32 - The Origin of Life

Garuda said: 

1-4. How does life come into being in the four species² of living beings? How are the following formed: skin, blood, flesh, fat, marrow, bone, the living nucleus, hands and feet, tongue, generative and excretory organs, hair, nails, joints, ducts and the different lines drawn over the body, lust and anger, fear and shame, mind, joy, skin of various colours punctured with holes and shrouded with a network of fatty matter. I consider it a wonderful piece of jugglery in this world of human existence. O mighty one, who is the guiding hand here? O lord, let me know all about this matter. 

2. Four species: svedaja--generated by warm vapour or sweat (insects); udbhijja-sprouting, germinating (as a plant); andaja-oviparous (birds) and jarayuja-burn from the womb, viviparous (human beings). 

The lord said: 

5. I shall tell you a great secret with the decisive method of unravelling the same, by knowing which one becomes omniscient. 

6. O Garuda, you have put a pertinent question about the origin of life. Hence, listen attentively. 

7. The first four days of menstrual flow of blood shall be avoided when the sin of a brahmin's slaughter resides in her. 

8. Brahmå had removed this sin from Indra¹ and apportioned a fourth in women. Hence, even the glancing at her face during these days shall be eschewed. 

1. Indra slew Vrutra and thereby incurred the sin of Brahmahatya Brahmä removed the sin and apportioned the fourth part in the women during the days of menstruation. 

9. A woman in her menses is an outcaste on the first day, a slayer of brahmin on the second day and a washer woman on the third. She becomes pure on the fourth day. 

10. After seven days, she becomes pure enough to take part in the worship of manes and deities. If conception takes place within seven days, the progeny is impure. 

11. Whatever be the thoughts of parents during the intercourse, like that is the progeny. There is no doubt in this. 

12. If thc sexual intercourse takes place on even nights, boys are conceived and if on odd nights’ girls are conceived. Hence, it is better to have sexual intercourse on even nights,² leaving the first seven days after the menstrual discharge. 

2. By sexual intercourse on odd nights, girls are born, on even nights’ sons are born. MS III. 45-48 

13-14. The sixteen days from the appearance of blood are the days of heat for women in a general way. If conception takes place after the intercourse on the fourteenth night, the son born will be virtuous and endowed with good qualities and good fortune. Ordinary people will never get such an auspicious chance, O lord of birds. 

15-16. Conception, usually, takes place within eight days. On the fifth day the woman is given sweet dishes which is a good tonic for the embryo. Astringent and pungent things should not be taken at all. The woman's parts can be likened to a medicinal vessel. The seed of a man is like an ambrosial food. 

17. A man depositing his semen in her vagina is actually sowing a seed. For the proper growth of the child she should avoid excessive sunshine. Cooling articles should be resorted to. 

18-19. On the night auspiciously selected for the intercourse, the pair should chew betel leaves and apply scents and sandal paste over their bodies. The ideas and thoughts that hover in the mind of the man at the time of intercourse have a lasting influence in moulding the character of the child conceived. 

20. The semen mixing with the blood causes the foetus. The foetus develops in the womb like the moon in the sky. 

21. The consciousness is present in the semen in the form of a seed. When love, mind and semen act in unison, a secretion takes place in the womb. 

22. If the blood is predominant at intercourse, the child will be a girl. If the semen is predominant, the child will be a boy. 

23. If the semen and the blood are of equal potency, the child will be a eunuch. The nucleus of the foetus is formed within a day. It becomes frothy bubble in five days. 

24. Within fourteen days it becomes a mixture of flesh and lymphatic substances. 

25. It becomes a solid flesh in twenty days, sufficiently strong (in twenty-five days) and (after that) it begins to develop gradually. The foetus would have assimilated completely the five elements within a month. 

26. By the time the two months are over, the fat and the skin are evolved. The marrow and the bones are formed in three months time. The hair and the heels are formed in the fourth month. 

27. The ears, nose and the belly are formed in the fifth month. The throat, back and the reproductive organs are developed in the seventh month. 

28. By the eighth month, all the limbs are completed. In the beginning of the ninth month the child in the womb is fully developed. 

29. Whether the child be a girl or a boy or a eunuch it comes out in the ninth or tenth month. 

30-32. Equipped with three energies, big-eyed, endowed with six kośhas, five indriyas, ten nådis, ten präņas, the child as such is known by the Yogins. Marrow, bones, semen, flesh, hair, blood are the six kośhas of the páñchabhautika body of a creature. This påñchabhautika body develops in the ninth or tenth month. 

33. Then being dragged by the wind in the womb, agitated with pain, nourished by the suşhumnå nerve in the woman's womb, the same comes out. 

34-36. The principles of earth, water, fire, wind and ether envelop it through the coils of sinews. O lord of birds, the parts predominant in the principle of earth are skin, bones, nerves, hair and flesh. O son of Kaśhyapa, listen to those predominant in the principle of water. 

