The Chapter on Sacraments

The Sanskrit term "Saṃskāra" (Sacrament) refers to the purifying rites of passage intended to sanctify the body and mind at various stages of life.

|| Salutations to Lord Ganesha ||
A traditional invocation to the elephant-headed deity, the remover of obstacles, placed at the beginning of Hindu texts.

Now begins the writing of the Chapter on Sacraments.

He whose life-rituals—beginning with conception Sanskrit: "Niṣeka" and ending at the cremation ground Sanskrit: "Śmaśāna"—are prescribed to be performed with sacred mantras; he alone is known to have the authority in this scripture, and no other. || 1 ||

In the Nrisimha-prasada

original: "nṛsiṃhaprasāde". This refers to a famous 15th-century encyclopedia of religious law and custom which likely serves as the source for this text.

1. Conception Garbhādhāna: the rite to ensure a healthy pregnancy,
2. Engendering a male child Puṃsavana: performed during the second or third month of pregnancy,
3. Parting the hair Sīmanta: a ritual for the mother's well-being and the child's development, and
4. Birth-rites Jātakarma: performed immediately after the child is born. || 2 ||

5. Naming ceremony Nāmakriyā,
6. The first outing Niṣkramaṇa: taking the child out of the house for the first time,
7. The first feeding of solid food Annāśana, and
8. The shaving of the head Vapanakriyā or Cūḍākaraṇa.

9. Piercing the ears Karṇavedha,
10. Initiation and the instruction of vows Vratādeśa or Upanayana,
11. The procedure for beginning Vedic study Vedārambha-vidhi, and likewise, || 3 ||

12. The first shaving of the beard Keśānta,
13. The formal bath upon graduation Snāna or Samāvartana,
14. Marriage Udvāha,
15. The acceptance of the domestic fire Vivāhāgni-parigraha,

and 16. The gathering of the three sacred fires Tretāgni-saṃgraha. These are known as the sixteen sacraments.