Jaat Karma Sanskar

Jaat karma sanskar is performed before cutting the naval chord (i.e. before separating the child from mother ) and as such need no muhurta. Only when this sanskar is not performed at the time of Naabhi-bandhana’ (cutting navel-chord) the need for choosing the muhurta will arise and in that case it is generally performed with Naamkaran ( name giving ceremony).

First act in this sanskar is ‘Medha Janana’ (literally means producing intelligence ) in which father feeds the new born child honey and ghee with his ‘anamika finger’ and say :

"I give you all that is in this earth or space "

Even at this time father pronounces a name in the child’s ear and this name is kept secret.

In the second act the father pronounces the name of various long living objects thereby blessing the child with long life. After that the father prays for long, valourus and pure life for the child. Ultimately the naval-chord in cut and child is separated from mother and is given mother’s milk.

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Breast feeding

If breast feeding is started after Jaat Karma no specific muhurt is needed. If due to certain reason breast feeding is not done at the time of Jaat Karma it can be started on 5th day or in benefic tithis, days, avoiding Vyatipaat, Vaidhriti, Bhadra and Rikta tithis. Best nakshatra are Punarvasu, Pushya, Mrigshira, Hasta, Sharvana aand Revati.

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Naamkaran Sanskar (name given ceremony)

If Jaat Karma is not performed in time it should be performed with Naamkarna.

Both Jaat Karma and Naam Karna should be performed on 11th or 12th day of birth or according to family tradition. If this is done no specific muhurta is needed.

If the above two sanskars are not performed in time following consideration are necessary for choosing a proper muhurta.

Nakshatras

All fixed nakshatra (i.e. Uttarafalguni, Uttarashada, Uttarabhadrapad and Rohini ), all movable nakshatras ( Swati, Punarvasu,Shravana, Dhanishta and Shatbhisha ), all friendly nakshatras (Mrigshira, Raviti,Chitra and Anuradha) and all short nakshatra ( i.e. Hasta, Ashwini, Pushya and Abhijit ) are considered good for both jaat karma and Naam karna.

Days : Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are good.

Tithis : 11/2/33/5/7/10/11/12/133 tithis.

To be avoided : Vyatipaat, Vaidhriti, Bhadra, Samkranti day and Rikta tithis.

Lagnas : Lagnas and navamshas of 1/2/5/8/11/3/6/7/9 rashis aspected or occupied by benefics, unaspected by malefics are considered good.

Proper Chandra and/or Tara bala for the child has to be ensured

Five types of names are to be given to the child.

First name relating to family deity ( Kula-Deva)

Second name according to the deity of month in which the birth took place. For Margsheerssha – Krishna ; for Megha- Achyuta ; for Vaishakha – Janardhana ; for Jyestha – Upendra ; for Ashadha – Yagna-Purusha ; for Srawana- Vasudeva ; for Bhadrapad- Hari; for Aswina- Yogisha and for Kartika-Pundari kaksha are the deities of the month.

Third name according to the nakshatra quarter in which the child is born.

Forth name is popular name, i.e. the name by which a person will be known. For males the name should have two or four words and the name of females should consist of three or five words. The name should be easy to pronounce, pleasant to hear; should differentiate between sexes and should have good meaning. The name of female child should not be given after a nakshatra, river, tree, bird, mountain, serpant, and should not be ferocious.

Fifth name is family name or nick-name.

Generally mother and child are given bath and the time of name giving ceremony. If name giving ceremony is delayed due to unavoidable reasons then ‘Sootika-Snana’ (mother taking bath to get rid of the impurities related to child birth) can be performed in a properly choose muhurta taking following factor into consideration.

Nakshatras : All fixed nakshatra (i.e. Uttarafalguni, Uttarashada, Uttarabhadrapad and Rohini ), Mrigshira, Raviti, Anuradha, Hasta, Ashwini,and Swati nakshatra and Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday are the best for ‘Sootika-Snana’.

Poorvaphalguni, Poorvashda, Poorvabhadrapad, Ashlesha, Jyestha and Danhistha nakshatras and Monday and Friday are medium. Remaining nakshtras and days should be avoided. One should avoid Rikta tithis (4/9/14 tithis) 6th,8th and 12th tithis.

