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Birth Control in Ancient and Mediaeval India

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Birth Control in Ancient and Mediaeval India PJBQJO BIRTH CONTROL IN ANCIENT AND MEDIAEVAL INDIA > ROBERT HEILIG MD„ MCfC, FAMS.. FNI. Em. Professor of Medicine, Jaipur wct: 'TT I H «F«T 5 ?iic>n4 Hgc^fifu srm?ir?^ ii ^ V3^-V9\9 There should not be a fourth issue, even under BIRTH CONTROL IN adverse conditions; beyond this, a woman should be considered immoral; in case of five, she ANCIENT AND becomes a profligate, oh, learned one I You know the rules of conduct. How could you ask MEDIAEVAL INDIA me for an issue, as if by ignorance. MAHABHARAT, Adiparva, canto 123, V. 76. 77 ROBERT HEILIG AfD., MCP; FAMS., FNI. So sternly Kunti reproved Pandu, her husband, Em. Professor of Medicine, Jaipur father of the Pandavas, when he demanded a fourth son of her. The attitude expressed In this sloka is certainly worth of our attention but not typical for ancient Indian society. he claim that birth control was prac- T tised in the hoary past by the institu- tion of Brahmachari is true only by coincidence not by intent. Our attempts to find the faintest hint of contraception in the classical writings of Charak and Susruta were completely unsuccessful-no trace of it anywhere. The Shankar- acharya of Puri, interviewed on my behalf by Pandit Devi Shankar Tiwari, stated that the fact, that a Brahmachari, upto the age of 24. had to live in celibacy was dictated exclusively by the intention of keeping him concentrated on his studies, not diverting any part of his thinking to the necessities of family life. Since Brahma- charis had to belong to one of the three high castes, and Sudras, the vast majority of the population, were excluded, this already would have prevented any effect I of the Brahmachari’s late marrying on up by fasting, which, when not absolute, population control. Still more proof, at least strictly prohibited consumption that there was no intention of birth of cereals and of salt from Sambhar on control or population planning is the fact, fasting days. Only rock salt from Lahore that in the earliest scriptures, Smritis etc. could be used, which was scarce and the inviolable rule was laid down that a costly. Instead of cereals, water chestnut girl must be married before puberty. On (Singhara), lotus seeds (Makhana), tapioca attaining of puberty her natural urges (Sabudana) etc. were permitted. In this must be met by her own husband; an way the Ekadashi, every eleventh day, unmarried girl at this stage would become Chaturthi, the 4th day and Pradosh, the the victim of temptations far too powerful 13th day of every Hindu month, Nauratri, resisted, to be says the Shankaracharya. the 9 days of fast before Dassehra and explanation, that The the marriage of girls Chaitra, helped in conserving provisions before puberty developed after the Muslim that were in short supply. In the same conquest with a view to protect the girl sense worked the injunction that Brahmins children, is absolutely untenable since and Brahmacharis should eat once a day times a from immemorial most sacred only. Many people, even to-day, are the householder duty of was to secure fasting once a week according to an astro- marriages for all his daughters before they loger’s advice to placate a particular plan- became mature. et or,in the case of wives, to protect the Just as Brahmacharihood might have husband’s life. Thus, by various customs somewhat reduced the size of families by and rituals, India, always aware of her raising the marriage age of men to 24, limited means of livelihood, worked out the prohibition of widow remarriage had methods, anchoreds in religion, to make a similar effect, especially in the case of both ends meet without resorting to inten- child-widows. tional birth control by contraceptives, abstinence in married life etc. Population was controlled effectively by “natural means” or “acts of God” Since population remained more or only. Incessant warfare, periodically, less constant, living space was freely almost every ten years recurring famines, available and unemployment no problem floods and, especially, epidemics took in a rural society based on the joint such a heavy toll, that, as far as we can family system, population planning by guess, the population remained constant birth control was not a vital social pro- centuries; years ago the for about 200 blem as it is today ; therefore, no provi- population was estimated at 60 million, sion was made for it in Vedic times while roughly one tenth of today’s figure. And food scarcity was tackled on an all- yet, according to the Shankaracharya, Hinduistic basis, as discussed before. It India always was a country of scarcity, should also be remembered that children, deficient, especially, in cereals and salt. especially sons, were an asset in a joint These chronic deficiencies had to be made family, particularly as an old age insu- 2 oldest source of contraceptive