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A Medical Interpretation of Pumsavana Karma in Raghuvamsa See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/236953234 A Medical Interpretation of Pumsavanakarma in Raghuvamsa Article · December 2012 CITATIONS READS 2 1,577 2 authors: Jsr Prasad K.Y.Srikanth B.A.M.S, M.D (Ayu) University of Hyderabad University of Hyderabad 29 PUBLICATIONS 22 CITATIONS 2 PUBLICATIONS 2 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects: Two Books View project E-QUAL Project View project All content following this page was uploaded by Jsr Prasad on 30 May 2014. The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file. A Medical Interpretation of Pumsavana Karma in Raghuvamsa Dr. J.S.R.A. Prasad1*, Dr. K.Y. Srikanth2 1. Introduction Sanskrit literature is replete with several medical concepts. Sanskrit, Ayurveda and Jyautisha were used to be an integral part of the holistic approach towards attaining the perfect health. Over the course of time, they are separated and made individual disciplines in the academia. The astronomical and medical knowledge demonstrated by śāstrakāras is remarkable. Also, in kāvyas, this phenomenon is implicitly seen whereas in purāṇas and epics, medical concepts are very explicitly referred. All such medical concepts can be classified under aṣṭāṅga Ayurveda. Great Kalidasa's Raghuvamsa is such a text, where the availability of references to medical concepts is noteworthy. Raghuvamsa speaks about medical concepts like, 'gynaecology&obstetrics' (signs of pregnancy, desires of a pregnant woman etc.), 'wet nurse', 'rituals' (saṃskāras) and the like. It can be stated that rituals in Hindu tradition are truly scientific in nature. Most of the rituals are inherently embedded with medical concepts. Our ancestors introduced the rituals in the society truly based on health grounds. Because, a healthy body is the means to achieve the highest goal defined for the one who believes in sanātana dharma. In the 10th verse of 3rd sarga, Kalidasa refers to a ritual called 'pumsavana'. An effort is made in this paper, to interpret pumsavana ritual from the medical perspective. 2. Reference in Raghuvamsa “The wise king Dilipa, performed in due order the various ceremonies beginning with Pumsavana in a manner suited to his magnanimity of mind, the great love he had for his beloved and the wealth he had acquired from all quarters, as also suited to the great delight which he felt at the near prospect of a soni.” Pumsavana karmaii (the act of engendering a male child), is the second of sixteen saṃskāras (sacraments that are performed to an individual, on a woman after manifesting unmistakable signs) of conception. The King Dilipa after knowing that the queen Sudakshina is pregnant, he performed Pumsavana karma. In ancient times, Pumsavana karma was considered essential to beget a male child and so it was being performed as a necessary ritual. 3. Pumsavana karma in Ayurveda The procedure to be adopted for achieving progeny of desired sex is known as Pumsavana karma. It should be done after conception but before conspicuousness (vyaktibhāva) of organs on pushyami nakṣatraiii by keeping in mind the living place (deśa) and specific period (kāla) the result 1 *Corresponding author& Asst. Professor, Department of Sanskrit Studies, School of Humanities, University of Hyderabad, Prof. C.R. Rao Road, Hyderabad – 500 046 email: [email protected] 2 B.A.M.S, M.D. (Ayu.), Project Fellow, Department of Sanskrit Studies, School of Humanities, University of Hyderabad, Prof. C.R. Rao Road, Hyderabad – 500 046 email: [email protected] 1 is definite, otherwise it may not give the progeny of desired sexiv. Susrutha has advocated that it should be done just after achievement of conception. Dalhana, a commentator of Sushruta Samhita has explained that this process is done with three objectives. 1) Pre-conception for achievement of conception. 2) immediately after conception for its proper implantation. 3) Post conception with in 2 months for having male progenyv. Vagbhata further says it should be done during the pushyami nakṣatra. Citing the opinion of others he said that 'some advise it for continuous 12 days, others say, even days out of the total period of 12 days. 4. Methods of Performing Pumsavana When a conception is known to taken place, on the same day, the roots of the drugs lakshmana (Ipomoea sepiaria ROXB), vaṭaśṛṅga (Ficus bengalensis Linn), Sahadeva, a variety of bala , mahābala (Vernonia Cinerea), viśvadeva, a variety of bala, nāgabala (Sida veronicaefolia Lam.) etc., macerated with cow's milk and 3-4 drops of expressed juice should be instilled in the right nostril of the woman desirous of a son. But, she should not spit it. After instilling it into the nostril, the women should take rice and milk together for 5 days. Two healthy leaf buds of vaṭa (Ficus bengalensis Linn.), plucked from eastern or northern branches of the tree, grown in a cowshed, along with two seeds of black gram and yellow mustard should be taken with cow's curd during pushya