Prapāṭhaka II, Kāṇḍikā 6

1.^[1] The beginning of the third month of pregnancy is the time for the Puṃsavana (i.e. the ceremony to secure the birth of a son).

2. In the morning, after she has been washed, sitting on northward-pointed Darbha grass, (all over her body) including her head, she sits down to the west of the fire on northward-pointed Darbha grass, facing the east.

3. Her husband, standing behind her, should grasp down with his right hand over her right shoulder, and should touch the uncovered place of her navel with the verse, 'The two men, Mitra and Varuṇa' (MB. I, 4, 8).

4. Then they may do what they like.

5. Then afterwards (the following ceremony should be performed).

6. In a north-easterly direction, having bought for three times seven barley corns or beans a Nyagrodha shoot which. has fruits on both sides, which is not dry and not touched by worms, he should set that up.

7^[2] (He buys it with the Mantras):

'If thou belongest to Soma, I buy thee for the king Soma.

'If thou belongest to Varuṇa, I buy thee for the king Varuṇa.

'If thou belongest to the Vasus, I buy thee for the Vasus.

'If thou belongest to the Rudras, I buy thee for the Rudras.

'If thou belongest to the Ādityas, I buy thee for the Ādityas.

'If thou belongest to the Maruts, I buy thee for the Maruts.

'If thou belongest to the Viśve devās, I buy thee for the Viśve devās.'

8. He should set it up with (the Mantra), 'Ye herbs, being well-minded, bestow strength on this (shoot); for it will do its work.' Then he should put grass around it, should take it, and place it in the open air.

9. Having washed a nether mill-stone, a student or a (wife) addicted (to her husband), a person who is a Brāhmaṇa by birth (only and not by learning), or a girl, pounds (that Nyagrodha shoot) without moving backward (the stone with which she pounds it).

10. In the morning, after she has been washed, sitting on northward-pointed Darbha grass, (all over her body), including her head, she lies down to the west of the fire on northward-pointed Darbha grass, with her head to the east.

11. Her husband, standing behind her, should seize (the pounded Nyagrodha shoot) with the thumb and the fourth finger of his right hand, and should insert it into her right nostril with the verse, 'A man is Agni, a man is Indra' (MB. I, 4, 9).

12. Then they should do what they like.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

6, 1 seq. The Puṃsavana. Khādira-Gṛhya II, 2, 17 seq. On ādisadeśe the commentary says, ādisadeśe ādisamīpapradeśe prathame tṛtīyabhāge, ity etat. ādimadeśa iti pāṭhe vyakta evārthaḥ. To me it seems probable that ādimadeśe is the true reading.

[2]:

The first Mantra consists of seven sections; with each of p. 53 these sections he should, according to the commentary, give three barley corns or beans to the owner of the Nyagrodha tree, or put them down at the root of the tree.