BHU hospital starts ‘garbh sanskar’ of pregnant women to  scientifically validate ancient practice

LUCKNOW: Taking a cue from the ancient Vedic scriptures, the faculty of Ayurveda at the Institute of Medical Sciences under Banaras Hindu University (IMS-BHU) have started a 'garbh sanskar' therapy for pregnant women to inculcate good values in the unborn child while being in mother’s womb.

The department of 'prasuti tanatra' (obstetrics) is imparting the 'garbh sanskar' to would-be mothers in the faculty of Ayurveda, the exercise began in the last week of September.

As per Prof SK Mathur, Medical superintendent of Sir Sundar Lal Hospital of BHU, It was not a new phenomenon. In Ayurveda, it has been a practice for ages. “As it had no scientific validation, it could not get due importance. Now, 'garbh sanskar' therapy has been restarted in the department of 'prasuti tantra' (obstetrics), in the faculty of Ayurveda,” said Prof Mathur.

Under 'garbh sanskar', pregnant women would be advised to listen to good music, read good literature and watch motivational and positive serials as all these factors lead the person concerned to positive orientation. The impact of these factors on the baby in the mother’s womb will be examined through scientific techniques, said the professor.

He said, “We are trying to scientifically validate the practice of garbh sanskar.”

Around four to five pregnant women are being imparted this therapy daily in department of Prasuti Tantra, faculty of Ayurveda, IMS-BHU.

According to Dr. Sunita Suman, head, in-charge of the 'garbh sanskar' therapy, the would-be mothers are briefed about the goodness of the therapy on the child in their womb.

As per the Ayurvedacharyas, 'garbh sanaskar' features among 16 different rituals described in Vedic scriptures to be conducted throughout the life of every human being. “Various mythological legends are there to back the theory of 'garbh sanskar' which intends to educate the child in the mother’s womb,” Dr. VK Mishra, an ayurvedacharya based in Lucknow.

He cites the example of Abhimanyu, a character of Mahabharat and son of Arjuna, who learned the breaking of six circles of chakravyuh (phalanx) in his mother’s womb, according to the epic Mahabharat.

An online model course on 'garbh sanskar', designed by Dr. Anuradha Roy, assistant professor at the department of 'prasuti tantra', faculty of Ayurveda, IMS-BHU,  is available on the BHU portal.

As per Dr. Roy, 'garbh sanskar' helped give birth to a “cultured, vigorous, virtuous, healthy, and beautiful child with a divine soul and high IQ”. It was scientifically proven that external stimuli and hormonal release from the mother had stronger effects on the intrauterine foetus.

The practice encompassed month-wise ante-natal care, diet, and regime plan according to the month of pregnancy, music therapy (advice of listening good classical and spiritual music), yoga asana, mantra chanting, specific linen, and textile clothing, counselling, etc all as per Ayurveda regimen.