Proper Chandra and tara Shuddi for the female should be done.

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Niskramana Sanskar

This Sanskar is related to the time when the child first comes out of the house in the open. The time for performance of this sanskar various from 12th day to the forth month after birth. It is a common practice to perform this sanskar with name giving ceremony . If it is not performed at the time it can be done in 3rd or 4th month after birth avoiding Tuesday,Saturday. Rikta tithis (4/9/14 tithis), bhadra, Amavasya (new moon day ) and malefic yogas. Sharvana, Mrigshira, Hasta, Anuradha, Pushya, Punarvasu, Ashwini, Reviti and Dhanishta nakshatra are considered auspicious. At it is the first journey of child all consideration related to muhurta for journey are also applicable here.

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Some other Ceremonies

Craddling or Dola-arohana

It is to be performed on 10th, 12th, 16th, 18th or 32nd day from birth or on a benefic day (i.e. Wednesday, Monday, Thursday and fridaay ) in fixed nakshatra ( i.e. Uttarafalguni, Uttarashada, Uttarabhadrapad and Rohini ), friendly nakshatra (i.e. Mrigshira, Raviti, Chitra, Anuradha) and in short nakshatra (i.e. Hasta, Ashwini, Pushya and Abhijit).

Five nakshatras ahead and seven nakshatra behind form the nakshatra occupied by Sun are considered auspicious.

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Shasthi-Pujan

This is performed on 6th day after birth to place the 6th Durga ( 6th out of ‘Nava-Durgas’ is Katayani) for well being of child.

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Annaprasana or first feeding of child

This sanskar is related to the time when the child is to be given solid food apart from the mother’s milk. This emphasizes the importance of proper health care and nutrition for the child.

Time for performance: In the 6th, 8th or 10th month for the male child and 5th, 7th, 9th or 11th month for the female child.

Nakshatras : All fixed (i.e. Uttarafalguni, Uttarashada, Uttarabhadrapad and Rohini ), all movable nashatras (i.e. Swati, Punarvasu, Sharvana, Dhanishta and Shatbhisha), all friendly nakshatras (i.e. Mrigshira, Reviti, Chitra and Anuradha ) and all short nakshatras (I.e. Hasta, Ashwini, Pushya and abhijit ) are considered auspicious.

Tithis : Avoiding Rikta tithis (4/9/14 tithis ) Nanda tithis (1/6/11 tithis ) Ashtami, Amavashya and Dwadashi (8/12/30th tithis) all other tithis are good. In other words 2/3/5/7/10/13/15 tithis are good.

Days: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are auspicious for Annaprasan.

Lagna: Aviod Aries, Scorpio and pisces as lagna. Also avoid lagna of eighth rashi form natal moon sign. All other lagans with benefic in 1/3/4/5/7/9 houses, malefic in 3/6/11 houses are considered auspicious. There should be no planet in the 10th house and Moon should not be placed in 1/6/8 houses.

Proper Chandra and Tara Shuddhi for the child in necessery.

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‘Bhumi- Upveshana’ (First seating on the earth)

This is related to the time when the child is first seated on earth .This is performed in 5th month after birth when Mars is strong in transit, avoiding Rikta tithis (4/5/14 tithes) and malefic days, in fixed nakshatra (i.e. Uttarafalguni, uttarashada, Uttarabhadrapad and Rohini ) short nakshatra (i.e. Aswini, pushya, Abhijit) ,Mrigshira, Anuradha and Jyestha nakshatra. Lord Varaha (an incarnation of lord Vishnu) and mother earth are worshipped and a cotton threads is tied around the waist of the child and he is seated on earth. This Sanskar is also called Kati-Sootra-dharana (i.e. wearing cotton thread around the waist) A number of articles like cloth,books, tools, pen, toy etc are put before the child and whichever of these articles he picks up, that is supposed to decide the means through which he will earn his livelihood.

Note : For all Sanskars up to this point (i.e. Annaprasana) there is no need to consider combustion of Jupiter and Venus, Bala and Vriddha avasthas of Jupiter and Venus, Jupiter in Leo, Dakshinayana (Southernly course of Sun) Kshaya Masa and Adhika Masa. That is even when these malefic Yoga are these , Sanskars up to Annaprasana can be performed, but in all Sanskars after annaprasana the above malefic combination should be avoided.

