Category: Science in Ancient texts (Hindu Sanskar)
Hi Beautiful and Peaceful Soul,
In the series of blogs about sixteen sanskars, after discussing Nishkraman (https://thepureknowledge.blogspot.com/2020/08/nishkraman-sanskar-outing-ceremony-of.html), Annaprashan(https://thepureknowledge.blogspot.com/2020/08/scientific-explanation-of-annaprashan.html), Mundan(https://thepureknowledge.blogspot.com/2020/08/scientific-explanation-of.html), Karnavedhana (https://thepureknowledge.blogspot.com/2020/08/scientific-explanation-of-karnavedhana.html), Jaatakarma & SwarnaPrashan Sanskar (https://thepureknowledge.blogspot.com/2020/09/scientific-explanation-of-jaatakarma.html), and Namakaran Sanskar in my previous blogs today, I am going to discuss about Simantonayan Sanskar.
What is Simantonayan Sanskar?
It is the last sanskar of pregnancy period of mother. It is performed in either fourth, sixth, seventh or eighth month of gestation. The word Simantonayana is derived from two words Simant (the line of parting of hair) and Unnayan (combing hair from the sides to the top). Simantonayana thus means parting the wife's scalp hair, drawing the hair from the sides and upwards by husband. There is another meaning of Simantonayan but before discussing it, I would like to share basic structure of skull which makes it easier to understand the second meaning of Simantonayan.
Skull is a bony structure that supports the face and forms a protective cavity for the brain. Skull is divided into two parts: cranium and face. Cranium is outermost covering of skull which consists of cranial bones that are 8 in numbers and protect brain. These are joined together by sutures (fibrous joints) also called fontanelle or soft spots. In infancy, two halves of the frontal bone are joint by frontal suture called anterior fontanelle. Posterior fontanelle joins two parietal and occipital bones. Anterior fontanelle closes sometime between 9 to 18 months of age and posterior fontanelle closes by age of 1 to 2 months. As an infant starts to grow, these joints fuse together permitting brain growth and development. Therefore, we need to take care of infant's head and always keep it covered to protect from any injury.
Now we understand that skull is divided into many joints and because of these joints, it is called "Simant". Skull protects our brain responsible for our actions, thoughts, emotions. "Unnayan" means the upgrade. Thus, Simantonayan means the growth and development of brain. So, Simantonayan sanskar is the sanskar in which mother is advised to pay attention to her thoughts, emotions and actions as these promote the mental development of child in womb. In this sanskar, to be mother takes bath, wear beautiful clothes and jewellery, then her husband makes a bun (tuft of hair tied in circular form) through hair partition. Then they perform yajna together. The mother is offered "Kihchdi" with ghee and husband asks her "what does she see in ghee"? On this she answers "only the well being of my child". This is followed by receiving blessings from all other women.
1. Simantonayan sanskar is a ceremony for announcing the pregnancy of women to the world. Why this sanskar is performed only after 3 months of pregnancy?
According to modern science, initial three months of pregnancy is known as first trimester. During this period, a small group of cells i.e., embryo gets converted into fetus and starting to develop human features. First trimester is responsible for full formation of baby. The baby's organs and organ systems such as digestive, nervous, circulatory, urinary etc. are formed. This period is most critical and is susceptible to the drugs, illness, alcohol and other medications. Miscarriages can occur during this period if proper care is not taken. Perhaps, the criticality of this period push us back to announce the pregnancy and is announced only after three months when the chances of miscarriage drops significantly.
Moreover, after three months (at 4th month of pregnancy), the baby's brain and sensory organs get fully developed and it starts making random movements in the womb making mother and family members fill with joy. At the spiritual level, crown chakra is the first chakra that gets activated by this time and mother helps in developing the infant's crown chakra through meditation and other spiritual practices. Moreover, third eye chakra of baby also becomes active. This chakra acts as a bridge for mind communication between mother and baby. Therefore, mother can develop this chakra of baby by reading and speaking to her child at mental level. This explanation is based on the scientific review (43).
At 6th month of pregnancy baby starts responding to sounds and jerking motion is felt by mother.
At 7th month of pregnancy, baby's hearing gets fully developed and it starts changing it's position frequently. It also responds to stimuli including sound, pain and light.
