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Prayer for safe childbirth

祈平産あんざんをいのるまつり

An 1897 prayer for the safety of the mother and child. Its deity and personal names are placeholders; it is not exclusive to one kami or a medical promise.

English meaning and source text

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English meaning

About this English rendering

This site’s English rendering of the Japanese meaning guide, aligned with this edition. It is separate from the source words for recitation and is not an official liturgy. Sacred sounds are explained where possible, not given speculative literal translations. Historical beliefs, royal authority, illness and protection claims belong to the text; they are not present-day judgments, medical advice or guarantees of results.

Before the awe-inspiring great kami, [name] respectfully speaks.

My wife, [name], has conceived a child and reached her month of delivery; choosing today as an auspicious day,

we ask you to receive the gifts presented as peaceful and sufficient offerings.

Through your precious blessing, may she complete childbirth peacefully, without distress or suffering.

May mother and child alike be free from calamity and obstruction and flourish in health. With reverence, I offer this prayer.

Source text and reading aid

Roman letters are provided for every line of this source text.

How to use the Roman letters

Roman letters follow the kana displayed in this site’s Japanese reader; some readings are editorial additions documented on the Japanese page. These are a reading aid, not restored Sanskrit or a recording of a temple’s chanting. Historical spellings (such as wo, wi, we and ha used as a particle) are kept. Double vowels and repeated vowels mark the written kana; rhythm and pronunciation can differ by tradition.

You can simply read the meaning or sit quietly. No recitation is required. For a temple or shrine’s own recitation, follow that tradition’s published guidance.

本文（ほんぶん）

掛巻（かけまく）も恐（かしこ）き吾大神（あがおほかみ）の大前（おほまへ）に、何某（なにがし）、恐（かしこ）み恐（かしこ）みも白（まを）さく、

kakemakumo kashikoki agaohokamino ohomaheni, nanigashi, kashikomi kashikomimo mawosaku,

何某（なにがし）妻（め）孕（はら）みて、天胎月（あめはらみつき）に当（あた）りぬれば、今日（けふ）の生日（いくひ）の足日（たるひ）を斎定（いはひさだ）めて、

nanigashi me haramite, ameharamitsukini atarinureba, kefuno ikuhino taruhiwo ihahisadamete,

奠（おきたてまつ）る礼代（ゐやしろ）の幣帛（みてぐら）を、安幣帛（やすみてぐら）の足幣帛（たるみてぐら）と聞（き）こし食（め）して、

okitatematsuru wiyashirono mitegurawo, yasumitegurano tarumitegurato kikoshi meshite,

高（たか）き貴（たふと）き恩頼（みたまのふゆ）を以（もち）て、悩（なや）む事（こと）なく、苦（くる）しむ事（こと）なく、安（やす）く平（たひら）けく令産竟（うみをへしめ）給（たま）ひて、

takaki tafutoki mitamanofuyuwo mochite, nayamu kotonaku, kurushimu kotonaku, yasuku tahirakeku umiwoheshime tamahite,

母子諸共（おもこもろとも）災害（わざはひ）無（な）く、障（さは）る事（こと）なく、健（すこやか）に向栄（むかさか）に守（まも）り幸（さきは）へ給（たま）へと、恐（かしこ）み恐（かしこ）みも白（まを）す。

omokomorotomo wazahahi naku, saharu kotonaku, sukoyakani mukasakani mamori sakihahe tamaheto, kashikomi kashikomimo mawosu.

Sources and edition (1)

国立国会図書館／岡吉胤 — 祝詞全書：試験科目（1897年）・祈平産

English explanations on this page were prepared by Inori no Mori from the cited text and its Japanese explanations. They are not an official translation or a prescribed liturgy.

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