Question :
My wife is pregnant, we want a Saatvik (pure) and a spiritual child, for this, before conception, we had also organised a programme of Gayatri Mantra during Navrati. In this context, please guide both of us as to what else we can do? – Shri Pradeep Kumar, Ajmer, Rajasthan
Answer:
It is a pleasure to learn that you are making efforts to bring a spiritual soul as your child upon this Earth.
According to Vedic Karmakaand the following are the Solah Sanskaar (16 rituals):
(i) Garbhdhaan Sanskaar (ritual of conception): The first ritual to beget the best offspring.
(ii) Punswan Sanskaar : for the mental and intellectual development of the child in the womb, the second ritual to be performed after the second or third month.
(iii) Seemantonnayan Sanskaar: To keep the mother cheerful, so that the child in the womb is fortunate enough, this is the third ritual to be performed during the eighth month.
(iv) Jaatkarm Sanskaar: The fourth ritual to be performed that wishes that the newborn child be intelligent, strong, healthy and have healthy long life.
(v) Naamkaran Sanskaar: To give a proper name to the child, this is the fifth ritual performed on the eleventh day from the birth of the child.
(vi) Nishkraman Sanskaar: The sixth ritual to be performed in the third or fourth month after the birth of the child is with a wish that the child protects Dharma and upholds decorum.
(vii) Annprashan Sanskaar: The seventh ritual performed in the sixth month of the child to give food along with mother’s milk.
(viii) Churhakarm Sanskaar: The eighth ritual performed after the first, third or fifth year that wishes for the child’s intellectual, mental and physical development.
(ix) Vidyarambh Sanskaar: The ninth ritual performed with a wish to provide the best possible education to the child.
(x) Karnavedh sanskaar: The ritual performed with a desire to protect the child from various physical ailments.
(xi) Yagnopaveet (Upanayan) – The eleventh ritual performed with a desire to enhance the age of the child and make him a Dharma abiding Dwij (twice-born).
(xii) Vedarambh Sanskaar: The twelfth ritual of the child to enhance the knowledge of the child.
(xiii) Keshaant Sanskaar: The thirteenth ritual performed before leaving Gurukul.
(xiv) Samaavartan Sanskaar: The fourteenth ceremony performed done for entering Grihasth Ashram.
(xv) Panigrahan Sanskaar: The fifteenth ceremony performed for bringing together husband and wife as a couple.
(xvi) Antyeshti Sanskaar: The sixteenth ceremony performed after the demise.
Today, out of the above-mentioned 16 Samskaars, Naamkaran, Annprashan, Chudakarma (Mundan), Yagyopaveet (Upnayan), Panigrahan and Antyeshti are the only rituals that are prevalent to some extent. Hence, to beget a high-level Jivatma in the form of a child has become very difficult. Keep one thing in mind, a couple that does Dharmaacharan (abides the code of conduct as per Vedic Dharma), or does Sadhana under the guidance of a saint, there is a clamber among high-level Jivatmas to take birth in such a family and those couple who do not do Dharmaacharan, a Jivatma has to half-heartedly take birth in their house to complete its Prarabdh (destiny) according to laws of Karma. In Sanatan Dharma, Vedic rituals started before conception and that is why the husband-wife used to beget a spiritually evolved Jivatma in the form of a child, who used to be blessed with sound health, strength and fame in future. In the absence of Dharmashikshan (education about abiding Dharma), a majority of the Hindus have forgotten all the 16 rituals and even Upanayan (sacred thread ceremony), marriage and the last rites after death have been reduced to a sham. Hence, where is the surprise if problems in our life increase and our children cause problems for us!
Garbhadan, Punswan and Seemantonnayan are the three Sanskars (ceremonies). The objective of these three ceremonies is to make the daily routine of parents such that the child that is born cultivates good values. Jaat-Karma, Naamkaran (naming), Nishkraman, Annaprashan, Mundan, Karna, Bedh, these six ceremonies are completed by the time the child is five years old. A person’s habits are formed right from the childhood; hence, these ceremonies have been kept at a young age. Upanayan and Vedarambh ceremonies initially used to be conducted along with Brahmacharya Ashram. Samavartan and Vivah sanskar were held before Grihasth Ashram. Shraddh, Antyeshti (final rites) and post-death rites are the last ceremonies.
The objective behind conducting the rituals of a child before birth and after birth is as follows:
(i) Minimising the defects in the embryo
(ii) Minimising the defects of pregnancy
(iii) Protect the mother and child in the womb from negative energies
(iv) To seek benediction for the child’s universal, meaning worldly and spiritual progress.
Some main Samskaars (ceremonies) related to child’s birth:
(i) Garbhadhaan (Conception) – In our scriptures, conception is the first of the 16 ceremonies. After entering Grihasth (householder’s) life, this ceremony has been recognised as the first duty. The primary objective of householder is producing a best offspring. Parents desirous of getting the best offspring must perform this ceremony for the purification of their mind and body. During the Vedic times, this ceremony was considered most important.
