prayers to ensure the birth of a healthy baby and to prevent a miscarriage. This Sanskara is often misunderstood as a Sanskara to get a healthy baby boy, whereas in reality, it’s just meant to ensure the birth of a healthy baby, irrespective of their gender. 

This Sanskara is performed in various ways, but all of them involve the husband offering a delicacy to his wife. This is also the time when women develop morning sickness and various food cravings and the Sanskara also goes on to make the transition and process easier on the mother. In some versions, a priest is invited to chant Vedic hymns in the presence of a sacred fire (Yagna), followed by a feast for everyone involved. The prayers involve the wish for quick and healthy formation of all the organs in the baby. It is mentioned in Garuda Purana* that it is after 45 days of conception, that life is bestowed in the fetus. Hence this time is also in line with the origin of life in the fetus, and hence praying for its quick and healthy growth. Please note that here quickening the process doesn’t mean that the couple are intending for reducing the nine months pregnancy period. Instead, it means that they want the baby to be completely formed and be free of any ailments or anomalies when born.  

3. Simmantonayana (Baby Shower) – 

Simmantonayana translates to parting the hair upwards. In this ritual the husband parts his pregnant wife’s hair upwards three times in the presence of friends and family. This ritual is symbolic of the husband and other members of the house taking on the household chores and letting the woman rest during her last months of pregnancy. The Sanskara is performed during the seventh of eighth month of pregnancy. Mainly observed to give her rest, this Sanskara originated in the Yåjñavalkya Smriti verse 3.79 which asserts that all the cravings of a pregnant woman should be satisfied during the last months of pregnancy for the birth of a healthy baby and she should take ample rest. 

The importance of this Sanskara also goes on to state the importance of maternity leaves beginning a month or two before the birth of the child in various organizations. 

The more common version is that of a baby shower where friends and family gather to celebrate the expectant mother and shower her with gifts for the child and herself, and good food to satisfy her food cravings. She is expected to not travel or overexert herself after this ritual as these are the most crucial months before child birth. The mother is advised to start meditating and look at happy pictures and movies and think happy thoughts during this time. 

This Sanskara is also important because most modern mothers fall into prenatal depression and this Sanskara prevents it. 

4. Jatakarman (Child Birth) – 

Literally translating to child birth, Jatakarman celebrates the birth of a baby. The origin of this ritual is in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad’s last chapter. 

During the ritual, the father welcomes the baby into the world by touching honey and ghee (clarified butter) to the baby’s lips. The scientific importance of this ritual is to ensure the child’s immunity is boosted and he or she doesn’t contract any viral infections of jaundice/pneumonia after birth. As per Vedic traditions, a human being is born twice, first physically through the mother, which is marked as Jatakarman and second time intellectually, through their teacher, when they begin studying, marked as Vidyarambha. The father also prays to the Fire God, by putting Yogurt and Ghee in fire, for continued prosperity and health of the family line, below is the prayer – 

“May I, as I prosper in this my house, nourish a thousand! May fortune never fail in its race, with offspring and cattle, Svah!

I offer to thee [the baby] in my mind the vital breaths which are in me, Svah!

Whatever in my work I have done too much, or whatever I have done too little, may the wise Agni make it right, make it proper, Svah!”

With this ritual, the father ensures that he, all his off-springs and all the future generations stay prosperous, healthy and nourished. 

The ritual also includes the father praying to Goddess Sarasvati to bless his son with wisdom and knowledge. 

The ritual is usually completed within a week of the child’s birth, unless the mother is still in the hospital in cases of any complications. In ancient times, the ritual was done within a day of the child being born. 

5. Namakarana (Naming the Baby) – 

The easiest, yet the most important of all rituals. This ritual decides what the baby will be called all their life. Their name on their documents, what would their friends call them, what would their parents call them? What qualities will they imbibe and what will be their traits are majorly defined by their name, making it one of the most important rituals for a child. Usually done on the eleventh or tenth day after birth, or the first new moon or full moon after birth, the naming ritual solemnizes the child as an individual. The child is now accepted and socialized by people around him or her. The infant is bathed and dressed in new clothes and their name is announced to the society. 