At 8th month of pregnancy, baby kicks more frequently and brain develops more rapidly.
Thus, during these months, child has developed intellect, mind, heart, nervous system and sensory organs and can influenced by sattvic vibrations/frequencies through positive thoughts and actions of mother (sattvic karma). This can mask the effect of tamsic vibrations/frequencies from past life of child. So, this sanskar is to advise the mother to live consciously. This way mother can reform the destiny of child.
2. Why husband puts perfumed oil, comb and make bun by parting the center of the head of her pregnant wife during this sanskar?
First reason may be, this ritual shows that the husband accepts the equal responsibility for child's good mental development. This is why, he takes care of his pregnant wife as she is going to give birth to his child. Parents understand that the time has come for both of them to have pure thoughts, emotions and to act very consciously. In other words, this is the time to completely indulge in sattvic life as the mental development of child depends on the mental state of parents. According to our scriptures, pregnant women is like a living mould who can produce child of parents wishes. For example, Abhimanyu in Mahabharata learnt to penetrate the chakravihiyu in mother's womb. If this time is lost, then child is more prone to the influences from the external world than his inner strength.
Before discussing second reason, I would like to dig into physical and spiritual benefit of hair along with the reason of keeping long hair for women.
1. Nature has provided hair not just to enhance beauty but the main function is to protect us from dust, wind and extreme temperatures. Hair exists on the regions related to voids such as voids in eye sockets, ears, nose etc that can easily get affected by physical, mental and spiritual distress. For example, change in outside temperature can cause excess heat in these regions, thus, hair regulate the heat and maintain the equilibrium of specific part of body. Temperature of respective body parts is maintained at an appropriate level due to hair, thus assisting in better performance of body cells.
2. Hair are the extension of the nervous system (6) and when moved, these send and receive nerve impulses to and from the brain. Therefore, hair act as antennae for channelizing solar energy and its life force in body and brain. This imbibes divine consciousness and develops sattvic qualities in the individual.
Why do women keep long hairs?
As per spiritual thought process, a woman's body has more Rajas component than man. Hair are symbol of Raja component. The Raja component (movement, actions, passions and emotions) is emitted to greater extent if hair are grown longer. Due to this reason, negative energies which are rajas-tamas predominate find it easier to attack us through our hair. This makes women irritable and disturbed. Now the question is despite this, why married and unmarried women kept long hair in earlier times?
Just imagine, if we keep hair short then, we have only one option i.e., to keep them untie. This will give an opportunity to rajas-tamas waves to continuously emit and attack us. Moreover, hair tips get opened to a greater extent each time hair are cut. This allows negative energies to enter the hair shaft through exposed hair tip and this can impair the intelligence of women. Further, growing of hair need vital energy and nutrients. Thus, with each hair cut, energy and nutrients utilized for the growth of hair are wasted. It has been said that, it takes three years, after a hair cut, for new antennae to develop completely to help in gathering solar energy and activate the higher level chakras. Therefore, women grow their hair through out the life so that their hair antennae remain intact. But long hair emits and attract rajas-tamas waves, isn't. So, how will this problem will solved?
This problem will be solved by coiling hair on head. Because, long hair can easily coiled on head then short hair. Coiling of hair on the head does not allow exposing of hair tip and prevent us from negative vibrations and helps to gather cosmic energy and raise our consciousness. Let me explain you how?
In this sanskar, husband imparts center partition before making bun, because, the area of center partition is the area of frontal lobe of brain in skull (anterior fontanelle) which is connected to third-eye chakra which is present between two brow. Third-eye chakra is connected to pituitary glands which produce hormones to govern the functions of other glands of body. Sometimes, this chakra is related to to pineal gland too. The partition of hair in this area receives the cosmic energy (44, 45, 47, 48) to greater extent and heals the third-eye chakra of mother and helps in developing intuition and better visioning and visualization for baby (46). After hair partition, making bun on the head is related to the healing of her crown chakra which is present at posterior fontanelle.
Crown chakra which is present at the top of the head and is related to the Pineal gland (biological clock functioning). Moreover, it controls the flow of divine/cosmic energy into and throughout our body. Forming bun on the head fasten the entering of cosmic energy (just like water flows in whirlpool instead through straight path) helps to heal this chakra and promote proper functioning of Pineal gland. Pineal gland helps in release of endorphins which keep mother calm and happy and raise her consciousness which in turn raise consciousness of her child.
