Peace and love.
Govinda Jaya was born June 17, 1976. She was a bi-centennial baby. She was my second child, born at home with her father, David, and her older brother, Brandyn in attendance. We called Brandyn, Damodara at the time. The name means, he who is bound by the ropes of love. He was four and a half years old when he saw his sister be born.
Govinda's name came to us during my pregnancy when we were listening to some devotional music. It was the Hindu chant, Govinda Jaya Jaya, Gopal Jaya Jaya. Radha Ramanahari, Govinda Jaya Jaya, which means: All glories to Govinda (Krsna). All gories to Gopal (Krsna). All glories to Hari (Krsna) who is Radha's (foremost gopi--cowherd girl, girlfriend, from Vrndavan) lover. Inspired by the music, my friend Debi, who was living with us at the time said "Govinda Jaya" that's a good name for the baby! I immediately agreed, whatever gender.
Govinda Jaya was born at approximately 7:00 in the evening. We forgot to look at clock immediately, obviously caught up in the moment. She was born en-caul, with the amniotic sac still intact, but after birthing a big bubble of the sac, we popped it. I had hear that being born with the amniotic sac still intact, encaul, was an auspicious sign but I've since learned that being born en-caul is different than being born with a caul (born a caulbearer child) which is considered significant and auspicious in several ways.
My labia was torn during the birth of her head and it was a deep tear, way up close to my clit. I never had it sewn up. The only way I could pee without excruciating pain for several weeks was by getting into a bathtub full of water, which diluted my urine enough so as to diffuse the sting.
I nursed her for awhile and then an hour or two after she was born she had her first bath, totally submerged into a full bathtub of water. Govinda never cried at birth but her first cry came when she was removed from her bathwater. She had a bath nearly everyday and everyday this was the only time she ever cried.
It was a sweet birth. Quiet. Peaceful. Our home and family was full of love. For a while.
Happy Birthday love you to Govinda Jaya Devi Dasi.
Love, Mom
2 comments:
Beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing this.
Thanks Pagan. My life was pretty screwed up at this point but I brought as much conscious awareness to my pregnancy and her birth as I possibly could. I was very earnest and trying hard to do things "right". There was a lot of love in the midst of the insanity.
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