How Punsavan Sanskar Ceremony During Pregnancy Is A Blessing!

Punsavan Sanskar ceremony is considered the second sacred sanskar of all the Sanskars specified in the Hindu Dharmashastras. Hindu religion specifically gives importance to sixteen Sanskars, although there are thirty two Sanskars listed down in the Dharmashastras. Punsavan Sanskar is commemorated when the mother is three months pregnant with the child. To give birth to a child was considered a social responsibility in the ancient times. Therefore people used to commemorate all the sixteen Sanskar rituals of which Punsavan is also the one. This article targets to elucidate the importance of this Sanskar and the correct procedures to commemorate it.

Right Time to Commemorate the Ceremony

Punsavan is the second Sanskar listed down in the Hindu Dharma Shastras. This Sanskar ceremony is organized after the completion of the third month of pregnancy. It is important to organize this ceremony after the completion of the third month of pregnancy as during this period that the child’s brain begins to develop.

Importance of Punsavan Sanskar

In Hinduism, Punsavan Sanskar is celebrated with an expectation to be blessed with a healthy child. It is believed that during the first trimester, the gender of the child cannot be determined. Therefore, Punsavan should be conducted before the development of the child’s gender. This ritual is organized for the protection of the child in the mother’s womb. Many people observe this ritual to get blessed with a boy and also a healthy child. Through this Sanskar, the parents also pray for the mental, physical and emotional development of the child. During this Sanskar, the parents pray to God for the development of good qualities in the child and to keep the child away from negative influences.

Punsavan Sanskar: Sacred Rituals to Follow

• Aushadhi Avdharan (Medicinal Intake)

First of all, a special medicine is put in the nostrils of the pregnant woman during Punsavan Sanskar. Drops extracted from Giloy tree are inserted in the nostrils while chanting the necessary mantras. Giloy tree is considered to have medicinal and antibacterial properties. During this ritual, the giloy drops are specially given as a medicine to the pregnant woman in a bowl. The people present in the ceremony chant the mantra:

ॐ अदभ्यः सम्भृतः पृथिव्यै रसाच्च, विश्वकर्मणः संवर्त्तताग्रे। तस्य त्वष्टा विदधद्रूपमेति, तन्मर्त्यस्य देवत्वमाजानमग्रे। “…(-31.17)

oṃ adabhyaḥ sambhṛtaḥ pṛthivyai rasācca, viśvakarmaṇaḥ saṃvarttatāgre। tasya tvaṣṭā vidadhadrūpameti, tanmartyasya devatvamājānamagre। “…(-31.17)

While the mantras are being chanted, the pregnant lady should put the medicine in her nostrils with her right hand and breathe in. The other members of the family should also place their right hands on the lady’s stomach and successfully conclude the Aushadhi Avdharan ceremony. Conducting this ritual will bless the child with good health.

• Garbh Pujan or Worshipping the Womb

According to the Shastras, the womb of a woman should be worshipped during this ceremony, as the womb is the medium through which a life comes into existence. It is also considered to be God’s representative in many ways.

1. The mother and other family members should pray for the child in the womb to attain good manners and culture.
2. The pregnant lady should follow a healthy and comfortable diet and pray for the overall development of the child.
3. It is believed that if the pregnant lady chants mantras daily, then God will bless her child.
4. While keeping this fact in mind, each and every family member should take flowers and akshat (rice) in their hands and chant the mantra, wishing for the sound health and behavioral development of the child.

   “ॐ सुपर्णोसि गुरुत्माँस्त्रिवृते शिरो, गायत्रं चक्षुबृहद्रथन्तरे पक्षौ। स्तोम आत्मा छंदा स्यढाणि यजु षि नाम। साम ते तनूर्वामदेव्यं, यज्ञायज्ञियं पुच्छं धिष्ण्याः शफाः। सुपर्णोसि गरुत्मान दिवं गच्छ स्वः पत।  …(-12.4)”

   “oṃ suparṇosi gurutmām̐strivṛte śiro, gāyatraṃ cakṣubṛhadrathantare pakṣau। stoma ātmā chaṃdā syaḍhāṇi yaju ṣi nāma। sāma te tanūrvāmadevyaṃ, yajñāyajñiyaṃ pucchaṃ dhiṣṇyāḥ śaphāḥ। suparṇosi garutmāna divaṃ gaccha svaḥ pata।  …(-12.4)”

5. After this, collect all the flowers and akshat and give them to the pregnant lady. She will put the flowers and the akshat on her stomach and then place them back on the plate.

• Ashrae Vatsna

During the Ashrae Vatsna ritual, special prayers are offered for the creation of an environment which will complement the impending development of the unborn child.