3. Why elderly women bless pregnant women by giving advise to focus on child during this sanskar?
As, I mentioned above that at fourth, sixth and eight month of pregnancy heart, brain and nervous system of fetus developed. Therefore, the fetus is ready to respond according to the effects of good or bad past birth karma and affects the mother's psyche too. But, here mother has responsibility to observe the negative emotions either it is sudden or she is upset with any matter. Here, she has to eradicate them with the help of her positive thinking and positive actions. As, she knows that the effects of her thoughts, emotions and actions will reform the physiology and psychology of child. That means, the heart of fetus should follow the liking and disliking according to liking and disliking of his mother which should be good for her and her fetus.
A scientific study (21) showed that when mother breathes rhythmically, her heartbeat synchronize with the heartbeat of fetus. If this synchronization does not happen, it could signal some developmental problem in pregnancy. This heart synchronization may be responsible for unique bond between mother and child and strong intuitive power for her child. Now, question is what is rhythm breathing.?
Rhythmic breathing is deep, slow with paying attention on the sound of breath. Breathing is very important during pregnancy ensures efficient removal of waste products as well as good supply of oxygen for both mother and child. It calms nervous system and give feeling of pleasant well-being.
Scientific study (17, 18) also showed that the fetal heart rate changes with physiological and psychological development of mother. for example, fetal heart rate and body movement decreases with increased maternal stress and anxiety level.
Moreover, a scientific study (23) showed not only in womb, but after birth too, if mother smiled and spoked to her baby, their heartbeats synchronize in less than a second without touching each other.
In addition to this, when it is tested to brain level (16, 20) found that the level of connectivity of brain waves varies according to mother's emotional state. When mother or parents are express more positive emotions during interaction such as eye contact, their brain becomes much more strongly connected with their baby's brain. This may help in learning easily from mothers or parents.
This result suggested that babies of depressed mothers may show less evidence of learning because of week neural connection between mother and infant. Premature babies tend to have less interaction with their mothers. Because, they miss out early opportunity to interact with their mothers. Babies who do not tune in with their mothers are less empathetic as teenagers.
4. Why pregnant women have food cravings?
During this sanskar, family and husband advised to take every possible care to safeguard the physical and mental health of pregnant woman. In Ayurvedic texts, Acharyas advised month wise dietetic regimen for pregnant woman which results in normal development of fetus. So, if Ayurveda designed diet for pregnant woman, then from where the concept of food craving comes? Are food cravings real and if yes, does it has something to relate with the physical and mental desire of mother and child?
It is estimated that 50% to 90% of expectant mothers will experience food cravings during their pregnancy, especially emerge at the end of first trimester. Food cravings peak both in frequency and intensity during the second trimester, and significantly decline towards delivery. Pregnant women can have cravings for sweet, salty, spicy, sour, high carb, protein and sometimes unusual. What are the possible reasons of food cravings supported by science are (25, 29):
1. Fluctuating hormones (Oestrogen and Progesterone) during pregnancy may change sensory perception of pregnant women, leading to food cravings.
2. Cravings may occurs to fulfill the nutrition deficit (micronutrients) required for healthy fetal development. It means, all pregnant women should crave for healthy food such as legumes, leafy vegetables, lentils and fruits. But, these women are very rare as compared to the women crave for junk foods. Some women crave for pickles indicate low sodium level in mother's body. Craving for spicy food indicate need to cool down their body. Craving for ice-cream indicate calcium deficiency, can be fulfilled by eating non- frozen dairy products. Craving for non-food substance such as ice, chalk, dirt and laundry starch indicate deficiency of iron, calcium and other minerals. Craving for raw mango and tamarind indicate deficiency of iron which can fulfilled by eating foods rich in vitamin C. It aids in the absorption of iron in body.
3. Presence of particular molecule in particular food leads to craving. For example, specific component of chocolate produce serotonin responsible for positive emotions.
4. Resistance to leptin, a hormone that helps to control appetite, so pregnant women are prone to craving.
5. Cultural influences and psychological factors affects pattern of cravings during pregnancy. For example, chocolates are most craved food in U.S and rice are in Japan, respectively.
