Skip to main content

Samskaras- Jata-Karma

Jata-Karma (Week 1)

This Samskara is conducted as soon as a child is born.The main objective of this ceremony is to inculcate some values in the child even though he/she does not understand their importance and also to arouse all the sensory organs. The father must go to the river and bathe and present gifts to holy people which signifies pleasing their ancestors. After 10 days of the birth of the child, the father should perform Jata-Karma (natal rights) for the child. The father places the child on his lap by saying a mantra (usually Gayathri Mantra is recited), smells the forehead of the child and then he says the is meant for the development of the intellect of the child. He then says the Nakshatra (birth star) of the child in the child's right year. Then the father of the newborn smears a drop of honey on a gold ring and rubs the child's tongue with it saying a mantra. This rite is said to symbolise good fortune. The mantra recited  at this point of time prays for a long and healthy life and also for  intelligence for the child.

The Jatakarma ritual follows the following steps:
  • The child is made to lick from a golden spoon honey, curds and clarified butter.
  • The prescribed mantras are whispered over the naval or into the right ear of the child, which raise powers that give long life to the child.
  • The father then touches the shoulders of his child as he chants the prescribed mantras. The father then breaths thrice over the child while chanting verses from three Vedas. This rite of Jatakarma also includes the breathing of five brahmanas from the east Prana, Vyana, Apana, Udana and Samana (names of five vayus).
  • The mother then offers her breast milk to her child when the father chants mantras.
  • The father touches the earth, where the child was born along with the chanting of mantras.
  • A name is given to the child. The father of the child then shaves, takes bath, purifies his house and performs havan. All these are performed on the 10th or 12th day after the childbirth.
  • According to psychologists, whatever a child learns during the age of five years, it will remain with him throughout his life. OM is written on his tongue with the spike of the golden spoon so that whatever he speaks will take him towards the spirituality.
  • The father of the child whispers “Vedosi” in his ear meaning you are a knowledgeable person.
Jatakarma
The Jatakarma Samsakara
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The actual reason behind why u should not sit on pillows...

I am sure all of us would have got a good scolding from our parents or elders' at home if we ever sat on pillows.. when asked Why, they'll often say "You'll get a boil on your butt!" The actual reason behind it is, sitting on pillows especially those we put under our head wen we sleep it is believed that your debts will increase. If you look at it scientifically and logically the rear part of our body is considered unhygienic so imagine the amount of germs that will be on your pillow wen you sit on it.
35 comments
Read more

Samskaras- UPANAYANA

Another important Samskara is; Upanayana which means initiation ritual is done to introduce the Vedas to the male child is the next.The sacred Upnayana ceremony that invests the wearer with the sacred Yajñopavītam is often considered a socially and spiritually significant rite It has varying formats across Hindu-Buddhist communities and performed on an auspicious day. * Yajñopavītam is known by many names (varying by region and community), such as Bratabandha, Janivaara, Jandhyam, Poita, Poonal, Janeu, Lagun, Yajnopavita,Yagyopavit, Yonya and Zunnar. The other Sanskrit term for it is Avyanga. The Upanayana is called by variying names such as,  Upanayanam, Brahmopadesham, Munji, Munj, Janeu Rasm and Bratabandha. Among Hindus, the ceremony was once associated with the higher castes.  Upanayana  (lit. "leading closer" to the Brahma) is a version of the sacred thread ceremony where the concept of Brahman is introduced to a boy. Traditionally, the ceremo...
1 comment
Read more

Why do married Hindu women wear toe rings?

Significance of Metti (toe ring) in Hinduism Wearing of TOE RINGS is highly practiced in India. It is worn as a symbol of married state by Hindu women and is called Bichiya (pronounced: bee-chee-ya) in Hindi, Mettelu in Telugu, Metti in Tamil &  Kalungura in Kannada. Toe rings (also known as bichwa) are a must for married Hindu woman. Tradition of wearing toe rings carries tremendous social significance for married women in India.Both Hindu's and Muslim Women wear these Toe rings, as a symbol of Married state. They are usually made of silver and worn in pairs on the second toe of both feet.Why they use only Silver and Why Not gold? 'Bichiyas' may not be made of gold, as gold holds a 'respected' status and may not be worn below the waist. Indians especially Hindus believe that gold is the metal of the God Lakshmi Devi, The Goddess of Wealth, and therefore they consider it inappropriate to wear gold below the waist. In the olden days both married women and ...
14 comments
Read more