Mirror of Auspicious Timing

Regarding the Mother's Ritual Bath

The constellations Punarvasu, Magha, Chitra, Vishakha, and the "three beginning with Shravana" original: shravana-traya, referring to the stars Shravana, Dhanishtha, and Shatabhisha are considered "life-destroying" stars. These should not be chosen for the mother’s ritual bath after delivery term: shavasnana (the purifying bath taken by a mother to end the period of ritual impurity after childbirth). If the bath is performed under these stars, she will not conceive again.

Regarding the Naming Ceremony

Now, concerning the naming ceremony term: namakarana (the formal rite of giving the newborn its name): it should be performed on the eleventh day for Brahmins original: vipranam, on the thirteenth day for Kshatriyas the warrior/administrative class, on the sixteenth day for Vaishyas the merchant/agricultural class, and for those of the Shudra class, the naming is held after one month has passed from the birth.

The sage Garga states that the evening time, periods of malefic astrological aspects, Saturdays, and Tuesdays original: bhumija-vasare, "day of the son of the Earth," referring to Mars must be avoided. Furthermore, the "Empty" lunar days the 4th, 9th, and 14th days of the lunar fortnight, the full and new moon days, the eighth day, and the astrological periods of Vishti and Kimstughna are especially unfavorable. One should not perform the ceremony during these flawed times or at night.

The following constellations are praised for the naming ceremony: the three "Latter" stars Uttara Phalguni, Uttara Ashadha, and Uttara Bhadrapada, Revati, Pushya, Hasta, Mula, Shatabhisha original: Varuna, Shravana, Anuradha original: Maitra, Swati, Mrigashira, Rohini original: Prajapati, and Dhanishtha.

According to the sage Vasistha, one should avoid those prohibited times and perform the rite during the auspicious ones. Therefore, after careful consideration, one should speak the name clearly.

Sacred Names for the Months

In the Tilaka-tirtha a specific ritual text or tradition, the names of the deities associated with the months starting from Chaitra the first month of the Hindu calendar are declared as follows:
1. Janardana
2. Upendra
3. Yajapurusha
4. Vasudeva
5. Trivikrama
6. Yogisha
7. Pundarikaksha
8. Krishna
9. Ananta original: neta, likely a transcription error for Ananta or Hari
10. Achyuta
11. Chakradhari
The wise say these names should be used in sequence.

One should not give girls names derived from rivers, mountains, trees, or birds a traditional caution against names that might be considered harsh or unrefined. A woman’s name should be pleasing and auspicious.

Regarding the Cradle Ceremony

Now, concerning placing the child in the cradle term: dolarohana: according to the words of the teachers, this should be performed on the twelfth day or later. It should be done on a favorable day such as when the star Pushya is active, and when the Moon and the birth stars are strong. The mother or the elder women of the family should perform this ritual under the "soft," "fixed," or "swift" constellations astrological classifications of stars believed to ensure the child's stability and growth.