The name is chosen by the parents or the aunt of the child, depending on the letters suggested by an astrologer, by looking at the child’s birth chart. It is preferable to name a baby in accordance with their moon, sun and ascendant signs, so that their birth chart and name is in alignment. 

Sometimes, when the name and the birth chart aren’t in alignment, the person faces identity and traits crisis. Parents are advised to avoid evil words, and choose names after deities (so the child imbibed godlike qualities), constellations, derivatives from the names of the father and the mother, or place of earth nature, etc. 

This Sanskara is also the cleansing ceremony for the baby, and the new parents are again showered with gifts as they enter into parenthood. The origin of this Sanskara is in The Satapatha Brahmana verse 6.1.3.9. 

6. Nishkarmana (Baby’s first Outing) – 

Nishkarmana literally means going out or coming forth. Remember the coming out ceremonies in your teens? This is similar to that, but this is just the first time the baby goes out of the house with their parents. This is when the child formally meets the world for the first time. Until now, the baby had seen inside its mother’s womb, the hospital, the inside of the vehicle in which it was carried in from the hospital to home, the home and the family members. Now, the baby meets the outside world and joins the chaos. Observed during the fourth month after birth, parents usually take their child out to see the sunrise or sunset, or they take their child to a temple. The ritual involves bathing the baby and changing them into comfortable new clothes, and both the parents and siblings if any accompany them outside. 

The origin of Nishkarmana lies in Manusmriti II.34. The significance of showing the baby the sun or the moon and the temples is to dispel any darkness from the baby’s life and to ensure the baby is never separated from their mother or father. It is also believed that all souls are in the soul plane before they are born as humans and taking them to the temple might make them feel comfortable as children can recognize Gods and Deities from the soul plane. Seeing familiar forms helps them feel home. 

7. Annaprashana (Time to Eat) – 

For the first six months, the child is fed liquid and semi solid foods and mostly breast milk. As the baby’s digestive system develops it’s time to introduce them to solid food. It is either at the sixth month or when the child develops its first teeth. This Sanskara finds its origin in the Sankhyayana Gryhasutra and the Manava Gryhasutra. Some texts recommend continued breast feeding of the child, as the child adapts to the various foods. The ritual is usually celebrated by feeding cooked rice, in a paste of honey, ghee and curd to the child. The mother eats the same food with the child and the father sits with them, participating in the Sanskara. In some cultures, the Annaprashana Sanskara is celebrated by inviting over friends and family and organizing a feast for everyone.

 

8. Chudakarana (First Haircut) – 

Also known as Mundan Sanskara, Chdakarana means cutting the hair of the baby. This is the first time the baby’s head is shaved and nails are cut since birth. The origin of this Sanskara is found in SanskarMala. Traditionally, a child’s hair is associated with undesirable traits from past lives. For instance, some people end up having a bad temper where in both their parents and past generations have had calm people. The anger here would be a trait from the past life of the child. Chopping of the hair is considered freeing the child from past life bondages, so they are free to live this life with a fresh slate. 

The methods vary depending on a person’s culture and ethnicity. Usually, a feast is arranged for priests, followed by shaving the head and Pooja offerings. The child’s hair is also considered sacred and is hence disposed by mixing them with wheat flour or cow dung. A mixture of curd, milk and turmeric is then applied on the baby’s head serving as a moisturizer and antiseptic to protect the baby from any cuts caused during the Sanskara. 

9. Karnavedha (Piercing the Ear Lobes) – 

Karna meaning Ears and Vedha meaning piercing, this ritual is performed usually within the first year of the child’s birth. This is a minor ritual and no feast is arranged this time. The origins of this Sanskara aren’t yet clear. 

The reason behind this Sanskara is to ensure the child hears bliss as they grow up. Some texts also mention that this Sanskara is done to commemorate ornamentation of the child’s body. 

         A gold thread or a silver needle is used for piercing the child’s ears. In case of girl child, both the ears are pierced along with the left nostril in some case and in case of a boy child just the right ear is pierced. The piercing of the ears also symbolizes the importance of hearing and speech in the Vedas for the child. 

These Nine Sanskaras form the first two to three years of the child’s life, from conception. In the next blog, we cover the next seven Sanskaras that begin with an introduction to education and end with cremation. Click here to click the next blog.