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SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
in conformity with the planets working contemporaneously to the effect that she (lit. this maiden) being eminently meritorious would become a receptacle of abundant blissful enjoyments. She had taken birth in that type of zodiac.'
In light of that prediction Kusumasekhara arranged a huge festal melee as he would do on the birth of a son, surrounded by many vassals, having come to the chamber (maternity chamber) or Prasutigṛha, that had heaps of flowers strewn therein, had a dais of pearl stones established inside, had its Verandah or courtyard swept clean by the spurting sprays of extremely scented water and had white auspicious wreaths tied to the arched gate. And at the end of the tenth day when all the kinsfolk had assembled with auspicious preliminaries brought to being engrossed in traditional rituals of his heritage, gave her the name 'Malayasundari'.
According to the general rule of the Grhyasūtas the Namakaraṇa ceremony was performed on the tenth or the twelfth day after the birth of the child with the single exception of the secret name which was given in the opinion of some, on the birth day. But the later options range from the tenth up to the first day of the second year.2
The Nişkramaņa Saṁskāra
As enjoined by the scriptures, the time for performing the Nişkramaņa Samskāra varied from the twelfth day after the birth to the fourth month." The twelfth day could suit only because after the tenth day the name-giving ceremony was performed. For performing this the child was required to be taken out of the Sütikāgṛha or the maternity chamber. The general rule, however, according to the Grhyasutas and the Smrtis was that the Samskara took place in the third or in the fourth month after the birth."'4
According to the Muhurtta Samgraha this ceremony was required to be performed the maternal uncle, whereas the parents could do it normally."
1. जातमात्रायामेव मयि समस्तदैवज्ञाग्रतः सरेण सकलनिमित्तशास्त्रत इव वेदिना सहस्रशः संवादितादेशतया परं संमतेन वसुरात नाम्ना सांवत्सरेण स्फुटीकृत्य तात्कालिकग्रहाणां दशाफलमानन्दाश्रुजलापरिप्लुतक्षणेन क्षोणीपतेः पुरः स्पष्टाक्षरमिदमादिष्टम् एष कन्यका निकामं पुण्यभागिनी भाजनं भविष्यति भूयसामुपभोगसौख्यानाम्, ईदृशे च लग्ने TM Vol. III p. 178
2. तातोऽपि
तोरणबद्धहरितवन्दनमालमुद्दामगन्धेकच्छटाविच्छेदविरजीकृताजिरमुपरचितमौक्तिकचतुष्कं पातितपुष्पप्रकरमागत्य मातुर्मे भवनमनेकरजगोलकपरिवृतः पुत्रजन्मः सदृशमतिमहान्तमुत्सवमकारयत् अतिक्रान्ते च दशमेऽहनि समागतसमस्तज्ञातिलोकः प्रवर्तितमङ्गलोपचारः स्वगोत्राचारकर्मण्यतिसादरो मलयसुन्दरीति मे नाम कृतवान् । TM Vol. III p. 179.
3. Hindu Samskāras p. 84.
4. Ibid. p. 86.
5. Ibid. p. 87.
