Changes

{{ToBeEdited}}

{{ToBeEdited}}

Sīmantaḥ is also called Sīmantonnayanam. Seemanthonayana is the third of the pre-natal sacraments performed by a practitioner of the [[Sanatana Dharma (सनातनधर्मः)|Sanatana dharma]] after the [[Pumsavana (पुंसवनम्)|pumsavana samskara]]. The word Seemanthonayana means ‘parting of the hair’ in Samskrit. The parting of a pregnant woman’s hair is the main ritual in this ceremony<blockquote>सीमन्तोन्नयनं प्रथमे गर्भे चतुर्थे मासि (आपस्तम्बगृह्यसूत्रम्, १४.१)

Sīmantaḥ is also called Sīmantonnayanam. Seemanthonayana is the third of the pre-natal sacraments after the [[Pumsavana (पुंसवनम्)|pumsavana samskara]] performed by a practitioner of the [[Sanatana Dharma (सनातनधर्मः)|Sanatana dharma]]. The word Seemanthonayana means ‘parting of the hair’ in Samskrit. The parting of a pregnant woman’s hair is the main ritual in this ceremony

sīmantonnayanaṃ prathame garbhe caturthe māsi</blockquote>(Āpastambagṛhyasūtram, 14.1)

<blockquote>सीमन्तोन्नयनं प्रथमे गर्भे चतुर्थे मासि (आपस्तम्बगृह्यसूत्रम्, १४.१)

Parting of hair by the husband is to be performed during the fourth month of first pregnancy (only).

sīmantonnayanaṃ prathame garbhe caturthe māsi (Āpastambagṛhyasūtram, 14.1)</blockquote>Meaning: Parting of hair by the husband is to be performed during the fourth month of first pregnancy (only).

 

 

It is also a symbolic ritual where the husband makes the boundary in the head of the wife by parting her hair.  

== Etymology ==

== Etymology ==

The term Seemanthonnayana is made up of two parts viz. Seemantha and Unnayana.

The term Seemanthonnayana is made up of two parts viz. Seemantha and Unnayana.

Seemantha: Seema means boundary and anta means end. Thus Seemanth refers to the limiting line.  

# Seemantha: 'Seema' means boundary and 'anta' means end. Thus Seemanth refers to the limiting line.  

 

# Unnayana: It means parting/lifting/elevating

Unnayana: It means parting.

Thus Seemanthonnayana is the process of making line' parting hair (of a pregnant woman).  

Thus Seemanthonnayana is the process of making line by parting of hair (of a pregnant woman).  

== History, purpose and significance of the ritual ==

== History, purpose and significance of the ritual ==

Early references to this ceremony are found in Mantra Brahmana, where the husband says, “As Prajapati establishes the boundary of Aditi for great prosperity, so I part the hair of this woman and make her progeny live to an old age.”12 (Here Prajapati is taken to refer to the Father (creator) of all living beings and Aditi, to the universal mother.) The primary objective of the ritual appears to be to wish a healthy development of the baby and safe delivery to the mother, although Asvalayana sutra does state that the ritual is intended to ward off certain female goblins that want to destroy the foetus. The text, however, says that the parting of the hair, adorning her with a garland and feeding her boiled rice mixed with mudga (moong bean) and ghee and asking the lute (veena) players to sing indicates the festive nature of the ritual13 . According to Ayurveda, the mind of a foetus starts to develop from the fifth month. Thus the purpose of this samskara also seems to be aimed at seeking blessings for the intelligence of the unborn child apart from protecting the mother-to-be and ensuring an easy delivery. According to some interpretations14, the parting of the hair is believed to be a gesture aimed at calming the mind of the mother-to-be, and to keep her in good cheer, free of worries. This is reflected in the embellishments the husband uses to refer to his wife as ‘one with the glow of a full-moon’ or ‘one with beautiful limbs’15 . In essence, this ritual is a celebration of womanhood and soon to be motherhood of a fertile woman.<ref name=":0">Sumati Shridhar. VEDIC FERTILITY RITUALS AND THEIR SIGNIFICANCE (Pumsavana, Seemanthonayana Samskara: Vedic Pre-natal Rituals) Available from [https://www.academia.edu/37297356/VEDIC_FERTILITY_RITUALS_AND_THEIR_SIGNIFICANCE_Pumsavana_Seemanthonayana_Samskara_Vedic_Pre_natal_Rituals academia.edu]</ref>

