Garbhadhana (गर्भाधानम्)

Garbadhana (Samskrit: गर्भाधानम्) is classified as the first of the sixteen Samkaras followed by people practicing Sanatana Dharma. The rite through which a man placed his seed in a woman was 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.

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.

Introduction

Procreation is a natural act. A human pair copulated, whenever there was a physical demand for it, without any anticipation of progeny, though it was a usual consequence. The Garbhadhana Samskara, however, presupposed a well established home, a regular marriage, a desire of possessing children and a religious idea that a benevolent divine cause helped men in begetting children. So the origin of this Samskara belongs to a time when the civilization was far advanced from primitive social conditions.

There are many siddhantas involved in the development of an organized society and the role of a family as the fundamental unit of a society. Just like Upanayana is a required Samskara for initiation into education, Vivaha samskara is required as a foundation for the family support system. Begetting children was regarded as a sacred duty binding on every individual and the couple lacking children could not be relieved of their debt to their forefathers. We see that parental instincts found their expression in many Veda mantras containing prayers for being blessed with children. The family having many children was an indicator of their prosperity.

पु॒त्रासो॒ यत्र॑ पि॒तरो॒ भव॑न्ति॒ .... (Rig. Veda. 1.89.9) प्र॒जां च॑ ध॒त्तं द्रवि॑णं च धत्तम् । (Rig.Veda. 8.89.10)

Thus the idea and perhaps a simple ceremony marking that of conception were of importance even during the Vedic times. The ritual procedure adopted in the Garbhadhana must have assumed a fairly ceremonious shape before the codification of the Samskaras in the Grhyasutras.

Etymology

Literally it means "implanting an embryo (into wife)". The name suggests the first sexual intercourse of husband and wife. It can be traced to Atharvaveda (5.25) and Bṛhadāraṇyakopaniṣat (6.4.21). This is to be performed on the fourth day of the menstrual cycle of the wife.

Samskara Across Various Time Periods

In the Vedic period we find that many mantras have been expressed to contain prayers for begetting children as well as for their wellbeing.

Modern Findings related to Garbhadhana

The ceremony of impregnation instils ethical confidence in the minds of married couples to have sex and reproduce properly. In the individual consciousness, depending upon psychosomatic urges, they should be in a preparedness, mentally and physically, to satisfy the needs of the above obligations.

Modern psychologists assert that 'Development Psychology' starts from the conception and the list of Samskaras also puts Garbhadhana on the very top. Very minute details have been given as to why, when and how it should be performed for perfect impregnation to bear a perfect child at the right time.

Ayurvedic Perspectives

Garbhadhana is the process of containing a new life's seed by mother in her womb. This is the first step in producing a new life and it can also be called as the process of conception. Entire wellbeing of the new life in womb depends on this first step. Thus Ayurveda acharyas have given considerable attention to this. As a first step, they have defined the age at which a man and a woman should unite in order to produce a new life which would be of good qualities. They are set up the minimum age for conception for woman at 16 the yrs of age and 25yrs of age for a man. It is believed that, generally at this age a man and a woman have developed fully and can give birth a new life without much complications.

पञ्चविंशे ततो वर्षे पुमान् नारी तु षोडशे | समत्वागतवीर्यौ तौ जानीयात् कुशलो भिषक् ||१३|| (Sush. Samh. 35.13)

Along with the age there are few criteria set by the scholars which are believed to be essential for development of a healthy new life. Those are as follows,

