Verses on Sāṃkhya 3.6

3.6

ya eṣa ānuśravikaḥ śrauto 'gnihotrādikaḥ svargasādhanatayā tāpatrayapratīkārahetur uktaḥ, so 'pi dṛṣṭavad anaikāntikaḥ pratīkāraḥ | tathā hi --- "madhyamapiṇḍaṃ putrakāmā patnī prāśnīyāt "ādhatta pitaro garbham"(vājasaneyisaṃhitā 2 |33) iti mantreṇa"[āpastambaśrautasūtra 2 |7 |14] | tad evaṃ vedavacasā bahūn piṇḍān paraḥśatān aśnāti yāvad eko 'pi putro na jāyate | tathā "paśyema śaradaḥ śataṃ jīvema śaradaḥ śatam"[ṛgvedasaṃhitā 7 |66 |16] iti śrutāv āste | paraṃ garbhastho jātamātro bālo yuvāpi kumāro mriyate | kiṃ cānyat --- sa śrauto hetuḥ aviśuddhaḥ paśuhiṃsātmakatvāt | kṣayayuktaḥ punaḥ pātāt | atiśayayuktaḥ tatrāpi svāmibhṛtyabhāvaśravaṇāt | uktaṃ ca ---

This scriptural [means] from the Veda—the Agnihotra and so forth—which is declared to be a cause for counteracting the threefold misery through being a means to heaven, is also an uncertain counteraction, just like the perceived. For instance: "A wife desiring a son should eat the middle rice-ball with the mantra: 'Fathers, place an embryo...'". Thus, in accordance with the Vedic statement, she eats many rice-balls, more than a hundred, and yet not even a single son is born. Likewise, in scripture there is: "May we see a hundred autumns, may we live a hundred autumns." But a prince dies while still in the womb, or just born, or as a child, or even as a youth. Furthermore, that scriptural cause is impure, because it involves violence to animals. It is linked with decay, because of falling back down [from heaven]. It is linked with excess, because even there one hears of the relationship of master and servant. And it is said: