The Definition of the term

The third Samskara of the embryo was Somantonnayana. That rite was called Simanta, in which the hairs of a pregnant woman were parted.

The Purpose

The purpose of this samskara was partly superstitious and partly practical. People believed that a woman in her pregnancy was subject to attacks of evil spirits and some rite should be performed to ward them off. The Asvalayana Smriti has preserved this belief. It says, "Evil demons bent on sucking the blood, come to woman in the first pregnancy to devour the fetus. In order to remove them, the husband should invoke the goddess Sri, as the lurking spirit leave the woman protected by Her. These invisible cruel flesh eaters catch hold of the woman in her first pregnancy and trouble her. Therefore, the ceremony named Simantonnayana is prescribed." The religious intention of the Samskara was to bring about prosperity to the mother and long life to the unborn child, as it is indicated by the verses recited. Physiological knowledge of the Hindu was also responsible for instituting this rite. From the fifth month of pregnancy the formation of the mind of the would be child begins. So the pregnant woman was required to take utmost care to facilitate this process, avoiding any physical shock to the fetus. This fact was symbolically emphasized by parting her hair. Another purpose of the Samskara was to keep the pregnant woman in good cheer. To address her as Raka or "full moon night," Supesa, or "of beautiful limbs" and parting and dressing the hair by the husband himself were methods used for it.

Early History

The only pre sutra reference to this ceremony is found in the Mantra Brahmana; "As Prajapati establishes the boundary of Aditi for great prosperity, so I part the hair of this woman and make her progeny live to a old age." In the same Brahmana reference is also made to the simile between the Udumbara tree and fertile woman. "This tree is fertile. Like it be fruitful etc." In the Grhyasutras the Samskara is described at length and all the features are fully developed.

The Time of Performance

The Grhyasutras, the Smritis and the astrological works discuss the proper time of performing this Samskara. The Grhyasutras favour the fourth or the fifth month of pregnancy. The Smritis and the astrological books extend the period up to eight month or up to the birth of the child. Some writers are even more liberal. According to them, if delivery took place before this Samskara was performed, it was celebrated after the birth of the child, placing it on the lap of the mother or putting it into a box. The later periods indicate that the original sense of the Samskara was being lost and it was becoming a farce.

The Object of Purification

The authorities are divided in their opinion whether this Samskara should be performed in every pregnancy or it should be performed only in the first conception. According to Asvalayana, Baudhayana, Apastamba and Parasara, it is a Ksetra Samskara and should be performed only once. Harita and Devala followed them. "A woman once purified by the Simantonnayana, every child produced by her becomes consevrated." But in the opinion of others it was a Garbha Samskara and should be performed in every conception. The difference of opinion was due to the fact the child in the womb was consecrated through the mother, so the first school thought it enough that the idea of protecting the unborn child was impressed even once on her mind, or protection against evil spirits was once ensured for her.

The Ceremonies

The constellation under which the Samskara was performed, was a male one. The mother was required to fast on that day. The ritual proper began with preliminary rites, e.g. the Matrupuja, the Nandisraddha and oblation to Prajapati. Then the wife was seated on a soft chair on the western side of the fire and the husband parted the hair of the wife upwards (e.g. beginning from the front) with a bunch containing an even number of unripe Udumbara fruits, and with three bunches of Darbha grass, with a porcupines quill that had three white spots, with a stick of the Viratara wood and with a full spindle, with the mantra "Bhur Bhuvah Svah," or with each of the three Mahavyahrtis. Baudhayana prescribes two other verses at this point.

A later practice of making a red mark on the person of the wife to frighten demons was also prevalent. After the partition of hair the husband tied the Udumbara branch around the neck of the wife with a string of three twisted threads with the words, "Rich in sap is this tree; like the tree rich in sap, be thou fruitful." Baudhayana recommends barely sprouts instead of the Udumbara branch. This ceremony was symbolical of fertility of the woman. This idea was suggested by numerous fruits of the Udumbara branch and the barely sprouts. The next step in the Samskara was asking the wife by the husband to look at the mess of rice, sesame and ghee and see into it off springs, cattle, prosperity and long life for the husband. Some authorities provide that Brahman ladies sitting beside the pregnant woman should utter the following phrases: "Be mother of heroic sons, be mother of living sons etc." Then the husband

