Naming Your Child Correctly

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THE SIXTEEN SANSKAARS IN THE LIFE OF A HINDU AND NAMING YOUR CHILD CORRECTLY
संस्कार और अपने बच्चे को सही ढंग से नाम देना

Jyotishacharya Shastri Pundit Roshan Singh
रोहिहििंदि दास
ज्योहिषाचार्य शास्त्री पंहिि रोशि हसंि

• Jyotish Astrologer – All India Federation of Astrologers Societies
• Gold Medalist – Akhil Bhartiya Saraswati Jyotish Manch of India
• Ayurvedic Health Care Practitioner – American Institute of

Vedic Studies
• Energy Therapist and Spiritual Healer
• Marriage Officer – Licence No : Q22548
• Justice of the Peace
• Commissioner Of Oaths

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Within four months from the date of conception, the seven essential ingredients of the body,
namely chyle, blood, flesh, fat, bone, marrow and semen, come into existence. At the end of five
months, hunger and thirst make themselves felt, and at the end of six months, the fetus, enclosed
by the amnion, begins to move on the right side of the abdomen.

Purport

When the body of the child is completely formed at the end of six months, the child, if he is male,
begins to move on the right side, and if female, she tries to move on the left side.

ŚB 3.31.5

र्ािुजयग्धान्नपािाद्यैरे धद्धािुरसम्मिे ।
शेिे हिण्मूत्रर्ोर्यिे स जन्तुजयन्तुसम्भिे ॥ ५ ॥

mātur jagdhānna-pānādyair
edhad-dhātur asammate
śete viṇ-mūtrayor garte
sa jantur jantu-sambhave

Synonyms

mātuḥ — of the mother; jagdha — taken; anna-pāna — by the food and drink; ādyaiḥ — and so
on; edhat — increasing; dhātuḥ — the ingredients of his body; asammate — abominable; śete —
remains; viṭ-mūtrayoḥ — of stools and urine; garte — in a hollow; saḥ — that; jantuḥ —
fetus; jantu — of worms; sambhave — the breeding place.

Translation

Deriving its nutrition from the food and drink taken by the mother, the fetus grows and remains in
that abominable residence of stools and urine, which is the breeding place of all kinds of worms.

Purport

In the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa it is said that in the intestine of the mother the umbilical cord, which is
known as āpyāyanī, joins the mother to the abdomen of the child, and through this passage the child
within the womb accepts the mother’s assimilated foodstuff. In this way the child is fed by the
mother’s intestine within the womb and grows from day to day. The statement of the Mārkaṇḍeya
Purāṇa about the child’s situation within the womb is exactly corroborated by modern medical
science, and thus the authority of the Purāṇas cannot be disproved, as is sometimes attempted by
the Māyāvādī philosophers.

Since the child depends completely on the assimilated foodstuff of the mother, during pregnancy
there are restrictions on the food taken by the mother. Too much salt, chili, onion and similar food is
forbidden for the pregnant mother because the child’s body is too delicate and new for him to
tolerate such pungent food. Restrictions and precautions to be taken by the pregnant mother, as
enunciated in the smṛti scriptures of Vedic literature, are very useful. We can understand from the
Vedic literature how much care is taken to beget a nice child in society. The garbhādhāna ceremony
before sexual intercourse was compulsory for persons in the higher grades of society, and it is very
scientific. Other processes recommended in the Vedic literature during pregnancy are also very
important. To take care of the child is the primary duty of the parents because if such care is taken,
society will be filled with good population to maintain the peace and prosperity of the society,
country and human race.

ŚB 3.31.6

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properties of the Haldi (turmeric) and sandalwood prevent the
possible occurrence or any sort of irritation or infection. It is also
advisable not to apply any soap or shampoo on the head of baby for
the same cause. The sandalwood gives a cooling sensation and the
turmeric is well known for its antiseptic properties.

Precautions for Doing Mundan

Let us have a look at the precautions that should be followed while
doing Mundan of a baby..

You need to be sure that the barber you have called for the Mundan
is actually a specialist in the act.

Make sure that the barber uses sterilised equipment and the blade is
a new one that is used in the razor.

Get your appointment in the local temple or salon so that you can
get the Mundan done by someone who can be trusted.

Make sure that the baby is rested well enough so that he does not
get cranky during the Mundan. It might be very difficult to get it
done well if the baby is fidgety or crying.

Finally, note that there is no mirror in front of the baby. The point is
the baby should not get to see the process as it is possible that it
scares him.

It is interesting to note that modern nuclear families may not always
get the time and opportunity to follow this ritual of Mundan as per
traditions. So they opt for a tonsure in the salon that has the facility
for shaving the head of a baby and specialises in that process. This is
indeed a modern facility that is offered by many renowned salons in
the big cities of India and other countries of the world where
professional barbers have migrated from India.

Significance of Mundan

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If you take a look at the scriptures, you will find that a soul passes
through eighty-four lakh ‘Yonis’ before it gets to acquire a human
body. So each and every ‘Yoni’ has a certain influence on the current
birth of the baby. This Mundan is a purification act that is performed
in order to ensure that the baby is cleansed of all the undesirable
elements of passing through all the earlier births. It is a gesture to
purify the soul from the previous ‘Yonis’.

From another aspect, the Mundan is important in the life of the baby
as it is believed that the aspect of intelligence commences from the
earliest days of life on this earth. The tonsure triggers off the flow of
intelligence and enhances the flow of knowledge in the life of the
child.

