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The Annapr?sana (The First Feeding
Ceremony)
The important stage in the life of the child is first feeding.
It was fed on the mother’s milk. But after six or seven months
child body will develop and require and greater
amount of and different types of foods. While the quantity of
the mother’s milk diminished. So for the benefit of the child
and the both it was thought necessary that the child should be
weaned away from the mother and some substitute for her milk
should be given to the child. Thus this Samskara was connected
with the satisfaction of the physical need of the child.
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The Time of Performance
According to the Sŭtras the ceremony was performed in the six
month after the birth of the child. Teeth were visible signs
that the child was able to take solid food. Giving food before
sixth month is strictly prohibited. For weak children further
extension of time was allowed. The feeding ceremony should be
performed in the sixth month after the birth or eighth, ninth
and tenth month. The last limit is one year. Because further
postponement would have told on the physical well being of the
mother and the digestive capacity of the child. The even months
based on boys and add ones for girls were prescribed. This
difference based on sex was sentimental that even in ceremonies
some sort of discrimination should be made about different
sexes.
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The Ritual and significance
The significance of the Ańaprašana Samskara was this that
children were weaned away from their mothers at proper time at
proper time. They were not left at the caprice of their parents
who often injure their digestive capacity. The feeding ceremony
also warned the mother that at a certain time she should stop
suckling the child. The ignorant mother out of love for her
child goes on suckling it up to year or more. But she little
realizes that thereby she allows her own energy to be sapped
away without doing real good to the child. A timely caution was
given by the ceremony for the benefit of both the child and
mother.
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there is no need to waits until good time if you want to do in
exact time which is sixth month sixth day for boy and seventh
month seventh day for girl. In case you have crossed the exact
time definitely you have to wait until good time
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