GARBHA SANSKAR.......... NEED OF THE HOUR

'Garbha Sanskar' or building the physical and mental character of a child during pregnancy though an ancient truth, it appears to have been forgotten. It is a scientific fact as mentioned in Ayurveda thousands of year back. All parents want intelligent healthy and cultured child but are unaware that they can choose to do so as per the science of Ayruveda.

A word 'Garbha Sanskar' is itself self explainatory foetus/garbha means a new life taking shape in a woman's womb. During this pregnancy period whatever emotional perceptions a woman experiences. The same are transmitted to the foetus/garbha. The process of selecting and transmitting positive influences by means of yoga, reading, thinking, praying including healthy eating and cheerful behaviour is known as 'Garbha Sanskar'. During 9 months period of pregnancy the ancient Ayurveda has documented about what a pregnant woman should eat to which God/deity should she worship and which mantras to listen/say in which month of pregnancy.

Charakacharya says

The mind of foetus is fully assimilated with its parents whichever stories, songs and music a pregnant woman listens would consequently influence the mind of her foetus. Clearly, if you want your child to be of well behaved with extraordinary and creative mind the pregnant woman should give up negative thinking but on the contrary should always listen to such things which can influence her mind with positive thoughts and good sanskars. Sharangdhar samhita testifies the same things.

A pregnant woman desiring to give birth to intelligent, courageous, good looking and healthy child should listen and read the biographies of great people with such qualities.

In Ramayana too reference is found that before the birth of Lord Rama during 'putra kameshti yagya' the Agni devata gave King Dashratha 'payas' which can be considered as a form of 'Garbha Sanskar' only. In Mahabharat also there is a well known mythological story as to how Lord Krishna had taught Abhimanyu to enter in 'chakravyuha' when he was in his mother Subhadra's womb. This story too proves the fact that men during mythological period too believed the concept of Garbha Sanskar.

So we should accept this method of influencing the foetus with good values. This preciesly is Garbha Sanskar. It has also been scientifically proved that subconscious mind of a foetus can be influenced more powerfully than conscious mind of grown up child after birth.

An ideal Garbha Sanskar can be more effective by means of sound in the form of mantras, shlokas because the rhythmic sounds are captured by a child's subconscious mind very effectively. The vibrations of sound waves can influence both mother and her foetus therefore the music designed for Garbha Sanskar is useful for the health and personality development of foetus.

To compete in today's overgrowing population and resulting race our future generation needs to be very intelligent, resourceful and creative. Woman power has been very raised and their importance told by proverb like "The hand that rocks the cradle, rules the world". This power can be enhanced actively by Gargha Sanskar done under in to your child. The young couple desiring to become parents would like to take advantage of this method for their forth coming baby in making it into 'precious baby'.

The people now getting the importance of Garbha Sanskar. The ancient concept of having many children has become outdated. Today the slogans like "Hum do hamare do" or even going a step further "Hum do hamara ek" are considered more appropriate. Now it is necessary to bring this single child in sophisticated form so that it makes you proud by its extraordinary and all round qualities.

This is the reason why in our country many Ayurveda Garbha Sanskar centers have been opened. The writer started such a centre in Nagpur for the first time. I hope people will take advantage of this.

DR. MRS. MRUNMAI MASODKAR