Garbha sanskar

By:Dr.Tushar Dashora & Dr.Smita Dashora

'Pregnancy should be by choice & not by chance '.

'The parent to be ' couple must be prepared mentally & physically to welcome the unborn child . Parents spend loads of money ,time & energy after the child is born for his /her development & growth .

Contd..
But it is that ' 9 months ' crucial period when maximum efforts are to be taken for betterment of expected child . Garbhasanskar is not a new concept in India .Our mythology tells us stories of Abhimanyu .But we 'intelligent skepticals ' were waiting for western science to prove it .

Utility
All this is directed towards keeping expectant mother happy & making pregnancy a joyful experience . In garbhasanskar communication with the baby is an integral part .It is proved that baby is very close to father 's voice .Stories ,shlokas ,& songs if told by father make definite impact .

Garbhasanskar is a science by itself but it is a beautiful , easy& inexpensive way to improve intelligent , spiritual & emotional quotient of an unborn child.

Traditional Vs Modern

Introduction to Garbh Sanskar

What is garbh? O! mother ,you are the divine life force which brings us to the earth. What is garbh Sanskar? O! mother, you provide the soil for the seed in the form of caring womb for the delicate embryo to grow for 9 months. What is Jeeva? O! mother,I choose thou to deliver me to the Prithvi-lok & the manav Yoni,unachievable even by the demigods.

What is Garbh Sanskar?

According to the Tarka sAsthrAs, the word SamskArA is defined as "an impression on the memory". Steady practice of scriptural injunctions establishes firm tracks in the memory so that the practitioner does not swerve from the correct path. According to another definition, SamskArA means "betterment" (Sams) of a thing (kaaram). The cleansing process set in motion by the observance of SamskArAs leads to the betterment of life and qualifies a person for spiritual upliftment.

Vedic Embryology & Modern medicine

Time Day-1 Day-7 Day10-29 Vedic Embryology Fertilization of sperm Bubble like structure Lump of flesh, head formed Modern embryology -sameBlastocyst & implantation Umbilical vesicle,notochord,Heart develops Limb buds,lungs,Retina,Kidney Tooth, nails,genitals,eyelids Startle reflex,eye components Brain develops rapidly

Day 30-60 Day61-90

Hand ,feet & limbs Nails,reproductive org & apertures

Day121-150 Hunger & thirst Day151-180 Moves to right-male, left-female Day 300

Baby moves downwards to deliver Head fixation

Right time for sanskar

1. Rutu (Cycle) Shuddhi - Preparing a proper environment for conception. Rutu means a proper body clock of the individual. Here the Body clock is primarily related with the reproductive system of the body. 2. Kshetra Shuddhi Kshetra indicates the body & home where the foetus is going to dwell & develop during the Nine months of pregnancy. The babies physical & mental abilities should be nurtured properly, so the body & soul of the mother needs to be wholesome.

Right time for Sanskar. Contd

3. Ambu (Nutritional Mechanism) Shuddhi The Nutritional Chain for the baby plays a vital Role in fulfilling its basic needs in the Womb. 4. Bija Shuddhi The baby represents the characters of his Mother & Father. His Physical & Mental Development is the Part & Parcel of them.

Garbhopnishad
This Upanishad explains in detail about the conception and growth of a child in the mothers womb. At each stage of development in the womb, the physical condition of the childs body and the mental state and the condition of the jeevan (the soul) within is also explained in detail in this scripture.This Upanishad is part of the Krishna Yajur Veda.

Garbhopnishad
1. This Upanishad has two parts in it describing the growth of human embryo in the womb of the mother and also variety of parameters connected with human life. 2. The first part describes about pancha bhootha and gives excellent definition for the pruthvi (as solid materials) ap ( as fluid ) thejas ( which has energy /heat ) vaayu ( which flows as electrons/electricity/..) and aakaasa ( which exists as the finest particles ions) . 3. Further descriptions goes to the six flavors (shad rasas) like, sweet /bitter/sour/saltish/ sour /pungent .