Early references to this ceremony are found in '''Mantra Brahmana''', where the husband says, “As Prajapati establishes the boundary of Aditi for great prosperity, so I part the hair of this woman and make her progeny live to an old age.” (Here Prajapati is taken to refer to the Father (creator) of all living beings and Aditi, to the universal mother.) The primary objective of the ritual appears to be to wish a healthy development of the baby and safe delivery to the mother, although '''Asvalayana sutra''' does state that the ritual is intended to ward off certain female goblins that want to destroy the foetus. The text, however, says that the parting of the hair, adorning her with a garland and feeding her boiled rice mixed with mudga (moong bean) and ghee and asking the lute (veena) players to sing indicates the festive nature of the ritual. According to Ayurveda, in the forth month Hrdayam (the site of mind) of an embryo develops. Then in the fifth month of pregnancy, [[Manas (मनः)|manas]] of the baby develops. <ref>Sushruta Samhita (Sharirasthanam Adhyaya 3 Sutra 18,30)</ref> This newly developed mind can be inflicted by the subtle forces around like grahas, bhutas, rakshasas, pishachas etc. The prayers recited at this time might be acting as an armor. The prayers invoke mahalakshmi devata in seemantha. The husband asks devi mahalakshmi to ward off all the evils and protect the child, make his mind pure and bring prosperity. Certain warnings are given to the mother for careful conduct during pregnancy. Husband assures to take responsibility of wife by symbolically doing even parting of her hair during this period.<ref>Hindu Samskaras – Pumsavana & Seemantham – Dr. R Thiagarajan</ref> Thus the purpose of this samskara also seems to be aimed at seeking blessings for the intelligence of the unborn child apart from protecting the mother-to-be and ensuring an easy delivery. According to some interpretations14, the parting of the hair is believed to be a gesture aimed at calming the mind of the mother-to-be, and to keep her in good cheer, free of worries. This is reflected in the embellishments the husband uses to refer to his wife as ‘one with the glow of a full-moon’ or ‘one with beautiful limbs’ . In essence, this ritual is a celebration of womanhood and soon to be motherhood of a fertile woman.<ref name=":0">Sumati Shridhar. VEDIC FERTILITY RITUALS AND THEIR SIGNIFICANCE (Pumsavana, Seemanthonayana Samskara: Vedic Pre-natal Rituals) Available from [https://www.academia.edu/37297356/VEDIC_FERTILITY_RITUALS_AND_THEIR_SIGNIFICANCE_Pumsavana_Seemanthonayana_Samskara_Vedic_Pre_natal_Rituals academia.edu]</ref>  

 

 

There are also significant variations between these texts as regards the exact time during the pregnancy when the ritual needs to be performed. This could have been partly because, in the absence of advanced diagnostic tools, it took longer (than now) for the pregnancy to be observed. But the key reason for the differences in texts is because it is believed the texts came later when the Vedic people had dispersed and settled down in various parts of India and acculturated or absorbed local customs and traditions. The differences are thus attributable to differences in local conventions (paddathis) and family customs (kulaachaara). Thus, the ceremony is prescribed starting from the point in time when the movement of the foetus is detected, to third, fourth, sixth, seventh, eighth months and (according to some texts) even at the time of delivery. But, there is one aspect all the texts agree on. They prescribe that the ceremony should be performed during the waxing phase of the moon (Shuklapaksha) during the month when the moon is aligned with a star (nakshatra) that is male. Only the alignment with a male star was considered favourable for producing a male issue.<ref name=":0" />  

=== Texts differ on other details of the ceremony ===

=== Texts differ on other details of the ceremony ===

The texts do not agree on whether this rite of passage was to be celebrated before or after pumsavana, early or late stage of pregnancy, or the nature of ritual celebrations16 . The sutras differ with each other on other details of the ritual including the seat the woman should be made to sit on, the direction she should face sitting down and the number of mantras to be chanted. Aapastambasutra, Baudhayana, Paaraskara and Bhaaradvaja sutras expressly specify that this rite is to be conducted only for the first conception. But here again, there are different views. Asvalayana, Baudhayana, Apasthamba and Paraskara sutras specify that the ritual is for the pregnant woman (kshetra samskara) and has to be performed only once, at the first conception. “A woman once purified by the Seemanthonayana, every child produced by her becomes consecrated.”17 Some other sutras opine that the rite is specifically for the foetus (garbhadana samskara) and has to be repeated at every conception. The texts also do not agree on whether this rite of passage (seemanthonayana) is to be celebrated before or after pumsavana.<ref name=":0" />  

