Garbh Sanskar guide
Jijabai and Shivaji: the Garbh Sanskar of a mother's stories
2 min read · Last updated 5 October 2026 · By the Garbh Katha editorial team · Our editorial policy
Ask a Marathi grandmother about Garbh Sanskar and she may mention Jijabai before Abhimanyu. Jijabai is remembered as the mother who filled Shivaji's world with stories of courage and fairness. Here is what history and tradition say, and what you might borrow for your own evenings.
Who was Jijabai?
Jijabai (c. 1598–1674) was the daughter of Lakhuji Jadhav of Sindkhed and the wife of Shahaji Bhosale. During her pregnancy in a turbulent time, she stayed at the hill fort of Shivneri, where Shivaji was born. Shahaji was often away on campaigns, and much of Shivaji's upbringing in Pune was guided by Jijabai together with Dadoji Konddev.
The stories she told
Tradition remembers Jijabai praying at Shivneri's shrine to the goddess Shivai — after whom her son was named — and telling stories from the Ramayana and Mahabharata, and of just rulers, during pregnancy and childhood. Bakhars and ballads (powadas) celebrate her as the one who placed the idea of a fair, self-respecting kingdom in her son's heart. Historians treat some of these details as later tellings, but the picture of a mother who chose her stories carefully is well loved for good reason.
What mothers take from her today
Jijabai's Garbh Sanskar is practical and very modern in a way: she was choosing what to fill her days with in an uncertain, stressful time. You can do the same. Pick stories that stand for what you value. Keep a small ritual even when life is busy. Let your baby hear the voice of a mother who feels steady, even if it took effort to get there.
An honest reading
We don't suggest that any story will make a child a leader, brave or successful. Shivaji's life was shaped by many people and events. What the Jijabai tradition really celebrates is the bond between a mother and child, and the stories that live in a family for generations — and that is something every mother can give.
A Jijabai-style evening
Choose a story of courage and fairness — Rama keeping his word, Savitri's resolve, or a tale of a just ruler. Read it aloud slowly. Then tell your baby, in your own words, one value you want your family to stand for. If you speak Marathi, use Marathi: babies grow familiar with the rhythms of the language they hear most.
Pregnancy stories about courage →Ramayana stories for pregnancy →Read tonight's story free →
Stories of strong women
Jijabai belongs to a long line of Indian women whose wisdom shaped families: Madalasa singing lullabies of self-knowledge to her sons, Gargi questioning sages, Ahilyabai ruling with care. Garbh Katha includes their stories in its collection of the women of India.
Read a story of a woman of India
- Day 37: Maitreyi's Question
Maitreyi reminds us that the deepest nourishment is not only food or wealth but peace and understanding. Tonight the mother can feed her own inner calm, and share that quiet fullness with her baby.
- Day 60: Avvaiyar and the Boy Under the Tree
Avvaiyar shows that true wisdom stays humble, curious and ready to laugh. Tonight the mother can welcome the new lessons her baby will bring, and trust that learning together is a joy.
- Day 73: Anandibai Sails to Become a Doctor
Anandibai's journey was driven by care for mothers she had never met. Her story reminds a mother that she, too, is surrounded by generations of people who worked to make this time safer and kinder.
- Day 80: Akka Mahadevi's Open Sky
Akka Mahadevi trusted her inner voice enough to step onto an unknown road. A mother, too, can trust the quiet wisdom of her own heart as she walks into the new.
- Day 87: Janaki Ammal's Sugarcane
Janaki Ammal trusted slow, patient work to bring sweet results. Tonight the mother can remember that her baby is growing quietly, and that trusting the slow unseen days is its own kind of love.
- Day 97: Sarojini's Songs
Sarojini Naidu listened to the music of everyday life and turned it into poetry. The mother can share that wonder with her baby, knowing her own voice is the first song her child hears.
Frequently asked questions
Where was Shivaji born?
At Shivneri fort near Junnar in present-day Maharashtra, traditionally dated to 19 February 1630.
Did Jijabai practise Garbh Sanskar?
Tradition remembers her prayers and stories during pregnancy and childhood. The word 'Garbh Sanskar' is used for her today; the details come largely from later chronicles and ballads.
Which stories did Jijabai tell Shivaji?
Popular tellings mention the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and stories of saints and just kings.
Is there a Garbh Sanskar guide in Marathi?
Yes — see our Marathi page on गर्भसंस्कार.