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== व्युतपत्तिः ॥ Etymology ==

== व्युतपत्तिः ॥ Etymology ==

<blockquote>पुमान् सूयते अनेन इति पुंसवनम्। pumān sūyate anena iti puṃsavanam।</blockquote>Male child is born by this process and therefore it is called Puṃsavanam.<blockquote>पुंसुवनं व्यक्ते गर्भे तिष्येण। (आपस्तम्बगृह्यसूत्रम्, १४.९) puṃsuvanaṃ vyakte garbhe tiṣyeṇa। (Āpastambagṛhyasūtram, 14.9)</blockquote>The Puṃsuvanam is to be performed when pregnancy is apparent under the star "Tiṣya" (or Puṣyamī). Puṃsavanam and Puṃsuvanam are synonyms.  

<blockquote>पुमान् सूयते अनेन इति पुंसवनम्। pumān sūyate anena iti puṃsavanam।</blockquote>Male child is born by this process and therefore it is called Puṃsavanam.<blockquote>पुंसुवनं व्यक्ते गर्भे तिष्येण। (आपस्तम्बगृह्यसूत्रम्, १४.९) puṃsuvanaṃ vyakte garbhe tiṣyeṇa। (Āpas. Gṛhy. 14.9)</blockquote>The Puṃsuvanam is to be performed when pregnancy is apparent under the star "Tiṣya" (or Puṣyamī). Puṃsavanam and Puṃsuvanam are synonyms.  

== Pumsavana Samskara ==

== Pumsavana Samskara ==

The wise seers of ancient times studied the a combination of procedures of Dharmashastras and Kamashastra, with a little addition of some magical operations to give rise to the Samskara. The origin of this Samskara has been expressly mentioned by Ashvalayana (I.13.1) in his Grhyasutra. <blockquote>उपनिषदि गर्भलम्भनं पुंसवनमनवलोभनञ्च १ (Ashv. Grhy. 1.13.1)</blockquote>Quite clearly it is stated that the Upanishads treat the topics of Garbhalambana, Pumsavana and Anavalobhana.<ref name=":4" />

The wise seers of ancient times studied the a combination of procedures of Dharmashastras and Kamashastra, with a little addition of some magical operations to give rise to the Samskara. The origin of this Samskara has been expressly mentioned by Ashvalayana (I.13.1) in his Grhyasutra. <blockquote>उपनिषदि गर्भलम्भनं पुंसवनमनवलोभनञ्च १ (Ashv. Grhy. 1.13.1)</blockquote>Quite clearly it is stated that the Upanishads treat the topics of Garbhalambana, Pumsavana and Anavalobhana.<ref name=":4" />

It is a threefold rite, namely,  

The time prescribed and generally approved by all seems to be the third month of pregnancy. As an option to the third month, Paraskara suggests the second month, or rather before the garbha (foetus) begins to move, while Bharadvaja and Jaimini extend it to the fourth month. According to Gobhila, the first half of the third month is desirable, Baudhayana and Apastamba do not prescribe any particular month, but allow the rite to be performed as soon as the signs of conception are visible. Manava and Kathaka alone advise the rite to be performed in the later months of pregnancy.<ref name=":4" />

 

The rationale given is that the time the samskara should be performed should be as early as possible, before the foetus in womb could move; and looking to the belief that the Samskara could effect the generation of a male child, the early period of pregnancy is more justifiable for the Samskara than the advanced months of pregnancy.<ref name=":4" />

# magical

# magical

# medical

# medical

# religious

# religious

=== उपयुक्तकालः ॥ Suitable Time of Performance ===

This sipping of curds should be repeated three times. Here ends the magic part.<ref name=":4" /> Samkhyayana (1.20) and Kausitaki, omit this magical form altogether and ordain that the sap of the Nyagrodha tree should be done with recition of mantras.

The time prescribed and generally approved by all seems to be the third month of pregnancy. As an option to the third month, Paraskara suggests the second month, or rather before the garbha (foetus) begins to move, while Bharadvaja and Jaimini extend it to the fourth month. According to Gobhila, the first half of the third month is desirable, Baudhayana and Apastamba do not prescribe any particular month, but allow the rite to be performed as soon as the signs of conception are visible. Manava and Kathaka alone advise the rite to be performed in the later months of pregnancy.<ref name=":4" />

The rationale given is that the time the samskara should be performed should be as early as possible, before the foetus in womb could move; and looking to the belief that the Samskara could effect the generation of a male child, the early period of pregnancy is more justifiable for the Samskara than the advanced months of pregnancy.<ref name=":4" />

This samskara is to be performed when the pregnancy becomes apparent, i.e. third or fourth month, and during the period of Puṣyamī star. A shoot from the fag-end of a branch of Nyagrodha (Banyan tree) is to be crushed and the juice has to be dropped in the right nostril of the wife by husband, while reciting some Mantras, prescribed. Ashvalayana grhyasutra states that the Prajapati and Jivaputra sukta have to be recited. The Nasta-vidhi is very ancient, and is referred to in medical treatises (Ashtangahrdaya. 2.1.37-42).<ref name=":4" />

It is to be performed when the pregnancy becomes apparent, i.e. third or fourth month, and during the period of Puṣyamī star. A shoot from the fag-end of a branch of Nyagrodha (Banyan tree) is to be crushed and the juice has to be dropped in the right nostril of the wife by husband, while reciting some Mantras, prescribed.

