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→कालः ॥ Time of Performance: added content
Garbadhana (Samskrit: गर्भाधानम्) is classified as the first of the sixteen [[Samskaras (संस्काराः)|Samskaras]] followed by people practicing [[Sanatana Dharma (सनातनधर्मः)|Sanatana Dharma]]. The rite through which a man placed his seed in a woman has been called Garbhadhana. Saunaka gives the similar definition though in slightly different words: the rite by the performance of which a woman receives semen scattered (by her husband) is called Garbhalambhanam or Garbhadhana.<ref name=":1">Pandey, Raj Bali. (1949) ''Hindu Samskaras, A Socio-religious study of the Hindu Sacraments.'' Banaras: Vikrama Publications. (Pages 79-)</ref>
Garbadhana (Samskrit: गर्भाधानम्) is classified as the first of the sixteen [[Samskaras (संस्काराः)|Samskaras]] followed by people practicing [[Sanatana Dharma (सनातनधर्मः)|Sanatana Dharma]]. The rite through which a man placed his seed in a woman has been called Garbhadhana. Saunaka gives the similar definition though in slightly different words: the rite by the performance of which a woman receives semen scattered (by her husband) is called Garbhalambhanam or Garbhadhana.<ref name=":1">Pandey, Raj Bali. (1949) ''Hindu Samskaras, A Socio-religious study of the Hindu Sacraments.'' Banaras: Vikrama Publications. (Pages 79-98)</ref>
One of the prenatal sacraments, this Samskara of impregnation was performed at the time when the couple are mentally and physically fit to take part in the procreative process.<ref name=":1" />
One of the prenatal sacraments, this Samskara of impregnation was performed at the time when the couple are mentally and physically fit to take part in the procreative process.<ref name=":1" />
=== कालः ॥ Time of Performance ===
=== कालः ॥ Time of Performance ===
The time prescribed for the rite is mentioned either as the fourth night (B.1.7.37) or more specifically the second part of the fourth night (Bh. 1.19; Apa. 3.9.10), or simply as 'after a lapse of three nights' (J.1.22; Kh. 1.4.12) after marriage. After marriage usually after the fourth day of the menstrual cycle of the wife is prescribed for this samskara.<ref name=":4" /> Many texts agree that the proper time for conception was from the fourth to the sixteenth night after the monthly course of the wife. While a majority of the Grhyasutras and Smrtis consider the fourth night ceremoniously pure for conception, but Gobhila Grhyasutra takes a rational view where it prescribes conception to take place after the stoppage of the flow of the impure blood.<ref name=":1" /> Only nights were prescribed for conception and day time was prohibited. The reason given for it was that the vital airs of one, who cohabits with his wife in the day time, leap out; one approaching his wife in the night time is still a Brahmachari ; one should avoid coition in the day time, because from it unlucky, weak short-lived children are born. There are exceptions to this rule
The time prescribed for the rite is mentioned either as the fourth night (B.1.7.37) or more specifically the second part of the fourth night (Bh. 1.19; Apa. 3.9.10), or simply as 'after a lapse of three nights' (J.1.22; Kh. 1.4.12) after marriage. After marriage usually after the fourth day of the menstrual cycle of the wife is prescribed for this samskara.<ref name=":4" /> Many texts agree that the proper time for conception was from the fourth to the sixteenth night after the monthly course of the wife. While a majority of the Grhyasutras and Smrtis consider the fourth night ceremoniously pure for conception, but Gobhila Grhyasutra takes a rational view where it prescribes conception to take place after the stoppage of the flow of the impure blood.<ref name=":1" />
'''Preference of nights''': Only nights were prescribed for conception and day time was prohibited. The reason given for it was that the vital airs of one, who cohabits with his wife in the day time, leap out; one approaching his wife in the night time is still a Brahmachari ; one should avoid coition in the day time, because from it unlucky, weak short-lived children are born. There are exceptions to this rule, however.<ref name=":1" />
'''Preference of days farther away from menstruation''': The Sutras also mention that children conceived later from the fourth night after purificatory bath are regarded meritorious and prosperous. The rationale of this belief was that conception, farther removed from the contact of monthly impurity, was purer and more meritorious.<ref name=":1" />
'''Gender of the child:''' The sex of the would-be child was believed to be determined by the number of night" on which the conception took place. Even nights were selected for the birth of a male child and odd ones for a female child.<ref name=":1" />
'''Tithis prohibited for conception''': Certain tithis of the month were prohibited for, conception. The eighth, the fourteenth, the fifteenth and the thirtieth, and all the Parvans were specially avoided. <blockquote>पर्ववर्जं व्रजेच्चैनां तद्व्रतो रतिकाम्यया । । ३.४५ । । (Manu. Smrt.3.45)<ref name=":7">Manusmriti ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83 Adhyaya 3])</ref> </blockquote>A twice-born householder observing the above rule was regarded to be ever a Brahmachari. The Vishnupurana stigmatizes these nights and damns the persons, guilty of approaching their wives on those nights, to hell. Manu taboos the ekadashi (eleventh) and the trayodashi (thirteenth) days also. These days were meant for religious observances, and therefore any sexual act was eschewed on them. <blockquote>तासां आद्याश्चतस्रस्तु निन्दितैकादशी च या । त्रयोदशी च शेषास्तु प्रशस्ता दशरात्रयः । । ३.४७ । (Manu. Smrt.3.47)<ref name=":7" /> </blockquote>But there may be other reasons why these nights were forbidden. The ancient Hindus were well conversant with astrology and astronomy. When they could fix the paths of the sun and the moon, they would have observed that their conjunction on different dates produced different effects on, the earth. It is a common-place knowledge of physical geography that, owing, to the attraction of the moon and increase of the watery substance, the physical condition of the earth becomes abnormal on the Parvan dates and consequently the health of the animal world is not sound. So it was thought advisable that such an important act as the Garbhadhana should not, be performed on these dates.
=== Ṛtusamagama ===
According to one version,<ref name=":5" /> the wife is obliged to approach husband post her menstrual cycle, after taking bath for Ṛtusaṁgaman, which is what makes one think, that Garbhadhāṇā was typically a conceiving sacrament marked by ritualistic performances whereas the Ṛtusaṁgaman seems less significant marking the repeated union of the couple.<blockquote>ऋतुः स्वाभाविकः स्त्रीणां रात्रयः षोडश स्मृताः । चतुर्भिरितरैः सार्धं अहोभिः सद्विगर्हितैः । । ३.४६ । ।
According to one version,<ref name=":5" /> the wife is obliged to approach husband post her menstrual cycle, after taking bath for Ṛtusaṁgaman, which is what makes one think, that Garbhadhāṇā was typically a conceiving sacrament marked by ritualistic performances whereas the Ṛtusaṁgaman seems less significant marking the repeated union of the couple.<blockquote>ऋतुः स्वाभाविकः स्त्रीणां रात्रयः षोडश स्मृताः । चतुर्भिरितरैः सार्धं अहोभिः सद्विगर्हितैः । । ३.४६ । ।