During this ritual, the people present take an oath of assurance that the responsibility with which the child is sent to the mother’s womb will be fulfilled by the parents.

• In this ritual, the first assurance is given by the mother. She assures that she will not only take care of her diet but also try to implant good cultural ideas in the child’s mind. She will also not waste her time in irrelevant matters.

It is also necessary for the pregnant lady to reassure that when the child is in her womb, she will keep herself away from negative attributes like jealousy, anger and spend most of her time in praying for the better future of her unborn child.

• The second oath of reassurance should be taken by the father and other family members. The child’s existence takes a form with the help of mother’s blood and flesh and after its birth, it is only mother’s milk that the child consumes for months. There is no doubt that the mother will carry out each and every responsibility of hers concerning the child. Hence, it is now the duty of the father and other family members to give an assurance that they will keep the unborn child away from all the social vices and help in the development of the child.

During this ritual, the mother puts her right hand on her stomach followed by the father and other family members. While doing this, they chant the mantra given below and assure the proper development of the unborn child.

“ॐ यत्ते सुशीमे हृदये हितमन्तः प्रजापतौ। मन्येहं मां तद्विद्वांसं, माहं पौत्रमघनिन्याम।  …(-आश्र्व.गृ.सू.1.13 )”

“oṃ yatte suśīme hṛdaye hitamantaḥ prajāpatau। manyehaṃ māṃ tadvidvāṃsaṃ, māhaṃ pautramaghaninyāma।  …(-āśrva.gṛ.sū.1.13 )”

• Special Offering

A special offering is also organized for the better implementation of this sanskar ceremony. As per Indian traditions, the importance of Yagya is immense. In order to make the Yagya pious, offerings are made.  Each and every aspect of human life is compared to the offerings made in the Yagya. For this special offering, rice pudding or Kheer is made at home, which is used as the offering.

During this time, the family members make the offerings while chanting Gayatri Mantra. Later on, the following mantra is chanted while making five offerings:

“ॐ धातादधातु दाशुषे प्राचीं जीवतुमक्षिताम। वयं देवस्य धीमहि सुमतिं वाजिनीवतः स्वाहा। इदं धात्रे इदं न मम। “ …(-आश्र्व.गृ.सू.1.14 )”

“oṃ dhātādadhātu dāśuṣe prācīṃ jīvatumakṣitāma। vayaṃ devasya dhīmahi sumatiṃ vājinīvataḥ svāhā। idaṃ dhātre idaṃ na mama। “ …(-āśrva.gṛ.sū.1.14 )”

• Charu Pradan

During the Charu Pradan ceremony, the pudding made for the offering is given to the pregnant lady because the food products offered in a Yagya are considered to be enriched with divine powers.

After the Punvasan Sanskar is over the pregnant lady should be given the leftover prasad made for the Yagya. It is considered important to maintain a sattvic diet during pregnancy.

It is also said that the pregnant lady should eat after offering the food to God first. During the Charu Pradan ceremony the pudding made for the special offering is first given to the pregnant lady as prasad. The pregnant lady should apply some of the kheer on her head and seek the blessings of God. She should also wish for the presence of divine energies in the kheer/prasad. The following mantra should be chanted while applying the kheer on her head.

“ॐ पयः पृथिव्यां पय ओषधीषु, पयो दिव्यन्तरिक्षे पयोधाः। पयस्वतीः प्रदिशः सन्तु मह्यम। “(-यजु.18.36.)”

“oṃ payaḥ pṛthivyāṃ paya oṣadhīṣu, payo divyantarikṣe payodhāḥ। payasvatīḥ pradiśaḥ santu mahyama। “(-yaju.18.36.)”

• Aashivarchan

This ritual is specially organized to conclude the Punvasan Sanskar. After the successful completion of all the aforementioned rituals, the priest and the elderly members of the family should put flowers and fruits in the lap of the pregnant lady while chanting

The pregnant lady should also respectfully accept the fruits and flowers given to her and take blessings from the priest and the elderly members of her family along with her husband.

At the end of the ceremony flowers are showered on the pregnant lady. After the distribution of prasad, Punsavan Sanskar ceremony comes to an end.

Time Period

• According to Shastras, Punsavan ceremony can be conducted from the second month of pregnancy.

• If the ceremony is organized during Pushya Nakshatra, then exquisite outcomes can be seen.

• Some people organize the Punsavan ceremony for twelve days for better and positive outcomes.

• It will be beneficial if you organize the ceremony during even or combined tithis or dates (2-4-6-8).

We hope that this article on Punsavan Sanskar will be helpful for you.