Alok Mishra: Dr. Tushar, I would like to begin by telling you that your book is one of those rare ones which my father reads before me! How did you do that? How could you think of a theme which is so different?
Tushar Dashora: Oh, yes …. why not? This is actually one of the commonest compliment I receive from my readers. Many expecting women and would-be fathers call to tell me that the book is being read by their Moms and Dads with equal enthusiasm! You know even my workshop on “Grbh-Sanskar” is attended by parents and in-laws of the expecting ladies in a good number.
Actually, we Indians have deep spiritual roots and wherever we are we love to know more about spirituality. Further, the more we mature the more our yearning for the “Real knowledge”.
Hence, I consider it as a blessing for my book whenever I hear that a senior person has been showing interest in it! Pay my regards to your father and tell him I seek his blessings too.
Alok Mishra: Being a doctor yourself, dear Tushar, anyone might ask you this, how were you able to create a concomitance of science and spirituality in your book?
Tushar Dashora: A common mistake is that we think that “Spirituality” is something totally different from “Science” failing to observe that Science is just the “revealed“ part of Spirituality or one may say that Spirituality is concealed science!
Today there is definite proof (scientific and evidence-based) that practices such as “Meditation” and “chanting” lower Blood pressure and de-stress an individual. Even “Lancet” the well-known medical journal published an interesting study about the impact of praying by relatives on the health of patient! You know the Forward to my book has been written by the renowned Neurologist Dr.Ashok Pangariya (Padma Shri Awardee)….. He is a reputed academician and a well-known medical scientist….and you see in the forward he stresses on the same fact that in his entire medical career he encountered numerous circumstances of so-called “miraculous recoveries” which couldn’t be explained on purely rational basis. You may be surprised to know that he himself has thoroughly researched in the so-called “occult” sciences ranging from yoga to Astrology …… So there is a “missing piece” in our understanding!
In short, what I mean to say here is that the “age-old” Vedic scriptures do contain a treasure of knowledge about the growth and development of human foetus in the womb and advises practices which can be utilized by all of us without much hassles and without any cost!
Why not make use of them?
Alok Mishra: How did you prepare yourself for such an important book? You have mentioned your meeting with Dr. Lalit and the story he told. However, what did you do after that?
Tushar Dashora: I have an honest confession to make here. This book has been prepared based on our observations of the effects of various Vedic practices such as yoga, chanting and meditation etc. by pregnant women at our Ante-natal centre of “PRETTY-MOM”. This centre is actually the brain-child of my able wife Dr. Smita Dashora (who is a Gynaecologist herself and dedicatedly running programmed ante-natal classes at Jaipur).
And whenever we did our Garbh-sanskar workshop sessions we got numerous calls and messages from different parts of the country from woman and men that they can’t attend the session (travelling is always a no-no in pregnancy) but would gladly read if some readable material could be provided to them.
So then we have literally collected information both by interacting with spiritual masters and also reading a good lot of scriptures. Then we merged that information with the data collected over last few years from women who actually practiced these culminating into the final product as this book “Spiritual secrets of Pregnancy and childbirth”.
So, whatever we are saying here in the book has already been practiced by hundreds of expecting woman already!
Regarding the latter part of your question:
After meeting Dr. Lalit Kothari, I could actually gather back my courage to compile, organize and ponder over the “scientific basis of the ancient Garbh-Sanskar practices”. I also delved deeper into the scriptures to know more and met a good number of scholars, spiritual guides and “Gurus” to get an accurate account of the scriptures.
Alok Mishra: Dr. Tushar, you have done a tremendous job in collecting mantras and citations from all the ancient scriptures! As you have already mentioned, you were sceptic at the first instance about the idea of this book. However, now, as the book Spiritual Secrets of Pregnancy & Childbirth is getting a lot of positive responses, how do you feel about it?
Tushar Dashora: Thanks a lot for appreciating this fact. In fact, you’ll be surprised to learn that this is book is unique in a sense that it is the only book which contains a whole list of specific prayers for pregnancy (which can be recited by would-be mother, father or any other family member).
And not only this, I have also made an effort to put both the Hindi and English translation of the particular prayer and other scriptures with it. (In fact, Garbh-Geeta has been translated in English for the first time ever).
