Talk:From Karma to Karmaphala: Saṃskāra-s or Intermediate Subtle Effects of Karma:Pre-Natal Samskāras

By Vishal Agarwal

Numerous stories are narrated in the Hindu tradition about how the fetus developed pious saṃskāra-s by exposure to noble persons or sermons.

Bhakta Prahlāda: Hiraṇyakaśipu, the evil Asura king, invaded heaven and humiliated Aditi, the mother of Indra, who was the king of the deva-s. A soldier of Hiraṇyakaśipu snatched the earrings from the ears of Aditi. Indra was furious and resolved to take revenge.

Once, when Hiraṇyakaśipu was away from his capital, the deva-s attacked the Asura capital and plundered it. They also captured Kayādhū, the noble Asura queen who was pregnant with the Asura king’s child. Indra’s soldiers took Kayādhū to their capital, Amarāvatī. But Nārada intervened and scolded Indra: “It is wrong to hurt any virtuous woman, and especially a lady who is pregnant. I want you to release her. The child that she is carrying will grow to be a great bhakta of Bhagavān Viṣṇu.”

Kayādhū went to the āśrama of Ṛṣi Nārada. There, she served him and other ṛṣi-s and listened to their sermons. Living in the vicinity of ṛṣi-s had a very beneficial effect on the unborn child. Right inside the womb, he developed faith and devotion for Bhagavān Viṣṇu. After his birth, the child grew up to be Prahlāda, one of the greatest of all bhaktas.

Another story is that of Aṣṭāvakra, who could correct his father even while he was still in his mother’s womb.

Hindu tradition strongly recommends expecting mothers to spend their time in noble tasks and listen to religious and spiritual words to benefit the fetus growing within their womb. Likewise, the sacred texts prescribe numerous rites of passage that are performed by parents of the growing fetus to counter any negative genetic saṃskāra-s that might be afflicting the conceived child—

Performance of purifying homas, jātakarma, tonsure ceremony and investment of the sacred thread – these ceremonies purify the defects inherited genetically from both the parents. Manusmṛti 2.27