Mantra Therapy For Prevention Of Abortion – Varana Bandha
By Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa, B.A.M.S
Master Kashyapa has mentioned the procedure of tying ‘Varanabandha’ to the pregnant woman at the end of Revati Kalpadhyaya chapter of the Kalpa Sthana section. It is a form of ‘Mantra Chikitsa’ – treatment by reciting sacred hymns. It is thus a type of Daiva Vyapashraya Chikitsa – Non-pharmacological / non-medicinal treatment. It is difficult to explain the utility of this treatment in the modern days as it is not in practice.
Bandha means tying or binding. In this sense a bracelet or anything of this sort is tied to the pregnant woman. It should be tied before the 8th month of pregnancy. The procedure is contraindicated after 8 months. Since the main purpose of this treatment is to prevent abortion or premature delivery, it is contraindicated after 8 months.
Read – Analysis Of Effect of Mantras On Health And Nadi
Benefits of Varana Bandha
While applying Varana Bandha, Matangi Vidya, a type of incantation, should be recited. Varana Bandha recited with Matangi Vidya provides the below mentioned benefits –
- prosperity
- peace
- progeny
- retains fetus
- purity
- efficacious fortune
- destruction of fear and enemy
- progeny to women
- the pregnant woman becomes free from the affliction of all the bhutas
- the woman becomes mother of alive children, fortunate and doesn’t become widow
Other benefits –
- woman conceives – when recited during rtukala i.e., fertile period
- woman delivers male child – when recited during pregnancy
- woman delivers the child immediately and easily – when recited during difficult labor
- the children of the woman survive – when recited to the women whose children die during or at birth
Read – Ayurvedic Diet And Lifestyle For Pregnant Woman
Method of applying Varana Bandha / Prajavarana Bandhana
Qualities of physician who applies bandha – The physician who applies the varanabandha should be pious and should have fasted.
Qualities of woman applied with bandha
The woman who is applied with the bandha should –
- Have reverence
- Should have observed righteous virtues and should be the one who is always righteous
- Should have fasted for 3 days
After having been applied with bandha, the woman should worship the goddess with desired sacrificial offerings (with this, the goddess bestows the woman with progeny).
1. Preparation of woman – What should the woman do before offering the worship to the goddess?
- Should take bath during sambhara or rohini star constellation
- If at day, she should take bath amidst forest, in a lake or stream
- If at night, she should bath inside the house
- The place of bath should be protected from all around
Following this the woman is applied with bandha and then worship the goddess as said above.
Read – Monthly Development Of Fetus – Ayurvedic perspective
2. Duties of the physician who applies the bandha
An altar should be made in a pious place. Its size should have the measurement of gocharma – 7x30x10 = 2100 square hastas or about 315 sq ft (Kashyapa Samhita).
The physician should smear cow dung and water to this altar.
He should later take bath and wear new garments and ornaments. He should now sit facing east.
After comfortably sitting in the above said way he should sip lukewarm water devoid of froth without making noise thrice for sacrificial rituals as advocated in the Brahmanas. He should not spit the water. He should later wash his lips twice or thrice. Following this he should touch his eyes, ears, nose and anus with the fingers dipped in water.
Read – Benefits Of Drinking Hot Water, Contra Indications
When the Sun gets bright the physician should sprinkle the altar with water. He should then write symptoms of pregnant woman on the bunch of darbha grass held together by her along with gold. Following this he should sprinkle water on the bundle of grass, go out and do obeisance to the fire.
Later the physician should sanctify the things needed for performing Yajna – fire sacrifice. He should go around the altar from left to right holding kusha grass in his hand, keeping the fire on the right side.
He should place the idols of Kumara, Sasthi and Visakha in front of the fire. These idols should be made of gold, silver, Vetiver or Darbha grass. He should likewise place the Brahma of fire sacrifice in the south and a pot of water in the north side.
He should take two darbha grasses of similar length tied together and sanctify the ghee with them. As he recites the hymn he should pour the ghee with the help of a sacrificial ladle prepared from darbha grass for oblation into the fire.
3. Method of applying the bandha
The pregnant woman, who has taken bath, is fasting and wearing white garments and ornaments should be made to sit over a comfortable wooden seat facing northwards. She should hold 2 darbha grasses in her hands. She should be calm and settled as she sits on the seat.
After taking the permission from others, the physician should offer oblation in the fire daily. After pouring the ghee in the fire he should offer oblation reciting Matangi Vidya.
Reciting the Matangi Vidya he should collect the below mentioned –
- 800 sticks each of Sami, Palasha and Aswattha
- 800 white flowers
- 800 yellow mustard
- Ghee
- Oil
- Muscle fat (vasa)
After stirring all these with honey and ghee he should put the 3 sticks (mentioned above) together in the fire. At the end of the mantra he should give oblation of ghee. He should repeat this process for 800 times.
Read – Ghee Benefits, Usage, Side Effects, Contra Indications
Later, reciting the Rudramatangi Vidya he should put the garland made of the below mentioned things in the neck of the woman –
- Lakshmana – Ipomoea sepiaria
- Fruit of Putranjiva – Putranjiva roxburghii
- Cuttlefish bone
- Katutumbi – Lagenaria siceraria
- Mustard
- Arka – Calotropis gigantean
- Shukti – Pearl oyster shell
All these should be tied together into a garland with wool of animals.
The physician should treat the garland with Rudramatangi Vidya. Once this is done, it is understood that the ‘Prajavarana Bandha or Varana Bandha’ has been applied to the woman.
Read – Intrauterine Death Of Fetus In Ayurveda
4. What should be done after applying the Bandha?
After offering the sacrifice for oblation, the physician should recite the Shanti Mantra and once again perform the oblation and worship the Gods. After sending forth these Gods, he should pacify the fire by offering sacrifices and by sprinkling it with water.
He should then worship the Brahmans, saints and persons having sons and longevity by offering donations and garments. Following this he should sit quietly.
After these procedures, he should place all the articles of oblation in a four-way crossing or in a pond or river or under latex yielding trees.
According to Master Kashyapa – once the Prajavarana Bandha has been applied to the woman by the physician by following all the above-mentioned rituals, she would definitely get a progeny.
After this, the physician should cook Charu – an oblation prepared with rice, pulses and barley – with milk. He should give this oblation in the fire to Lord Prajapati for 7 days consecutively. Ghee of cow shall be used alternatively. It is also said that anyone desirous of progeny, animals and longevity should perform these oblations in a ritual way.
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