The Chudakarana Mantra is recited during the chudakarana samskara, the first haircut of a child, which is one of the sixteen essential samskaras (sacraments) in Hindu tradition. This rite is prescribed in the Grihya Sutras, such as the Paraskara Grihya Sutra (2.1.1-2.1.10) and the Ashvalayana Grihya Sutra (1.17.1-1.17.9), which detail the procedure and mantras for the ceremony. The primary deity invoked is typically Prajapati (the creator) or various deities associated with protection and longevity, such as Agni, Soma, and the Asvins.
The mantras often include beej-aksharas like 'Om' and phrases such as 'Om ayushyam' (for long life) and 'Om kesha vapana' (for hair cutting). Phonetically, the mantras emphasize the 'a' and 'u' sounds, which are considered to promote vitality and stability. The traditional purpose is to purify the child, promote healthy growth of hair, and bestow longevity, intelligence, and prosperity.
According to the Manusmriti (2.27), the chudakarana is performed in the first or third year for a child, and the hair is offered to the deities or to sacred rivers like the Ganga. The recommended chanting context is during the ceremony, typically in the morning after a bath, facing east, with the father or priest reciting the mantras while the barber cuts the hair. The count of recitations varies; some texts prescribe 108 repetitions of the main mantra.
Cautions include ensuring the child is calm and the environment is pure; the cut hair should be disposed of respectfully, often buried or offered in a river. The ceremony is considered inauspicious if performed during certain lunar phases, as per the Grihya Sutras.
Om, grant me long life, strength, vitality, offspring, cattle, fame, and wealth, svāhā.
Contains the seed syllable 'svāhā' which is a feminine beej used in offerings to deities.