Indian baby showers are known as Simantonnayana. Simanto-nnayana (IAST: Sīmantonnayana) (literally, parting the hair) sacrament is performed in the fourth or fifth month of a woman’s first pregnancy.
During the critical period of pregnancy, Simantonnayana is conducted to protect the mother. Invoking the power of this samskara ensures both that the mother and her unborn child will be protected from negative energies that strive to harm the mother and child, as well as ensuring good health, success, and prosperity for the unborn child.
Also read about all the sixteen Samskara.
How is the Simantonnayana Samskara performed?
Pregnant women are poured fragrant oil on their heads. From the forehead upwards, a line of parting is drawn three times through her hair with three stalks of ‘Kusha’ grass bound together. When a procedure is performed, the Pranava Mantram Aum and sacred phrases called Vyahritis (Bhur, Bhuvah, Svah) are chanted. During the next pregnancy, this must be repeated if the child is stillborn.
The ritual is also for the mental development of the fetus. The vernacular word ‘Seemant’, which literally means brain, and the word ‘Utnayan’, which literally means development, are both used.
The husband should recite the following mantras while speaking Om Bhurvinayami, Om Bhurvinayami, Om Swavinayami, and perform the ritual of parting wife’s hair with this following mantra –
Mantra for Simantonnayana Samskaram
येनादिते सीमानं नयति प्रजापतिर्महते सौभगाय ।
तेनाहमस्यै सीमानं नयामि प्रजामस्यै जरदष्टिं कृणोमि । ।
It means, just as Brahma had uplifted the deity Aditi, in the same way, by up-gradation of the pregnant woman, I give long life to her progeny.
The Simantonayan Samskara is also called Simantkaran Samskara or Simanta Samskara. The purpose of this Samskara is to obtain Saubhagya (good luck and long life for the husband). By performing this Samskara, the main objective is to prevent premature abortions and protect the pregnant mother as well as the growing child within the womb.
When is the Simantonnayana Samskaram performed?
This Samskara is performed in 4th or 6th or 8th month of pregnancy. The Ashwalayan Gruhya Sutra states to perform this Samskara in the fourth month. As part of this Samskara ritual, a prayer is offered to the deities.
‘चतुर्थे गर्भमासे सीमन्तोन्नयनम् ।’
In this Samskara, the husband combs the hair of his wife while praying to the god for the health of his child.
अद्येत्यादि ….. – ममास्य भर्यायांग भिवृद्धिपरिपन्धि-पिशितप्रिया लक्ष्मीभूतराक्षसगण निरसनक्षेम सकलसौभाग्यनिदान लक्ष्मीसमावेशन द्वारा बीजगर्भ समुदैवनोनिवर्हणाय श्री परमेश्वर प्रीत्यर्थं स्त्री संस्कार रुपंसीमन्तोनयन कर्म करिष्ये ।।
We were unable to find a word-to-word translation for the above statements, and we will be grateful for any help for the same received.
A pregnant woman is blessed by other old and young ladies from noble families. This Samskara also prohibits the serving and consumption of hotchpotch (khichdi).
Read about the 2nd Samskara: The Pumsavana Samskara
A few cautions to be taken by the husband and wife during this time.
The ancient scriptures also contain examples of the learning samskaras imprinted in the foetus besides those that affect its health physically. Mahabharata tells us that Arjun’s son, Abhimanyu, was taught battle strategy while still in the womb of Subhadra.
When Prahlad was in his mother’s womb, Kayadhu, he learned of the glory of Lord Narayan. From the outside world, a fetus can also grasp good spiritual practices, and vice versa. However, some undesirable habits of the mother can also affect it. Today we know that smoking, alcohol, many medications, drugs, and certain medications can negatively affect foetuses.
The Varaha Smruti forbids eating meat during pregnancy. As a result, the Smrutis advised the husband to keep his pregnant wife emotionally, physically and spiritually healthy. कालविधान Kalavidhan forbids him to go abroad or to war, build a new house, or bathe in the sea.
