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Importance of Garbhadhana
Samskara:
If one is not purified by the process of the seed giving
ceremony, or garbhadhana samskara he is immediately
classified amongst the sudras because only the sudras do
not undergo this purificatory process.
Krsna book, IIp.236
The pious seminal succession in the twice born families
of the brahmanas and ksatriyas especially, as well as in
the families of vaisyas also, must be kept very pure by
the observation of the purificatory process (samksaras)
beginning with garbhadhana samskara, which is
observed before conceiving a child. Unless this
purificatory process is strictly observed, especially by the
brahmanas, the family descendents become impure, and
gradually sinful activities become visible in the family.
SB 4.14.42, purport

reduces his life span by having sexual relations during

the day. One who performs during the night is
considered to be brahmacari (ie he maitains his
strength).
pranam va ete skandanti ye diva ratya samyujyante
brahmacaryam eva tad ya ratrau ratya samyujyante
Prasnopanisad 1.13
According to Asvalayana Smrti from the end of the
evening sandhya up until midnight is allowed:
upeyan madhyaratrante
Exception to this is when the wife is extremely lusty. To
prevent her from going elsewhere for satisfaction the
husband should concede to her demands, though not
according the scriptural recommendations of proper
time.
Forbidden Days:

It is to be concluded that while conceiving a child one's

mind must be very sober and devotional. For this
purpose the garbhadhana samskara is recommended in
the Vedic scriptures.
SB 3.16.35

Numbering the nights from the start of the menses of the

woman, then at least the first four nights are forbidden
for sexual activity. Kalaprakasika, states that the first
day is fatal for the husband,the second day is fatal forthe
wife, thethird day causes abortion and the fourth day
impairs the power of the father and produces a short
lived son bereft of good habits.

Date:

Srila Prabhupad gives a slightly longer period.

After the marriage the newly wedded couple should

observe brahmacarya for three days, sleeping on the
earth. On the fourth day, the couple go to the husband's
house and caturthi homa is performed. After this, during
the day time, the preliminaries for the first garbhadhana
samskara may be performed, taking into consideration
the suitable and forbidden times . It may also be
performed after six or twelve nights, or after one year.
The rules for time and the samskara should be observed
thereafter whenever the desire for sex and children
arises. To say the least, each sex act must be carefully
planned in advance, by use of intelligence, using the
scriptural injunctions, and not determined by lust alone.

The recommended period is six days after the

mensturation period.
letter from Srila Prabhupada,
Shama dasi, Jan.18, 1969

...Before engaging in sexual intercourse, both the

husband and the wife must consider their mental
condition, the particular time, the husband's direction
and obedience to the demigods.
SB 3.14.38,
purport

12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
2223 * * * *
* *
* * * * * * *

Forbidden Hours:
The union of man and wife should take place neither
during the day nor during the sandhyas (daybreak and
twilight). Daytime is of course the time when man
should carry out his duties: waking bathing, meditating,
worshipping the Supreme Lord, studying scripture,
chanting japa, serving the deity, carrying out household
duties, welcoming guests etc. Sandhyas should only be
utilized for chanting gayatri mantra and meditating on
the Lord. As well, Prasnopanisad says that a man

The eleventh and thirteenth nights are also forbidden, as

the offspring produced are of bad quality. The remaining
ten days are permitted, and the later nights are favored.
Even numbered nights favor male children, and uneven
numbers favor female children. Sexual union after the
sixteenth night is also forbidden. In the sequence below
the starred days starting from 1 (beginning of menses)
are forbidden for sexual intercourse.

24 25 26 27
* * * *
The remaining ten days (5-10, 12, 14-16) are suitable
provided they do not fall on those lunar tithis which are
forbidden.)
Forbidden Lunar Tithis:
Sexual union must also be avoided on days of vrata and
fasting, such as ekadasi, and on the parva days (full
moon, dark moon, astami and caturdasi tithis, as well as
sankranti, when the sun passes into a new zodiac sign)
when the body is in weak condition, and the days when

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the moon passes throught the same naksatra as at ones
birth.
Forbidden Week days:
Saturday, Tuesday and Sunday should be avoided being
ruled by malefic planets,saturn, Mars and Sun.
Forbidden Naksatra: contact should be avoided when the
moon is in the following constellations: bharani, krttika,
ardra, aslesa, magha, purvaphalguni, visakha, jyestha,
purvasada, purvabhadra
Rising Sign or Ascendent: best signs are taurus, gemini,
cancer leo, virgo, libra and pisces according to Kala
Prakasika.
Proper Planetary Combinations:
]In addition to the above strictures the man and woman
who desire proper, harmonious, sexual relations between
themselves, and desire healthy, intelligent, spiritual
children, should with knowledge choose an auspicious
day, hour and moment for their union. Malefic planets
(saturn, mars, sun) should not afflict the ascendent,
kendras, or trikona, by occupation or aspect, and
benefics, particularly jupiter should be strongly situated
in rasi and navamsa charts. Kala Prakasika says it is
better if the ascendent and eighth house are free of
planets. If the above are considered when choosing a
proper time pleasant union and good offspring are
assured.
Other Forbidden Times:
As soon as the wife is pregnant, no more sex life until
the child is born and is grown up at least for six months.
After that one may have sex life on the same principle. If
one does not want more than one or two children, he
should voluntarily stop sex life. One should not use any
contraceptive method and at the same time indulge in
sex life. That is very much sinful.
letter from Srila Prabhupada,
San Fransisco, Sept 20, 1968

