By Swami Harshanda
Āyuṣya literally means ‘promoting long life’.
When a child is born, a religious sacrament called ‘jātakarma’ is performed. Āyuṣya is the second rite involved in this sacrament. In this ritual father mutters over the navel or in the right ear of the child, certain mantras invoking the bestowal of long life.
These mantras, begin with ‘agne āyuraśi’. It is taken from the Kāthaka Samhitā[1] wherein the word ‘āyuṣmat’ is repeated several times.
References[edit]
- ↑ 11.7.66
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore