garbhdhana samskara
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Imported quote 13819 As a householder, Prthu Maharaja had five sons by his wife Arci, and all these sons were begotten as he desired them. They were not born whimsically or by accident. How one can beget children according to one's own desire is practically unknown in the present age (Kali-yuga). In this regard the secret of success depends on the parents' acceptance of the various purificatory methods known as samskaras. The first samskara, the garbhadhana-samskara or child-begetting samskara, is compulsory, especially for the higher castes, the brahmanas and the ksatriyas. As stated in Bhagavad-gita, sex life which is not against religious principles is Krsna Himself, and according to religious principles, when one wants to beget a child he must perform the garbhadhana-samskara before having sex. The mental state of the father and mother before sex will certainly affect the mentality of the child to be begotten. A child who is begotten out of lust may not turn out as the parents desire. As stated in the sastras, yatha yonir yatha bijam. Yatha yoniḥ indicates the mother, and yatha bijam indicates the father. If the mental state of the parents is prepared before they have sex, the child which they will beget will certainly reflect their mental condition. It is therefore understood by the words atma-sammatan that both Prthu Maharaja and Arci underwent the garbhadhana purificatory process before begetting children, and thus they begot all their sons according to their desires and purified mental states. Prthu Maharaja did not beget his children out of lust, nor was he attracted to his wife for sense gratificatory purposes. He begot the children as a grhastha for the future administration of his government all over the world.
(More...) Imported quote 14336 Children begotten under the rules and regulations of the scriptures generally become as good as the father and mother, but children born illegitimately mainly become varna-sahkara. The varna-sahkara population is irresponsible to the family, community and even to themselves. Formerly the varna-sahkara population was checked by the observation of the reformatory method called garbhadhana-samskara, a child-begetting religious ceremony. In this verse we find that although King Puranjana had begotten so many children, they were not varna-sahkara. All of them were good, well-behaved children, and they had good qualities like their father and mother.
(More...) Imported quote 14769 The word saukra janma means taking birth by seminal discharge. Animals can take their birth in this way too. However, a human being can be reformed from the saukra janma, as recommended in the Vedic civilization. Before the birth takes place, or before father and mother unite, there is a ceremony called garbhadhana-samskara, which must be adopted. This garbhadhana-samskara is especially recommended for higher castes, especially the brahmana caste. It is said in the sastras that if the garbhadhana-samskara is not practiced among the higher castes, the entire family becomes sūdra. It is also stated that in this age of Kali, everyone is sūdra due to the absence of the garbhadhana-samskara. This is the Vedic system. According to the pancaratrika system, however, even though everyone is a sūdra due to the absence of the garbhadhana-samskara, if a person has but a little tendency to become Krsna conscious, he should be given the chance to elevate himself to the transcendental platform of devotional service. Our Krsna consciousness movement adopts this pancaratrika-vidhi, as advised by Srila Sanatana Gosvami, who says:
(More...) Imported quote 14904 Since Maharaja Priyavrata was a great devotee, how could he have begotten a son who desired to be transferred to Pitrloka? Lord Krsna says, pitṝn yanti pitr-vrataḥ: persons who desire to go to Pitrloka are transferred there. Similarly, yanti mad-yajino 'pi mam: persons who desire to be transferred to the spiritual planets, Vaikunthalokas, can also go there. Since Maharaja Agnidhra was the son of a Vaisnava, he should have desired to be transferred to the spiritual world, Vaikunthaloka. Why, then, did he desire to be transferred to Pitrloka? In answer to this, Gosvami Giridhara, one of the Bhagavatam commentators, remarks that Agnidhra was born when Maharaja Priyavrata was infatuated by lusty desires. This may be accepted as a fact because sons are begotten with different mentalities according to the time of their conception. According to the Vedic system, therefore, before a child is conceived, the garbhadhana-samskara is performed. This ceremony molds the mentality of the father in such a way that when he plants his seed in the womb of his wife, he will beget a child whose mind will be completely saturated with a devotional attitude. At the present moment, however, there are no such garbhadhana-samskaras, and therefore people generally have a lusty attitude when they beget children. Especially in this age of Kali, there are no garbhadhana ceremonies; everyone enjoys sex with his wife like a cat or dog. Therefore according to sastric injunctions, almost all the people of this age belong to the sūdra category. Of course, although Maharaja Agnidhra had a desire to be transferred to Pitrloka, this does not mean that his mentality was that of a sūdra; he was a ksatriya.
(More...) Imported quote 14982 In this verse the word hrdaya indicates the heart, which is also called uraḥ, the chest. The heart is situated within the chest, and although instrumentally the son is born with the aid of the genitals, he is actually born from within the heart. According to the heart's situation, the semina takes the form of a body. Therefore according to the Vedic system, when one begets a child his heart should be purified through the ritualistic ceremony known as garbhadhana. Rsabhadeva's heart was always uncontaminated and spiritual. Consequently all the sons born from the heart of Rsabhadeva were spiritually inclined. Nonetheless, Rsabhadeva suggested that His eldest son was superior, and He advised the others to serve him. All the brothers of Bharata Maharaja were advised by Rsabhadeva to adhere to Bharata's service. The question may be asked why one should be attached to family members, for in the beginning it was advised that one should not be attached to home and family. However, it is also advised, mahiyasam pada-rajo-'bhiseka-one has to serve the mahiyan, one who is very spiritually advanced. Mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimukteḥ: by serving the mahat, the exalted devotee, one's path for liberation is open. The family of Rsabhadeva should not be compared to an ordinary materialistic family. Bharata Maharaja, Rsabhadeva's eldest son, was specifically very exalted. For this reason the other sons were advised to serve him for his pleasure. That was to be their duty.
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