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== Jatakarma in Vedic times ==

== Jatakarma in Vedic times ==

In the g the child according to the S'atras (A. 1. 15. 10)

In the '''Rigveda''', the word, "Janman" or birth occurs twice but used in the sense of relations. However, in the '''Atharvaveda''' we find a whole sukta (1.11) dedicated for the safe delivery of the child.<ref name=":12">Pandey, Raj Bali. (1949) ''Hindu Samskaras, A Socio-religious study of the Hindu Sacraments.'' Banaras: Vikrama Publications. (Pages 116-129)</ref><blockquote>वषट्ते पूषन्न् अस्मिन्त्सूतावर्यमा होता कृणोतु वेधाः । सिस्रतां नार्यृतप्रजाता वि पर्वाणि जिहतां सूतवा उ ॥१॥ (Atha. Veda. 1.11.1)</blockquote>Meaning: O Pusha, spirit of life’s procreation, for the expectant mother, may every thing be good and auspicious in this child birth. May Aryama, creative law of nature, hota, the father, Vedha, the specialist physician, all be good and helpful and auspicious. May the mother give birth to the baby comfortably. May she relax all over her body system.<ref name=":32">Dr. Tulsi Ram (2013) ''Atharvaveda, Vol 1.'' Delhi: Vijaykumar Govindram Hasanand. (Pages 21 - 23)</ref>  

 

 

 

well-versed in the. Vedas. (3.15.2 and 2.26.3), the word, "Janman" or birth occurs twice but used in the sense of relations. However, in the Atharvaveda we find a whole sukta (1.11) dedicated for the safe delivery of the child.<ref name=":12">Pandey, Raj Bali. (1949) ''Hindu Samskaras, A Socio-religious study of the Hindu Sacraments.'' Banaras: Vikrama Publications. (Pages 116-)</ref><blockquote>वषट्ते पूषन्न् अस्मिन्त्सूतावर्यमा होता कृणोतु वेधाः । सिस्रतां नार्यृतप्रजाता वि पर्वाणि जिहतां सूतवा उ ॥१॥ (Atha. Veda. 1.11.1)</blockquote>Meaning: O Pusha, spirit of life’s procreation, for the expectant mother, may every thing be good and auspicious in this child birth. May Aryama, creative law of nature, hota, the father, Vedha, the specialist physician, all be good and helpful and auspicious. May the mother give birth to the baby comfortably. May she relax all over her body system.<ref name=":32">Dr. Tulsi Ram (2013) ''Atharvaveda, Vol 1.'' Delhi: Vijaykumar Govindram Hasanand. (Pages 21 - 23)</ref>  

Further, in the sukta, we find details such as the passage of the delivery, the descent of the placenta in the process of delivering the child showing that Vedic people had advanced knowledge of human biology, for example, in the mantra meaning "the cover of the foetus is not stuck in the flesh, nor in the fat, nor in marrow. Let the thin spotted sheet after birth be out for dogs to eat" tells us that they knew about the layers covering the foetus.<ref name=":32" />

Further, in the sukta, we find details such as the passage of the delivery, the descent of the placenta in the process of delivering the child showing that Vedic people had advanced knowledge of human biology, for example, in the mantra meaning "the cover of the foetus is not stuck in the flesh, nor in the fat, nor in marrow. Let the thin spotted sheet after birth be out for dogs to eat" tells us that they knew about the layers covering the foetus.<ref name=":32" />

Jatakarma Saṃskāra is performed before the navel string is cut according to Sankhayana (1.24) and Paraskara (1.16.4). Manu mentions that<blockquote>प्राङ्नाभिवर्धनात्पुंसः जातकर्म विधीयते। मनुस्मृतिः २.२९ । prāṅnābhivardhanātpuṃsaḥ jātakarma vidhīyate। Manusmṛtiḥ 2.29 .</blockquote>Jātakarma of a male child is ordained before the umbilical cord is cut. Before cutting the navel string there is no [[Jaata-Asoucha (जाताशौचम्)|Asoucha (impurity) due to birth]] and Jātakarma has to be performed at that time on a male child.

Jatakarma Saṃskāra is performed before the navel string is cut according to Sankhayana (1.24) and Paraskara (1.16.4). Manu mentions that<blockquote>प्राङ्नाभिवर्धनात्पुंसः जातकर्म विधीयते। मनुस्मृतिः २.२९ । prāṅnābhivardhanātpuṃsaḥ jātakarma vidhīyate। Manusmṛtiḥ 2.29 .</blockquote>Jātakarma of a male child is ordained before the umbilical cord is cut. Before cutting the navel string there is no [[Jaata-Asoucha (जाताशौचम्)|Asoucha (impurity) due to birth]] and Jātakarma has to be performed at that time on a male child.

