2. Rites Related to Birth (f): Prasūtikaraṇa

After successful conception and the protection of the foetus in the mother’s womb, ritualists concentrated upon the safe delivery of the same. With this purpose, Kauśika has prescribed the Atharvavedic hymn, vaṣaṭ te pūṣan…, etc. (1.11), to procure easy and natural parturition. Keśava^[1] entitles this rite as Prasūtikaraṇa.

According to Kauśika,^[2] with the recitation of the hymn, a water pail, poured with four portions of dregs of clarified butter and four Muñja reeds were placed eastward upon the head of the pregnant woman. The sheaths of the Muñja reeds were placed in the western direction.^[3] The breaking of the reeds was considered as a sign of danger.^[4] The woman was then washed with warm water, poured on her braid of hair to the right.^[5] A wagon-rope on her both sides was fastened.^[6] Besides these observances, the presence of a Brāhmaṇa, versed in Atharvaveda is also marked to ward off the demoniac influences in the maternity chamber as observed by Caraka.^[7]

Referring to certain ritualists, Keśava^[8] states that certain oil, consecrated with the hymn, vaṣaṭ te pūṣan…, etc., was to be smeared to the woman at the time of delivery.

But, if the pregnant woman delivered a dead child, then, to avoid the same incident in future, she was seated over sīsa, a seat made from Palāśa plant and then, bathed with the water collected in three water-pail from three maṇḍapas and thereafter, she was brought to her home and was also consecrated with holy water. Then, she was offered rice-cake, ball and ornaments.^[9]

Again, the delivery of twin children also required an expiation in the Atharvavedic period. To perform the rite, porridge was cooked and the clarified butter was offered in fire. Then, dregs of the clarified butter were poured in a water vessel and also upon the porridge, which was to be eaten by the mother and the water in the vessel was sprinkled on the mother and her children.^[10] All these activities were to be performed by reciting the Atharvavedic mantra, ekaikayaiṣā sṛṣṭyā…, etc. (3.28.1), where the birth of the twins is called as apartu, i.e. unseasonable.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

atha prasūtikaraṇamucyate / Keśava on Kauśika-sūtra, 33.1

[2]:

vaṣaṭ te pūṣanniti catura udayātre saṃpātānānīya caturo muñjānmūrdhni vibṛhati prācaḥ / Kauśika-sūtra, 33.1

[3]:

pratīcīriṣīkāḥ / Ibid., 33.2

[4]:

chidyamānāsu saṃśayaḥ / Ibid., 33.3

[5]:

uṣṇenāplāvayati dakṣiṇātkeśastukāt / Ibid., 33.4

[6]:

Ibid., 33.6

[7]:

Caraka-saṃhitā, 4.8.32

[8]:

kecit vaṣaṭ te pūṣanniti sūktena tailamabhimantrya prasavakāle abhyañjanaṃ kurvanti / Keśava on Kauśika-sūtra, 33.6

[9]:

Vide, Sāyaṇa in his Introduction to the commentary on Atharvaveda, 2.14

[10]:

cf., Kauśika-sūtra, 109-111 Vide, Karambelkar, V. W., The Atharvan Civilization, Its Place in Indo-Aryan Culture, p.214