Jatakarma (जातकर्म)

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Jatakarma Saṃskāra is performed before the navel string is cut.

प्राङ्नाभिवर्धनात्पुंसः जातकर्म विधीयते। मनुस्मृतिः २.२९ ।

prāṅnābhivardhanātpuṃsaḥ jātakarma vidhīyate। Manusmṛtiḥ 2.29 .

Jātakarma of a male child is ordained before the umbilical cord is cut. Before cutting the navel string there is no Aśaucam (impurity) due to birth and Jātakarma has to be performed at that time on a male child.

जातं वात्सप्रेण अभिमृश्य उत्तरेण यजुषा उपस्थे आधाय उत्तराभ्याम् अभिमन्त्रणम् मूर्धनि अवघ्राणं दक्षिणे कर्णे जापः। आपस्तम्बगृह्यसूत्रम्, १५.१ ॥

jātaṃ vātsapreṇa abhimṛśya uttareṇa yajuṣā upasthe ādhāya uttarābhyām abhimantraṇam mūrdhani avaghrāṇaṃ dakṣiṇe karṇe jāpaḥ.

Āpastambagṛhyasūtram, 15.1 ॥

As soon as the (male) child is born the father should recite the Vātsaprānuvāka, i.e. "divaspari . . .", and touch (at the end of the Mantra), should take him into the lap while reciting the Yajus "asminnaham", recite two Mantras, viz., "aṅgādaṅgāt" and "aśmā bhava", for him and smell his head and the same Mantras are to be repeated in the right ear.

नक्षत्रनाम च निर्दिशति; तद्रहस्यं भवति । आपस्तम्बगृह्यसूत्रम्, १५.२, ३ ॥

nakṣatranāma ca nirdiśati; tadrahasyaṃ bhavati।

Āpastambagṛhyasūtram, 15.2, 3 ॥

The father pronounces the Nakṣatranāma (name coined after the name of the birth star) also in the right ear secretly.

The name runs like this:

Birth-star Name related to Star

Rohiṇī Rauhiṇaḥ

Revatī Raivataḥ

Maghā Māghaḥ

Such a name has to be kept a secret, i.e. should not be pronounced loudly.

Śatapathabrāhmaṇam (6.1.3.9) ordains that a name should be given to the male child as soon as he is born:

तस्मात् पुत्रस्य जातस्य नाम कुर्यात् ।

tasmāt putrasya jātasya nāma kuryāt ।

Vedāṅgajyotiṣam (Ṛgveda 25-28) enumerates twenty eight Nakṣatras (stars), including Abhijit and their Devatas (Gods) and adds that in Yajñas (Sacrifices) the Yajamāna (Sacrificer) has to bear the Nakṣatranāma:

नक्षत्रदेवता ह्येता एताभिर्यज्ञकर्मणि। यजमानस्य शास्त्रज्ञैः नाम नक्षत्रजं स्मृतम्॥

nakṣatradevatā hyetā etābhiryajñakarmaṇi।

yajamānasya śāstrajñaiḥ nāma nakṣatrajaṃ smṛtam॥

These are the deities of Nakṣatras (stars) useful in Yajñas. Scholars say that the Nakṣatranāma of Yajamāna has to be employed in Yajñas.

The Nakṣatranāma has to be kept secret in order to avoid Abhicāra (magical practice) against the person. The commentary on Khādiragṛhyasūtram (2.3.32) explains the above said concept, i.e. Yajñakarma and Abhicāra –

वैदिककर्मार्थमेतत्। नामापरिज्ञाने अभीचाराद्यसिद्धिः फलम्।

vaidikakarmārthametat। nāmāparijñāne abhicārādyasiddhiḥ phalam।

This [Nakṣatranāma] is meant for Vedic rites. If the name [to be used in Vedic rites] is not known, the result is that Abhicāra etc. would not be successful.

Jatakarma described in Ayurveda

Jatakarma is that samskara in early human life which helps the newborn baby to smoothly transcend from life inside the womb to the life outside the womb. After birth of a baby, the change is not just in the outside environment but, baby's dependency on mother for survival also changes. The child remains only partially dependent on mother post birth who was completely dependent on mother for past 9 months. Therefore the Jatakarma has been advised in this phase of transition which facilitates baby's smooth transition into outside world.

