History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v2.c23.178

v2.c23.178

*Jātakarma* :—This appears to have been a rite of hoary antiquity. In the Tai. S.⁵²⁵ II. 2. 5. 3-4 we read 'one should offer a cake cooked on twelve potsherds to Vaiśvānara, when a son is born (to a man) ...... That son, for whom when born they perform this 'iṣṭi', does become pure, glorious, substantial in (abundant) food, full of vigour and possessed of cattle'. This shows that Vaiśvānareṣṭi was performed on the birth of a son. Jaimini (IV. 3. 38) holds a discussion on this passage and establishes the conclusion that this iṣṭi is for the benefit of the son and not of the father and the bhāṣya of Śabara gives the further propositions that this iṣṭi is to be performed after the *jātakarma* rites are finished (and not immediately at birth) and that it is to be performed on a full moon day or a new moon day following ten days after birth. The Śat. Br. (S. B. E. vol. 44 p. 129) prescribes a certain rite before the navel string is cut "regarding a new born son let him say to five brāhmaṇas before the navel string has been cut 'breathe over him in this way.' But if he should be unable to obtain them, he may even himself breathe over him while walking round him". The Bṛ. Up. I. 5. 2 contains the following interesting passage⁵²⁶ "when a boy is born they first make him lick clarified butter, and they make him take the breast (of the mother) after that." At the end of the Bṛ. Up. (VI. 4. 24-28) there is an elaborate description of the jātakarma. "When (a son) is born, having kindled the fire, having placed the son on one's lap, having poured curds mixed with ghee in a bell-metal vessel he offers oblations of the curds mixed with ghee with the mantras 'may I maintain a thousand, prospering in my house; may there be no break with regard to progeny and cattle; svāhā! I offer to these in my mind my prāṇas, svāhā! Whatever I have done in excess in my work or whatever I may have left deficient in this (rite), may the wise (Agni) (called) Sviṣṭakṛt make that well sacrificed and well offered for us, svāhā!'. Then after bringing down his mouth up to the right ear of the son he should recite thrice the word 'speech'⁵²⁷, then having poured together curds, honey and clarified butter, he makes the (son) eat it by means of (a spoon of) gold not covered with anything else with the mantras 'I place in thee bhūḥ, I place in thee bhuvaḥ, I place in thee svaḥ, I place in thee bhūr-bhuvaḥ svaḥ, I place in thee all’. Then he gives him (the boy that is born) a name with the words ‘thou art the Veda’. That becomes his secret name. Then he hands the boy over to his mother and gives him the breast of the mother with the mantra (Rg. I. 164. 49) ‘Oh, Sarasvatī! make that breast ready for being sucked, which lies on thy body, which engenders happiness, by which thou nourishest all blessings, which bestows gems, that wins wealth and is a generous donor’. Then he solemnly addresses the mother of the child with the following mantras ‘Oh maitrāvaruṇī⁵²⁸! Oh strong one! thou art Iḷā, she (the mother) has given birth to a valiant (boy); mayst thou be endowed with valiant sons, since thou hast made us possessed of a valiant son. They say to him (the newly born son) ‘thou indeed excellest thy father, excellest thy grandfather; he may attain the highest station by his prosperity, glory and spiritual eminence, who is born as a son of such a brāhmaṇa that knows this’’.