ANNAPRASHANA SAMSKARA (First feeding baby)

[Guest guest]

Annaprashana Samskara

This is the ceremony for the first feeding of cooked rice. The object

of this ceremony is to pray to the gods with Vedic Mantras to bless

the child with good digestive powers, good thoughts and talents. It

is performed when the child is six months old which is the weaning

time. Susruta commends this weaning time as best for both the mother

and the child.

Offerings are made to the goddess of speech and vigour. Prayers are

offered so that the child´s senses have their full gratification and

live a happy and contented life. The father feeds a little of the

sweet food anointed with gold to the child with Mantras that say he

feeds the child with food that may ensure a healthy life to the child

and prevent ill-health.

Apart from the efficacy or otherwise of this ceremony, its observance

creates in all concerned an awareness of the cumulative needs of the

child at that age in a scientific and tender manner. Its systematic

observance therefore ensures the results expected especially when

fortified by Mantras.

[Note: The following abridged explanations are from the writings of

Swami Dayananda Saraswati (The founder of The Arya Samaj). The

translation is by Acharya Vaidyanath Shastri].

The first feeding of cereal to the child.

When the child is six months old.

The authority for Annaprashana Samskar derives from Ashvalayans

Grihyasutra (1.16.1,4,5). Also the authority of Paraskar Grihya Sutra.

The Annaprashana ceremony should be performed at the time when the

child gains strength to digest cereal and preparations made from

cereals. The first feeding of cereal commences with this ceremony. He

who desires his child to be brilliant and famous should feed cooked

rice mixed with ghee (clarified butter) or the rice mixed with honey,

curd and ghee . The samskar ceremony for the first feeding commences

with prayer, followed by Svastivachana, Shanitkarana and complete

Samanya Prakarana. It is indicated that this ceremony should be

performed (when the child is six months old) on the day on which the

child was born.

The rice should be prepared thus: Rice is washed, cleaned, cooked

nicely and ghee in proper quantity is mixed in the rice when it is in

the cooking process. When this rice has been cooked properly and has

become cold, then it should be placed in Homasthali or the tray of

Homa. From this Homashali the rice is then given in small containers

to the Yajman, to Purohita and Ritvij (Priests), accompanied with

chanting of Mantras.

The Yajmana (father of the child) then performs Agnyadhan and

Samidadhana. Offers four oblations of Aghavarajyabhagahuti and four

oblations of Vyahriti. Thereafter the oblation of the cooked rice

that was given to the Yajman and to the priests, should be offered

with one Mantras from the Rig Veda and one Mantra from the Yajur Veda.

Thereafter the Yajmana mixes small quantity of curd, honey and ghee.

Adds this to the rice that remained after the oblations. This should

be fed to the child in minute quantity according to the desire of the

child with the following Mantra from the Yajurveda:

"Om Annapateannasya No Dehyanamivasya Shushminah/

Pra Pra Dataaram Taarisha Oorjvam No Dhehi Dwipade Chatushpade//

"O Lord of plenty (of food)! Vouchsafe us a share of food that

invigorates us, and brings no sickness. O Lord, thou art our leader.

Grant us nourishment (maintenance) both for bipeds and for

quadrupeds."

Thereafter the child is blessed by the mother and father of the child

and also by the priests, the elders and the guests. The child is

blessed with the sentence:

"Twam Annapatihi Annavo Vardhamano Bhooyaaha" meaning

"O child, May you be endowed by God´s grace with Anna (grains or

food). May you grow in strength and may you live a long life."