• अतुल्यगोत्रस्य : The man and woman should not be from the same Gotra (clan).
• तत्रात्यशिता क्षुधिता पिपासिता भीता विमनाः शोकार्ता क्रुद्धाऽन्यं च पुमांसमिच्छन्ती मैथुने चातिकामा वा न गर्भं धत्ते, विगुणां वा प्रजां जनयति| अतिबालामतिवृद्धां दीर्घरोगिणीमन्येन वा विकारेणोपसृष्टां वर्जयेत्| पुरुषेऽप्येत एव दोषाः| अतः सर्वदोषवर्जितौ स्त्रीपुरुषौ संसृज्येयाताम्||६|| Cha sha 8.6
• रजःक्षयान्ते : Menstruation of the woman should have stopped i.e. after 3 to 4 days of her menstruation only they should unite not during menstruation.
• रहोविसृष्टं मिथुनीकृतस्य: They should unite in a private place
• तस्मादुत्ताना बीजं गृह्णीयात्; तथाहि यथास्थानमवतिष्ठन्ते दोषाः The ideal position for coitus has also been suggested. The female is advised to receive the sperm lying on her back. When the union/conception occurs in this position all the doshas are at their own place and in the state of normalcy meaning they wont infiltrate the product of conception and harm or hamper its quality.
• पर्याप्ते चैनां शीतोदकेन परिषिञ्चेत् : Cleaning with cold water is recommended.
• सञ्जातहर्षौ मैथुने चानुकूलाविष्टगन्धं स्वास्तीर्णं सुखं शयनमुपकल्प्य मनोज्ञं हितमशनमशित्वा नात्यशितौ : High emphasis has been laid upon the mental state of the partners in this entire process of conception. The couple is advised to unite only after the sufficient arousal. They should have had wholesome diet which they relish but at the same time the food should be not be overeaten. Ambiance of the place is also taken into consideration and it is advised that one can make use of various fragrances of choice and comfortable bed to make things go well.

When all the above mentioned conditions are considered and followed, a couple is advised to copulate for producing a new life. Acharya Vagbhata also gives a vedic verse that generates an environment and a call to the new life energy (atman) that is going to enter the product of conception to give it a life. The sutra is as follows,

तत्र मन्त्रं प्रयुञ्जीत- “अहिरसि आयुरसि सर्वतः प्रतिष्ठाऽसि धाता त्वा ददतु विधाता त्वा दधातु ब्रह्मवर्चसा भव” इति|

“ब्रह्मा बृहस्पतिर्विष्णुःसोमःसूर्यस्तथाऽश्विनौ|

भगोऽथ मित्रावरुणौ वीरं ददतु मे सुतम्”

इत्युक्त्वा संवसेयाताम्||८|| (Char. Samh. 8.8)

Meaning: Then, they should recite the mantra meaning: ‘Thou art the day; Thou art the life; Thou art well established from all sides. May the supporter endow Thee; may the dispenser dispense to Thee: be Thou born with Brahmic splendor’. May Brahma, Brhaspati, Visnu, Soma, Surya and the two Ashwins, as also Bhaga, Mitra and Varuna, bless me with a heroic son.’ Having uttered this, the couple should commence the sexual act.

सा चेदेवमाशासीत- बृहन्तमवदातं हर्यक्षमोजस्विनं शुचिं सत्त्वसम्पन्नं पुत्रमिच्छेयमिति, शुद्धस्नानात् प्रभृत्यस्यै मन्थमवदातयवानां मधुसर्पिर्भ्यां संसृज्य श्वेताया गोः सरूपवत्सायाः पयसाऽऽलोड्य राजते कांस्ये वा पात्रे काले काले सप्ताहं सततं प्रयच्छेत् पानाय|

प्रातश्च शालियवान्नविकारान् दधिमधुसर्पिर्भिः पयोभिर्वा संसृज्य भुञ्जीत, तथा सायमवदातशरणशयनासनपानवसनभूषणा च स्यात्|

सायं प्रातश्च शश्वच्छ्वेतं महान्तं वृषभमाजानेयं वा हरिचन्दनाङ्गदं पश्येत्|

सौम्याभिश्चैनां कथाभिर्मनोनुकूलाभिरुपासीत|

सौम्याकृतिवचनोपचारचेष्टांश्च स्त्रीपुरुषानितरानपि चेन्द्रियार्थानवदातान् पश्येत्|

सहचर्यश्चैनां प्रियहिताभ्यां सततमुपचरेयुस्तथा भर्ता|

न च मिश्रीभावमापद्येयातामिति|

अनेन विधिना सप्तरात्रं स्थित्वाऽष्टमेऽहन्याप्लुत्याद्भिः सशिरस्कं सह भर्त्रा अहतानि वस्त्राण्याच्छादयेदवदातानि, अवदाताश्च स्रजो भूषणानि च बिभृयात्||९||

Putreeya vidhi (Cha sha 8.10-14)

At the end of one week, a priest should select a place on the north side of the house, having a downward slope towards the east or the north. The selected place/ground should be duly smeared with cowdung and water. After sprinkling the place with water, he should prepare and fix the altar.

