Changes

=== Adhikara to perform the Samskara ===

=== Adhikara to perform the Samskara ===

According to the Grhyasutras, the father and the mother performed the ceremony. But the Puranas and the astrological works extend this privilege to others also. In the opinion of the Muhurtasangraha it was desirable that the maternal uncle should be invited to perform the ceremony. The Visnudharmottara recommends that the solicitous nurse should take the child out.  

According to the Grhyasutras, the father and the mother performed the ceremony. But the Puranas and the astrological works extend this privilege to others also. In the opinion of the Muhurtasangraha it was desirable that the maternal uncle should be invited to perform the ceremony.<ref name=":32">Shukla, Sacchidanand (2008) ''Hindu Dharm ke Solah Sanskar''. Delhi: Prabhat Prakashan.</ref> <blockquote>उपनिष्क्रमणे शास्ता मातुलो वाहयेच्छिशुम्। (Viramitrodaya, Part 1, Page 253) </blockquote>The Visnudharmottara recommends that the solicitous nurse should take the child out.  

These customs are non-Vedic and popular. When the Samskara was regarded a domestic sacrifice, only the father could properly perform it. But when it ceased to be so, the right of performance was transferred even to persons other than him.<ref name=":12" />

These customs are non-Vedic and popular. When the Samskara was regarded a domestic sacrifice, only the father could properly perform it. But when it ceased to be so, the right of performance was transferred even to persons other than him.<ref name=":12" />

=== Ceremony and the Significance ===

=== Samskara Vidhi ===

On the day of performing the Samskara, a square portion of the court-yard, is plastered with cow dung and grains of rice scattered by the mother. In the Sutra period the ceremony ended when the father made the child look at the sun. The child was fully decorated and brought to  the family deity in the house. Then the deity was worshipped with instrumental music. The guardians of the eight directions, the sun, the moon, Vasudeva and sky were also propitiated. The Brahmans were fed and auspicious verses recited. The child was carried out with sounds of conchshell and recital of Veda mantras. At the time of outing, the father repeated the following mantra, “Whether the child is conscious or unconscious, whether it is day or night, let all the devatas led by Indra protect the child.’’<ref name=":12" />

On the day of performing the Samskara, a square portion of the court-yard, is plastered with cow dung and grains of rice scattered by the mother. In the Sutra period the ceremony ended when the father made the child look at the sun. The child was fully decorated and brought to  the family deity in the house. Then the deity was worshipped with instrumental music. The guardians of the eight directions, the deities of the panchabhutas, sun, the moon, Vasudeva and sky were also propitiated as per the Atharvaveda mantra.<ref name=":32" /><blockquote>शिवे तेऽऽस्तां द्यावापृथिवी असंतापे अभिश्रियो । शं ते सूर्य आ तपतु शं वातो वातो ते हृदे । शिवा अभिक्षरन्तु त्वापो दिव्याः पयस्वतीः ॥१४॥ (Athar. Veda. 8.2.14)</blockquote>The Brahmans were fed and auspicious verses recited. The child was carried out with sounds of conchshell and recital of Veda mantras. At the time of outing, the father repeated the following mantra, “Whether the child is conscious or unconscious, whether it is day or night, let all the devatas led by Indra protect the child.’’<ref name=":12" />

Then the child was brought to the temple and was made to bow to the deity followed by Brahmans who gave blessings to it. After this the child was taken out of the temple to the lap of the maternal uncle who brought it home. In the end the child was given presents, e.g., toys, gifts etc. and blessings.<ref name=":12" />

Then the child was brought to the temple and was made to bow to the deity followed by Brahmans who gave blessings to it. After this the child was taken out of the temple to the lap of the maternal uncle who brought it home. In the end the child was given presents, e.g., toys, gifts etc. and blessings.<ref name=":12" />

The significance of the whole ceremony lay in the physical necessity of the child and impressing on it the sublime grandeur of the universe. The Samskara implied that after a certain period of time the child must be taken out in the fresh air and from thence the practice should be continued. It also emphasized on the budding mind of the child that this universe is guided by a divine force and it should be respected duly. The child on its first outing is awed by the people, and surrounding things.<ref name=":12" />

 

The significance of the whole ceremony lay in the physical necessity of the child and impressing on it the sublime grandeur of the universe. The Samskara implied that after a certain period of time the child must be taken out in the fresh air and from thence the practice should be continued. It also emphasized on the budding mind of the child that this universe is guided by a divine force and it should be respected duly. The child on its first outing is awed by the people, and surrounding things.<ref name=":12" /> According to one scholar<ref name=":32" />, the main purpose of this samskara is to promote longevity - निष्क्रमणादायुषो वृद्धिरप्युद्दिष्टा मनीषिभिः।

 