Garbhopnishad contd..
4.Then comes the composition of the body like blood, bones, muscles etc. 5.Further description about the colors and their impact on the body 6. In the second chapter of the Garbhopanishad, the systematic growth of the embryo in the womb of the mother is narrated.

Garbhopnishad
7. The shape of the head and body evolves within 15th day and within 60 days. 8.Within 3rd month, the feet slowly separates and within 4th month the intestine, stomach and other internal organs evolve. In the 5th month eyes, nose, ears grow. And by the 8th month full growth attains and then during the 9th month the baby remains in meditation with all organs functioning steadily. 9.All the mental activities start during this period . 10.In the 10th month the baby gets its birth with all qualities of human beings. Thus ends the Garbhopanishad.

What is effect of Garbh samskar?

Intelligence-Buddhi Valor-Shaurya Brilliance-tejas Strength- Shakti Quality- Guna Search of eternal truth-mumukshutva

Initiator & propagator

Medical science analogy-PGI news

Myths Vs facts
Jeeva chooses you & not vice versa. Youre the carrier, not the creator. Sanskar & Vasna both define the type of womb. The Jeeva in the garbh has significant impact on the mother. Jeeva shows its interests. Jeeva decides the time of birth.

Most Educable stage of life!

Brain grows maximum. All instincts are being developed. Interests & likings will become deep imbibed. Rhythmic sounds hastens neuronal growth. Most conducive period of learning

What affects the brain growth?

Rhythmic sounds & Mantra. Music Sat-sahitya. Thoughts-SatVichaar SanskarsGarbhdaan,Garbhadhaan, Punsvan,Simmantoyyan. Rites

Story of Abhimanyu
Baby listens from 3rd month onwards. Baby recognizes mother from her heart beat, voice & smell. Whatever the mother does the baby is impacted by it. Mothers blood flows through the baby. Mothers emotions affect the baby.

Examples of Garbh Sanskar

Day-to-day activities
What to do? What not to do? What to think? What to eat? What to read? What to see? What to hear? What to wear?

Visualization of fetus

Garbh sanskar in Quran

He it is Who shapes you in the wombs as He pleases. L ilha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. [Qur'an 3:6] The Noble Qur'an - Al-A'raf 7:189 "If You give us a Slih (good in every aspect) child, we shall indeed be among the grateful. ..."O my Lord! Grant me from You, a good offspring. You are indeed the All-Hearer of invocation."

& then there is a dua to be done during the labor pains also!

Garbh Sanskar in bible

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm 139: 13-14

Father, you have just made me a mother. You have granted me the opportunity of partnering with you in the creative act of life.

Why the Baby Cries at birth?

Hadith - Sahih Bukhari 4.641, Narrated Sa'id bin Al Musaiyab Abu Huraira said, "I heard Allah's Apostle saying, 'There is none born among the off-spring of Adam, but Satan touches it. A child therefore, cries loudly at the time of birth because of the touch of Satan, except Mary and her child." Then Abu Huraira recited: "And I seek refuge with You for her and for her offspring from the outcast Satan" (3.36)

Why do babies cry?-BhagwadGeeta

My dear Lord, by Your causeless mercy I am awakened to consciousness, although I am only ten months old. Therefore, my Lord, although I am living in a terrible condition, I do not wish to depart from my mother's abdomen to fall again into the blind well of materialistic life. Your external energy (The material nature which bewilders the conditioned living entities called deva-maya),at once captures the newly born child, and immediately false identification, which is the beginning of the cycle of continual birth and death, begins.

Prayers for the unborn child

Invocation to Lord Ganesha to eliminate all obstacles. Prayers to Lord Agni -May my husband and I be blessed with long life, good children and integration of our body mind and soul. Prayer to Surya - Bless us with blazing intelligence.

Prayers contd
Prayer to Lord Agni - Be present in my uterus and strengthen my uterus and my unborn child.. May my unborn child develop into a good and courageous child. Bless my child and its father. Prayer to Lord Indra - May the delivery be safe for the child and the mother.

Welcome to Motherhood!!!
Thanks for taking a step towards the betterment of your unborn baby. Thanks for being an intelligent, kind & considerate parent. Thanks for being a part of Garbh sanskar