ranee; they, as a matter of course, main- The advice, that we could trace, is dating some tained their parents and other members of 1200 years back to the VIII century A.D. the family who were past the age of provi- The time is that of the Rashtrakutas,ruling ding for themselves. They were both, Central India including the Bombay area, working capital during the active phase the time also when the Kailash temple of their parents’ life and guarantee of a was cut out of the rock in Ellora. The carefree existence after retirement, none of source, to which we refer, is the Bridhad- which family planning could have provided. yogtarangini, a collection of extracts Such considerations are even today power- from older works. The following means ful obstacles to family planning and will of contraception are there to be found : remain so until old age pensions will be granted to everybody as a matter of right 1. One tola of powdered palm leaf as is the case in most- developed countries. and ochre taken with cold water on the 4th day af menstruation causes sterility. Later on, in mediaeval times India Acharya Dr. Shriniwas Shastri, on manifested a vivid interest in sexual acti- checking these recipes with the original vities in all their varied forms, laid down Sanskrit text, found instead of “palm in the Kama Sutra (IV cent. A.D.) and leaf”, “Taleespatra tree” which R. N. depicted to perfection on many mediaeval Chopra (1933) identifies with Abies temples, of which the best known are webbiana, a kind of fir tree, growing in Khajuraho (X-XI cent. A.D.) and the Himalayas. The needles contain Konarak (XllI cent. A.D.) These immor- essential oils; a decoction of them is used tal creations of literature and sculpture in chronic3. bronchitis, asthma and phthisis. prove beyond doubt that sex culture or 2. The seed of the Palasha tree mixed the art of loving had developed such with honey and ghee and smeared inside complicated rites as are not suitable or the vagina during the menses causes even applicable to the relatively simple permanent sterility. Palasha or Palas is relationship of one man and one wife — Butea frondosa or Flame of the Forest. united by marriage. Mistresses or prosti- The J. Ind. Med. Assoc. 55 : 1970 tutes are required for such love feasts or 60, published a paper by K. Kapila a.6. orgies, and, where unstable relations are who showed that Butea has actually some involved, creation of children is undesir- antifertility effect; the crystalline as well able. Thus, we find contraceptive lore as the alcoholic fractions were found not in Susruta and Charak, these sages in rats, of highest ethical and moral standards, fairly effective in reducing fertility although less so than the “pill”. but in the rich mediaeval literature on sexology, produced for those living at A woman who has intercourse courts or near them or those attempting after menstruation, after treating the to live in courtly style with concubines vagina with the smoke of Neem wood, or courtesans; the latter polite designa- does not conceive.—This, of course, fits tion points to their professional origin. well our knowledge of the “safe period”. 3 which comprises the days following within three centuries, the period reaching menstruation. from the finishing of the temples of 4. A prostitute, who has inserted Khajuraho (1050 A.D.) to the construction into the vagina a piece of rock salt dipped of the Sun temple at Konarak (1250 A.D.). Jyotirishvara into oil, never conceives.—This again is Kavishekhara gives the a rational method, since sodium chloride following advices. "The woman who drinks, on an auspicious is a good spermicide, an 8% solution kills day, palas, and spermatozoa rapidly, while oil fixes them, fruits as well as flowers of the Salmali preventing their further penetration, a tree, together with ghee** will certainly method still popular in Poona. become sterile.”—Palas, we have encoun- tered before; it is Butea frondosa 5. The root of the Tanduliyaka tree, (Kapila et al.; 1. c.). Salmali is Salmalia ground with rice water and taken for three malabarica and might be worth-while days at the end of menstruation, causes investigating. Other recipes found in sterility.—Tanduliya (amarantus spinosa) — the “Five Arrows” are a decoction of is recommended for menorrhagia, gonor- the root of the pavaka tree and sour rice rhoea and snake bite (Chopra, 1933.) water; taken for 3 days after the end of An interesting light at the social indi- menstruation, this will make unfruitful cation of contraception in those days until death. Pavaka tree has been tenta- throws the following quotation: “A tively taken as Semecarpus anacardium, woman who has lost her husband or the “marking nut” tree which contains whose husband has abandoned her, may 3 different powerful irritants in the black at her ease have intercourse with anyone, juice of the pericarp, causing blisters provided she inserts into her vagina a within 12 hours of contact.
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