Changes

== 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>

(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>

== Pumsavana described in vedas and Ayurveda ==

== Pumsavana described in vedas and Ayurveda ==

Early references to rituals aimed at masculinizing the foetus are found in the Atharva veda and Samaveda-Mantra-Brahmana.<ref>Rajbali Pandey - Hindu Samskaras – Socio-religious study of the Hindu Sacraments</ref> Masculinizing the fetus is related to life of the developing baby. Thus Ayurveda which is called as the science of life and which is an [[Upavedas (उपवेदाः)|upaveda]] of [[Atharvaveda (अथर्ववेदः)|Atharvaveda]]  also gives definite attention to the topic of Pumsavana and deals with the technicalities involved in this samskara.<ref name=":1" /> <ref name=":2" />   

Early references to rituals aimed at masculinizing the foetus are found in the Atharva veda and Samaveda-Mantra-Brahmana.<ref>Rajbali Pandey - Hindu Samskaras – Socio-religious study of the Hindu Sacraments</ref> Masculinizing the fetus is related to life of the developing baby. Thus Ayurveda which is called as the science of life and which is an [[Upavedas (उपवेदाः)|upaveda]] of [[Atharvaveda (अथर्ववेदः)|Atharvaveda]]  also gives definite attention to the topic of Pumsavana and deals with the technicalities involved in this samskara.<ref name=":1" /> <ref name=":2" />   

* In the pusya star itself, she can inhale the steam coming from the preparation of sali rice while being cooked.  

* In the pusya star itself, she can inhale the steam coming from the preparation of sali rice while being cooked.  

* 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.  

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 scentific 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 scentific 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: ==

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

(TBE)The  methodology  of  Pumsavana Karma  does  not  limit  to  more  scientific  explanation  or ritualistic performance. At the hour of population explosion, there is definitely a need to have the control over the population in a planned manner by which the ration between the populations be maintained. This is very much necessary to guard the social status and behaviors. Though many of the parents desire to limit their number of children but, however it becomes difficult for them due to the lack of facilities which either determined the sex in  before hand or  due to lack of known scientific  basis to  obtain a child of  desired  sex. However,  the  recent  development  in medical science has discovered a procedure by which the sex of the child in the womb can be determined which is well known as amniocenteses. This is resulted, however, in as bad practice of killing in numerical female foetus. Therefore, the safest measurement still remains negatively at large. On other hand, the science has absolutely no record of any of the in vitro method which can change the sex of the foetus as desired. Therefore, a methodology like Pumsavana Samskara is a needed entity for the present society. By proper understanding of the scientific background and  its  known  implications  will  definitely  receive  rousing  welcome  from  the  educated individuals.<ref name=":0" />

(TBE) Sayanacharya, the greatest commentator on the Vedas,remarks that the above verse 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.

 

The  methodology  of  Pumsavana Karma  does  not  limit  to  more  scientific  explanation  or ritualistic performance. At the hour of population explosion, there is definitely a need to have the control over the population in a planned manner by which the ration between the populations be maintained. This is very much necessary to guard the social status and behaviors. Though many of the parents desire to limit their number of children but, however it becomes difficult for them due to the lack of facilities which either determined the sex in  before hand or  due to lack of known scientific  basis to  obtain a child of  desired  sex. However,  the  recent  development  in medical science has discovered a procedure by which the sex of the child in the womb can be determined which is well known as amniocenteses. This is resulted, however, in as bad practice of killing in numerical female foetus. Therefore, the safest measurement still remains negatively at large. On other hand, the science has absolutely no record of any of the in vitro method which can change the sex of the foetus as desired. Therefore, a methodology like Pumsavana Samskara is a needed entity for the present society. By proper understanding of the scientific background and  its  known  implications  will  definitely  receive  rousing  welcome  from  the  educated individuals.<ref name=":0" />

== The psycho-spiritual effects of punsavan sanskara on pregnant mother and foetus ==

== The psycho-spiritual effects of punsavan sanskara on pregnant mother and foetus ==