BPHS Ch.95 — Tritiya Janma Shanti: Definition, Four-Deity Procedure & Bronze Viewing Rule
Tritiya Janma = birth of a child of different gender after three of the same (3 boys → girl born, or 3 girls → boy born). Effect: Arishtabhayam = fear of inauspicious events for BOTH father's AND mother's sides of the family (grandparents, uncles, aunts all included). Timing of remedy: end of swotaka (11-21 days from birth) or any auspicious day. Procedure: (1) Select a Vedic scholar (knows mantra tattva, not just sounds) to perform Navagraha homam; (2) Establish four gold idols — Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesha (Shiva), Indra — auspicious-looking forms, placed on pile of grains with kalasha; do Shodasha Upachara puja; (3) Mantras: 4 Rudra Suktams (Shri Rudram can substitute) + Shanti Suktams; (4) Homa with samidhas + ghee + sesame + cooked rice offered to Brahma/Vishnu/Shiva/Indra + all standard Vedic devatas; Svishta Kritam offering + Purnahuti at close; (5) Abhisheka of newborn WITH entire family (both sides); (6) Bronze vessel rule — until Shanti is done, father-mother should not see baby directly; first formal viewing = see baby's reflection in a bronze plate (Kansya darpana); then direct viewing is permitted; (7) Dakshina to priests + feed brahmanas + donate to troubled people (dinana) and orphans (anatha). Result: "All arishta will disappear" — Parashara's assurance. BPHS authenticity note: remedy chapters may contain later additions; follow as tradition regardless.
"Not everything in this text is necessarily Parashara's original teaching. Especially chapters on remedies, giving dakshinas — there is a possibility these were added later. Still, whoever wrote it, it is tradition. We can follow it."
— P.V.R. Narasimha Rao
BPHS Chapter 95 — Tritiya Janma Shanti (Complete)
Definition
Tritiya Janma = birth after three children of the same gender
- 3 boys → a girl is born (or 3 girls → a boy is born)
- "Birth of a different kind after three of the same kind"
Modern probability: Very rare (~1/80,000 given modern small family sizes; even in older times ~1/8)
Effect
Text: Arishtabhayam = fear of inauspicious events
- Affects both father's side AND mother's side of the family (Pitru matru kula dvayi = on both sides)
- Not limited to just parents — grandparents, uncles, aunts, etc. can also be affected
Timing of Remedy
- At end of swotaka (inauspicious period following birth = 11 days or 21 days depending on tradition)
- OR at any auspicious time/day
Procedure
Step 1: Select an Acharya
- Must be a Vedic scholar (knows mantra tattva, not just sounds)
- Proceed with Graha Yajna (Navagraha homam)
Step 2: Establish Idols
- Four gold idols: Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesha (Shiva), Indra
- Good-looking, auspicious forms (svanajah subhah)
- Place on: pile of grains → kalasha → idols on/near the kalasha
- Do puja with devotion: gandham, pushpam, akshata, etc.
Step 3: Mantras
- 4 Rudra Suktams (read by a clean, principled brahmin during homa)
- Shanti Suktams (various shanti mantras from Vedic tradition)
- PVNR note: Exact 4 Rudra Suktams not known to him; suggests using Shri Rudram (Rudra Namakam/Chamakam) if specific ones cannot be found
Step 4: Homa
- Acharya offers: samidhas (wood), ghee (ajya), sesame (tila), cooked rice (charu)
- To: Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesha, Indra + all devatas normally covered in Vedic homam (Agni, Indra, Vayu, Prajapati, Rudras, Vishnu)
- End: Svishta Kritam offering (Agni as purifier of all offerings)
- Purnahuti at close
Step 5: Abhisheka
- After homam: Abhisheka of the newborn along with the whole family (all accessible relatives — both sides)
Step 6: First Look in Bronze
- Until the Shanti is done, father and mother ideally should not have seen the baby (unrealistic nowadays, but principle stands)
- First formal viewing: see the baby's reflection in a bronze vessel/plate (Kansya darpana)
- After seeing the reflection, direct seeing is permitted
Step 7: Dakshina + Distribution
- Give dakshina to rittviks (priests)
- Feed brahmanas
- Give to dinana (troubled people) and anatha (orphans) — make them satisfied
Result: "All arishta (inauspiciousness) will disappear" — Parashara's assurance
PVNR's Note on BPHS Authenticity
"Not everything in this text is necessarily Parashara's original teaching. Especially chapters on remedies, feeding brahmins, giving dakshinas — there is a possibility these were added by later hands. It is a possibility, not a certainty. Still, whoever wrote this, it is tradition, so we can follow it."