. g-aRxan ¼ pu<svn ½ .

Procedure:

Now a days the couple goes to the temple to receive the blessings from the Lord in his arca-vigraha form, and prays to have a male child, with for example this nice mantra:

"O Lord, please give me a son".

They can as well pray in their own language.

Then if they also desire it, the ritual can be perfromed.

The wife should fast, bathe and put on new clothes.

The officiant having performed his morning duties (snana, japa,puja, etc.), should set up the sacrificial arena for the samskara.

The wife is seated on an asana, facing east, on the right of her susband.

Call the fire "Candra"

Silently, place some ghee soaked wood of one pradesa length into the fire. Dry cow dung patties can be used as fuel far this, in any of the fire sacrifice. It gives good smell and less smoke.

Perform Maha-Vyahriti-Homa:

The husband stands up and goes behind his wife.

Thouching her right shoulder, then her navel, he should repeat three times:

"May the supreme Lord, the supreme male. Maha-Visnu, Vasaudeva, Acyuta, Ananta, Govinda and Visnu, and a male child reside in your womb."

Perfrom mahavyahriti-homa:

Offer silently some ghee-soaked wood of one pradesa into the fire.

Offer 12 oblations of ghee, and the beneficiary should offer along 12 offerings of sweet rice, with a new spoon, with the following mantra:

"May Lord Sri Visnu, full in six opulences, you are the best of all enjoyers and the most powerful. O husband of mother Laksmi, I offer my respectful obeisance’s unto you."

(S.B.VI.19, 7 )

Perform Udicya–Karma, Vaisnava-homa, etc.

Offer daksina and prasadam to the Vaisnava.

The pregnant wife should take the remnants of the maha-prasadam sweet rice with some little ghee used for the oblations.

It is very auspicious to read the 19^th Chapter on the sixth Canto of the Srimad – Bhagavatam on that day.

Cook some kichari with urad dal and rice, with ghee, sesamin seeds, mild spices and cashewnuts

(south indian style).

This will be used for the ceremony.

Procedure:

The wife should be bathed and dressed in clean clothes, her hairs nicely oiled, combed and decorated with flowers.

The officiant should have performed his early morning duties (snana, japa, puja, etc.). He should then prepare the place for the samskara.

Perform especially today, the sattvika-vriddhi-sraddha

(offer full arati to the deities on the alter).

The wife is seated on an asana, facing east, at the right of her husband.

Call the fire "Mangala".

Silently place some ghee-soaked wood (of one pradesa length) into the fire.

Perform Maha-vyahriti-homa:

The husband takes a bunch (top of a branch) of mango leaves, and stands behind his seated wife. Starting from her womb going upward, passing over the part of her hair, he moves the mango leaves, passing over her parted hair till behind her head. He then circumambulates her once.

Taking a porcupine quill (available in India or at the zoo) or some kusagrass, the husband will part the hair of his wife, by passing it over her part, and fixing it in her hair behind saying:

"I part her hair with the instrument with which Prajapati Visnu parts the hair of Aditi for her great fortune. In this way I create long living sons for her."

In the same manner, using a spindle or a pair of hairpins, decorated with colored threads, he should fix them on each side of his wife’s head, while saying ( one mantra per spindle):

"Call the easily approachable Lord with words of praise. May the Lord understand our needs and fulfill our prayers. May the fingers stitch with unbroken needle, and may she bestow brave, praiseworthy sons."

"Endowed with just mind and beauty, You give results to those who sacrifice. with that generous mind, come to us today to bestow a thousand progeny, O! giver of all good fortune."

These mantras were chanted by Prajapati Kasyapa to populate the universe with all the different species of life.

The husband should show the kitchari to his wife, saying:

"What do you see?"

The wife answers:

"May there be offspring, animals, good fortune, and firm devotions to the Lrod for the two of us. May there be long life for my husband."

Perform vyasta-samasta-maya-vyahriti -homa>

Offer gee-soaked wood of one pradesa length into the fire silently.

Perform uicya-Karma, the wife will offer some pellets of Kichari after svaha.

Give some daksina to the Vaisnavas.

Then the couple should be seated on a raised seat.

Some married women who have living children come to sprinkle some holy water on the heads of the couple while saying:

"Bring forth strong devotees, bring forth life, be a long living wife."

Now the wife should eat the rest of the kitchari offered to the fire.

A nice kichari feast should be served to the guests.

Prepare a bowl and a spoon with some caranamrita as well as eight small pieces of burfi or sandesa-maha-prasad.

Procedure:

The wife shoud be bathed and dressed in clean clothes.

The officiant should have performed his ealy moring duties. He should then prepare the place for the samskara.

The wife is seated on an asana, facing east, at the right of her husband.

Sankalpa:

A* £££££££££££££Date ££££££££££££££££ Name of the wife)

"Today…… (date), for the safe delivery of the child of my wife named ……,

I perform this sosyanti-homa."

Call the fire "mangal"

Silently place some ghee-soaked wood of one pradesa length into the fire.

Perform maha-vyahriti-homa:

Offer ghee eight times into the fire, while reciting the following mantra:

"O Visnu, I worship with streams of ghee the Lord’s consort, who is pleased by our worship and who brings forth the child. I offer this nectarean prasad to the merciful consort of the Lord."

Now offer eight spoons of cranamrita into the fife, while recditing the same mantra:

Then offer eight eight pieces of prasada into the fire with the same mantra as above:

Recite now the fllowing mantra with an offering of ghee:

Ay< jin:yte ££££££££££££££ puÇ ( Name of the father) nam> Svaha ,

"Lord, I perform this sacred rite, In the future my son (name of the father)…putra wil be born.:

Perform maha-vyahriti-homa.

Perform the concluding rituals, udicya-karma.

At this time conchshells should be sounded.

Recite the brahma- Samhita.

Then the father and especially the mother should take whatever remains of the caranamrita and prasad.

Paustika-karma Samskara:

This ceremony should be performed every month on the tithi and paksa (waxing or waning phase of the moon corresponding to the tithi and paksa on which the child was born.

Father should perform early morning duties, then Visnu arcana.The wife should be bathed and dressed in clean clothes.

The officiant should have performed his early morning duties (snana, japa, puja, etc.). He should then prepare the placefor the samskara.

Recite:

The wife is seated on an asana, facing east, at the right of her husband.

Call the fire "Balada" and silently place some ghee-soaked wood of one pradesa length into the fire.

Perform Maha-vyahriti-homa:

Offer oblations with the following three mantras:

Offer oblations to the tithi and naksatra-devata saying:

5, ` iv:[ve ££££££££££££(name of the tithi, ex: dvitiyayai) itiw devtaye Svaha ,

` £££££££££££££££ ( name of the tithi, ex: dvitiyayai) Svaha ,

` iv:[ve £££££££££( naksatra, ex: asvini) devtaye Svaha ,

` £££££££££££££££ ( name of the nksetra, ex: asvinyai) Svaha ,

The officiant should offer as many oblations as he can (eg: 8,28,108), using the mantra:

Perform maha-vyahriti-homa:

Offer some wood silently.

The udicya-karma should be performed and daksina given to the priest and the vaisnavas.

fiNs A vkxs