Ayurveda scholars at first have advised to resuscitate the newborn baby by various methods like making sounds in the baby's ears, clearing his mouth and airways, keeping a cotton socked in ghee over head etc.All these measures mentioned here serve as primitive resuscitating measures practiced since thousands of years to make baby cry and kickstart his respiration properly. Also keeping cotton socked in ghee over head could have served the purpose of preventing hypothermia or heat loss from head, largest surface of baby's body. When the baby used to get stabilized by these methods the umbilical cord used to be cut and tied. Once these preliminary measures are done, Jatakarma samskara was performed. Jatakarma samskara or vidhi includes certain rituals and procedures that include exclusive methods like giving medicinal linctus to a newborn for health and wellbeing.

Procedure

Once the newborn baby is resuscitated i.e. once he cries and his umbilical cord is cut Jatakarma procedures can be performed.

अतोऽनन्तरं जातकर्म कुमारस्य कार्यम्|

तद्यथा- मधुसर्पिषी मन्त्रोपमन्त्रिते यथाम्नायं प्रथमं प्राशितुं दद्यात्|

स्तनमत ऊर्ध्वमेतेनैव विधिना दक्षिणं पातुं पुरस्तात् प्रयच्छेत्|

अथातः [१] शीर्षतः स्थापयेदुदकुम्भं मन्त्रोपमन्त्रितम्||४६|| (Char. Samh. 8.46)

Meaning: Thereafter, birth-rites of the child should be performed per vedic rituals, which are as follows: first of all, honey and ghee duly “consecrated” with vedic mantras (chanted by brahmanas or priests) should be anointed to the child. Breast milk should first be fed from the right breast, and should be done so after performing the rituals mentioned above. An earthen pot filled with water should be consecrated with mantras and kept near the head of the child.

Thus Jatakarma includes,

• Giving baby a lehana (linctus) made up of honey and ghee as per Charaka, Other Ayurveda scholars have advised using Suvarna bhasma (gold bhasma) and some specific herbs in this linctus. Making baby lick the paste made up of herbs, honey , ghee and gold is known as Suvarnaprashana and is popular Ayurveda therapeutic procedure practiced in current times as well.
• Breast feeding
• Placing a pot filled with water consecrated by certain mantras near baby.
• Mantras are chanted during the entire process. Use of Mantra in Jata Karma gives psychological support to parents especially mother.

Suvarnaprashana

Suvarnaprashana (a type of medicine) given to baby under jatakarma samskara, derives its name from the chief ingredient of it, the Suvarna Bhasma (gold). The other ingredients are honey and ghee. Since the mixture is in the form of linctus and the baby is supposed to lick it, it is called as Suvarnaprashanama. It serves the purpose of both nutrition and immunization.

द्रव्याणां लेहनीयानां बिधिश्चेवोपदेचयते ॥ विघुष्य धौते दृषदि प्राङ्मुखी लघुनाऽम्बुना

मभ्य मधुसर्पिभ्यां लेहयेत् कनकं शिशुम् ॥` सुत्णेप्राशनं द्येतन्मेधाग्निबलवधनम् |

आयुष्य मङ्गल पुख्य वृष्य चस्य म्रहापहम् ॥ मासात् परसमेधाथी व्याधिभिने च धृष्यते |

षडभिमसिः श्रुतधरः सुवणपराशनाद्ेत् ॥ (Kash. Samh. Sutra 18.26-27)

(TBE) This Lehana (licking of medicine preparations) also gives an opportunity to physician to assess the rooting and sucking reflex of neonate. Honey and ghee have a rich caloric value, provide energy to baby whose previous source of nutrition from placenta has stopped. This first feed initiates gastrointestinal movements and activates the gut. Swarna Bhasma gives physical protection to baby. enhances brain development and is in micro particles easily absorbable by baby’s intestine.

Breast feeding is to be given on the first day so to ensure proper nutrition and protective immunoglobulin present in colostrum. Early initiation of breast feed also stimulates prolactin reflex. When the baby sucks, the nerve ending in the nipple carry message to the anterior pituitary which in turn release prolactin and that acts on the alveolar glands in the breast to stimulate milk secretion. The water filled earthen jar may serve cooling purpose or maintenance of humidity in baby’s ward room.

