Jātakarma
जातकर्म
Also written: jatakarma · jātakarma · jatakarma sanskar · jatakarma ceremony
Jātakarma (जातकर्म) is the fourth of the sixteen saṃskāras. Welcoming the child, and the father's first act of relationship.
| Number | 4 of 16 |
| Stage of life | Childhood |
| Performed | At birth, before the umbilical cord is cut |
| Purpose | Welcoming the child, and the father's first act of relationship. |
What the rite is and why
Performed immediately at birth. The father touches the newborn, whispers into its right ear, and gives it a taste of honey and ghee with a gold instrument — the medhā-janana rite, for intelligence.
Mantras are recited for the child's long life, strength and intellect; the breath and the senses are invoked one by one.
The birth time is recorded exactly, because the natal chart depends on it — this is the practical point at which jyotiṣa enters a life.
Where it stands today
Survives in the honey-and-ghee touch given to newborns in many families, and universally in the careful recording of the exact time of birth.
The sixteen Saṃskāras
From before conception to the final fire: the sixteen refinements that mark a human life, what each one actual…
Garbhādhāna
Garbhādhāna — the first saṃskāra, performed before conception. The conscious invitation of a life, rather than…
Puṁsavana
Puṁsavana — the second saṃskāra, performed third or fourth month of pregnancy. Protection and healthy developm…
Sīmantonnayana
Sīmantonnayana — the third saṃskāra, performed sixth to eighth month. The mother's wellbeing, and the child's …
Nāmakaraṇa
Nāmakaraṇa — the fifth saṃskāra, performed eleventh or twelfth day after birth. The giving of the name — an id…
Niṣkramaṇa
Niṣkramaṇa — the sixth saṃskāra, performed third or fourth month. The child's first journey out of the house —…
Last revised 2026-08-16. Corrections are welcome — see how this site is written.