Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

t ‘ Seed’ it will be remembered, is the mother’s blood mixed with the father’s semen. It is from this seed that the embryo or foetus or the child grows. Particular limbs grow from particular portions of the seed. The theory is that the blood which the mother 'contributes consists not of homogeneous but of different kinds of matter! The same is the case with the semen which the father contributes. Particular parts or1 elefnetfts of the seed generate

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When, again, in her menstrual blood (that forms a component part of the seed in her womb) that portion or element from which ' the (child’s) womb is generated becomes vitiated, then she begets a child (daughter) who is sure to bring forth dead children. *!9

When, however, that portion of the seed from which the child’s blood and the womb are generated is partially vitiated, and when a portion only of that part of the seed from which the distinguishing organs of femininity grow becomes vitiated, then she begets a child in which the features of femininity predominate but which, in reality, is not a female but only a hermaphrodite, called “ Wrtta. ” Such a child is called “ Strivyapat ” (*. e.} a break-down of femininity).^

Similarly, in consequence of defects in the father’s semen, deformities appear in those limbs of the child which are father-born. • fWhehj again, that portion of the father’s semen from which the (child's) semen is generated, becomes vitiated, then he begets a " child' (son) who becomes incapable of begetting living children.41 tE

. When that portion, which generates semen in the child, of the father’s semen occurring in the seed, as also that portion of the seed ; which generates the signs ’ of masculinity, both become vitiated, 2i particular limbs of the foetus or the child. What is stated here is that if the . faults, vie., wind, bile and phlegm, becoming excited, vitiate the blood, pr the semen, wholly or in part, then those limbs which grow from the blood or the semen, or from the particular part or element of the blood or of the , semen which has been affected, become subject to deformity. The skin, the heart, the blood, the flesh, the adeps, the navel, the womb, 6-'c.,grow from the blood which the mother contributes. The father:born limbs are hair, ^.teeth, bones, sinews &c. If the faults vitiate, .that portion of the mother’s , blood in the seed from which the skin grows, or that portion of the father’s . semen: in- the seed from which the bones grow, the consequence .will be that . the skin and the bones will become subject to deformity, — T. . . ...

! * By the words inserted within the parantlieses I have •endeavoured’ to hake the sense clearer without interfering with the literal character of ‘the version. The aphorism consists of two parts : the: first explains the circums¬ tances under which a barren daughter is brought forth ; the second explains i, the circumstances, . under which a daughter; called ‘ Putipraja, ’ is brought r.iorth,. that : is,, .a. d.aughtet who does not succeed in brii ging .'forth-diving children.— T. ; ... ;

- then the father begets a child who without being 'of the masculine sex has the signs of masculinity predominating in him. Such a child is called by the name of ‘ Trinapulika. ’ He is regarded as a caricature of masculinity.*42