(ii)Punswan – This ceremony is considered useful for the mental development of the child in the womb. There is a provision for performing this ceremony in the second, or third month of conception. Our sages have considered this ceremony as an imperative for the objective of getting a child, or getting a son. This ceremony connected to the child in the womb is concluded in an auspicious time. The objective of Punswan sanskar to give birth to a healthy and perfect offspring.
(iii) Seemantonnayan – is also known as Seemantkaran, or Seemant ceremony. The meaning of Seemantonnayan is to be blessed with good fortune. The main objective of this ceremony is to prevent miscarriage and also protect the child in the womb. Through this ceremony, blessed ladies apply vermillion on the forehead of the mother to keep her in a cheerful frame of mind. This ceremony is conducted in the sixth, or eighth month after conception.
(iv) Jaat Karm – Before the Naalchhedan (cutting of umbilical cord), there is a provision to perform this ceremony. In order to equip the child coming into direct contact with the divine world with intellect, strength and longevity, the child is made to taste honey and ghee (clarified butter) with a piece of gold along with the chanting of Vedic mantras. This ceremony is performed with special mantras and procedure. A mixture of two drops of ghee and six drops of honey is energised with mantras and after the child licks it, the father does a Yadnya and specially chants nine mantras and pray that his child is intelligent, strong, healthy and one enjoying a long life. After this ceremony gets over, the mother breastfeeds the child.
To attract a Jivatma at a good spiritual level into the womb, or after a woman conceives; try to implement the following points:
(i) Do not allow pictures of dead ancestors in front of a pregnant lady, today a majority of households have Pitru Dosh (curse of the ancestors). If ancestors have not got Gati (momentum) with the photographs becoming a medium, a black covering could be formed around the mind and intellect of the child in the womb, consequently there could be problems for the child since birth.
(ii) Everyday, both husband and wife must surely chant 21 Maalas (rosary of beads) of Shree Guru Dev Dutt and pray to God Dattatreya for a shield around the womb. Rest of the time one can chant Guru Mantra, or mantra of Kuldevta (family deity) or Ishtadevta (adored deity).
(iii) Everyday, the pregnant lady must take a bath mixed with salt-water and Gau mutra (cow’s urine). Everyday, the pregnant lady must dip her feet in salt-water and Gau Mutra twice a day .
(iv) Keep the Vaastu (premises) pure. This minimises the possibility of problems caused by negative energies for the expecting mother.
(v) A pregnant lady must never wear black-coloured clothes.
(vi) A pregnant lady must not eat non-vegetarian food and to the extent possible, other members of the household too must not eat non-vegetarian food. Cow’s milk, green vegetables, fruits and other Saatvik (pure) diet must be taken, do not eat food brought from hotel, or tinned food.
(vii) Avoid watching Raj-Tam-predominant programmes on television as much as possible.
(i) The couple must read a book written by a saint, or a Dharma Grantha (religious scripture) for one hour every day. Listen to Bhajans (devotional songs) and read Sanskrut stotra (Sanskrut verse).
(ii) All the members of the family must take care to see that they keep the mind of a pregnant lady, peaceful and cheerful. It has been found through research that those mothers whose mind was restless during pregnancy, their children had higher proportion of psychological problems in future.
(iii) If the wife is pregnant, the husband must totally avoid all kinds of addictions.
(iv) The expecting woman must join all the fingers of the hand together and forming a Nyaas (hand gesture) place the hand three-four inch below the navel, must certainly chant (21 Maalas of) ‘Shree Guru Dev Datt’.
(v) The husband-wife must make an effort to say the prayer given below to their deity, as much as possible:
Spiritual solutions, mean listening to the chanting of Shree Guru Dev Dutt, or listening to audio CDs capable of carrying out other spiritual solutions, doing Nyaas and chanting, taking a bath with salt-water and cow’s urine, dipping the feet in salt-water and cow’s urine. At the time of the birth of the child, praying beforehand, so that the newborn does not have any problems caused by negative energies.
(vi) Every month, till the child is born, keep aside some money in the name of the child and offer it to a saint. This can protect the child from post-natal problems, side by side, the possibility of medical expenses too gets reduced. Nowadays, there is a severe level Pitru Dosh in a majority of the households and for this reason, negative energies create different kinds of problems during child birth and marriage and thus cause financial losses.
(vii) Cover the mouth of a utensil with one hand and chant Om Namah Shivaay. After the chanting, pour the energised water in a bottle and fill the bottle with drinking water and put 15 drops of Gaumutra, a pinch of Vibhuti (holy ash) and Tulsdidal (bunch of basil leaves) and let the pregnant lady drink this water. Any member of the family who do not have problems, or have lesser problems should energise the water.
(viii) All the members of the household must make efforts to ensure that there are no problems caused by negative energies in the house.
(ix) Husband and wife must regularly attend a Satsang conducted by a saint and contribute their mite towards Dharmakaarya (Dharma-related work). Saints possess the capability to bring down a high-level Jivatma upon this Earth.
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