Indian Medicine (Medicin), translated by C. G. Kashikar c11.17

c11.17

(Tetanus ? see below) are caused. The child is, therefore, to be treated with ointments that are mild and appeasing vāta and pitta, with smearings, sprinklings and butter. Hereafter the ceremony of jātakarman¹ is to be performed. Honey and butter are to be given to the child to eat according to direction, then in the same manner the right breast of the mother is to be given first to drink, then a pitcher is to be placed near its head with recitation of mantras. This is according to Car 4.8.46. According to Su 3.10.13-15 the child should be aroused with cold water, then the jātakarman ceremony should be performed and then it should be made to lick mixture of honey, butter, (root of) anantā, brāhmī-juice and powdered gold which should be put in its mouth with the small finger. Hereafter Balā oil should be applied to it, and it should be washed with a decoction of trees yielding milk, or with fragrant water or with water made hot with heated gold or silver, or with a lukewarm decoction. Since the milk comes in the woman only after three or four days, the child is given to drink honey and butter mixed with anantā consecrated with sayings (mantras), three times on the first day, butter prepared with lakṣmaṇā on the second and third day, then (on the fourth day) mother's milk with honey and butter as much as can remain on the palm of the hand, two times a day. Thereafter, according to AS, AHr, the child should be allowed to drink as much milk as it desires. From AS 6.1.170 f. and AHr 6.1.6 f. it is also to be gathered that after the washing or bathing of the child, its lips, tongue and throat should be wiped off with the small finger of the right hand covered with a piece of cotton cloth, whereupon the feeding of the child with a small quantity (hareṇu-mātra) of honey and butter mixed with a paste of certain plants follows, in order to give the child intelligence, long life and strength, corresponding to the medhājanana of the Gṛhya sūtras³. The clothes and the bed of the child should be soft, light, clean and fragrant (Car 4.8.46; AS 6.1; AHr 6.1.25).