Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

complexion that is dark, of hair that is dark, soft, and

* ‘ Ishti ’ is derived from the root ‘ yaj,’ whence * yajna ’ or sacrifice, 1 fehti ’ means the offerings made in a sacrifice.

The ‘ Ishti,’ generally consisting of fried paddy, pure rice, flowers, ghee, milk, honey, &c., is. cast into, the Homo, fire with the aid of mantras. It is. supposed to be accepted by the deity to whom it is offered. The acceptance of. the * ishti ’ leads, to the fructification of the worshipper’s wishes. — T.

t The ceremony of ‘ swastivachana 1 consists, of making presents to, BrShmanas and receiving their benedictions.

The remnant of the sanctified ghee implies, the portion that remains in the vessel after the conclusion of the Homa.

There is no word in English corresponding to ‘ uchcchishta.’ What remains, in a dish or vessel after one has eaten off it, is. called ‘ uchcchishta.’

The entire contents of a, vessel may be made sp by one’s eating from iteven a very little portion,

‘Yathavidhau parichcchadau ’ implies not simply ‘dressed as mentioned before’ but ‘observant of the entire course o/ discipline indicated in the previous aphorisms,— T,

CHARAKA SAMHITA.

p. 821

Icing, of eyes that are White, of teeth that are white, of great energy* and of strong mind,

The sariie ordinances apply about their Hotiia : but as regards their environment;s, the colour should not be the same.

Those environments should be of a colour accordant with that of the son desired.

Indeed, environments of other kinds, agreeing in eachinstance with that of the soh in view, should be resorted to.80 * As regards a woman of the Sudra order, she should bow to persons of the twice-born class, as also to the deities, the instructor (of the family, to which she belongs), to those engaged in the observance of penances, and to those who 'have won (ascetic) success.81 -fWomen should be made to hear benedictions, corres¬ ponding with the kinds of sons they may desire.

When they have heard such benedictions they should be made to sojourn mentally through those countries which abound with children like "to those they wish for.

* fCyama ’ is a colour that is intermediate between fair and dark. In 'male persons, this complexion is regarded as very agreeable.

It should be noted, however, that the feminine form of ‘ sySma,’ viz., ' syama ’ is used as a substantive and is applied to a woihan whose complexion resembles that of heated gold.

‘ Parivarha ’ is explained as drink, food, seats, beds, ornaments, robes, &c. To take as its equivalent the word ‘ environment ’ would not be improper.

• What the Rishi says here is that the 1 parivarha ’ should differ, that is, agreeably to the kind of son desired, the ‘ parivarha ’ should be selected. What the ‘ parivarha ’ should be in the different cases has been sufficiently indicated in the aphorism. — T.

+ What is1 said here is that as regards women of the Sudra or the lowest of the' four orders, the ordinances about Homa, &c., laid down in the foregoing aphorisms, do not apply.

‘ Dwija,’ literally, means 1 twice-born.’ As such, it is applied to Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, and Vaisyas. In such places, however, only BrShmanas are implied. The Sudra woman should btfw unto Brahmanas and obtain their blessings and benedictions.

'* Guru ’ is, literally, a teacher or 'preceptor. The spiritual guide of a family is so called. Sudra families have Brahmana Gurus.

Generally speaking, Sudras are not competent to perform the Homa or have ' it performed in their houses.— T.

8 a;

CHAR-AKA SAMHITA.

They Should further be instructed to adopt the food and ■sports and practices and dress of those countries after the manner of the children of .which they desire to have children of their own.

Thus have all the rites been set forth which fructify the wishes of persons desirous of having children.22 *

Not only are the. above acts ■ productive of. variety of complexion fin the child);

But verily, when the particular rfhatu called Tejas ' (fire) is predominated by those, two other d/rcvtus, viz., water and space, the complexion (of the child) becomes fair.

So when Tejas is predominated by those two other dhâtus, viz., earth and air, it becomes productive of a dark complexion.

When, however, Tejas is combined with all the other dhatus in equal proportions, the complexion becomes neutral (or a mixture of fair and dark, called gyama).23-}"

The temper of mind of the mother and the father, the subjects constantly heard by the mother during the period ■of conception, the acts (of previous lives) of the children themselves, and the possession of the kind of mind (by the children in their previous lives) are the causes that deter-