A History of Indian Medical Literature v1.c23.238.3

v1.c23.238.3

a child conceived on the second day would die during the mother's stay in the lying-in room; conceived on the third day, it would have incompletely developed body parts and a short life; conceived on the fourth day, its body will be completely developed and have a long life; semen which enters the womb when the blood is still flowing out will not be fruitful; for that reason no intercourse should take place during the first three nights (2.31); the ritual to ensure that a child conceived will be male (2.32);²¹ the four requirements for conception, comparable to season, soil, water and seed with regard to the production of crops (2.33–34); the preponderance of one or more of the mahābhūtas determines the complexion of the child; fire (tejodhātu) is the source of colours; when at the time of conception this (fiery principle) is mainly mixed with water the child will be fair (gaura), when mainly mixed with earth it will be dark (kṛṣṇa), when mainly mixed with earth and ākāśa it will be kṛṣṇaśyāma, when mainly mixed with water and ākāśa it will be gauraśyāma;22 others are of the opinion that the colour of the child’s skin depends on the colour of the food taken by the mother; particulars with regard to the fiery principle (tejodhātu) determine the colour of the eyes, the presence of blindness, and abnormalities of the eyes23 (2.35);