Sex Once a Month:

Amongst the permissable days during one month for
sexual union, only one day can be chosen for the act. If
the couple are desirous of having children, the husband
is encouraged to approach his wife once every month,
provided the times are auspicious, until preganancy
occurs. Then he should stop.
According to religious injunctions a man is restricted to
enjoy sex only once in a month, after the menstrual
period of the wife, and if the wife is pregnant, he is not
allowed sex life at all. That is the law for human beings.
Sb. 4.27. 5 purport
Illicit sex:
If the husband and wife do not follow the above rules,
then, even though married their relations are considered
illicit.
These laws and srciptures are meant for human beings.
As such if one violates these laws, he becomes sinful.
The conclusion is that unrestricted sense enjoyment
means sinful activities. Illict sex is sex that violates the
laws given in the scriptures. When one violates the laws
of the scrptures, or the Vedas, he commits sinful
activities. One who is engaged in sinful activities cannot
change his consciousness. Our real function is to change
our consciousness from kasmala , sinful consciousness,
to Krsna, the supreme pure.
SB 4.27.5 purport
Partner:
The husband must satisfy himself only with his wife,
with no one else or by any other means. The husband
who thinks of anyone other than his wife reduces his life
span and receives birth in a body without bones, trapped
in the womb and bitten by insects.
Place:

Semen is meant to be discharged when one has a home, a

wife and the intention to beget children, otherwise there
is no injunction for discharging semen.
SB 4.8.1 purport
Contraception Forbidden:
According to the Vedic scriptures the contraceptive
method should be restraint in sex life. It is not that one
should indulge in unrestricted sex life and avoid children
by using some method to check pregnancy. If a man is is
in good consciousness, he consults with his religious
wife, and as a result of this consultation with
intelligence, one advances in his ability to estimate the
value of life.
SB 4.27.6 purport

The husband should approach his wife in his own house,

in a clean room, on a clean, wide, unbroken bed;
not in a temple, a guru or teacher's or vaisnava's house,
not under a holy tree, not at a tirtha, a gosala, a
crematorium, in the forest, or in the water.
Condition of Body and Mind:
The husband should be free from the influence of
intoxicants, should be bathed, nicely scented, garlanded,
healthy, free from anxieties, and both affectionate or
considerate, and passionate.
The wife should be bathed, free from anger, in good
spirits, in good health, neither underfed or overfed and
desirous of her husband. She should have no longing for,
sexual relation with anyone else. She should not be
pregnant, nor should she have recently borne a child.

Permission of Guru:
Grhasthas should indulge in sex life only in accordance
with the order of the guru.
SB7.12.11, purport

If there is not an installed deity in the house which is

offered daily worship, then before the arghya is offered,
a deity should be temporarily called either into a murti,
picture or pot according to puja vidhi and worshipped
accordingly. Nandisraddha, including worship of
visvaksena and the 16 matrgana, may also be performed
before the worship of visnu.
VISNU PUJA AND SATTVIKA VRDDHI SRADDHA

Age:
Susruta, the famous ayurvedic writer says that woman
matures when she is sixteen and a man when he is
twenty five. Sexual union when either partner is not
mature will lead to unhealthy children. He recommends
that the woman should be at least sixteen and the man at
least twenty five, but prefers that they should be older in
order to bear good children.
The above strictures, which limit sexual intercourse to
once a month, and only on certain days when the woman
is fertile and the man and woman are in proper physical
condition, are the condition for sex according to nature's
laws. However, in addition, and just as important , is
the the rite of purification which accompanies the act. If
this is not performed, then even restricted sex activity is
in vain, for the consciousness of the man and woman
will be motivated solely by raja and tama guna. This
will only lead to greater addiction for sex and children
with no spiritual assets.
At minimum the following procedure must be done if the
sex act of husband and wife is to be called garbhadhana
samskara. If it is not, the act is not befitting a civilized
human being. It is kama which is dharma aviruddha:
lust according to irreligious principles, ie demoniac.
According to Vedic culture, sex is enjoyed under Vedic
instructions. Thus the Vedas give direction to civilized
human beings to enable them to satisfy their propensities
for sense gratification.
SB 4.25.39 purport
**********************************************
***************
Ceremony as Directed by Srila Prabhupad:
Our grhasthas should simply chant 50 rounds before
conceiving a child.
letter from Tamal Krishna to
Madhusudana May 19, 1976
on behalf
of Srila Prabhupada
**********************************************
***************
Vaidic Procedure:
In the evening (or some auspicious moment of the day),
in a clean room, the husband should offer worship
salagrama or the deity of the house

