Indian Medicine (Medicin), translated by C. G. Kashikar c11.26

c11.26

The first application of the child to the breast takes place in a ceremonial manner. The mother or nurse having sweet, plenty and pure milk should bathe on an auspicious day of the lunar month and apply toilets to herself, should wear a white clean garment, should carry with her certain tonic herbs, should turn her face towards the east, should let the child drink the previously washed right breast with its face turned towards the north, after some milk from the same is let out. At that time a saying is to be uttered which expresses the desire that the child may obtain a long life by drinking the milk contained in both the breasts, as the gods obtained the same by the use of ambrosia ( Car 4.8.57; Su 3.10.25-27; AS 6.1.172 ). According to AHr 6.1.15 f. the child should have not only one, but two nurses.