Other texts (Jaimini and Gobhila grhyasutras) it should be done before the cutting of umbilical cord and prior to feeding the newborn.

Other texts (Jaimini and Gobhila grhyasutras) mention that it should be done before the cutting of umbilical cord and prior to feeding the newborn.

The time for the performance of the rite need not be very rigidly described, as it is to be done as soon as the child is born.<ref name=":4">Deshpande, Kamalabai (1936) ''The Child in Ancient India.'' Poona: Aryasamskrti Press (Pages 60-99)</ref>

The time for the performance of the rite need not be very rigidly described, as it is to be done as soon as the child is born.<ref name=":4">Deshpande, Kamalabai (1936) ''The Child in Ancient India.'' Poona: Aryasamskrti Press (Pages 60-99)</ref>

From the Brhadaranyaka Upanishad (VI.4.24) we come to know of a process of Jatakarma. This was to be performed when the father desired the child for the special purpose of studing the Vedas. The primitive customs were supplemented by the greeting of the child by the father and the whole was given sanctity by the addition of a homa to the ceremony.<ref name=":4" />

From the Brhadaranyaka Upanishad (VI.4.24) we come to know of a process of Jatakarma. This was to be performed when the father desired the child for the special purpose of studing the Vedas. The primitive customs were supplemented by the greeting of the child by the father and the whole was given sanctity by the addition of a homa to the ceremony.<ref name=":4" />

In the Grhyasutras this Samskara is fully described. But here, too, the ritual is purely religious, and popular and superstitious elements are hardly given their 'proper scope. The Dharmasutras and the Smrtis do not give any descriptive details. The mediaeval treatises, however, introduce many preliminary items e.g. the arrangement of the maternity house, ceremony accompanying entry into it, presence of desirable persons near the expectant mother, and some other, observances which are otherwise unknown to earlier sources. The maternity house or Sutika Bhavan is arranged by the selection of a suitable room in the house, which is entered by the expectant mother a day or two before the delivery.<ref name=":12" />

In the Grhyasutras this Samskara is fully described. But here, too, the ritual is purely religious, and popular and superstitious elements are hardly given their proper scope. The Dharmasutras and the Smrtis do not give any descriptive details. The mediaeval treatises, however, introduce many preliminary items e.g. the arrangement of the maternity house, ceremony accompanying entry into it, presence of desirable persons near the expectant mother, and some other, observances which are otherwise unknown to earlier sources. The maternity house or Sutika Bhavan is arranged by the selection of a suitable room in the house, which is entered by the expectant mother a day or two before the delivery.<ref name=":12" />

Different sentiments were expressed at the birth of a boy and a girl, as different prospects were depending on them. The firstborn was liked to be a boy, as he freed the father from all ancestral debts. But for a sensible man a girl was not less meritorious, because her gift in marriage brought merits to the father. After this, the father went to the mother in order to see the 'face of the son, because by looking at the face of the newborn son the father is absolved from all debts and attains immortality.<ref name=":12" /><blockquote>ऋणमस्मिन्सन्नयति अमृतत्वं च गच्छति। पिता पुत्रस्य जातस्य पश्येच्चेञ्जीवितो मुखम्।।<ref name=":12" /></blockquote>Having seen the face of the child, he bathed with his clothes on invited the elders and performed the Nandi-shraddha and Jatakarma ceremonies.<ref name=":12" /> These shraddhas are performed to please the ancestors. Such were observed by Nanda at the birth of Krishna.

Different sentiments were expressed at the birth of a boy and a girl, as different prospects were depending on them. The firstborn was liked to be a boy, as he freed the father from all ancestral debts. But for a sensible man a girl was not less meritorious, because her gift in marriage brought merits to the father. After this, the father went to the mother in order to see the 'face of the son', because by looking at the face of the newborn son the father is absolved from all debts and attains immortality.<ref name=":12" /><blockquote>ऋणमस्मिन्सन्नयति अमृतत्वं च गच्छति। पिता पुत्रस्य जातस्य पश्येच्चेञ्जीवितो मुखम्।।<ref name=":12" /></blockquote>Having seen the face of the child, he bathed with his clothes on invited the elders and performed the Nandi-shraddha and Jatakarma ceremonies.<ref name=":12" /> These shraddhas are performed to please the ancestors. Such were observed by Nanda at the birth of Krishna.

Dr. Deshpande summarizes the following classification of the vidhis involved in Jatakarma as per Brhdaranyaka Upanishad which is the source of all Sutra Samskara vidhis<ref name=":4" />.  

Dr. Deshpande summarizes the following classification of the vidhis involved in Jatakarma as per Brhdaranyaka Upanishad which is the source of all Sutra Samskara vidhis<ref name=":4" />.