The texts do not agree on whether this rite of passage was to be celebrated before or after pumsavana, early or late stage of pregnancy, or the nature of ritual celebrations16 . The sutras differ with each other on other details of the ritual including the seat the woman should be made to sit on, the direction she should face sitting down and the number of mantras to be chanted. '''Aapastambasutra, Baudhayana, Paaraskara and Bhaaradvaja sutras''' expressly specify that this rite is to be conducted only for the first conception. But here again, there are different views. Asvalayana, Baudhayana, Apasthamba and Paraskara sutras specify that the ritual is for the pregnant woman (kshetra samskara) and has to be performed only once, at the first conception. “A woman once purified by the Seemanthonayana, every child produced by her becomes consecrated.”17 Some other sutras opine that the rite is specifically for the foetus (garbhadana samskara) and has to be repeated at every conception. The texts also do not agree on whether this rite of passage (seemanthonayana) is to be celebrated before or after pumsavana.<ref name=":0" />

 

Before the seemanthonayana samskara, two other rituals, namely Udakashanthi and prathisara bandha, are performed. “Varuna is invoked in the kalasha (pot). In a banana leaf, rice or sesame (seeds) are spread out. Then drawing a diagram like a lotus with two dharba (kusa) grasses held together, the kalasha or pot is placed on this and encircled by thread. Once this has been done, an aarti is performed for the kalasha. The kalasha is filled with water and at its mouth are placed are the sprig of mango leaves with the leaves pointing outwards and a coconut places in the centre of the leaves on the mouth of the kalasha. The kurcha or spreading of the dharba grass around the kalasha is to ward away the obstacles caused by the negative forces (rakshasas). The mango leaves etc., will eradicate other defects (doshas), the coconut which has three eyes will drive away sins. Mantras explaining this are chanted.”<ref name=":0" />

Before the seemanthonayana samskara, two other rituals, namely Udakashanthi and prathisara bandha, are performed. “Varuna is invoked in the kalasha (pot). In a banana leaf, rice or sesame (seeds) are spread out. Then drawing a diagram like a lotus with two dharba (kusa) grasses held together, the kalasha or pot is placed on this and encircled by thread. Once this has been done, an aarti is performed for the kalasha. The kalasha is filled with water and at its mouth are placed are the sprig of mango leaves with the leaves pointing outwards and a coconut places in the centre of the leaves on the mouth of the kalasha. The kurcha or spreading of the dharba grass around the kalasha is to ward away the obstacles caused by the negative forces (rakshasas). The mango leaves etc., will eradicate other defects (doshas), the coconut which has three eyes will drive away sins. Mantras explaining this are chanted.”<ref name=":0" />

== The hair-parting ritual ==

== The hair-parting ritual ==

In this ritual, the husband parts the wife’s hair beginning in the front and proceeds backwards, right up to the nape of her neck, using an even number of ripe fruits of udumbara (fig), a porcupine quill with three white spots or rings on it, and three bunches of kusa grass. For this ritual, the pregnant lady is made to sit before the homa kund, facing east while the husband stands facing west and parts her hair<ref name=":0" />  

In this ritual, the husband parts the wife’s hair beginning in the front and proceeds backwards, right up to the nape of her neck, using an even number of ripe fruits of udumbara (fig), a porcupine quill with three white spots or rings on it, and three bunches of kusha grass. For this ritual, the pregnant lady is made to sit before the homa kund, facing east while the husband stands facing west and parts her hair<ref name=":0" />  

=== Significance of the hair parting ritual ===

=== Significance of the hair parting ritual ===

=== Gods invoked during this ritual ===

=== Gods invoked during this ritual ===

The mantras chanted during this ritual invoke Agni (the fire god) seeking his blessings for progeny and freedom from the fear of death. Mantras aimed at pleasing Indra are also chanted. In this ritual, the goddess Raaka (goddess of moonlight) is invoked to bless the couple with a son who has a sharp intellect and having a charitable disposition23 . Blessings of the supreme father, Brahma/Prajapathi and the universal mother, Adithi are also sought during the ceremony.<ref name=":0" />

The mantras chanted during this ritual invoke [[Agni (अग्निः)|Agni (the fire god)]] seeking his blessings for progeny and freedom from the fear of death. Mantras aimed at pleasing [[Indra (इन्द्रः)|Indra]] are also chanted. In this ritual, the goddess Raaka (goddess of moonlight) is invoked to bless the couple with a son who has a sharp intellect and having a charitable disposition23 . Blessings of the supreme father, [[Brahma (ब्रह्मा)|Brahma]]/Prajapathi and the universal mother, Adithi are also sought during the ceremony.<ref name=":0" />

== References ==

== References ==

[[Category:Samskaras]]

[[Category:Samskaras]]