The religious part includes the ritual by prescribing the sacrifice of a cooked mess of food for Prajapati (PrAjapatya Sthalipaka) and the touching of the wife’s heart with a mantra “ What is in your heart, 0 woman, with well-parted hair, (yat te susime hrdaye),—which is unknown to the Rgveda.

== Pumsavana: Historical Glimpse ==

== Pumsavana: Historical Glimpse ==

(TBE)Progeny is the ardent desire of every couple. The structure of the family involving the parents and children maintains a social identity. Every patent has a definite longing for the male and female children. Particularly at the moment of exploring the controls on population and binding socio economic conditions, the parents would definitely like to limit the number of their children and would expect to have choice of the sex of the child before his birth. Therefore, it may not be astonishing that the intellectual medicos of the society put some scientific efforts in this direction to fulfill the desires of the parents.  Such endeavors do not seem to  have arise only today. It definitely has a long trail of history backing it. The cultural and spiritual ideologies and performances of our society are quite evident for this notion. The ancient scriptures of the Veda also provide the historical support. Many rituals are advocated in the Veda are named as Pumsavan but is should not be considered that the efforts of intellectual and scientists are only towards the increment of the male individuals in the society. In the Veda has also been described the ritual called ‘Staishuya’ which causes the birth of a female child. However,  due to  certain social  belief it  seems  that  the  Pumsavana  procedure became  more popular than the straishaya procedure. Putresti Yajna is also described in Charaka Samhita. A methodology is also explained as  Pumsavana Vidhi or Samskara which includes administration of some drugs through the nose as well as the oral route for the pregnant lady.  Such method of transforming the sex of the foetus is still new for the present scientific world. Only a few researches were under taken for trial and no such methods are presently observed in practice.  Therefore,  the  Pumsavana  Samskara  not  only  provides  a  histological  basis  of  the medical science but also faces a challenge ahead.<ref name=":0">Amin, Hetal & Sharma, Rohit. (2016). PUMSAVANA SAMSKARA: MYTH OR SCIENCE?. World Journal of Pharmacological Research and Technology. 4. 209-212.</ref>

Progeny is the ardent desire of every couple. The structure of the family involving the parents and children maintains a social identity. Every patent has a definite longing for the male and female children. Particularly at the moment of exploring the controls on population and binding socio economic conditions, the parents would definitely like to limit the number of their children and would expect to have choice of the sex of the child before his birth. Therefore, it may not be astonishing that the intellectual medicos of the society put some scientific efforts in this direction to fulfill the desires of the parents.  Such endeavors do not seem to  have arise only today. It definitely has a long trail of history backing it. The cultural and spiritual ideologies and performances of our society are quite evident for this notion. The ancient scriptures of the Veda also provide the historical support. Many rituals are advocated in the Veda are named as Pumsavan but is should not be considered that the efforts of intellectual and scientists are only towards the increment of the male individuals in the society. In the Veda has also been described the ritual called ‘Staishuya’ which causes the birth of a female child. However,  due to  certain social  belief it  seems  that  the  Pumsavana  procedure became  more popular than the straishaya procedure. Putresti Yajna is also described in Charaka Samhita. A methodology is also explained as  Pumsavana Vidhi or Samskara which includes administration of some drugs through the nose as well as the oral route for the pregnant lady.  Such method of transforming the sex of the foetus is still new for the present scientific world. Only a few researches were under taken for trial and no such methods are presently observed in practice.  Therefore,  the  Pumsavana  Samskara  not  only  provides  a  histological  basis  of  the medical science but also faces a challenge ahead.<ref name=":0">Amin, Hetal & Sharma, Rohit. (2016). PUMSAVANA SAMSKARA: MYTH OR SCIENCE?. World Journal of Pharmacological Research and Technology. 4. 209-212.</ref>

Traditionally, male progeny have been preferred, as the continuity of the family is maintained through male lineage, and sons are required to perform the necessary rituals that guarantee a safe sojourn for the father and mother after they leave this world.

Traditionally, male progeny have been preferred, as the continuity of the family is maintained through male lineage, and sons are required to perform the necessary rituals that guarantee a safe sojourn for the father and mother after they leave this world.