On the west of the altar, the priest should take his seat on an undamaged cotton cushion or on the skin of a white bull, if he is officiating on behalf of a brahmana patron, on the skin of a tiger or bull if kshatriya, and on the skin of a deer or a ram, in case of a vaisya.

Thus seated, he should kindle the scared fire with the twigs of palasha (Butea monosperma Kuntze), ingudi (Balanites aegyptica Delile), udumbara (Ficus racemosa Linn) or madhuka (Madhuka indica J.F.Gmel), spread the kusha (Desmostachya bipinnata Stapf.) grass around, and fix the enclosure of fire with big stalks of palasha (Butea monospermakuntze) on all four sides, and then spread the altar with parched/roasted paddy and white coloured flowers having sweet fragrance. Then, he should prepare a water pot, clean and sanctified by mantras, make available adequate amount of ghee for offerings, and place auspicious objects (such as bulls or stallions) of said qualities and colors, etc. in and around the place of offering as mentioned earlier.

Thereafter the woman, desirous of progeny, should sit with her husband on the west side of the altar, while the priest should sit to the south, and together they should perform the holy oblation to fire expressing their longing for a progeny. Then, the priest, addressing the God of procreation (Prajapati) for the fulfilment of her desire in her womb, should perform the ‘boon bestowing rite’, by chanting the said hymn ‘May Visnu bless the womb and make it fertile’. Then, the priest should prepare a bolus of cooked rice in an earthen pot by mixing the oblation with ghee, offering it to the holy fire thrice according to the prescribed methods. He should then give the sanctified pot of water to the woman to be used for all her purposes.

On the completion of the rite, she should, placing her right foot first, walk around the fire keeping to her right and accompanied by her husband. Then, after taking the the blessing of the brahmanas, the couple should consume the remains of the sacrificial ghee - first the husband and then the wife - taking care not to leave any leftovers. On completion of this ritual, they shall cohabit for a period of eight nights, wearing the dress etc., as prescribed earlier. In this manner they will be able to beget a progeny, as desired. [11]

As regards the woman desirous of a child with sky blue complexion, red eye, broad chest and long limbs, or a woman who seeks off spring with black complexion, with black, soft and long hair, glittering white eye and teeth, radiant and self-restrained, the rituals to be followed are the same as described above. The preparations and materials required will not be of the same color but it should be made, in either case, to match the desired complexion of the child to be born, agreeable to the mother’s desire. [

Those belonging to shudra lineage, the mere act of salutation/pray (to the God, holy fire, brahmanas, teachers/elders/preceptors, and saints and seers) should suffice. [13]

By knowing about the kind of child she desires, the woman should be advised to mentally travel to such places where people having similar dispositions live. Also, she should be advised to take diet, assume behavior, and engage in activities, attire, and social/cultural behooving such places and people.

Thus, the section detailing rituals that couples desirous of a healthy progeny – of the attributes of their liking – has been explained.

Phalam:

यथोक्तेन विधिनोपसंस्कृतशरीरयोः स्त्रीपुरुषयोर्मिश्रीभावमापन्नयोः शुक्रं शोणितेन सह संयोगं समेत्याव्यापन्नमव्यापन्नेन योनावनुपहतायामप्रदुष्टे गर्भाशये गर्भमभिनिर्वर्तयत्येकान्तेन|

यथा- निर्मले वाससि सुपरिकल्पिते रञ्जनं समुदितगुणमुपनिपातादेव रागमभिनिर्वर्तयति, तद्वत्; यथा वा क्षीरं दध्नाऽभिषुतमभिषवणाद्विहाय स्वभावमापद्यते दधिभावं, शुक्रं तद्वत्||१७||

When a couple, whose body and mind are purified by above mentioned methods, engages in sexual intercourse, the undamaged sperm unites with the healthy ovum in a clean genital tract and the healthy uterus is home to an embryo with all the desired characters. Just as a well-washed cloth catches the colour of good dye instantly or milk, when mixed with drops of curd, transforms into curd leaving its original characters, the seeds acquire the positive attributes of the parents and the environment.