The Annaprāśana Samskāra – 07
🍚 The Sacred First Feeding
Introducing food as divine nourishment for body, mind, and soul
🪔 Introduction
The Annaprāśana Samskāra (अन्नप्राशन संस्कार) is the seventh of the 16 Samskāras in Sanatana Dharma. It marks the first ceremonial feeding of solid food to the infant—usually rice or sweetened food—performed with mantras, love, and divine invocation.
The word Annaprāśana comes from:
- Anna (अन्न) = food or grain
- Prāśana (प्राशन) = feeding or consumption
This samskāra signifies the child’s entry into society as an eater, a participant in the cycle of nourishment, growth, and karma.
📜 Scriptural References
Manusmṛti (2.34):
षष्ठेऽन्नप्राशनं मासि — “Ṣaṣṭhe māsi annaprāśanaṁ kārayet”
The feeding of solid food should be performed in the sixth month.
Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa (3.7.1):
अन्नं ब्रह्मेति व्यजानात्।
Food is verily Brahman—the sacred reality.
🗓️ When Is Annaprāśana Performed?
- Typically in the 6th month for boys, 5th or 7th month for girls
- Based on health, teething, readiness, and family tradition
- Must be performed on an auspicious tithi, preferably during Shukla Paksha
- Special nakṣatras: Rohini, Pushya, Hasta, Shravana
🕉️ Purpose of Annaprāśana
| Objective | Significance |
|---|---|
| Transition to Solid Food | Marks the first act of digestion and nourishment |
| Sacralizing Food | Treats food as Brahman—a medium of divine life |
| Protection Against Illness | Mantras are chanted to bless digestion and health |
| Initiation into Karma | Eating is a karmic act—this is the child’s first such conscious step |
| Social Celebration | A family gathering to welcome child’s next phase |
🔆 Ritual Procedure Overview
1. Sankalpa
The father or priest takes a sacred vow to offer annaprāśana for the well-being of the child.
2. Child’s Purification
The baby is bathed, dressed in new clothes, and adorned with sandalwood paste, kumkum, and flowers.
3. Fire Ritual (Homa)
A simple Agni homa is performed, invoking blessings from Agni, Sarasvatī, and Annapūrṇā Devi.
4. Mantra-Chanted Feeding
The child is fed a small amount of:
- Sweetened rice (with jaggery or honey)
- Ghee-mixed rice
- Kheer (milk-rice sweet)
depending on tradition
Mantras are chanted as food touches the baby’s lips:
ॐ अन्नं ब्रह्म, अन्नं मयः शरीरः।
Food is Brahman; this body is made of food.
ॐ अन्नदाताऽसि मे जीवो भूयाः।
May you be sustained and flourish by food.
5. Elder Blessings & Play
In some customs, the child is offered objects (books, gold, fruit, tools) to see what they pick, as a symbolic indicator of destiny.
🍽️ Symbolism and Spiritual Depth
✅ Recognizes food as sacred prāṇa
✅ Builds early awareness of ahāra (food) as worship
✅ Infuses digestive energy (agni) with blessing mantras
✅ Anchors the child in gratitude for nourishment
✅ Offers a conscious beginning to lifelong eating habits
🪔 Summary Table
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Annaprāśana (अन्नप्राशन) |
| Sequence | 7th of 16 Samskāras |
| Performed by | Father or both parents, with or without purohit |
| Timing | 6th month (varies by gender & family tradition) |
| Food Given | Sweet rice, kheer, or ghee-rice (small amount) |
| Mantras Used | Blessings for digestion, strength, longevity |
| Deities Invoked | Agni, Annapūrṇā, Sarasvatī |
| Cultural Practice | May include symbolic future-object picking ritual |
🍚 Nourishment as Divine Offering
The Annaprāśana Samskāra turns a simple meal into a sacred act of initiation. It reminds us that in Sanatana Dharma, eating is not consumption—it is participation in the cosmic yajña. Every bite becomes a prayer, and every grain is a step toward the divine.