When is Mundan Done?

The time of the ritual is very important. According to the holy
Hindu scriptures and the opinion of the astrologers, the Mundan
must be performed in an odd month and an odd year. The first,
third, fifth and seventh year is considered perfect for the ritual.
Although many are also of the opinion that it should be done either
in the first year or the third and not later than that.

The Relevance of Sun’s Position

If the baby is the eldest son or the daughter of the family, the
Mundan must be done when the Sun resides in the Taurus. On the
day of the ritual, the sun has to be either on its transit to the Taurus,
Gemini, Aries, Aquarius or Capricorn.

The Relevance of Nakshatras

Mundan must be performed in any of the following
Nakshatras: Ashwini, Chitra, Ghanistha, Jyestha, Mrigashira, Hasta,
Pushya, Punarwasu, Swati, Shatavisha, or Revati.

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Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are considered to be
auspicious and thus very appropriate for the Mundan ritual.

Then again if the mother of the baby happens to be pregnant for
more than five months, the Mundan of the child need to be
postponed for a more appropriate time.

Finally, it must be remembered that Mundan must not be performed
if the moon is on a transit to its 4th, 8th and 12th house in relation
to the birth sign of the baby. If it is found that the 3rd, 5th or
7th house of the baby has ‘Tara Dosha’, the Mundan must be
rescheduled.

The Chudkaram sanskaar is when the head of the child is shaven.
This is done when the child is a year old or in the third year after
birth. This ceremony is in addition to the Mudan ceremony that is
done during the first 40 days after birth. The first Mudan during the
40 days after birth is simply done in view of the asusha or period of
contamination. It is not a sanskaar but followed as a custom or
tradition whereas the Chudkaram ceremony is regarded as a
sanskaar. During this ceremony the child is protected from negative
forces and prayers are offered by the Pundit for a healthy and long
life of the child. This sanskaar is restricted to the family. The Pundit
chants sacred mantras while the father feeds the child honey
encouraging good and clean speech and the intellect and wisdom to
read and recite the scriptures and also excel in secular knowledge for
his sustenance on this planet. The ear of the child is pierced to
enhance his or her memory.

9th Sanskaar : KARNVEDH

This is the ceremony when the ear of the child is pierced. It is done
in conjunction with the Chudkaram sanskaar.

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This sanskāra is performed at the age of three with the piercing of
the lower lobes of the child’s ears. The piercing of the ear is related
to the benefits of acupuncture and the procedure aids in preventing
hernias related to the child’s physical development. Prayers are also
offered to the Almighty for the physical well-being of the child.

10th Sanskaar : UPANAYANA

यज्ञोपवीत

र्ज्ञोपिीि (संस्कृ ि संहध हिच्छे द= र्ज्ञ+उपिीि) शब्द के दो अर्य िंै-
उपिर्ि संस्कार हजसर्ंे जिेऊ पििा जािा िै और हिद्यारं भ िोिा िै। र्ंुिि और पहित्र जल र्ंे स्नाि भी इस संस्कार
के अंर् िोिे िंै। सूि से बिा िि पहित्र धार्ा हजसे र्ज्ञोपिीिधारी व्यत्मि बाएाँ कं धे के ऊपर िर्ा दाईं भुजा के िीचे
पिििा िै।
र्ज्ञोपिीि एक हिहशष्ट सूत्र को हिशेष हिहध से ग्रत्मन्थि करके बिार्ा जािा िै। इसर्ंे साि ग्रत्मन्थर्ां लर्ार्ी जािी िैं।
ब्राह्मणों के र्ज्ञोपिीि र्ें ब्रह्मग्रंहर् िोिी िै। िीि सूत्रों िाले इस र्ज्ञोपिीि को र्ुरु दीक्षा के बाद िर्ेशा धारण हकर्ा
जािा िै। िीि सूत्र हिंदू हत्रर्ूहिय ब्रह्मा, हिष्णु और र्िेश के प्रिीक िोिे िैं। अपहित्र िोिे पर र्ज्ञोपिीि बदल हलर्ा
जािा िै। हबिा र्ज्ञोपिीि धारण हकर्े अन्न जल र्ृिण ििीं हकर्ा जािा।

यज्ञोपवीत धारण करने का मन्त्र:
र्ज्ञोपिीिं परर्ं पहित्रं प्रजापिेर्यत्सिजं पुरिाि्।
आर्ुष्यर्ग्रं प्रहिर्ंुच शुभ्रं र्ज्ञोपिीिं बलर्िु िेजः ।।

यज्ञोपवीत उतारने का मुंत्र:
एिािहद्दि पर्यन्तं ब्रह्म त्वं धाररिं र्र्ा।
जीणयत्वात्वत्पररत्ार्ो र्च्छ सूत्र र्र्ा सुखर््।।

जनेऊ:
जिेऊ का िार् सुििे िी सबसे पिले जो चीज़ र्ि र्ंे आिी िै, िो िै धार्ा, दू सरी चीज िै ब्राह्मण। जिेऊ का संबंध
क्या हसफय ब्राह्मण से िै, र्े जिेऊ पिििे क्यों िैं, क्या इसका कोई लाभ िै, जिेऊ क्या, क्यो,ं कै से आज आपका
पररचर् इससे िी करिािे िंै।

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