Väsudeva vämana viñëu vaikuëöhädibhyaù idam na mama

He should then offer oblations to the tithi and nakñatra devatäs saying:

oà tad viñëoù paramaà padaà

sadä paçyanti sürayaù

divéva cakñur ätatam

oà viñëave.....(tithi name eg. dvitéya) tithi devatäyai svähä -

Idam viñëave idam na mama

oà tad viñëoù paramaà padaà

sadä paçyanti sürayaù

divéva cakñur ätatam

oà viñëave..........(nakñatra eg. Açviné) devatäyai svaha -

Idam viñëave idam na mama

oà tad viñëoù paramaà padaà

sadä paçyanti sürayaù

divéva cakñur ätatam

om vaiñëavebhyo svähä -

Idam sarva vaiñëavebhyo idam na mama

The father should offer as many oblations as he can using the mantras “oà tad viñëoù -” and “oà kåñëo vai saccidänanda-.”

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

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

This is the childs’ Pauñöik Karma according to the followers of the Säma Veda.

Anna Präçana

(Feeding the First Grains):

In the case of a male child the rite should be performed in the sixth or eigth month, on an auspicious day. In the case of girl, it should be performed in the fifth or seventh month, on an auspicious day.

FOOTNOTE:

This ceremony should not be performed before the fourth month, and not later than a year, for the sake of the child’s health. Signs of teeth are the indication that the child is ready for solid foods4.

END FOOTNOTE

The father, having taken his morning bath and performed Viñëu and Vaiñëava arcana and SättvikaVåddhi Çräddha, should perform Kuçandikä to the end of Virupäkña Japa, calling the fire named “Çuci.”

He should offer ghee-soaked wood of prädeça length into the fire silently and perform Vyasta Samasta Mahävyähåti Homa:

oà prajäpatiù viñëu åñiù

gäyatré chandaù

çré viñëuù devatä

Vyasta samasta mahävyährti home viniyogaù

oà bhür svähä - idam viñëave idam na mama

oà prajäpatiù viñëu åñiù

uñëik chandaù

çré acyuto devatä

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

He should offer an oblation of mahäprasädam rice into the fire, saying:

oà prajäpatiù viñëu åñiù

gäyatré chandaù

çrémad ananto devatä

puruñädhi-patyärthasya catuñpathe agnau anantäbhimukhasya äjya home viniyogaù

oà mahäprasädannaà vai ekam chandasyaà

tat hi ekaà bhütebhyaù chandayati svähä -

idam sarva bhütebhyaù idam na mama

“This mahäprasäda rice is an offering for the bhütas.”

The father should offer oblations of ghee with the following mantras:

oà prajäpatiù viñëu åñiù

gäyatré chandaù

çrémad ananto devatä

puruñädhi-patyärthasya catuñpathe agnau anantäbhimukhasya äjya home viniyogaù

oà çréù vai eñä yat sattvano virocano

saìkarñaëo mayi sattvaà avadhätu svähä -

idam saìkarñaëäya idam na mama

“This offering is for prosperity. May Virocana, Sattvana, Saìkarñaëa bestow truth in me.”

oà prajäpatiù viñëu åñiù

gäyatré chandaù

çrémad ananto devatä

puruñädhi-patyärthasya catuñpathe agnau anantäbhimukhasya äjya home viniyogaù

oà annasya ghåtam-eva rasaù-tejaù

sampadärtha tad anantäya juhomi svähä  -

idam anantäya idam na mama

“Among food ghee is happiness, beauty, strength and nobility. I offer it to Ananta for all success.”

oà prajäpatiù viñëu åñiù

gäyatré chandaù

çrémad ananto devatä

mahäprasäda-sevana våttyavicchattyarthasya säyaà prätaù kñuddhame viniyogaù

oà viñëave kñudhe svähä - idam viñëave idam na mama

“To Viñëu for hunger.”

oà prajäpatiù viñëu åñiù

gäyatré chandaù

çrémad ananto devatä

mahäprasäda-sevana våttyavicchattyarthasya säyaà prätaù kñuddhame viniyogaù

oà çré viñëave kñuta pipäsäbhyäà svähä - idam viñëave idam na mama

“To Viñëu for hunger and thirst.”