Asked the two lute players, "Sing ye the King, or if anybody else is still more valiant." The following stanza was prescribed to be sund. "Soma alone is our King. May this human tribe, dwell on thy bank, O (river) whose dominion is unbroken." The Aryans were still a militant race, aiming at further conquest and praying for heroic sons to achieve it. The above stanza was a kind of heroic ballad meant to create a heroic atmosphere and thereby to influence the unborn child. The ceremony closed with the feasting of Brahmans. The mother kept silent after the ceremony until the stars appeared in the sky. Then she touched a calf, a performance suggestive of a male issue, uttered the Vyahrtis, Bhus Bhuvah Svah and broke her silence.

The Duties of a Pregnant Woman

The Smriti writers realized that every conduct of an expectant mother influenced the unborn child. So, after laying down rules and regulation about the pre natal Samskaras, they prescribed the duties of a pregnant woman and her husband. These duties can be grouped into three classes. The first class is based on the superstitious belief that evil spirits try to injure the pregnant woman and therefore, she should be protected from them. The second class containing rules aiming at the preventing the physical overexertion, and third class was calculated to preserve the physical and mental health of the mother.

To begin with the first class, we find in the Markandeya Purana the following observation: "There are terrible fiends, and witches bent on devouring the fetus of a pregnant woman. Therefore, she should be always protected from them by ever observing purity., writing sacred mantras and wearing beautiful garland. O Brahmana, Virupa and Vikriti generally dwell in trees, trenches, ramparts and seas. They are always in search of pregnant woman. Hence, they should not visit these place. The son of Garbhahanta is Vighna, and Mehini is his daughter. The first enter the womb and eats away the fetus. The second having entered it causes abortion. From the mischief of Mehini are born snakes, frogs, tortoises from the womb of a woman."

Again, there is a long conversation between Kasyapa and Aditi in the Padmapurana about the duties of a pregnant woman in which the former said to the latter, "She should not sit on ordure, a mace or pestle and mortar; she should not bathe in a river…, nor she should go to a deserted house; should not sit on an anthill and never be mentally disturbed; she should not scratch the earth with her nails, charcoal and ashes; she should not always be sleeping and dormant; she should avoid exercise; she should not touch husk, cola, ashes and skull; she should not leave her hair disheveled and never remain impure; while sleeping she should not keep her head towards north and downwards and remain naked, disturbed and wetfooted; she should not utter inauspicious words and laugh too much; always busy with good work, she should worship her father – in – law and mother – in – law, and wishing welfare of her husband remain happy." In the Matsya purana Kasyapa says to Diti, his second wife, "O of beautiful colour, a pregnant woman should not take her meals during twilights; she should not go and remain under a tree; she should not always be sleeping; she should avoid the shade of a tree, bathe with warm water mixed with medicinal herbs, remain protected and decorated, worship gods, and give alms; she should observe Parvati vratas on the third day of a month; she should avoid mounting an elephant, horse, mountain and many storeyed buildings; she should give up exercise, swift walking, journey in a bullock cart, sorrows, blood letting, sitting like a cock, exertion, sleeping in the day, keeping awake in the night, highly saline, sour, hot, stale and heavy food. The son of a woman observing the above rules becomes long lived and talented; otherwise abortion takes place without doubt.

The Smritis, the Karikas and the Prayogas give nothing more but a summary of the above rules. The Varaha Smriti prohibits the taking of meat during pregnancy.

The Duties of the Husband

The first and foremost duty of the husband was to fulfil the wishes of his pregnant wife. According to Yajnavalkya, "By not meeting the wishes of a pregnant woman, fetus becomes unhealthy; it is either deformed or it falls down. Therefore, one should do as desired by her." The Asvalayana Smriti lays down other duties of the husband: "After the sixth month of her pregnancy, he should avoid cropping hair, coition, pilgrimage and performing Sraddha." The Kalavidhana prohibits "… going in a funeral procession, pairing nails, joining war, building a new house, going abroad, marriage in the family and bathing in the sea, as it would shorten the life of the husband of a pregnant woman." Another Smriti forbids the hewing of a tree also.

The Medical Basis