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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 rite and therefore it is called Puṃsavanam.  

<blockquote>पुमान् सूयते अनेन इति पुंसवनम्। pumān sūyate anena iti puṃsavanam।</blockquote>Male child is born by this rite and therefore it is called Puṃsavanam. गर्भाद् भवेच्च पुंसूते पुंस्त्वरूपप्रतिपादनम्। From the womb a male child is born, a process of making something masculine or generation of a masculine form. 'पुमान्' or a Male is one who helps cross the Naraka named 'पुम्' (Pum) Naraka, hence he is called Putra.<ref name=":12">Pandey, Raj Bali. (1949) ''Hindu Samskaras, A Socio-religious study of the Hindu Sacraments.'' Banaras: Vikrama Publications. (Pages 99-104)</ref> During this sacrament the Veda mantras are recited mentioning पुमान् or पुत्र and favor the birth of a son.<blockquote>पुमांसं पुत्रं जनय तं पुमान् अनु जायताम् । भवासि पुत्राणां माता जातानां जनयाश्च यान् ॥३॥ (Atha. Veda. 3.23.3)

 

गर्भाद् भवेच्च पुंसूते पुंस्त्वरूपप्रतिपादनम्। From the womb a male child is born, a process of making something masculine or generation of a masculine form. 'पुमान्' or a Male is one who helps cross the Naraka named 'पुम्' (Pum) Naraka, hence he is called Putra.<ref name=":12">Pandey, Raj Bali. (1949) ''Hindu Samskaras, A Socio-religious study of the Hindu Sacraments.'' Banaras: Vikrama Publications. (Pages 99-104)</ref> During this sacrament the Veda mantras are recited mentioning पुमान् or पुत्र and favor the birth of a son.<blockquote>पुमांसं पुत्रं जनय तं पुमान् अनु जायताम् । भवासि पुत्राणां माता जातानां जनयाश्च यान् ॥३॥ (Atha. Veda. 3.23.3)

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.  

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.  

* After having said that Acharyas also advice to follow any other measures known to experienced elderly women or other experts for pumsavana. Definitely the measures should be followed when those are coming from the authentic and trustworthy source and in today's world as advised by a [[Vaidya (वैद्यः)|vaidya]] treating the woman. Otherwise any fake measure might endanger the life and health of a baby and mother both.  

* After having said that Acharyas also advice to follow any other measures known to experienced elderly women or other experts for pumsavana. Definitely the measures should be followed when those are coming from the authentic and trustworthy source and in today's world as advised by a [[Vaidya (वैद्यः)|vaidya]] treating the woman. Otherwise any fake measure might endanger the life and health of a baby and mother both.  

===== Mantra to be chanted during Pumsavana Samskara =====

===== Mantra to be recited =====

During the process, the following mantras from the '''Atharva Veda''' are chanted:<blockquote>आ ते योनिं गर्भ एतु पुमान् वाण इवेषुधिम् । आवीरोऽत्र जायतां पुत्रस्ते दशमास्यः ॥२॥

During the process, the following mantras from the '''Atharva Veda''' are chanted:<blockquote>आ ते योनिं गर्भ एतु पुमान् वाण इवेषुधिम् । आवीरोऽत्र जायतां पुत्रस्ते दशमास्यः ॥२॥

In case of the Pumsavana Samskara procedure, various measures have been advised as described above, but the action of these drugs and the procedures has not been mentioned anywhere. Mode of action or rationale behind the procedures and drugs is not known to anybody clearly. Possibly it is beyond the reach of science and scientific brains of today's time. It can be considered that these drugs may act in changing the sex by their Achintya Shakti or the [[Prabhava (प्रभावः)|Prabhava]].

In case of the Pumsavana Samskara procedure, various measures have been advised as described above, but the action of these drugs and the procedures has not been mentioned anywhere. Mode of action or rationale behind the procedures and drugs is not known to anybody clearly. Possibly it is beyond the reach of science and scientific brains of today's time. It can be considered that these drugs may act in changing the sex by their Achintya Shakti or the [[Prabhava (प्रभावः)|Prabhava]].

== Necessity of Pumsavana Karma and its scientific explanation: ==

== Scientific Explanation ==

Sayanacharya, the greatest commentator on the Vedas, remarks that the above mantra signifies that as an arrow is placed comfortably in a quiver, so would the child live peacefully in the womb. Additionally, it is also a prayer for the child to complete his full term of ten months in the womb, thus precluding the possibility of premature birth. This Samskara strengthens the bond between husband and wife, bound together by a common desire for male offspring. At this crucial and difficult juncture of her life, this sharing and support is psychologically highly comforting to the wife.

Sayanacharya, the greatest commentator on the Vedas, remarks that the above mantra signifies that as an arrow is placed comfortably in a quiver, so would the child live peacefully in the womb. Additionally, it is also a prayer for the child to complete his full term of ten months in the womb, thus precluding the possibility of premature birth. This Samskara strengthens the bond between husband and wife, bound together by a common desire for male offspring. At this crucial and difficult juncture of her life, this sharing and support is psychologically highly comforting to the wife.