Dharma Saastra Sangraham : Part IV

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15.2 Jaathakarmam

 

When a child is born, the father should take bath

immediately and perform appropriate DhAnams .

During the entire day of birth of the child ,

the father is suddhan ( no theetu) and hence

there is no blemish in the father giving dhAnams

on that day and others recieving it from him .

 

If the child is born during the period of theetu from

the death of others , the Jaatha Karmaa

samskAram can be done after that theetu

expires . If one has the birth of a male child

during the time when one is observing theetu

from other births in the family , the Jaatha karmA

can be performed right away ( without postponement).

 

15.3 If a male child is born during the times of

theettu (Aasoucham) , the father( Janakan) is

rid of that theettu he was observing .

 

15.4 NaamakaraNam : On the eleventh day

from the day of birth , a name should be given to

the child. If missed , it should be done before

the child's first anniversary . The name of one's Kula

dhaivam or that of the elders in the family can be

given as name.

 

15.5 Ear Piercing : KarNa vEdanam is ear piercing

karma . Chitthirai , Kaarthikai , Thai , Panguni Sukla Paksha

dinams are good . The timing is when the child's teeth have

appeared and the child is able to get up and down on its own

from the Mother's lap. The silken thread is inserted into

the needle and kept in equal measures ( length) and

with that needle , the ear is pierced .

 

15.6 Time to see the Sun and the Moon by the child:

During the third month of birth , child should be taken from the room

or cradle and be shown to the Sun . The child should also be made

to have Soorya darsanam briefly . Similarly , the child should be

shown to the Moon and vice versa during the fourth month .

 

15.7 Anna PrASanam is performed (usually at the local

temple ) during the sixth month. First taste of annam with curd ,

ghee and honey should be arranged for the child .

 

15.8 ChowLam is perfomed at age three. Creating a tuft

( Kudumi) is called ChowLa samskAram. If the Mother is pregnant

when the child is three , then chowLam has to be postponed .

Days and nakshathrams to be avoided are : Sunday, Tuesday ,

Saturday , Prathamai tithi , chathurthy , Navami , Shashti ,

Chathurdasi , Kaarthikai , PoorattAthi and UtthirattAdhi .

Aswini , SravaNam , SvAthi , Chitthra , Poosam , Punarpoosam ,

Avittam are fine as dates for chowLam . Janma Nakshathram

has to be avoided .

 

15.9 Upanayanam for women ?

VivAham is the equivalent of Upanayanam for

women. All the samskArams before Upanayanam

are common to both female and male child . For

the female child , these samskArAs are to be done

without mantrams . If the samskAra is not done at

the prescribed time , there are PrAyascchittham

available for women children .

 

15.10 AksharAbhyAsam: This is perfromed

at age five during the months when VishNu is awake

( after UtthAna EkAdaSi) . UtharAyaNam is preferred .

Month of Maasi is not recommended . Aadi month is

good. Not recommended on Tuesday and Saturday.

The nakshathrams of SravaNam , Hastham , Poosam ,

Mrugaseersham , Avittam , SvAthi , Satayam , Anusham ,

JyEshtA , ChithrA are good .

 

AajyAhuthi is performed after worship of Hari , Lakshmi et al .

BhrAhmaNa BhOjanam follows. Kumaran should sit facing

west and the guru should sit facing east ( kizhakku mukam)

during AksharAbhyAsam . Prathamai , Ashtami and PourNami

should never be chosen since these are anadhyayanam days.

 

15.11 Vidhi NishEdhams before Upanayanam

Before Upanyanam , there are no nishEdhams ( Saastra virOdhams)

for a boy . It does not mean that he can commit MahA pAthakams

like drinking alchoholic beverages .

 

15.12 After age 6 , effort should be made to steer the boy

to observe the prescribed dharmams of BrahmacharyASramam

until he enters the GruhasthAsramam . until age six , there is no

theetu for them if rajasvalai and others with theetu touch them .

It is more relaxed until upanayanam .

 

16.0 Upanayanam and onwards

 

16.1 Upanayanam timing :

 

Upanayanam should be performed 8 years after garbham

for Brahmin boys. Vasantha ruthu is the best. Thai , Maasi

and Panguni months are good. It should not be performed

during anadhyayanam and sankramaNam( Maasa PiRappu).

On unavoidable occasions , it can be done during the period of

anadhyayanam as an exception .

 

During the JyEshtA month ( Aani) , Upanayanam should not

be performed for the first son . When the time of KrishNa paksham ,

when Sukran is in the 8th place , when Sooryan is in the frontal

portion of the Raasis , when it is anadhyayanam , Upanayanam

should not be performed . TrayOdhasi , Chathurdasi , PourNami ,

Prathamai , Chathurthi , Sapthami , Ashtami , Navami ,EkAdasi

are not recommended for upanayanams . Similarly , upanayaNam

should not be done on the asthamana samayam of Saakhdheesan

( Graham , which is the Lord of one's Saakhai) .

 

The SaakAdheesan for Rg vedam is Bruhaspathy ( Thursday) ;

for Yajur Vedam , the adhipathy ( SaakhAdheesan) is Sukran

( Friday); for Saama Vedam , the adhipathy is AngArakan

( Tuesday) ; the SaakhAdheesan ( adhipathy) for Atarva

Vedam is Budhan ( Wednesday) .

 

The performance of upanayanam when the SaakhAdheesan

is at the 4th , 7th and 10th place from his lagnam yields sukham .

 

( To Be Continued ).