Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

"then on the western side of that altar, a pad made of neW '(untorn) cloths should be spread.

If employed by a Brllhmana (householder), the priest should hext place over that pad the skin of a white bullock and take his seat upon it.

If employed by a householder of the royal Caste-, he should place Upon it the skin of a tiger or of a bullock (for sitting Upon it).

If employed by One of the Vaigya caste, he should place Upon it the skin of a Ruru (deer) or of a goat (for sitting Upon 'it).

Thus Seated, he should-, making a fire With sacred fuel consist¬ ing of Palaca (a), dr IngUd’i (b), or UdUmvara (c), Or Madhuka (<?) Wood, and sUrroUnding it with Ku?a grass, and making a boundary line (with water) To'r marking it off spread around if fried paddy and white flowers of fragrant scent.

He should then place there a vessel of water that is pure and Sanctified (with sacred texts), and then sanctify the Ghee for

‘ MijribhSvam ’ implies union for sexual congress. — T.

* The seven nights are to be counted front the day of the purificatory hath, as expressly stated in aphorism 13 ante.

Gangadhara says that the period is to be counted from the first appearance tof the menses. He is not supported by the text itself upon which he ‘comments. Such instances of fitter carelessness are common in his com¬ mentaries. — T-.

( a) Butea ftondosa , Roixb.

(b) Balanites Roxburghii , Planchoh ; syn. Xiinenia XLgyptiaca , Roxb.

(c) Ficus glotherata , Willd ; syn. Cdvellia glomerata, Miq,

{ d) Bassia latifblia^ Rbxb.

CHARAKA SAMHITA.

Ssg

pouring it on the fire, and then place around the altar a bullock of good breed, of the colour already -mentioned, and the other articles.1’ *

The woman desirous of having a son should then, accompanied, by her husband, -take her. seat on the western side of the fire and the right hand side of the priesti'

- She should then utter her wish, for a (meritorious) son.

After this, the priest should (with the aid of mantras') invoke Prajapati (the Grandsire or Brahman, the creator of all things) and pray him to inspire the genital organs of the mother desirous of (such) a son (with the capacity of bearing good offspring).

For the fulfilment of her wish he should also pour into the sacred fire, the fruit-bearing Ishti, uttering this Rich, viz., — Let Vishnu favour the organs (of this mother) 1

After this, the rice, cooked in the ‘sthali’ should be mixed, by means of an iron ladle, with the sanctified ghee. The priest should then thrice cast portions thereof into the sacred fire.

* The vessel of water is to be kept not on the altar but near it. The shape of the vessel is like that of a small canoe. Anothor vessel, of a much smaller size, is kept within it. These vessels are called ‘koga’ and ‘kugi’. They are directed to be made of copper, or silver, or gold, or of the horns of a rhinoceros;

The water is sanctified by certain mantras. All the rivers of India are invoked to come into it.

The ghee is sanctified with the aid of certain mantras. It is, besides, held thrice over the blazing fire.

' Libations of ghee , poured on the Roma fire, are called ajya.

‘ Ajaneyadin,’ of course, includes, those articles which are mentioned in the first part of aphorism 15, viz., a bullock, a quantity of sandal paste, and an ornament of gold for the upper arm.— T.

f ‘ Pagchimatoagnim ’ and ‘ dakshinato Brahmanam ’ would seem to imply that the woman is to sit face eastwards, with the fire before her, and the priest on her left side. The fact is, to this day, the performer of the rite sits, face eastwards, with the fire before him or her, and the’ priest sits on his q& her left side. Both the priest and the performer of the rite sit with faces, turned towards the east.

The priest and the performer of the rite may also sit with faces turned to the north,

AH dalans or Pooja halls in Hindu houses are constructed with their faces to the west or the south, so that the worshipper may sit facing the east o.r ths north.— T.

p. 820

CHASAKA SAMHITA.

After thus sanctifying a vessel of water with those Mantras that may be hers according to her gotra or family, the priest should make it over to her, saying, — Use this water for all thy purposes 1 — -18 *

After the completion of these rites, the woman should, moving her right foot first, circumambulate the fire.

She should next cause a number of Brahmanas to utterbenedictions upon her.

With her husband she should then drink the remnant of the sanctified ghee , The husband should first drink a portion,, the wife after him. Nothing (of the sanctified ghee) should be left in the vessel.

Attired in robes of the kind already mentioned (and observing the discipline already indicated), the couple should then associate together for a period of eight nights.

By conforming to these rites and practices they would beget a son of desirable attributes.19-^

Of that woman who is desirous of having a son. of a complexion that is neutral, of eyes that are red, of chest that is wide, and of arms that are long, and

Of her also, who is desirous of having a son of a