What Is the Jatakarma Ritual?
Jatakarma is the birthing ritual in the Hindu faith. The purpose of this ritual is to welcome the birth of the new child into the world and even though the child cannot comprehend what is going on, to set in some values for the child. This ceremony is also designed to arouse the sensory organs in the child.
Lovat's 5 Step Approach to Rituals - Jatakarma
1. Entry
The entry is when the new born child is brought into this world
2. Preparation
First, a spoon of honey, curds and clarified butter is given to the child to lick.
Mantras specific to the ritual are whispered into the right ear or over the
naval of the child. This is to give long life to the child.
3. Climax
Then, the father touches the child’s shoulders and chants more mantras (still having
hands on the child) while chanting verses from the three Vedas, the father
breathes three times over the child. This rite of Jatakarma also includes the breathing of five
brahmanas from the east Prana, Vyana, Apana, Udana and Samana (these are the
names of the five vayus).
4. Celebration
While the father is chanting, the mother of the child offers
him/her breast milk. The father of the child then bends down and touches the
spot of earth where the child was born, still chanting the mantras. After this,
the parents give a name to the new child. The father then bathes, shaves and
purifies the house. He then performs Ha-van. All of the elements before this
point are performed on anywhere between the 10th to the
12th day after the child is born. The early rituals are important
because it is proven that anything absorbed in the years up until age five,
will stay set in the persons mind for life. The symbol for Om (the prayer word)
is drawn on the tongue of the child with the end of the golden spoon, this is
so that his words will lead him to spirituality.
5. Exit
The word “Vedosi” is whispered into the ear of the child by the father. This word
means that you are a knowledgeable person, and this concludes the ceremony.
image sourced from thebookthisweek.wordpress.com
Jatakarma is the birthing ritual in the Hindu faith. The purpose of this ritual is to welcome the birth of the new child into the world and even though the child cannot comprehend what is going on, to set in some values for the child. This ceremony is also designed to arouse the sensory organs in the child.
Lovat's 5 Step Approach to Rituals - Jatakarma
1. Entry
The entry is when the new born child is brought into this world
2. Preparation
First, a spoon of honey, curds and clarified butter is given to the child to lick.
Mantras specific to the ritual are whispered into the right ear or over the
naval of the child. This is to give long life to the child.
3. Climax
Then, the father touches the child’s shoulders and chants more mantras (still having
hands on the child) while chanting verses from the three Vedas, the father
breathes three times over the child. This rite of Jatakarma also includes the breathing of five
brahmanas from the east Prana, Vyana, Apana, Udana and Samana (these are the
names of the five vayus).
4. Celebration
While the father is chanting, the mother of the child offers
him/her breast milk. The father of the child then bends down and touches the
spot of earth where the child was born, still chanting the mantras. After this,
the parents give a name to the new child. The father then bathes, shaves and
purifies the house. He then performs Ha-van. All of the elements before this
point are performed on anywhere between the 10th to the
12th day after the child is born. The early rituals are important
because it is proven that anything absorbed in the years up until age five,
will stay set in the persons mind for life. The symbol for Om (the prayer word)
is drawn on the tongue of the child with the end of the golden spoon, this is
so that his words will lead him to spirituality.
5. Exit
The word “Vedosi” is whispered into the ear of the child by the father. This word
means that you are a knowledgeable person, and this concludes the ceremony.
image sourced from thebookthisweek.wordpress.com