Vyasta samasta mahävyährti home viniyogaù

oà bhuvaù svähä - idam acyutäya idam na mama

oà prajäpatiù viñëu åñiù

anuñöup chandaù

çré näräyaëo devatä

Vyasta samasta mahävyährti home viniyogaù

oà svaù svähä - idam näräyaëäya idam na mama

oà prajäpatiù viñëu åñiù

båhati chandaù

çré ananto devatä

Vyasta samasta mahävyährti home viniyogaù

oà bhür bhuvaù svaù svähä - idam anantäya idam na mama

The husband, standing behind his wife, should touch her right shoulder, then her navel, repeating the following mantra three times:

oà prajäpatiù viñëu åñiù

båhati chandaù

çré mahäviñëu väsudeväcyutänanta govinda viñëavo devatäù

püàsavane viniyogaù

oà pumäàsau mahäviñëu väsudevau

pumäàsau acyutänantau ubhau

pumän govindaç ca viñëuç ca

pumän garbhas tavodare

“ May the Supreme Lord, the Supreme Male, Mahäviñëu, Väsudeva, Acyuta, Ananta, Govinda and Viñëu, and the male child reside in your womb.”

He should then perform Vyasta Samasta Mahävyähåti Homa, and then throw ghee-soaked wood of prädeça length into the fire silently.

He should then perform Ñäöyäyana Homa, Vämadevya Gäëam and the other rites of Udicya Karma. He should give dakñiëä to the initiated Vaiñëavas.

This is the Püàsavana rite according to the followers of the Säma Veda.

@FOOTNOTE:

According to some texts the juice from crushed banyan leaf sprouts should be poured into her right nostril to give her strength at this time.

During the time of pregnancy she should avoid having sex, sleeping in the daytime, staying awake at night, exerting herself physically, riding in vehicles, taking purgatives, experiencing all types of mental strain, and eating spicy, overly-salty, sour, or heavy foods.

END FOOTNOTE

Sémantonnayanam

(Parting the Wife’s Hair)

In the fourth, sixth or eighth month of the first pregnancy, Sémantonnayanam should be performed. If the Garbhädhäna and Püàsavana ceremonies have not been performed yet, they should be done on this day, followed by the Sémantonnayanam ceremony.

@footnote:

According to the Äçvaläyana Småti: “Evil demons, bent on sucking the blood, come to the pregnant woman to devour the feotus. In order to remove them, the husband should perform sémantonnayanam. From the fourth month of pregnancy the formation of the mind of the child begins, therefore the pregnant woman is required to take the utmost care to avoid any physical shock to the feotus.”

Markaëdeya Puräëa says: “O brähmaëa, Virüpa and Vikåti generally dwell in trees, trenches, ramparts and seas. They are always in search of pregnant women. Therefore, they should not visit these places.”

Padma Puräëa says: “A pregnant woman should not bathe in a river, go to a deserted house, sit on an ant hill or scratch the earth with her nails. She should not be continually sleeping and dormant, she should avoid exercise, she should not touch husk, coal, ashes and skulls, she should avoid arguing with her family, she should not leave her hair dishevelled and never remain impure. While sleeping she should not have her head facing North, nor should she sleep naked or wet footed. She should not utter inauspicious words, nor laugh too much.”

Matsya Puräëa says: “A pregnant woman should not take meals during twilight, should not stay under the shade of a tree, she should bathe with warm water mixed with medicinal herbs, give charity, worship Viñëu. She should avoid swift walking, climbing stairs and mountains, keeping awake at night, or eating saline, sour, hot, stale and heavy foods. The son of a woman who observes these rules becomes long-lived and talented; otherwise abortion takes place without a doubt.”

The husband should bathe, perform Viñëu Püjä and Sättvika Våddhi Çräddha. He should prepare the yajïa by performing Kuçandikä, calling in the fire called “Maìgala”, and perform all the rites to the end of Virupäkña Japa.