Page 84 - GOTIL (ENG) Sample

306 Glimpses of Traditional Indian Life

three or four ceremonies within the first three years of
the child’s life. One is called svāda-bhakṣaṇa. The idea
is that at the time of delivery the woman is in danger.
There may be so many dangers. Therefore twice svāda-
bhakṣaṇa, at the period of seven months and perhaps at
nine months. Whatever the mother likes, she should eat.
For that ceremony she should be very nicely dressed in
new cloth, having taken bath, with all the children —
not only her children but other children also. Very nice
foodstuff is made and they sit together, and with the
children the mother will eat. And the brāhmaṇas should
be given some charity. They will chant Vedic hymns…
So much care is taken for the children. (Conversation,
17 June 1977)

Hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

In our childhood we saw in every village, every town,
transcendental knowledge. Any common man could speak
about Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata, Lord Kṛṣṇa. And the system
was — still there are some, but they are practically closed
now — that in the evening in the village, everyone should
assemble in a place to hear messages from Mahābhārata
and Rāmāyaṇa especially, because these two books can be
understood by the common man. Vedānta philosophy was
also discussed. My maternal uncles were in a suburb of
Calcutta, about ten miles from our house. So sometimes
when we used to go there, in the evening after taking their
meals, by eight o’clock, they would go to a place, assemble,
and hear about Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata, Bhāgavatam. And