One should start by performing acamana, svasta vacana,

sankalpa, guru visnu puja.
om svasti no govindah svasti no' cyutanantau
svasti no vasudevo visnur dadhatu
svasti no narayano naro vai
svasti nah padmanabhah purusottamo dadhatu
svasti no visvakseno visvesvarah
svasti no hrsikeso harir dadhatu
svasti no vainateyo harih
svasti no'njanasuto hanur bhagavato dadhatu
svasti svasti sumangalikeso
mahan sri krsna saccid ananda ghanah
sarvesvaresvaro dadhatu
sri krsna prityartham
garbhadana samskarartham
sri visnu puja purvaka arghya danam
aham karisye
One should establish a ghata if there is no salagrama or
deity in the house, and invoke visnu.
One should worship guru and then visnu with sixteen
upacaras.
One may then worship as follows.
Panca Bhagavata Puja:
ete gandha puspe ..........
om visvaksenaya namah
om sanakaya namah
om sanatanaya namah
om sanandaya namah
om sanat kumaraya namah
Nava Yogendra Puja:
om kavaye namah
om havaye namah
om antariksaya namah
om prabuddhaya namah
om pippalayanaya namah
om avirhotraya namah
om drumilaya namah
om camasaya namah
om karabhojanaya namah
Maha Bhagavata Puja:
om brahmane namah
om sukadevaya namah
om sadasivaya namah

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om garudaya namah
om naradaya namah
om kapilaya namah
om balaye namah
om bhismaya namah
om prahladaya namah
om hanumate namah
om ambarisaya namah
om janakaya namah
om yama bhagavataya namah
om svayambhuvaya namah
om uddhavaya namah
om vyasaya namah

etat arghyam om sri visnave namah (or mula mantra)

om dinabandho krpa sindho
paramananda madhava
navapuspotsave me'rghyam
grhana madhusudana
etat arghyam om sri visnave namah (or mula mantra)
om visvatman visvabandho
visvesa visvalocana
navapuspotsave me'rghyam
grhana syamasundara

Visnu Sakti Puja:

etat arghyam om sri visnave namah (or mula mantra)

om paurnamasyai namah
om laksmyai
om antarangayai
om yamunayai
om gopyai
om vrndavatyai
om gayatryai
om tulasyai
om sarasvatyai
om prthvyai
om gave
om yasodayai
om devahutyai
om devakyai
om rohinyai
omsitayai
om draupayai
omkuntyai
omrukminyai
om satyabhamayai
om jambavatyai
om nagnajitayai
om laksanayai
om kalindyai
om bhadrayai
om mitravindayai

om cidananda hrsikesa
bhaktavasya janardana
navapuspotsave me'rghyam
grhana kamalapate

Then, in a conch or earthen vessel five times with the

following mantras, he should offer arghya to visnu five
times, using the following mantras.
(Arghya consists of pancamrta, pancagavya, water, milk,
haritaki, gandha, betels, flowers, candana, tumeric,
kumkuma, durba grass, tulasi, amlaki, scents and other
auspicious items. It may be offered over the Lord's head
or to his hand.)
om jagannatha mahabaho
sarvopadrava nasana
nava puspotsave me'rghyam
grhana jagadisvara
etat arghyam om sri visnave namah (or mula mantra)
om narayana hare rama
govinda garuda dhvaja
navapuspotsve me'rghyam
grhana paramesvara

etat arghyam om sri visnave namah (or mula mantra)

(Oh supreme Lord, at this festive occasion with fresh
flowers please accept the arghya offered by me.)

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 visnuh yonim kalpayatu
acyuto rupani pimsatu
asincatu harih garbham
jagadiso dadhatu te
May visnu prepare the yoni; may acyuta fashion the
forms; may hari carry out the fertilization; may jagadisa
present the child to you.
om garbham dhehi garbhosasayin
naranarayanau
adhattam puskara srajau

garbham te

Garbhodasayi visnu please bestow the child; nara

narayana, bedecked with lotus garlands, please give her
the child.
Touching her navel he should say:
om dirghayusam krsna bhaktam
putram janaya suvrate
Oh virtuous wife, bear a long-living son, a devotee of
Krsna.
Then they should unite.
Bathing After the Act:

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As one has to take bath after using the toilet, so one has
to wash himself with water after sexual intercourse,
especially when at a forbidden time.
SB 3.14.38, purport
As with every vedic ritual, gifts should be distributed at
the conclusion of the ceremony.
Garbhadhana Samskara

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