Rakshavidhi

Rakshavidhi is an integral part of Jatakarma samskara mentioned in Ayurveda. The term Rakshavidhi indicates practices or procedures performed to protect a newborn child and also his/her mother. Ayurveda acharyas have given immense attention and importance to the newborn baby's protection. This includes protection from insects, microbes and also evil forces that have capacity to inflict the baby's manas (mind) as per Ayurveda. The Rakshavidhi starts right from the birth of the baby and at every stage of childhood samskara it has been given first place. It is similar to modern day disinfection or sterilization methods in the objective but the methods differ. Ayurveda advocates use of certain herbs and food ingredients to be spread or kept near child in order to prevent infection and infliction of child's body-mind from external harmful factors. Following are the measures that are collectively called as Rakshavidhi,

• The place of delivery and newborn baby's room should be surrounded by the branches of khadira (Acacia catechu Willd.), karkandhu (Zyzyphus nummularia W.&A.), pilu (Salvadora persica Linn.), and parushaka (Grewiaasiatica Linn.) plants.
• Sarshapa (Brassica nigra Linn - mustard seeds), atasi (Linum ustatissimum Linn.),and tandula kanakanika (pieces of broken rice) should be spread all over the floors in the maternity home.
• The sacrificial ritual of offering rice to fire should be performed every morning and evening till the naming ceremony for the child is complete.
• At the door-sill, a wooden pestle should be kept obliquely.
• A potli (bag) containing various herbs like vacha (Acorus calamus Linn.), kushtha (Saussurea lappa C.B. Clarke.), choraka (Ksaumaka -?-), hingu (Ferula narthex Boiss.), sarshapa (Brassica nigra Koch.), atasi (Linum usitatissimum Linn.), lashuna (Alium sativum Linn.), kanakanika (-?-) and other drugs known to be repellents of evil spirits should be tied to the door-sill, and to the necks of the mother and the child , and should also be put into cooking utensils, water jars, bed, and on either side of the door panels
• There should be a fire lighted constantly with the fire woods of kanakanika (-?-), and tinduka (Diospyros peregrine Gurke.) at the fireplace within the maternity home.
• The attending women (of the qualities mentioned earlier) should keep vigilance of the maternity home for ten to twelve days. The whole house should be kept busy with people who are pious, affectionate and happy, and kept engaged with gifts, encouraging blessings, praise, song, music food and drinks.
• In order to bestow auspicious blessings on the mother and the child, brahmins well versed in Atharva Veda should perform ritual sacrifices in the sacred fire two times a day.

These are, rituals and measures that need to be put in place to protect the mother and the child. [47]

Applied aspects of Jatakarma samskara

Significance of Jatkarma Sanskara

Rooting and Sucking reflex as well as SuckingSwallowing coordination is assessed while offering honey and ghee

By this ceremony we should examine the baby to rule out anomalies such as cleft palate, hare lips, tracheooesophageal fistula, fissured tongue etc.

First feed initiates gastrointestinal movements and activates the gut.

It promotes breastfeeding as well as beneficial to mother for helps in uterine involusion, reduces PPH and protect against pregnancy

Honey has antimicrobial properties and enhances immunity.

Honey and ghrita is rich sorce of carbohydrate and fate respectively which can provide adequate energy even in a minute quantity

Ghrita increases samriti medha (intellect), kaanti, voice, oja, strength, vishahar, rakshoghan

Use of gold (suvara-prashan) increases intellect, digestive and metabolic power, strength, aayusha(provide longevity), increase complexion (varnaya), grahamapahum

Newborn's immunity and susceptibility to infections, vaccination

the immune system is relatively immature at birth and has to evolve during a life of exposure to multiple foreign challenges through childhood, via young and mature adulthood (including pregnancy), to the decline of old age. Besides frank infections and vaccinations, the newborn is exposed to other antigens. He or she comes from a relatively sterile environment in utero and is then rapidly exposed to multiple microbes [43]. The first major exposure to bacteria is during passage through the birth canal, and then as soon as he/she makes oral, skin and respiratory contact with the exterior. From then on, exposure to microorganisms is continuous. Many of the bacteria that colonize the gut and other mucosal sites are essential for healthy life, including digestion of food and acquisition of vital nutrients. They also impact on the development of the immune system

the newborn, and especially premature infants, have impaired neutrophil functions [4], putting the child at risk of bacterial infections. In preterm and newborn infants, classical monocytes and macrophages are also immature. Consequently, there is poor tissue repair, impaired phagocytosis of potential pathogens and poor secretion of bioactive molecules.

Overall, the innate immune system is muted at birth, a price probably paid by the fetus not only to tolerate non-shared maternal antigens but also to ignore the considerable amount of stress and remodelling that takes place during development. This makes the newborn, and particularly the premature baby, relatively susceptible to bacterial and viral infections.

Infant mortality