Significance of the Simantonnayana Samskaram
The infant in the womb is a fleshy body by the time Pumsavana is performed. Around the age of four months, the baby begins to develop physically rapidly. Eventually, all parts of the body begin to develop. The mother, too, undergoes physical and mental changes. Physical, mental, and spiritual development of the unborn child depends on fulfilling the wishes of the mother. It is often the case that the mother suddenly wants to eat something. The heart and consciousness of the fetus are responsible for all of this. A mother’s body meets her baby’s physiological needs.
As for the mental and spiritual upliftment of the child in the womb, it becomes extremely important to have a Siddha Guru to initiate the education in the womb and provide the Sammantonnayan Samskara.
A child’s receptive power is developed by performing this Samskara. The mind is awakened through mantras attributed to Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva. In addition, the child born in the womb is also blessed with Navagraha mantras.
A child obtains the compatibility of the planets through this Samskara. Additionally, any misfortune caused by fate is also averted. The unborn child is extremely fortunate with this Samskara.
Baby showers today are modernized versions of Punsavan and Seemanthonnayan rites. These rites can also be performed simultaneously if need be. However, according to what the astrologer determines to be the most auspicious Muhurta, these rites are performed at that time.
Finally, in the period following the Simantonnayana ritual and until the birth of the child, the woman is expected not to overexert herself, her husband is expected to stay by her side and not travel far. According to Yåjñavalkya Smriti, it is important to fulfill the desires of the woman during pregnancy in order to avoid miscarriage and promote the health of her baby.
Day before the Simantonnayana
अभ्युदयम्/नान्दी श्राद्धम् abhyudayam/nāndī śrāddham – –
This karmA must be performed as part of the “Simantonnayana” initiation ritual. It is conducted on the day before the seemantam because it must be performed as a ““अन्न रूप नन्दी श्राद्धम् anna roopa nandee shraaddham,” in which Brahmanas are called and invoked as pitrus, /होमा hOmA is performed, and /bhojanam (prepared food) is provided.
The pair obtains the blessings of the nAndee mukha pitrus as a result of their actions. (Because of the time constraint, only a हिरण्य नन्दी श्राद्धम्/hiraNya nAndee shrAddham may be performed if the pumsavanam and seemantam samskara are performed on the same day in the fourth month.) Pumsavanam would come first, followed by nAndee shrAddham, and then seemantam.
On the day of the Simantonnayana :
1. नित्यकर्मा nitya karmA
2. The priest then arrives and conducts the following:-
3. अनुज्ञा anugyA
4. उदकशन्ति udaka shAnthi japa
5. प्रतिसरबन्धम् pratisarabandham
6. सन्कल्पम् sankalpam
7. हॊम: hOma
8. Parting of the hair
9. वीणा Playing the veeNA
10. Apastamba gruhya sootram, PaThala 6, khaNDa 14, khaNDikA 7 & 8 is recited
७. यवान्विरूढनाबध्य वाचं यच्छत्यानक्षत्रॆभ्य: ।
८. उदितॆषु नक्षत्रॆषु प्राचीमुदीचीं वा दिशमुपनिष्क्रम्य वत्समन्वारभ्य व्याहृतीश्च जपित्वा वाचं विसृजॆत् ।
Please note: In order to get more details you can visit https://samskaaram.com/hi/samskaram/seemantam/ who have described the process comprehensively and is very useful website for learning all kind of Samskaras in detail.
The Simantonnayana samskara is a highly essential स्त्री संस्कार (stree samskara) in the sense that it purifies the expectant wife throughout her first pregnancy. For any subsequent pregnancies, doing this samskara only once is sufficient and the कर्ता kartaa is the spouse.
Read the next Samskara: 4th Samskara: Jaat Karma Samskara | जातकर्मा संस्कारम्
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