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→Personality Development: added Spiritual purpose
The Garbhadhana Samskara was performed at the proper time when the couple were physically fit and in a healthy condition, when they knew each other’s heart and had intense desire for possessing a child. Their energies where wholly concentrated towards the art of procreation. The yajnas and veda mantras provided a pure and congenial atmosphere, an act which was according to the norms of the nature or Prkrti. The greater goal of a couple's union is for the creation of a good citizens who served the society.
The Garbhadhana Samskara was performed at the proper time when the couple were physically fit and in a healthy condition, when they knew each other’s heart and had intense desire for possessing a child. Their energies where wholly concentrated towards the art of procreation. The yajnas and veda mantras provided a pure and congenial atmosphere, an act which was according to the norms of the nature or Prkrti. The greater goal of a couple's union is for the creation of a good citizens who served the society.
Throughout pregnancy the wife is guarded and protected against evil influences and her conduct was regulated to influence the growing child. It has been scientifically proven that the state of mind of the mother influences the unborn child in shaping his personality. At birth the father conducts Jatakarma, wishing for the new-born to be firm, strong and grow into an intellectual man. Every milestone of the child's development is an occasion of joy and felicitation in the family. Optimism and appreciation are thrown into the atmosphere of the budding child gradually shaping his or her mental faculties positively. These faculties are further enhanced with the Chudakarma and educational samskaras. The child is prescribed his duties and responsibilities are explained prior to his mind and body being encumbered with book knowledge and school discipline. The Upanayana and other educational samksaras are filled with prescriptions where the emotions and desires and will of the boy were melted preparing him for a disciplined and austere life in the next Grhasthaashrama. He also undergoes complete training for a rich and cultured life ahead. Marriage was a developed code of eugenics and the ceremony itself was to prepare the couple for their new activities. The yajnas and vratas prescribed for a grhastha were introduced to remove the selfish nature inherent of an individual and make him realize his role in the whole community. All these samskaras during life help the atma in its journey after life. While some believe that these sacraments are matters of faith, one cannot ignore the cultural motive involved in them.<ref name=":5" />
Throughout pregnancy the wife is guarded and protected against evil influences and her conduct was regulated to influence the growing child. It has been scientifically proven that the state of mind of the mother influences the unborn child in shaping his personality. At birth the father conducts Jatakarma, wishing for the new-born to be firm, strong and grow into an intellectual man. Every milestone of the child's development is an occasion of joy and felicitation in the family. Optimism and appreciation are thrown into the atmosphere of the budding child gradually shaping his or her mental faculties positively. These faculties are further enhanced with the Chudakarma and educational samskaras. The child is prescribed his duties and responsibilities are explained prior to his mind and body being encumbered with book knowledge and school discipline. The Upanayana and other educational samksaras are filled with prescriptions where the emotions and desires and will of the boy were melted, preparing him for a disciplined and austere life in the upcoming Grhasthaashrama. He also undergoes complete training for a rich and cultured life ahead. Marriage was a developed code of eugenics and the ceremony itself was to prepare the couple for their new activities. The yajnas and vratas prescribed for a grhastha were introduced to remove the selfish nature inherent of an individual and make him realize his role in the whole community. All these samskaras during life help the atma in its journey after life. While some believe that these sacraments are matters of faith, one cannot ignore the cultural motive underlying them. By making the samksaras compulsory the ancient sociologist seers aimed at evolving a type of humanity uniform in culture and character, having the same ideal in life. The followers of Sanatana Dharma were successful in this attempt forming a peculiar race and still living as a nation.<ref name=":5" />
=== Spiritual Significance ===
Again spirituality is the chief feature of any phase or activity as per the principles of Sanatana Dharma. Samskaras are not an exception. Samskaras represent not just the outside ceremonial performances but convey more than the outward visible activities. One who undergoes the samskaras look beyond the ceremonial performances, feel something invisible which sanctify his whole being. It can only be experienced and enjoyed, and cannot be demonstrated or evidenced on paper. They are a gateway to spiritual Sadhana for an inward calmness. Samskaras served as the bridge between the ascetic (Jains, Buddhists etc) and the materialistic conception of the body (Charvakas and Vamamargis). While the former school advocated worship of the Atman, discarding the body, the later school stressed on the body and denied the spiritual realm of a man's life. Samskaras make the body a valuable possession, not a thing to be discarded, but sanctified so as to enable it to be a fitting instrument of the spiritual intelligence embodied in it. They were a gradual training in attaining the goals of human life. Thus we have a balance between the karmas and their connection with the spirituality. It is a way of life in which the worldly activities are reconciled with higher realization.
== Why Samskaras? ==
== Why Samskaras? ==