He should offer oblations to the five life airs, saying:

oà präëäya svähä - idam präëäya idam na mama

oà apänäya svähä - idam apänäya idam na mama

oà samänäya svähä - idam samänäya idam na mama

oà udänäya svähä - idam udänäya idam na mama

oà vyänäya svähä - idam vyänäya idam na mama

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

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

He should then feed the child grains saying:

oà prajäpatiù viñëu åñiù

båhaté chandaù

çré acyuto devatä

kumärasya mahäprasädänna-präçane viniyogaù

oà acyuta

annapate annasya no dhehy-anamévasya çuçminaù

pradätäraà täriñaù urjaà no dhehi dvipade catuñpade svähä

oà präëäya svähä

“Oh Acyuta master of food, bestow food which gives strength and which is free from disease. You should lead the performer of sacrifice onwards. Give strength to us and the animals. I make this sacrifice to the präëa.”

oà prajäpatiù viñëu åñiù

gäyatré chandaù

çré janärdano devatä

kumärasya mahäprasädänna-präçane viniyogaù

oà janärdana

annapate kånuta annaà no dhehi péyuña

asäktaà te ‘nnaà yad yad yuge no dhehi dvipade catuñpade svähä

oà apänäya svähä

“Oh Janärdana, Lord of sustenance and food, provide our sustenance, bestow Your food of bliss and immortality. At all times bestow upon us, both human and beast. I make this sacrifice to the apäna.”

oà prajäpatiù viñëu åñiù

gäyatré chandaù

çré lakñmé-näräyaëau devate

kumärasya mahäprasädänna-präçane viniyogaù

oà lakñmé näräyaëau

annapaté annaà amåtaà no dhehi kamalä saàskåtaà

te bhukta çeñaà no dhehi dvipade catuñpade svähä

oà samänäya svähä

“Oh Lakñmé-Näräyaëa, rulers of sustenance, give us the food of immortality, prepared by Lakñmé herself. Bestow upon us Your remnants, to the humans and the animals alike. I make this sacrifice to the samäna.”

oà prajäpatiù viñëu åñiù

gäyatré chandaù

çré yajïo devatä

kumärasya mahäprasädänna-präçane viniyogaù

oà annapate yajïa annaà adhiyajïaà tvadéyaà

no dhehi sarva durlabhaà mänuñyaà vai sudhäyutaà

no dhehi dvipade catuñpade svähä

oà udänäya svähä

“Oh Lord of sustenance, give us Your principal sacrifice, the food of that sacrifice. Bestow to us the human form and nature so hard ot attain, made eternal. Bestow that to us, humans and animals alike. I make this sacrifice to the udäna.”

oà prajäpatiù viñëu åñiù

gäyatré chandaù

çré janärdano devatä

kumärasya mahäprasädänna-präçane viniyogaù

oà annapate janärdana ñaò rasam amåta siktaà

niveditaà te sad annaà no dhehi kilbiçäpahaà

no dhehi dvipade catuñpade svähä

oà vyänäya svähä

“Oh Janärdana, give to us, both man and beast, Your eternal food, that which has been offered to You, soaked with the nectar of the six flavors, and capable of destroying all sins. I make this sacrifice to the vyäna.”

After the Anna Präçana ceremony, he should give as much dakñiëä that he possibly can to all the initiated Vaiñëavas and to all the vaiñëava-brähmaëas. He should serve (prasäda) to all the devotees, guests and other living entities.

After the Anna Präçana the next saàskära is Pütra Mürdhäbhighräëam

This ends the Anna Präçana rites.

Putra Mürdhäbhighräëam

(Smelling the Son’s Head):

This may be performed after the Anna Präçana ceremony, while giving blessings, when the father returns from a long journey.

The father should wash his feet, perform äcamana and facing East hold the childs’ head (or the eldest son’s head first, if there are more than one son), saying:

oà prajäpatiù viñëu åñiù

anuñöup chandaù

çré padmanäbho devatä

pütrasya mürddhanam upasaàgåhya jape viniyogaù

oà aìgät aìgät saàçravasi

hådayät adhijäyase

präëam te präëeëa saàdadhämi

jéva me yävad äyuñam

“Breath of life, from limb to limb you flow. From the heart you conquer. Oh son, to you by my breathing I give life. Live a long life for me.”

oà prajäpatiù viñëu åñiù

gäyatré chandaù

çré viñëuù devatä

pütrasya mürddhanam upasaàgåhya jape viniyogaù

oà aìgät aìgät saàbhavasi

hådayät adhijäyase