nakṣatra. Similarly, the paste of jīvaka (Microstylis musifera.Ridly./ Lipas rostrata.Reld), ṛṣabhaka (Microstylis wallichi Linn./ Lipas rostrata.Reld), apāmārga (Achyranthes aspera Linn.), and Sahachara (Barleria cristata Linn.) collectively or individually grown in a cowshed and treated with cow's milk should be taken during pushya nakṣatra. The woman, desirous of a male child, in white garments wearing a white garland should collect the root of lakshmana (Ipomoea sepiaria ROXB) uprooted during pushya nakṣatra and should consume its quantity equal to a udumbara (Ficus glomerata Roxb.) fruit, pestled with cow's milk. Alternatively, gauradanta, apāmārga (Achyranthes aspera Linn.), jīvaka (Microstylis musifera. Ridly./ Lipas rostrata. Reld), ṛṣabhaka (Microstylis wallichi Linn./ Lipas rostrata.Reld) , śaṅkhapuṣpī (Convolvulus pluricaulis), sahachara (Barleria cristata Linn.), and eight-leaf buds of vaṭa (Ficus bengalensis Linn) should be used together or individually. One leaf of palāśa should be taken orally with cow's milk. Using root of śūkaśimbī (Mucuna pruriens Bek.) or pulp of dadhiphala or Kapittha fruit (Feronia elephantum) or seeds of īśvara liṅgī/śivaliṅgī (Bryonia Laciniosa) pestled with cow's milk definitely gives birth to a male childvi. 5. A community based survey on Pumsanavana karma To determine the use pattern of sex selection drugs (SSDs) an integrated qualitative, quantitative and community based study was conducted in north India from march to may 2003 in rural north India. A rapid population and hospital based survey of women in their early reproductive life was done in the area to enlist the respondents. Samples were collected from the grocers, chemist shops and specific people in villages. The samples were analyzed in a laboratory found to be positive for anabolic steroids of the seven samples collected, 'śivaliṅgī' was found to be positive for testosterone while majuphal contained natural Steroids. 2 Since testosterone is the most probable agent that can effect the sex of a foetus in favour of male. SSD's are consumed between 1st and 2nd months of pregnancy a very critical period of foetal development during which foetal sexual differentiation occurs under the influence of both genetic and hormonal factors. “The community based survey revealed that more than 90% of the women were aware of the availability of SSD's. 50 (45.5%) of them reported to have used these Of them, 48 (96%) reported giving birth to male babies after taking SSDs. Failure in two cases was attributed to consumption of SSD after 3rd month of gestation. All the children were reported normal”. 6. Factors related to sex determination An early embryo has the potential to follow either the male or the female pattern of development because it contains both sets of ducts and primitive gonads that can differentiate into either testis or ovaries. Up to the beginning of the seventh week, male and female embryos appear morphologically identical. In both sexes, germ cells and sex cords are present in the cortical and medullary regions of the undifferentiated gonad, and complete mesonephric and paramesonephric ducts lie side by side. At fertilization, by inheritance of either an X or a Y chromosome from paternal side the sex of a child is decided. These differences begin to unfold during foetal development, when the Y- chromosomal SrY ('sex-determining region Y') gene is activated in males and acts as a switch that diverts the fate of the undifferentiated gonadal primordia, the genital ridges, towards testis development. This sex-determining event sets in train a cascade of morphological changes, gene regulation, and molecular interactions that directs the differentiation of male characteristics. If this does not occur, alternative molecular cascades and cellular events drive the genital ridges toward ovary development. Once testis or ovary differentiation has occurred, one's sexual fate is further sealed through the action of sex-specific gonadal hormones. There has been few cases were XX sex reversal occurred in humans through the transfer of TDY (Testis determining factor Y) onto the X chromosome due to an illegitimate recombination between the X and Y in male meiosis. In males, homology between the X and Y chromosome is restricted to a tiny region called the pseudoautosomal region (PAR), and it is in this region that pairing and recombination take place during male meiosis. In abnormal circumstances, pairing may extend into adjacent, nonhomologous regions, and an inappropriate exchange may occur that transfers Y-specific DNA onto the X chromosome. The testis-determining gene was eventually mapped and identified in humans by the analysis of four human XX males who carried a mere 60 kb of Y chromosomal DNA. A search for conserved sequences within the 60-kb region was initiated, and the gene SRY was rapidly isolated. Supporting evidence for SRY as the sought after TDY came from the characterization of three XY females with no apparent cytogenetic abnormalities.
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