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Karna-Vedha (Ear boring)

Karna Vedha or ear boaring is done to facilitate wearing of ornaments. Moreover Karna Vedha is said to prevent the child from diseases relating intestines and from swelling of testicles.

Time : Karna- Vedha should be done either on 10th, 12th or 16th day; or in 6th, 7th , 8th month or in odd years (3rd, 5th etc. ) from child birth ( Now a days generally done with Chudakarana or Upnayana )

Nakshatras : All friendly nakshatras (i.e. Mrrigshira, Reviti,Chitra and Anuradha ) all short nakshatras (i.e. Hasta, Ashwini, Pushya and Abhijit) Shravana, Dhanistha and Punarvasu nakshatras are considered good.

Days: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Tithis : All tithis expect Rikta tithis (4/9/14 tithis) and Amavashya (new-moon day)

To be avoided : Kharna-masa (i.e. sun in 9/12 rashis ), Tithis, Kshaya, Harishayana (From Ashadha Shukla 11 to Kartika Shukla 11 ) Janma-masa ( Lunar month of birth), Jamma Tara and even years (2nd, 4th etc. ) should be avoided.

Lagana: Karnavedha lagna should have benefics in Kendras, Trikonas, 3rd and 11th houses, malefics in 3/6/11 houses with 8th house not occupied by any planet. The lagna sign should preferable belong to Jupiter or Venus (i.e. 2/7/9/12) with Jupiter in lagna.

Proper Chandra and Tara Shuddhi for the child is necessary requirement like it is in all cases.

For male child Karna-Vedha should start with right ear first and then left ear.

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Chudakarana or Tonsure

This is also called ‘Choula’ , ‘Mundana’ etc. The basic aim of this Sanskar is to cut the hair for the first time for getting pleasant personality, good fortune and long life.

After cutting, the hair are either mixed with cow-dung and burried in ‘Goshala’ ( a place where cow, buffaloes and other such animals are kept) or are thrown in river as these hair are prone to ‘Abhichara’ or black magic by any person with ill will. A small bunch of hair in life out at the center of the head and is called ‘Shikha’. “ At the center of the head there is very sensitive place at if person is hit at that place it can cause immediate death. Shikha is kept at that place to act as protective guard ‘Sushrutha’

Time : “Mundana” is considered auspicious in 3rd or 5th year, but it can also be performed in 7th year or with upnayana Sanskar. Some learned also consider Chudakarana or Mundana in first year as auspicious. Even years ( 2nd,4th,6th etc. ) should be avoided.

Chudakarna of eldest son or daughter should not be done when Sun is in Taurus. If mother is having pregnancy of more then five month then mundana of a child of less than five years age should not be done.

For Chandakarana solar month of Makara, Kumbha, Mesha, Vrishabha and Mithuna are considered auspicious.

Nakshatras: all movable nakshatras ( i.e. Swati, Punarvasu, Shravana, Dhanistha, and Shatbhisha ) all short nakshatras ( Hasta,, Aswini and Pushya ), Mrigshira, Reviti, Chitra and Jyestha nakshatras are considered auspicious.

Tithis: 2/3/5/7/10/11/13 tithis are auspicious.

Days: Monday, Wednesday, ¸Thursday and Friday are considered good.

Lagna: Avoid lagna of junma Rashi and 8th rashi from Janma Rashi. Take lagnas and navamshas belonging to benefic planet with benefics in Kendras and Trikonas ( 1/4/7/10/5/9 houses) and malefic in 3/6/11 houses. There should be no planet in 8th house.

Proper Chandra and Tara Suddhi is necessary : With more importance here is given to Chandra Shuddhi.

This tithis, nakshatras etc. prescribed for Chudakarana are also auspicious for hair cutting, shaving and nail cutting. But there iss no need of muhurta for these things for person engaged in government service, for the models, actor, actresses and the like and on special occasions like marriage, yagna, death of relatives, on coming out of person and with the permission of King or Brahmina

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