He should offer wood silently into the fire.

He should perform Vyasta Samasta Mahä vyä hå ti Homa and offer ghee-soaked wood of pradeç a length silently into the fire.

He should perform Ñ ä ö yä yana Homa, Vä madevya Gä ë am and the other rites of Udicya Karma. He should give dakñ ië ä to the initiated Vaiñ ë avas and brä hmaë as.

This is the Nä ma Kä raë a rite according to the followers of the Sä ma Veda.

Pauñ ö ika Karma

(Ceremony For Continuing Health of the Child):

This ceremony should be performed every month on the tithi and pakñ a (waxing or waning phase of the moon corresponding to the tithi and pakñ a on which the child was born.3

The father should take his morning bath, perform worship of Lord Viñ ë u and recite Svasti Vä cana (oà svasti no govinda etc). He should chant “oà tad viñ ë où ” etc and “oà kå ñ ë o vai saccidä nada ghana etc.

He should perform Kuç andikä ending with Virupä kñ a Japa, calling the fire named “Balada.”

Then he should offer ghee-soaked wood of prä deç a length into the fire silently and perform Vyasta Samasta Mahä vyä hå ti Homa:

He should then offer oblations with the following three mantras:

oà acyutä nantabhyä à svä hä -

acyutä nantabhyä à idam na mama

oà dä modara puruñ ottamä bhyä à svä hä -

dä modara puruñ ottamä bhyä à idam na mama

oà vä sudeva vä mana viñ ë u vaikuë ö hä dibhyaù svä hä -

vä sudeva vä mana viñ ë u vaikuë ö hä dibhyaù idam na mama

He should then offer oblations to the tithi and nakñ atra devatä s saying:

oà tad viñ ë où paramaà padaà

sadä paç yanti sü rayaù

divé va cakñ ur ä tatam

oà viñ ë ave.....(tithi name eg. dvité ya) tithi devatä yai svä hä -

idam viñ ë ave idam na mama

oà tad viñ ë où paramaà padaà

sadä paç yanti sü rayaù

divé va cakñ ur ä tatam

oà viñ ë ave..........(nakñ atra eg. Aç viné) devatä yai svaha -

idam viñ ë ave idam na mama

oà tad viñ ë où paramaà padaà

sadä paç yanti sü rayaù

divé va cakñ ur ä tatam

om vaiñ ë avebhyo svä hä -

idam sarva vaiñ ë avebhyo idam na mama

The father should offer as many oblations as he can using the mantras “oà tad viñ ë où -” and “oà kå ñ ë o vai saccidä nanda-.”

He should then perform Vyasta Samasta Mahä vyä hå ti Homa and offer ghee-soaked wood of pradeç a length into the fire silently.

He should perform Ñ ä ö yä yana Homa, Vä madevya Gä ë am and the other rites of Udicya Karma. He should give dakñ ië ä to the initiated Vaiñ ë avas and brä hmaë as.

This is the childs’ Pauñ ö ik Karma according to the followers of the Sä ma Veda.

Anna Prä ç ana

(Feeding the First Grains):

In the case of a male child the rite should be performed in the sixth or eigth month, on an auspicious day. In the case of girl, it should be performed in the fifth or seventh month, on an auspicious day.

FOOTNOTE:

This ceremony should not be performed before the fourth month, and not later than a year, for the sake of the child’s health. Signs of teeth are the indication that the child is ready for solid foods4.