Chapter 8 - Garbhadhan Sanskara in Srimad Bhagvatam

All Sansakaras in our Vedic scriptures are Important, but more importance is given to Vivah Sanskar and Garbhadhan Sanskar. Here are some of the shlokas of “BHAGVATAM” and “Bhagvad Gita” in reference to garbhadhan sanskar.

The protection of children gives the human form of life its best chance to prepare the way of liberty from material bondage. Such protection of child begins from the very day of begetting a child by the purificatory process of garbhadhan sanskar the beginning of pure life. (SRIMAD BHAGVATAM - 1:8:5-Purport)

The culture of human being begins when the father invests his semen in the womb of the mother. According to his status of work, a living entity is placed in a particular father’s semen, and because VIDUR was not an ordinary living entity, he was given a chance to be born from the semen of Vyasa Muni. The birth of human being is a great science and therefore reformation of the act of impregnation according to the Vedic ritual called GARBHADHAN SANSKAR is very important for generating good population. (SRIMAD BHAGVATAM- 3:5:19- Purport)

The living entity takes shelter within the semen of a father, which is injected into the womb of a mother and with the help of the mother’s emulsified ovum, the living entity grows a particular type of body. It is to be concluded that while conceiving a child, one’s mind must be very sober and devotional. For this purpose, Grabhadhan Sanskar is recommended in the Vedic scriptures. If the mind of the father is not sober, the semen discharged will not be good. (SRIMAD BHAGVATAM-3:16:35-Purport)

It follows that any father and mother should also be careful while begetting children. The mental conditions of a child depend upon the mental status of his parents at the time he conceived. According to Vedic system, therefore, the Garbhadhan Sanskar is observed. Before getting a child, one has to sanctify his perplexed mind. when the parents engage their minds in the lotus feet of lord and in such a state the child born, naturally good devotee child come; when the society is full of such good population, there is no trouble from demonic mentalities.(SRIMAD BHAGVATAM-3:20:28-purpot)

Too much salt, chilly, onion and similar food is forbidden for the pregnant mother to be careful because the child’s body is too delicate and new for him to tolerate such pungent food. Restriction and precaution to be taken by the pregnant woman, as enunciated in the smriti scriptures of Vedic literature how much care is taken to be getting a nice child in society. The Garbhadhan ceremony before sexual intercourse is compulsory for the person in higher grades of society, and it is very scientific (SRIMAD BHAGVATAM-3:31:5-Purport)

The purity of hereditary succession is called amogha-virya. The pious seminal succession in the twice-born families of the Brahman as and ksatriya especially, as well as in families of Vaisya also, must be kept very pure by the observation of the purificatory processes beginning with Garbhadhan Sanskara, which is observed before conceiving the child. unless this purificatory process is strictly observed, especially by the brahmnas, the family descendants become impure, and gradually sinful activities become visible in family.(SRIMAD BHAGVATAM-4:14:42-Purport)

Children begotten under the rules and regulation of the scriptures generally become as good as father and mother, but children born illegitimately mainly become varnasankar. The varnasankar population is irresponsible to the family, community and even to themselves. Formerly the varnasankar population was checked by the observation of the reformatory method called Grabhadhan Sanskara. (SRIMAD BHAGVATAM-4:27:7-Purport)

According to Vedic system, therefore, before a child is conceived, the Garbhdhan Sanskar is performed. This ceremony molds the mentality of the father in such a way that when he plants his seed in the womb of his wife, he will beget a child whose mind will be completely saturated with a devotional attitude. (SRIMAD BHAGVATAM-5:2:2- Purport)

As stated in Bhagvad Gita (7.11) dharmaviruddho bhutesu kamosmi; sex not contrary to religious principles is a representation of the supreme lord. People should be educated in how to give birth to good children through sanskaras, beginning with the Garbhdhan sansakar. (SRIMAD BHAGVATAM-10:3:33-purpot)

In Vedic civilization, childbirth or pregnancy is never regarded as a burden; rather it is a cause of jubilation and therefore before the birth of child there is Grbhadhan ceremony is celebrated. (SRIMAD BHAGVATAM- 10:7:4 –Purport)