Garbhadhanam (Impregnation)

In the morning, the husband after performing acamana and his daily Sandhya rites should chant the Purusha Sukta and according to the scriptural rules, worship Lord Narayana and His Vaishnava parshadas. That same evening at an auspicious time, he should mix cow-urine, mud, and water and smear it on the ground. He should face a Deity of the Lord or Shri Shalagrama and after reciting the Vishnu Smaranam and Svasti Vacanam, he should offer an arghya1 to the Shalagrama or the Deity of the house in a conch or earthen vessel five times with the following mantras. 

om jagannatha mahabaho 

sarvopadrava nashana 

nava pushpotsave me’rghyam 

grihana jagadishvara 

etad-arghyam - om shri vishnave namah 

om narayana hare rama

govinda garuda-dhvaja 

navapushpotsve me ’rghyam 

grihana parameshvara 

etad-arghyam - om shri vishnave namah

om dinabandho kripa sindho 

paramananda madhava 

navapushpotsave me’rghyam 

grihana madhusudana 

etad-arghyam - om shri vishnave namah

om vishvatman vishvabandho 

vishvesha vishvalocana 

navapushpotsave me’rghyam 

grihana syamasundara 

etad-arghyam - om shri vishnave namah

om cidananda hrishikesha 

bhaktavashya janardana 

navapushpotsave me’rghyam 

grihana kamalapate 

etad-arghyam - om shri vishnave namah 

“Oh Supreme Lord, at this festive occasion with fresh flowers please accept the arghya offered by me.”

With the worship of Lord Vishnu and the Vaishnavas completed, he should proceed to the place where he will unite with his wife. Before offering the arghya, or just before the act of union, the husband should be clean and decorated with sandalwood pulp and wearing nice cloth. 

The husband facing East, should situate himself behind his seated wife. With his right hand reaching over her right shoulder he should touch her yoni saying: 

om prajapatih vishnu rishih 

anushöup chandah 

shri vishnu acyuta hari jagadisha devata 

garbhadhane viniyogah 

om vishnuh yonim kalpayatu 

acyuto rupani pimshatu 

asincatu harih garbham 

jagadisho dadhatu te 

“May Vishnu prepares the yoni; may Acyuta fashion the forms; may Hari carry out the fertilization; may Jagadisha present the child to you.” 

om prajapatih vishnu rishih 

anushöup chandah 

shri garbhodashayi nara-narayano 

devata garbhadhane viniyogah 

 om garbham dhehi garbhodashayin garbham te naranarayanau adhattam pushkara srajau 

“Garbhodashayi Vishnu please bestow the child; Nara-Narayana, bedecked with lotus garlands, please give her the child.” 

Touching her navel he should say: 

om dirghayusham krishna bhaktam 

putram janaya suvrate 

“Oh virtuous wife, bear a long-living son, a devotee of Krishna.” 

Then they should unite. 

This is the Garbhadhana rite according to the followers of the Sama Veda. 

Pumsavana 

(Rite for making a male child) In the case of a first pregnancy, this rite should be performed during the third month of pregnancy. 

@FOOTNOTE: 

It may be performed later for other pregnancies when the signs of pregnancy begin to show. Manu says that it should be performed when the fetus begins to move in the womb. Some commentators say the rite should be performed on the first pregnancy only, and not during the following pregnancies. It should be performed when the moon is in a male constellation. The woman should fast, bathe and put on a new cloth. 

 END FOOTNOTE 

The husband had taken his morning bath, should worship Lord Vishnu and worship the guru parampara with Vishnu maha-prasada and caranamritam 

He should then set up a yajna, performing Kushandika rites, calling the fire named “Candra,” and ending with virupaksha japa. 

He should seat his wife to his own right side on the West side of the fire upon a kushasana. They should both face East. 

Silently he should place ghee-soaked wood of one pradesha length into the fire and then perform Vyasta Samasta Mahavyahrti Homa: 

om prajapatih vishnu rishih 

gayatri chandah 

shri vishnuh devata 

vyasta samasta mahavyahrti home viniyogah 

om bhur svaha - idam vishnave idam na mama 

om prajapatih vishnu rishih 

ushnik chandah 

shri acyuto devata 

vyasta samasta mahavyahrti homa viniyogah 

om bhuvah svaha - idam acyutaya idam na mama 

om prajapatih vishnu rishih 

anushöup chandah 

shri narayano devata 

vyasta samasta mahavyahrti homa viniyogah 

om svah svaha - idam narayanaya idam na mama 

om prajapatih vishnu rishih 

brihati chandah 

shri ananto devata 

vyasta samasta mahavyahrti home viniyogah 

om bhur bhuvah svah svaha - idam anantaya idam na mama 

The husband, standing behind his wife, should touch her right shoulder, then her navel, repeating the following mantra three times: 

om prajapatih vishnu rishih 

brihati chandah 

shri mahavishnu vasudevacyutananta govinda 

vishnavo devatah 

pumsavane viniyogah 

om pumamsau mahavishnu vasudevau 

pumamsau acyutanantau ubhau 

puman govindash ca vishnush ca 

puman garbhas tavodare 

“ May the Supreme Lord, the Supreme Male, Mahavishnu, Vasudeva, Acyuta, Ananta, Govinda and Vishnu, and the male child reside in your womb.” 

He should then perform Vyasta Samasta Mahavyahriti Homa, and then throw ghee-soaked wood of pradesha length into the fire silently. 

He should then perform Shaöyayana Homa, Vamadevya Ganam and the other rites of Udicya Karma. He should give dakshina to the initiated Vaishnavas. 

This is the Pumsavana rite according to the followers of the Sama Veda. 

@FOOTNOTE: 

According to some texts the juice from crushed banyan leaf sprouts should be poured into her right nostril to give her strength at this time. 

During the time of pregnancy, she should avoid having sex, sleeping in the daytime, staying awake at night, exerting herself physically, riding in vehicles, taking purgatives, experiencing all types of mental strain, and eating spicy, overly-salty, sour, or heavy foods. 

END FOOTNOTE