०७

अथ सीमन्तकरणं प्रथमगर्भे १

1. ¹ Now (follows) the Sīmantakaraṇa (or parting of the hair), in her first pregnancy,—

चतुर्थे मासि षष्ठेऽष्टमे वा २

2. In the fourth, or sixth, or eighth month (of her pregnancy).

प्रातः सशिरस्काप्लुतोदगग्रेषु दर्भेषु पश्चादग्नेरुदगग्रेषु दर्भेषु प्राच्युपविशति ३

3. 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.

पश्चात्पतिरवस्थाय युग्मन्तमौदुम्बरं शलाटुग्रथ्नमाबध्नात्ययमूर्जावतो वृक्ष इति ४

4. ³ Her husband, standing behind her, ties (to her neck) an Udumbara branch with an even number of unripe fruits on it, with (the verse), ‘Rich in sap is this tree’ (MB. I, 5, 1).

अथ सीमन्तमूर्ध्वमुन्नयति भूरिति दर्भपिञ्जूलीभिरेव प्रथमं भुवरिति द्वितीयं स्वरिति तृतीयम् ५

5. He then parts her hair upwards (i.e. beginning from the front), the first time with Darbha blades, with (the word), ‘Bhūḥ!’ the second time with (the word), ‘Bhuvaḥ!’ the third time with (the word), ‘Svaḥ!‘—

अथ वीरतरेण येनादितेरित्येतयर्चा ६

6. Then with (a splint of) Vīratara (wood) with this verse, ‘With which Aditi’s’ (ibid. 2);

अथ पूर्णचात्रेण राकामहमित्येतयर्चा ७

7. Then with a full spindle, with this verse, ‘I invoke Rākā’ (ibid. 3. 4)

त्रिःश्वेतया च शलल्या यास्ते राके सुमतय इति ८

8. And with a porcupine’s quill that has three white spots, with (the verse), ‘Which are thy blessings, O Rākā’ (ibid. 5).

कृसरः स्थालीपाक उत्तरघृतस्तमवेक्षयेत् ९

9. (There should be prepared) a mess of boiled rice with sesamum seeds, covered with ghee; at that he should make her look.

किं पश्यसीत्युक्त्वा प्रजामिति वाचयेत् १०

10. Let him say to her, ‘What dost thou see?’ and make her answer, ‘Offspring!’

तं सा स्वयं भुञ्जीत ११

11. That (food) she should eat herself.

वीरसूर्जीवसूर्जीवपत्नीति ब्राह्मण्यो मङ्गल्याभिर्वाग्भिरुपासीरन् १२

12. Brāhmaṇa women should sit by her side, pronouncing auspicious words (such as), ‘A mother of valiant sons! A mother of living sons! A living husband’s wife!’

अथ सोष्यन्तीहोमः १३

13. ⁴ Now (follows) the sacrifice for the woman in labour.

प्रतिष्ठिते वस्तौ परिस्तीर्याग्निमाज्याहुती जुहोति या तिरश्चीत्येतयर्चा विपश्चित्पुच्छमभरदिति च १४

14. When the child is appearing, he strews (Darbha grass) round the fire and sacrifices two Ājya oblations with this verse, ‘She who athwart’ (MB. I, 5, 6), and with (the verse), ‘Vipaścit has taken away’ (ibid. 7).

पुमानयं जनिष्यतेऽसौ नामेति नामधेयं गृह्णाति १५

15. ‘A male he will be born, N.N. by name’—(in this passage of the last verse) he pronounces a name.

यत्तद्गुह्यमेव भवति १६

16. What that (name is), is kept secret.

यदास्मै कुमारं जातमाचक्षीरन्नथ ब्रूयात्काङ्क्षत नाभिकृन्तनेन स्तनप्रतिधानेन चेति १७

17. ⁵ When they announce to him that a son has been born, he should say, ‘Delay still cutting off the navel-string and giving him the breast.’

व्रीहियवौ पेषयेत्तयैवावृता यया श्ङ्गुआ!म् १८

18. ⁶ Let him have rice and barley-grains pounded in the same way as the (Nyagrodha) shoot.

दक्षिणस्य पाणेरङ्गुष्ठेनोपकनिष्ठिकया चाङ्गुल्याभिसङ्गृह्य कुमारस्य जिह्वायां निमार्ष्टीयमाज्ञेति १९

19. ⁷ Seizing (that pounded śubstance) with the thumb and the fourth finger of his right hand, he smears it on the tongue of the boy, with the formula, ‘This order’ (MB. I, 5, 8).

तथैव मेधाजननं सर्पिः प्राशयेत् २०

20. In the same way the production of intelligence (is performed). He should give to eat (to the child) clarified butter.

जातरूपेण वादाय कुमारस्य मुखे जुहोति मेधां ते मित्रावरुणावित्येतयर्चा सदसस्पतिमद्भुतमिति च २१

21. Or he takes it with gold (i.e. with a golden spoon) and sacrifices it on the face of the boy with this verse, ‘May Mitra and Varuṇa bestow intelligence on thee’ (MB. I, 5, 9), and with (the verse), ‘The lord of the seat, the wonderful’ (Sāma-veda I, 171).

कृन्तत नाभिमिति ब्रूयात्स्तनं च प्रतिधत्तेति अत ऊर्ध्वमसमालम्भनमा दशरात्रात् २२

22. Let him say, ‘Cut off the navel-string,’ and, ‘Give the breast (to the child).’

23. ⁸ From that time let him not touch (his wife) until ten nights have passed.