Ceremonies may be performed during pregnancy to ensure the health of the mother and growing child. The father may part the hair of the mother three times upward from the front to the back, to assure the ripening of the embryo. Charms may serve to ward off the evil eye and witches or demons.
The meaning of the term
The word Pumsavana is rendered into English by "a rite quickening a male child."
The Vedic period
In the Atharvaveda and the Samveda – mantra – Brahmana we get prayers for male children. The husband prays by the wife, " Unto thy womb let a fetus come, a male one, as an arrow to a quiver; let A hero be born unto thee here, a ten-months son. Give birth to a male, a son; after him let a male be born; mayest thou be mother of sons, of those born and whom thou shall bear. "The plants of which heaven has been the father, earth the mother, ocean the root, let those herbs of the gods favour thee, in order to acquire a son."
The Sutra period
During the Grhyasutra period the Pumsavana Samskara was performed in the third or the fourthe month of pregnancy or even later, on the day when the moon was on a male constellation, on Tisya particularly. The pregnant woman was required to fast on that day. After bath she put on new clothes. Then in the night the sprout of the banyan tree were pounded and juice was inserted in to the right nostril of the woman with verses beginning with ‘Hirnyagarbha etc. If the father desired that his son should be Viryavan or virile, he should place a dish of water on the lap of the mother and touching her stomach recited the verse "Suparnosi."
The Proper Time
The Smritis deal with the proper time when the Samskara should be performed. According to Manu and Yajnavalkya it should be performed before the fetus begins to move in the womb. Sankha followed them. Brihaspati prescribes the time after the movement. Jatukarnya and Saunaka say that it should be performed in the third month of pregnancy after conception becomes manifest.
The time of performance ranged from the second to the eighth month of pregnancy. It was due to the fact that the symptoms of conception became visible in the case of different woman in different months. The Kulachara or family custom was also responsible for this variation. Brihaspati differntiates between these periods. "In the first pregnancy, the Samskara should be performed in the third month. In the case of women who have already given birth to children it should be performed in the fourth, sixth or even in the eighth month of pregnancy." In the first conception, the symptoms show themselves earlier than in the others. That is why later periods are prescribed in the second case.
The significance of the Samskara consisted in its main features. It should be performed when the moon was on a male constellation. This time was regarded as favourable for producing a male issue. Inserting the juice of the banyan tree was a device meant for preventing abortion and ensuring the birth of a male child. In the opinion of Susruta the banyan tree has got the properties of removing all kinds of troubles during pregnancy, e.g. excess of bile, burning etc. He says, "Having pounded with milk any of these herbs, Sulaksmana Batasunga, Sahadevi and Visvadeva, one should insert three or four drops of juice in the (right) nostril of the pregnant woman for the birth of a son. She should not spit the juice out." Insertion of medicine into nostrils is a common thing in the Hindu system of treatment; therefore, it is evident that the ritual prescribing it was undoubtedly founded on the medical experience of the people. Putting a dish of water on the lap was a symbolical performance. A pot full of water denoted life and spirit in the would be child. Touching the womb emphasized the necessity of taking every care by the expectant mother, so that the fetus should be healthy and strong in the womb emphasized the necessity of taking every care by the expectant mother, so that the fetus should be healthy and strong in the womb and abortion may not take place. The hymn "Suparna etc." or "of beautiful wings" expressed the wish that a handsome child should be born.