== Ayurveda Perspectives ==

== Ayurveda Perspectives ==

== Samskara vidhi ==

== Samskara vidhi ==

In this Samskara, the child is brought out of his room/home to the outside of home. Ayurveda acharyas describe 'Kumaragara', a special room designed for a newborn to protect him and keep him in a room having controlled environment suitable for his health.<ref>Charaka Samhita ([https://niimh.nic.in/ebooks/ecaraka/?mod=read&h=kumArAgAr Sharirasthanam Adhyaya 8 Sutra 59-60])</ref> The design and interior of the Kumaragara is done entirely by keeping focus on protecting the newborn from any external injuries or infectious agents. Thus various antimicrobial herbs and drugs are routinely kept in kumaragara and the newborn is strictly to be kept in this room till Nishkramana Samskara performed in the forth month. Therefore as a part of Nishkramana samskara various rituals are performed as below,<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref>Arun Raj GR, Shailaja U, Prasanna N Rao. The childhood samskaras (Rites of passage) and its scientific appreciation. Ayurpharm Int J Ayur Alli Sci. 2013;2(12):372-383.</ref><ref>Kasyapa Samhita, Vrddhajivakaya Tantra. with The Vidyotini Hindi commentary and Hindi translation of Sanskrit introduction, Pandit Hemraj Sharma, Sri Satyapala Bhisagacharya. Varanasi: Chaukhambha Sanskrit Sansthan, edition reprint- 2006 [https://archive.org/details/kasyapasamhita014944mbp/page/n559/mode/2up Khilasthana 12/4-5 p.316]</ref><ref>Ashtanga Samgraha, with Sasilekha commentary by Indu, edited by Dr. Shivprasad Sharma, reprinted in Varanasi, Choukhambha Sanskrit Series Office, Uttar Tanta, 2008; 1:45</ref>

In this Samskara, the child is brought out of his room/home to the outside of home. Ayurveda acharyas describe 'Kumaragara', a special room designed for a newborn to protect him and keep him in a room having controlled environment suitable for his health.<ref>Charaka Samhita ([https://niimh.nic.in/ebooks/ecaraka/?mod=read&h=kumArAgAr Sharirasthanam Adhyaya 8 Sutra 59-60])</ref> The design and interior of the Kumaragara is done entirely by keeping focus on protecting the newborn from any external injuries or infectious agents. Thus various antimicrobial herbs and drugs are routinely kept in kumaragara and the newborn is strictly to be kept in this room till Nishkramana Samskara performed in the forth month. Therefore as a part of Nishkramana samskara various rituals are performed as below,<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">Arun Raj GR, Shailaja U, Prasanna N Rao. The childhood samskaras (Rites of passage) and its scientific appreciation. Ayurpharm Int J Ayur Alli Sci. 2013;2(12):372-383.</ref><ref>Kasyapa Samhita, Vrddhajivakaya Tantra. with The Vidyotini Hindi commentary and Hindi translation of Sanskrit introduction, Pandit Hemraj Sharma, Sri Satyapala Bhisagacharya. Varanasi: Chaukhambha Sanskrit Sansthan, edition reprint- 2006 [https://archive.org/details/kasyapasamhita014944mbp/page/n559/mode/2up Khilasthana 12/4-5 p.316]</ref><ref>Ashtanga Samgraha, with Sasilekha commentary by Indu, edited by Dr. Shivprasad Sharma, reprinted in Varanasi, Choukhambha Sanskrit Series Office, Uttar Tanta, 2008; 1:45</ref>

* The baby having given bath, adorned and worn new clothes.  

* The baby having given bath, adorned and worn new clothes.  

== Relevance and importance ==

== Relevance and importance ==

This Samskara is important for observing the developmental milestones. As the child meets many unknown persons its reaction in the form of social smile, laugh, fear, anxiety or curiosity can be observed. By the end of 4th month child develops head control. In temple, the child reacts to sounds of bell by turning the head around. Here lifting of the head with complete head control can be observed. Also the disappearance of grasping reflex (3-4 months), placing reflex (3-4 month), stepping reflex (3-4 months), rooting reflex (3-4 months), tonic neck (2-6 month) and Moro‟s reflex (3-4month). But persistence of these reflexes indicative of cerebral palsy.According to Acharya Kashyapa, the teeth inseminated in fourth month are weak, decay early and are afflicted with many diseases.[30] At fourth month age, following developmental changes appear in infant such as the infant been able to reaching out for objects with both hand (Bidextrous reach), able to rolls over the bed, recognizes the mother and responds to her voice, anticipate the feeds, laugh loudly when talked by someone, responds to sound well, starts cooing, curious and shows interest in surrounding environment, Able to fix eyes on external objects and adaptation to external environment begins.[31] (Arun Raj GR, Shailaja U, Prasanna N Rao. The childhood samskaras (Rites of passage) and its scientific appreciation. Ayurpharm Int J Ayur Alli Sci. 2013;2(12):372-383.)

This Samskara is important for observing the developmental milestones. As the child meets many unknown persons its reaction in the form of social smile, laugh, fear, anxiety or curiosity can be observed. By the end of 4th month child develops head control. In temple, the child reacts to sounds of bell by turning the head around. Here lifting of the head with complete head control can be observed. Also the disappearance of grasping reflex (3-4 months), placing reflex (3-4 month), stepping reflex (3-4 months), rooting reflex (3-4 months), tonic neck (2-6 month) and Moro‟s reflex (3-4month). But persistence of these reflexes indicative of cerebral palsy.According to Acharya Kashyapa, the teeth inseminated in fourth month are weak, decay early and are afflicted with many diseases.[30] At fourth month age, following developmental changes appear in infant such as the infant been able to reaching out for objects with both hand (Bidextrous reach), able to rolls over the bed, recognizes the mother and responds to her voice, anticipate the feeds, laugh loudly when talked by someone, responds to sound well, starts cooing, curious and shows interest in surrounding environment, Able to fix eyes on external objects and adaptation to external environment begins.<ref name=":2" />

== References ==

== References ==