END FOOTNOTE. Sémantonnayanam

Sé mantonnayanam

(Parting the Wife’s Hair)

In the fourth, sixth or eighth month of the first pregnancy, Sé mantonnayanam should be performed. If the Garbhä dhä na and Pü à savana ceremonies have not been performed yet, they should be done on this day, followed by the Sé mantonnayanam ceremony.

@footnote:

According to the Ä ç valä yana Små ti: “Evil demons, bent on sucking the blood, come to the pregnant woman to devour the feotus. In order to remove them, the husband should perform sé mantonnayanam. From the fourth month of pregnancy the formation of the mind of the child begins, therefore the pregnant woman is required to take the utmost care to avoid any physical shock to the feotus.”

Markaë deya Purä ë a says: “O brä hmaë a, Virü pa and Vikå ti generally dwell in trees, trenches, ramparts and seas. They are always in search of pregnant women. Therefore, they should not visit these places.”

Padma Purä ë a says: “A pregnant woman should not bathe in a river, go to a deserted house, sit on an ant hill or scratch the earth with her nails. She should not be continually sleeping and dormant, she should avoid exercise, she should not touch husk, coal, ashes and skulls, she should avoid arguing with her family, she should not leave her hair dishevelled and never remain impure. While sleeping she should not have her head facing North, nor should she sleep naked or wet footed. She should not utter inauspicious words, nor laugh too much.”

Matsya Purä ë a says: “A pregnant woman should not take meals during twilight, should not stay under the shade of a tree, she should bathe with warm water mixed with medicinal herbs, give charity, worship Viñ ë u. She should avoid swift walking, climbing stairs and mountains, keeping awake at night, or eating saline, sour, hot, stale and heavy foods. The son of a woman who observes these rules becomes long-lived and talented; otherwise abortion takes place without a doubt.”

The husband should bathe, perform Viñ ë u Pü jä and Sä ttvika Vå ddhi Ç rä ddha. He should prepare the yajï a by performing Kuç andikä, calling in the fire called “Maì gala”, and perform all the rites to the end of Virupä kñ a Japa.

If he has not performed the Garbhä dhä na or Pü à savana rites he should perform them by chanting the saì kalpa beginning with “ oà viñ ë ur- “ etc and then perform the Ñ ä ö yä yana Homa.

He should then perform the Garbhä dhä na and Pü à savana rites according to the text.

He should then perform the Sé mantonnayanam saà skä ra as follows:

After taking her bath, the wife should be seated facing East, on the West side of the fire on the right hand side of her husband upon kuç a with tips facing North.

The husband should throw ghee-soaked wood of prä deç a ltength into the fire silently.

He should perform Vyasta Samasta Mahä vyä hå ti Homa:

oà prajä patiù viñ ë u å ñ iù

gä yatré chandaù

ç ré viñ ë uù devatä

vyasta samasta mahä vyä hrti home viniyogaù

oà bhü r svä hä - idam viñ ë ave idam na mama

oà prajä patiù viñ ë u å ñ iù

uñ ë ik chandaù

ç ré acyuto devatä

vyasta samasta mahä vyä hrti home viniyogaù

oà bhuvaù svä hä - idam acyutä ya idam na mama

oà prajä patiù viñ ë u å ñ iù

anuñ ö up chandaù

ç ré nä rä yaë o devatä

vyasta samasta mahä vyä hrti home viniyogaù

oà svaù svä hä - idam nä rä yaë ä ya idam na mama

oà prajä patiù viñ ë u å ñ iù

bå hati chandaù

ç ré ananto devatä

vyasta samasta mahä vyä hrti home viniyogaù

oà bhü r bhuvaù svaù svä hä - idam anantä ya idam na mama

Standing behind his wife and facing East the husband should, with silk string, tie two udumbara fruits (figs) with the stalks still attatched, or barley sprouts, along with né ma, mustard and bael, around his wife’s neck, saying:

oà prajä patiù viñ ë u å ñ iù

anuñ ö up chandaù

ç ré viñ ë uù devatä

ü dumbara-phalayugala-bandane viniyogaù

oà ayaà urjä vato vå kñ a

urjé va phaliné bhava

parë aà vanaspate nutvä

nutvä ca sü yatä à rayiù

“Like this strong tree, become fruitful and strong. King of trees, having brought forth abundant leaves may she bring forth fruit.”

Holding three piï jalis, he should draw them over the part in her hair from front to back and bind them at the side, saying:

@footnote:

A piï jali is two blades of kuç a grass of prä deç a length bound together by a third of the same length.

oà prajä patiù viñ ë u å ñ iù

gä yatré chandaù

ç ré viñ ë uù devatä

darbha-piï jalé bhiù sé mattonnayane viniyogaù

oà bhü r

Taking three more piï jalis, he should place it in her hair in the same manner, saying:

oà prajä patiù viñ ë u å ñ iù

uñ ë ik chandaù

ç ré viñ ë uù devatä

darbha-piï jalé bhiù sé mattonnayane viniyogaù

oà bhuvaù

Taking three more piï jalis, he should again place them in her hair in the same manner saying:

oà prajä patiù viñ ë u å ñ iù

anuñ ö up chandaù

ç ré viñ ë uù devatä

darbha-piï jalé bhiù sé mattonnayane viniyogaù

oà svaù

Taking a porcupine quill, the husband should pass it over her part, and fix it in her hair, saying:

oà prajä patiù viñ ë u å ñ iù

triñ ö up chandaù

ç ré viñ ë uù devatä

ç areë a sé mattonnayane viniyogaù

oà yena aditeù sé mä naà nayati

prajä patiù viñ ë uù mahate saubhagä ya

tena ahaà asyai sé mä naà nayä mi

prajä à asyai jaradañ ö im kå nomi

“I part her hair with the instrument with which Prajä pati Viñ ë u parts the hair of Aditi, for great fortune. In this way I create long living sons for her.”

Fastening the quill in her hair, he should draw a spindle full of thread over the part of his wife’s hair and fix in the hair saying:

oà prajä patiù viñ ë u å ñ iù

jagaté chandaù

ç ré rä mo devatä

sü tra-pü rë -tarkuë ä sé mattonnayane viniyogaù

oà rä mam ahaà sü havä à suñ ö uté huve

kå notu naù subhagä bodhatu atmanä

sé vyatu apaù sü cyä acchidyamä nayä

dadä tu vé raà ç atadä yamukhyam

“I call the easily approachable Lord with words of praise. May the Lord understand our needs and fulfil our prayers. May the finger stitch with unbroken needle, and may she bestow brave, praiseworthy sons.”

oà prajä patiù viñ ë u å ñ iù

jagaté chandaù

ç ré rä mo devatä

triç vetä yä ç alalyä (kä ñ ö akaskatikayä) sé mattonnayane viniyogaù

oà yä ste rä ma sumatayah supeç aso

yä bhiù dadasi dä suñ e vasü ni tä bhiù

naù adya sumanä upä gahi

sahasra poñ aà subhaga rarä ë aù

“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, oh giver of fortune.”