By Palama Gupta

When a woman is pregnant, it is the time to give- 'sanskar ki ghutti' to the unborn child. The child is alive, breathing, feeling, thinking and learning everything that is happening around its mother. 

Ancient Indian Literature is full of such references. The Garbh Upanishad written by Rishi Pippilad mentions the exact rate of development of psychology and physical health of the foetus in its mother's womb, which has been deemed accurate even by modern embryology. The story of Abhimanyu in Mahabharat reiterates the impressionable nature of the foetus. Abhimanyu was in his mother's womb, when his father, Arjun, was describing how to enter Chakravyuh to his wife, Subhadra. But before he could describe how to exit it, Subhadra slept. Hence, Abhimanyu learnt how to break into Chakravyuh but couldn't learn how to escape it.

On the 13th day of the Kurukshetra War, he entered the Chakravyuh, was brutally isolated and killed by the Kauravas because he couldn't exit the Chakravyuh. Another incident comes from the Vishnu Puran of Bhakt Prahlaad who developed devotion for Lord Vishnu while his pregnant mother, Kayadhu sought refuge in Sage Narada's hermitage as his father Hiranyakashipu was absorbed in tapasya. Narad Muni used to sing praises of lord Vishnu to Kayadhu and her child after birth became an ardent devotee of lord Vishnu, against his father's wishes, even when his father tried to murder him.

Hence, mothers and the whole family have a golden window opportunity to shape the destiny of the child, by giving him/her values, ideas that stay with the child throught their life. Mother's mindset, emotions and learnings during this time gets imprinted in the mind of the child.