Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

} Chakrapani explains that * madhuraushadha ’ may mean medicines mixed with honey, or, as some take it, those medicines which fall under the class called ‘ Jivaniya ’ or strength-giving. Honey increases the semen of man. — T.

§ The connection of ‘ Panibhyam ’ is difficult to understand. SomeGHARARA SAMH1TA

On the fourth day, she should be made to undergo, a process of good: washing. She should also, be made to dip. her whole person with the head into water.

After this, she should: be made to. wear white (glean,) clothes. The man also should be subjected, to. the- sam.e processes.6

Both of them, thus dressed in, white (clean) robes and decked with garlands of flowers, with cheerful minds and desirous of each other, should, be asked, to unite with, each other.8If desirous of procreating a s.on, they should unite with each other on an even, day after the day of bath. If, on. the other hand, they desire to haye a daughter, they should unite on. an. odd day after the. day of bath.7;

One should not unite with a woman when- the latter is lyiiJ-g; with her face d.o.wuwards, or when. she is lying on her sides.

take it as connected with ‘ adhahsayini,’ in which case it would mean that the woman is to sleep on the bare ground with her arms; (by turns) as a pillow.

GangSdhara takes it as connected with ‘ bhunjana,’ in v/hich case it Would mean that the woman is to eat from, off her palms, or from, a vessel that is not broken. The prohibition as regards broken vessels, is intelligible. To. eat off broken dishes or vessels is regarded In¬ auspicious.

In that interesting state when the. great functional wave is passing, over the system of woman, nothing should be done, which is, regarded as inauspicious. To eat off the palms is a direction that is probably due to the. desire of the Rishi to, recommend a sparing diet.

The first three days from the appearance of the menses are regardedas the. period' of impurity. The woman can do. no. household work.

It seems that by declaring this period as one of' impurity, the. Rishis imposed the most effective check upon the woman’s propensity for labour. Absolute rest is needed by her at such a time.

It is curious to. see how the idea of impurity is shared' by many Other nations, Even the. uncivilized' races entertain the same notion. The period of impurity or absolute rest differs with different people. Among many hill tribes in India, not less than io days is the lijnit. Indeed, it seems, that as civilization advances, the period of impurity becomes shorter. American physicians, complain that American girls, especially (hose of the working classes, do not give themselves any rest during (he passage of this great functional wave oyer the female constitution.— T.

GBARAKA SAMH1TA.

8*$

The genital organ of a woman who is lying with face downwards is afflicted by the wind which, in that posture, of the body, becomes powerful

Of a woman lying on her right side, the phlegm, becoming excited, obstructs the uterus.*

Of a woman lying on her ieft side, the bile, becoming; afflicted, burns the blood and the sem en.

Hence, the proper posture is tying with the face upwards.

Of one that lies in this posture, the faults {viz., wind, bile,, and phlegm) remain in their proper places..

After the act of congress is over, the woman should use. cold water to, wash her face, hands, &c.8

A woman that has been gorged with food, or one that is very hungry, or very thirsty, ov one that is under the impulseof fear, or one that is cheerless of mind, or one stricken with grief, or one that is angry, or on.e that has set her heart upon another man, or one whose passion for congress has been excessively inflamed; fails to conceive, or, if she conceives,, produces offspring that is deformed and- defective.®

One should abstain from a girl of tender years* or a woman of advanced age, or one that rs ailing for a long period,, orone that is labouring under any disease or deformity.10'

The same are regarded as faults (or defects) in males f

Hence, only a male and a female that are free from all defects should unite with each other (for procreating offspring!.11

With the hairs on their bodies erect from joy, and eager for union, the couple should spread out a comfortable bed sprinkled over with perfumes, and having, taken food; that is.

* Gangadhara reads ‘ samv-yutS ;’ other texts, ‘ samchyata.’ Both words, as applying to the phlegm, seem to be obscure. Perhaps, the sense is, collecting, or becoming increased.’ At any rate, it is safer to take the word as implying ‘ excited.’

‘ Obstructs the uterus ’ in the sense of impeding rts: capacity to receive the. semen properly. — T-.

f Those incidents which have before been mentioned {vide aphorisms: 9, and 10) as defects in women, such as satiety from gorging, hunger, thirst, wrath, &c., are, when present in - the male, to be regarded also as defects. Such men should not seek to procreate offspring.— T.

tSA'RAKA ZAMMTTA.

8 VS beneficial and of good relish, the man should go to it, first placing thereon his right foot and the woman her left foot. The man should then utter this formula :