The Sushruta Samhita — trans. Bhishagratna

Hence these acts (day sleep etc) arc to be avoided. 24

Regimen to be observed in her

menses : —A woman in her menses should lie down on a matress made of Kits' a blades (during the first three days of her uncleanness), should take her food from, her own blended palms or from earthen sauces, or from trays made of leaves. She shonld live on a course of Habishya diet and forswear during the time, even the sight of her husband. After this period, on the fourth day she should take a ceremonial ablution, put on a new (untorn) garment and ornaments and then visit her husband after having uttered the words of necessary benediction 25. Metrical Text :— A child conceived after the period resembles the man whom she first sees after ablution on the fourth day of her menses ; hence she should see none but her husband* at that time (so that the child may resemble his father). After that the priest shall perform the rites (Garbhadhana ceremony),128. THE SUSHRUTA SAMKtlTA. [Chap. it. to help the conception of a male child and after the ceremony a wise husband should observe the following rules of conduct. 26 — 27.

* In the case of the hubband being absent at the time, she should look at the sun.

Conduct of Husband :— A husbaud wishing to beget a son by his wife, should not visit her bed for a month (before the day of the next flow). Then on the fourth day of her uncleanness, he should anoint or lubricate his body with Ghrita, should partake of a food in the afternoon or evening composed of boiled S^ctli rice, milk and clarified butter, and then visit the bed of his wife The wife also, in her tern, should observe a similar vow of sexual abstinence (Brahma-charini) for a month before that day on which she should anoint or lubricate her body with oil, partake of food largely composed of oil and Masha pulse, and then meet her husband at night. The husband then having uttered the appropriate Veda Mantras and having awakened confidence in the wife, should go unto her on the fourth, sixth, eighth, tenth or on the twelfth night of her menses for the progenation of a male child. 28.

IVIetrical Text ;— A visit to the wife on any of these nights leads to the continual increase of the wealth, progeny, and the duration of the husband's life. On the other hand, a visit to one's wife on the fifth, seventh, ninth, or eleventh day of her flow leads to the conception of a female child The thirteenth and the remaining days (till the next course) are condemned as regards intercourse. 29—30

On the other hand, a visit to one's wife on the fifth, seventh, ninth, or eleventh day of her flow leads to the conception of a female child The thirteenth and the remaining days (till the next course) are condemned as regards intercourse. 29—30

Prohibited Period etc. :— A going unto one's wife on the first day of her monthly course tends to shorten one's life and a child born of the act dies immediately after its delivery. The same result is produced by a visit on the secontl day, or the child dies lying-in locm i.e. ten days of its birth ; A visit on the third dayChap, n.j SARIRA STHANAM. 1 29 leads to the child's being deformed and short-lived. A child which is the fruit of a visit on the fourth day lives long, will be well developed and remain in the full vigour of health. The semen cast in the womb of a woman during the continuance of her monthly flow does not become fruitful because it is carried back and flows out in the same manner as a thing thrown into a stream does not go against but is carried away with the current. Hence a husband should foreswear the company of his wife during the first three days of her uncleanness, when she also should observe a vow of sexual abstinence ; the husband should not visit his wife within the month 'after the twelfth day of her menses). 31.

After the impregnation on any of these nights, three or four drops (of the expressed juice) of any of the following drugs such as Lakshand, Vata-S'unga! , S'ahadevd or Vis'vadevd, mixed with milk should be poured into the right nostril of the enceinte for the conception of a male child and care should be taken that she does not spit it away. 32, lYIetrical Text :— A co-ordination of the four factors of menstrual period (Ritu), healthy womb (Kshetra), nutrient liquid le. chyle of digested food (Ambu), healthy semen (Vija) and the proper observance of the rules is necessary for the conception and development of a healthy child just as the proper season (Ritu), good soil (Kshetra), water (containing nutrient matter) and vigorous seeds (Vija) together with proper care, help the germination of strong and undiseased sprouts. A child which is the fruit of such conception is destined to be beautiful, of vigorous health, generous, long-lived, virtuous, attached to the good of its parents and capable of discharging its parental obligations. 33.

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p. 130

Causes of different colours of the
Child:— The fiery principle (Teja-dhaitu) of the

33.

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p. 130

Causes of different colours of the
Child:— The fiery principle (Teja-dhaitu) of the

organism, which is the originator of all colours of the skin (complexion), happening to mix largely with the watery principle of the body at the time of conception, serves to make the child a fair complexioned one (Gaura-varna) ; mixed with a large quantity of the earth principle (Kshiti) of the body, it makes the chiid a dark complexioned one (Krishna-varna). In combination with a large quantity of earth and ethereal principles of the organism, it imparts a dusky (Krishnasyama) complexion (to the full developed fcetus). A similar combination of watery and ethereal principles serves to make the child dusky yellow (Gaura-syama). Others on the contrary aver that the complexion of the child is determined by the colours of the food taken by its mother during the period of gestation. 34.

A child is born blind in the failure of the fiery principle (Teja-dhatu) of the organism in reaching the region of its still undeveloped eyes (part — where the eyes would be) ; so also a penetration by the same (Teja-dhatu) into its blood accounts for the blood-shot eyes of the child. Entered into the Pittam it makes the child a yellow-pupiled one (Pingalaksha). Entered into its bodily Kapham it makes it a white-eyed body and mixed with its bodily Viyu, a child of defective eyesight. 35.

Memorable verses:— As a lump of condensed clarified butter melts and expands if placed by the side of a fire, so the ovum (Artava) of a woman is dislodged and glides away in contact with an adult male*.

* Sus'iula's theory is that ovulation occurs about the same time as menstruation and rather initiates the latter, and the shed ova are washed out wiih the menstrual flow, hence there is a possibility of conception on

Chap. II.] SARIRA STHANAM. I31