So the reader will have an advantage of knowing the correct pronunciation in Sanskrit and the meaning also with it.
Oh sure! The response to the book is overwhelming…. I’m truly elated to see it do well both online and offline. In fact, it is being received well overseas too! And you’re asking me how I feel? Not only that I feel good about the way readers have responded but I also feel proud about the “accuracy” and “exactness” of the knowledge of our forefathers from Vedic era!
Well, each one of us should share this pride, shouldn’t we?
Alok Mishra: In chapter 10, you have talked about abortion and its Karmic effects. First of all, let me congratulate you again on this chapter! Abortion is bad; and it’s bad; and it’s just bad! Now that you have tried to convey the effects of abortion in the terms of religion, it’d be better for those who understand only the language of religion. I would like you to throw some light on it.
Tushar Dashora: It is so good that you brought up this question! You must have watched the Olympics. So tell me who stole the show? Daughters and Daughters only! ….Isn’t it true? ….then why do people commit the heinous act of “Female foeticide” ?
See what has happened over the past centuries that our people were raided and looted by various foreign invaders. As a result, female child or a daughter was considered as a potential “liability” or a “weak-point” for the common people. The social practice of “Dowry” was introduced later.
The downtrodden Indian masses feared the abduction and all other kind of ghastly crimes against their daughters and if she survived then they had to arrange for “Dowry” to get her married.
Hence, eventually they started getting rid of the female child immediately after birth. The introduction of sonography technology and the added legitimacy of abortion compounded this problem(Act,1972).
So, people with help of greedy Doctors started identifying “Female” babies in womb and started getting rid of them even before they were born!
But did they know the “Karmik” implications of this act? No! Or they would never have misadventures like this!
See, Karma Laws are simple! “As you sow, so shall you reap”….
Nowadays, it is not uncommon to see couples struggling with “infertility” despite of all physiological normalcies! Does modern science answer this? An emphatic NO!
How many childless couples can get a baby with help of modern techniques? Only 30%! Why?
Isn’t this a common observation that as soon as a childless couple adopt a child, soon the couple is blessed with a baby of their own! How come this happens? It is because of the “past life” karmic bondage clearing up.
So, as I mentioned earlier that we all have strong spiritual roots and we should trace back the origin of knowledge to them. No intelligent human being should ever cause or help in causing abortion, just for the sake of avoiding birth of a baby of particular gender! This act has strong Karmic obligations!
And yes, even the Doctor or medical personal involved will have to suffer to pay off that Karmic debt.
One should read my book for further details about the same.
Alok Mishra: In the book, you have mentioned a poem by Khalil Gibran, talks of Osho, Upnishadas, Garbh Gita and then also, Sigmund Freud! How these things got together in your mind? And then, how the readers should enjoy the best of it? Can they read the chapters in isolation? It’d be the best if you could clarify these please for our readers.
Tushar Dashora: Yes, you are correct!
The book flows through a ocean of knowledge, which receives numerous tributaries ranging from Khalil Gibran to Upnishads to Osho and Sigmund Freud and many, many others “the Mother”, Swami Sivananda and the list goes on…
See the “real” knowledge or the “Final” conclusions of all these people have been similar despite of differences in their background and their source of knowledge! So, at the pinnacle all knowledge merges…..how these things got together in my mind is because I did a lot of research in all kinds of fields before embarking on to write this book.
I have conveyed thoughts of a range of stalwarts in the spiritual and mystical field so that would-be mothers from all religions and all backgrounds can relate to the content of the book and benefit from it.
Yes, intentionally the book has been arranged in such a manner that the reader can read it from any chapter….so while waiting for your turn at the Doctor’s OPD or even while travelling, one can just flip through the pages and select an interesting topic and read it. The chapters have been kept short intentionally so one may finish a topic in same breath!
Alok Mishra: I also think often that there is a need; there is a space in life in want of spirituality and religious quotient. How do you think that your book can be of help on this to the people?
Tushar Dashora: See! The moment you’re free from the mundane and day-to-day problems, you immediately ponder over the source and the ultimate culmination of this life…
This is basic human tendency… we yearn for the absolute “truth” and the absolute “knowledge”.
So, when you say that there is space in life in want of religious and spirituality quotient, I wish to rectify it by stating that:
“We are not human beings who undergo temporary spiritual experience… but we are actually SPIRITUAL beings going through a temporary human experience…!”
