Indian Medicine (Medicin), translated by C. G. Kashikar c11.3.2

c11.3.2

If the conception takes place on one of the first three days, the child dies at or after the birth, or becomes at least crippled or short-living (Su 3.2.31). After the period of ṛtu, the uterus does not allow the sperm to penetrate, just as the lotus closes itself at the end of the day (Su 3.3.9; AS 2.1.198). On the first three days of the menses the woman should remain chaste, should neither bathe nor adorn herself, should lie on a low bed of Darbha-grass, should take nothing more than some milk-pap, for which she must use her flat hand, earthen vessel or leaf as a plate and observe other abstinences (Car 4.8.5; Su 3.2.25; AS 2.1.198; AHr 2.1. 23-25 ). Every violation of the discipline laid down for her would injure her progeny. Her child would be lethargic if she sleeps by day, blind if she uses eye-ointment, suffering from eye-disease if she weeps, leper if she anoints her body with oil, mad if she speaks too much, deaf if she hears a loud noise (Su 1. c.; Bhāv 1.1.17 ). When after the course of three days she has taken the usual cleansing bath, has worn fresh clothes and ornaments, it is to be seen that she immediately gets to see her husband, because her son will resemble the first man whom she sees after her bath. A ceremony (*putriyavidhi*) intended for obtaining male progeny precedes the matrimonial cohabitation which corresponds to the *garbhādhāna* of the Smṛtis and Gṛhya sūtras. The mantra RV 10.184.1 is recited there at that time ( Cf. Speijer, *Jāta-karma* p.