Tradition and history — not medical advice

Garbhadhana (garbhādhāna): what the Gṛhyasūtras say

Garbhadhana (garbhādhāna) is one of the sixteen classical saṃskāras. This page gives its history only, from Āśvalāyana Gṛhyasūtra, Śāṅkhāyana Gṛhyasūtra, Gobhila Gṛhyasūtra, Pāraskara Gṛhyasūtra, Khādira Gṛhyasūtra, Hiraṇyakeśi Gṛhyasūtra and Āpastamba Gṛhyasūtra; it names the rite without describing a method, timing or sign.

When

Fourth day/night after the wedding in the texts that describe it (heading sūtras quoted).

Where the rite is located (Oldenberg, SBE 30, "Contents of the Gṛhya-sūtras", item: "The rites of the fourth day; the cohabitation")
Śāṅkhāyana (ŚāṅkhGS 1.18–19)
Pāraskara (PārGS 1.11)
Gobhila (GobhGS 2.5)
Khādira (KhādGS 1.4.12)
Hiraṇyakeśin (HirGS 1.23.11; 24–25)
Āpastamba (ĀpGS 8.8ff)
Āśvalāyana (ĀśvGS 1.13.1)The Upanishad (treats of) the Garbhalambhana, the Pumsavana, and the Anavalobhana

What the texts describe

  • Āśvalāyana Gṛhyasūtra — ĀśvGS 1.13.1

    1. _ garbhalambhanam puṃsavanam anavalobhanam ca

    No public-domain English translation available.

  • Śāṅkhāyana Gṛhyasūtra — ŚāṅkhGS 1.18.1

    1. atha caturthīkarma

    1. Now the rites of the fourth day.

    Hermann Oldenberg, The Grihya-Sutras: Rules of Vedic Domestic Ceremonies, Part I, Sacred Books of the East 29 (1886), p. 44. Public domain.

  • Gobhila Gṛhyasūtra — GobhGS 2.5.1

    1. athātaś caturthīkarma

    1. Now (follow) the ceremonies of the fourth day.

    Hermann Oldenberg, The Grihya-Sutras: Rules of Vedic Domestic Ceremonies, Part II, Sacred Books of the East 30 (1892), p. 51. Public domain.

  • Pāraskara Gṛhyasūtra — PārGS 1.11

    No public-domain English translation available.

  • Śāṅkhāyana Gṛhyasūtra — ŚāṅkhGS 1.19

    No public-domain English translation available.

  • Gobhila Gṛhyasūtra — GobhGS 2.5.2–10

    No public-domain English translation available.

  • Khādira Gṛhyasūtra — KhādGS 1.4.12ff (per Oldenberg synopsis)

    No public-domain English translation available.

  • Hiraṇyakeśi Gṛhyasūtra — HirGS 1.23.11; 1.24–25 (per Oldenberg synopsis)

    No public-domain English translation available.

  • Āpastamba Gṛhyasūtra — ĀpGS 8.8ff (per Oldenberg synopsis)

    No public-domain English translation available.

Sanskrit: Oliver Hellwig, Digital Corpus of Sanskrit (DCS), 2010–2021, licensed CC BY 4.0. English: Hermann Oldenberg (trans.), The Grihya-Sutras, Sacred Books of the East 29/30 (1886/1892), public domain, except where marked otherwise.