Studies set by IOM (Institute of Medicine) showed that giving into pregnancy cravings leads to extra weight gain which is unhealthy for both, mother and child. It can increased risk of gestational diabetes, a range of complications in delivery, difficulties initiating breastfeeding, increased postpartum weight retention in the mothers, and overweight offspring (24). But, it is controversial as shown by scientific study (31).
Clinical Nutritionist advised that it is easy to quench a pregnancy cravings with healthy alternatives if we know what we really want. In reality, we always satisfied with combination of taste, texture and temperature of food not by its name. We often heard that pregnant women desire for food such as pizza (Combination of warm, creamy, smooth and salty) and ice cream (Combination of cold, creamy, smooth and sugary). Is it right? Just thing about poor pregnant lady, how they are able to satisfy their food craving? Ironically, they are far knowledgeable than us that actually know for what they are craving. They focus on economical food for craving, as can not afford ice cream and pizza.
One day, I asked to pregnant laborer in my locality about food craving. She said to have craving for sweet food. She used to eat jaggery and sweet chapati. Just think, jaggery is full of minerals and help in fulfilling the iron requirement by body. There is need to chose healthy alternative for food cravings. Consult to the gynecologist, when desire to eat non food items, as it may be due to the deficiency of micronutrients in body.
If mother adapt good healthy eating habits during pregnancy, then she does not have to struggle to feed her child with healthy food in life. Scientific studies showed that "Your sense of taste and smell is developed in utero,” says Julie Mennella, of the Monell Chemical Senses Center, in Philadelphia. “What the mother eats, a lot of the flavors—the garlic, vanilla, carrot, anise, a whole host of different flavors—are transmitted through the bloodstream and flavor amniotic fluid. If a baby has experienced a flavor in utero or in breastmilk, they prefer it more" (32, 33).
Mother has no right to do any mistake either physically, mentally or emotionally during her gestation period. That's why, it is said that mother is "God" because she is producing gross body with conscious mind i.e., "Human Being".
"Requesting to stop reproducing for sake of society or for the investment purpose for your old age. Requesting to reproduce to eradicate the negative prints of past bad karma of your child (energy), to give conscious and noble child to society and contribute to get salvation for yourself and your child".
Take care all of you,
Your's Sincerely
Purnima Ghai
References:
2.http://www.allresearchjournal.com/archives/2017/vol3issue3/PartG/3-2-98-953.pdf
3.https://www.ijam.co.in/index.php/ijam/article/view/142/143
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6.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hair_plexus
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12.https://www.sikhdharma.org/the-spiritual-technology-of-the-turban/
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16.https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/12/191217105210.htm
17.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2728945/
18.https://bmcphysiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1472-6793-3-2
20.https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2011/12/scienceshot-human-hearts-beat-together
21.https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-10696611
22.https://parenting.firstcry.com/articles/breathing-exercises-during-pregnancy/
23./io9.gizmodo.com/mothers-and-babies-can-instantly-synchronize-their-hear-5865557
25.https://familyandconutrition.com/food_cravings_pregnancy/
26.https://www.webmd.com/baby/features/pregnancy-food-cravings#1
27.https://www.oviahealth.com/guide/10160/science-behind-pregnancy-cravings
30.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5666241/
31.https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jhn.12333
32.https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2020/02/pregnant-cravings-kids-food-taste/606007/
34.https://www.spiritualresearchfoundation.org/spiritual-research/the-universe/sattva-raja-tama/
35.https://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism/function-of-hair
36.https://www.yogapedia.com/definition/8543/agni-tattva
38.https://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism/loose-hair
39.https://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism/growing-hair-out
42.https://www.sanatan.org/en/a/335.html
43.https://juniperpublishers.com/jyp/pdf/JYP.MS.ID.555694.pdf
44.https://www.spiritualawareness.co.in/cosmic-energy/
47.https://www.jennifersoldner.com/2017/03/cleanse-your-chakras-with-the-power-of-the-sun.html
48.https://www.gaia.com/article/sun-salutations-chakras-activation?render=details-v4
49.https://www.chakras.info/chakras-glands/
50.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5514789/
51.https://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism/hindu-lifestyle/hindu-attire/saree-pallu
52. Picture courtesy: IndiaMart, Socratic, Mayo clinic,
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