So instead of just segregating a small space for Spirituality, we should rather just realize the fact that Spirituality is the biggest “set” which encompasses all other sub-sets such as “religion” or “humanity” or “science” and hence I reiterate that my book is not only meant for believers of the “Sanatan-Dharma”or “Hinduism” but it shall be beneficial for all humans irrespective of religion, country or origin.
And yes, in today’s world if you see we all have progressed but the progress is limited to only “Materialistic” gains! Daily our newspapers and other media are full of news about “moral” degradation of humanity and incidences of lack of “empathy”. Let me assure you that this book of mine talks about the long term impact of “maternal” yogic practices on the baby in womb! It is a proven medical fact that such babies are “happier” “content” and display high levels of “empathy” and “sensitivity”…. so why we shouldn’t use such proven knowledge for benefit of our people and why not augment the process of “conception” and “birth” of happier babies!
You know if a pregnant mother meditates the baby also gets an unforgettable taste of meditation!
So, in short we are producing another spiritual being by infusing the right “samskars”!
Alok Mishra: You have mentioned the details for getting the desired qualities in the child-to-be-born. Though I do believe in the power of Mantras, as you have dedicated a section to those in your book as ‘Prayers for Pregnancy,’ is there any specific procedure to chant those Mantras? What do you suggest to the pregnant women who read your book?
Tushar Dashora: I’m so glad you asked this question! See all “mantras” are nothing but cosmic acoustic vibrations. They have the power to bring modification in both “sthula” and “sookshm” nature i.e. manifest and subtle reality and yes it is right that each mantra has a way of being chanted (if it is being chanted for a particular result or siddhi). I have categorically put the mantras in their original Sanskrit text so that right pronunciation can be done. Further to ease this all these mantras and prayers with their right pronunciation have been uploaded on the dedicated Facebook page of this book also. So the readers can listen to the audio and chant with the audio playing.
The most important message I have to convey here is that the maximal effect of the “mantra”can be achieved, if the person who plans to chant does the chanting after taking a bath and in a quiet, peaceful room. The chanting should be done in such a way that the “mantra” is spoken in an audible manner and heard also. This way the baby in womb would also be able to hear the sound and subtle impressions would be created.
Further, here I would like to state that much misinformation and apprehension is spread on unlikely effects of the “mantra” if it is not chanted properly. I harbour no doubt in stating here that the Lord or God himself should be envisioned as the Universal mother “MAA” or the one and Only Holy Father.
Then you tell me whether the mother or father of a child would feel offended if their name is not pronounced properly by their immature child or if the child lisps or stammers?
You see the mother comes rushing to her child in no manner what the child call for her!
It is the intent with which the Lord’s name is chanted and not the method!
The method has an importance but it is always secondary. One need not worry much if the pronunciation becomes erroneous or there are minor mistakes as it is the “faith” and the “feeling” or bhawna which is more important while chanting the name of the Lord.
If while chanting the particular sutras the meaning is also pondered upon than it will have a multi-fold beneficial effect on the unborn baby (both the Hindi and English translation of the Sanskrit prayer have been included for this purpose).
Last but not the least, even the black and white sketches interspersed through the book serves a specific purpose. They are there so that the reader can focus his/her gaze on the particular image and perform “Trataka” on them (constant gazing).
Alok Mishra: As your book, Spiritual Secrets of Pregnancy and Childbirth is already enjoying a great success, what are your plans? Any ideas to our readers for your next book, Dr. Tushar?
Tushar Dashora: Oh yes! With the grace of lord, it is really doing well. I shall soon be planning a kindle edition of this book.
Well about the next book? It is already in print and is a poetic translation of “Bhagwad Gita”… and this one is also unique in certain aspects, which I shall reveal soon.
But now I’m receiving messages from my readers that they want a book focussed on “Spiritual guidance” on planning a child.
So… I may soon start research on the same…
So whenever “Maa Saraswati” pleases, I will be able to pen something.
Alok Mishra: Thanks for your time! It was a pleasure reading your book and talking to you about that. I wish you best of luck for the future!
Tushar Dashora: Thanks… It was indeed a pleasure to answer your questions…
Thanks once again!