37. The saliva, urine, semen, marrow and blood constitute the parts predominant in the principle of water. They should be realized carefully. 

38. Hunger, somnolence, thirst, lethargy and brilliance, O lord of birds, are considered by yogins as constituting the qualities of fire in the human constitution. 

39. Love, hatred, bashfulness, fear and delusion are the qualities, O bird, derived from wind. 

40. Running, breathing, contracting, stretching and thwarting are the qualities of wind in the physical body. 

41. O bird, resonant sound, cavity, gravity, hearing and supporting everything are the qualities of Ether. 

42. Ears, skin, eyes, tongue and nose are the five sense organs. Hands, feet, rectum, phallus and speech are the five organs of activity. 

43-44. There are ten principal nerves in the body: Ida, Pingala, Suşhumna, Gandhåri, Gajajihvă, Pūşha, Yasha, Alambusha, Kuhū and Shankhini. 

45. The ten vital airs stationed in the body are Prāņa, Apāna, Samåna, Udāna, Vyana, Näga, Kūrma, Krukara, Devadatta and Dhananjaya. 

46. The wind accords vitality and takes the assimilated food to all the joints of the body. 

47. The food, as soon as it is taken, is split into two by the wind. 

48-49. The digested food enters the rectum and the solid and liquid waste matter goes out separately. The präņa blows on the gastric fire from below, over which food and water are brought by the wind. The fire thus blown separates the waste matter and the nutritive element, 

50-51. This waste matter goes out of the body in the form of twelve types of waste matter. Ears, eyes, nose, tongue, teeth, navel, rectum, pores in the body, nails, kidneys are the passages through which the waste matter gets out. The six chambered body is evolved out of the mixture of semen and blood. 

52. O son of Vinată, the roots of hair in the body are thirty five millions and the teeth are thirtytwo in number usually. 

53. The nails are twenty and the hair growing on the face and head are seven hundred thousand. Generally, the fleshy matter in the body weighs about a thousand palas. 

54. O bird, the blood is a hundred palas in weight as mentioned by elderly persons. The fat is about ten palas and the skin is about that much. 

55. The marrow is about twelve palas in weight and the blood plasma is three palas. The semen is two Kudavas in volume and the manstrual blood is one Kudava. 

56. The weight of the phlegmatic matter is six and a half palas. Faeces and urine are in accordance with indigested food and drink. This is the physical body and I shall mention its all-pervasive character. 

57. Pleasure, pain, fear and welfare—these come to a person by actions alone. 

58-59. Out of the embryo the wind drags the living being whose head is downwards and feet upwards, the palms of the hands on the flanks of knees, the thumb and fingers of the hand on the knees, the eyes and nose on the back and the centre of the knee. 

60. Thus the living being in the embryo of the mother develops gradually. The bones attain hardness. Life is sustained by food and drink. 

61. The tubular organ Våpyāyani is set close to the navel part. The child in the embryonic state is fastened with a cord to the aperture therein. He comes out of confinement (along with the cord) in the scheduled time. 

62. In the womb he eats and drinks whatever is eaten and drunk by the mother. Thereby he receives nourishment and develops in form. 

63. In the womb he recollects the past events and happenings of worldly affairs. Tormented from all sides he feels depressed. 

64. "As soon as I leave the womb I shall be very cautious. I shall never repeat mistakes. I shall so act that I may not be born again.” 

65. The living being thinks thus and further recollects events of hundreds of past births--events which accrued to him from causes known and unknown. 

66. Then at the scheduled time the living being emerges from the embryo with the head downward in the ninth or tenth month. 

67. While leaving the womb he suffers and faints. When he comes out of the womb he cries in anguish. 

68-69. Then with the touch of air he obtains a little relief and comes to consciousness. Then the hypnotising power of Vişhnu overpowers him. Deluded by that power he loses power of discernment. 

70. In childhood he remains in that state; passing through childhood he attains youth and old age. 

71. Then he succumbs to death, then he attains birth. Thus, on the wheel of existence he is made to rotate like the potter's wheel. 

72. Sometimes he goes to heaven, sometimes to hell. In heaven or hell he reaps the fruits of his activities. 

73. Sometimes, when he has exhausted the merit of his actions he descends to the earth by the residue of his merits, Heaven or hell is not a permanent abode, this you should know, O best of birds. 

74. People going to hell suffer from extreme tortures which they derive from their hellish activities. Their tortures increase when they see their companions enjoying in heaven. 

75. Extreme distress awaits the inmates even in the celestial region inasmuch as the thought of fear haunts their mind from the very start they enter heaven that after their merits are exhausted they would be thrown into hell. 

76. Looking at the tortures suffered by the people in hell, the residents of heaven feel that after the expiry of their merit the same fate awaits them in hell. Thus all the while they remain discomfortable in heaven. 

77. A Jiva in the embryo is put to great suffering. He suffers in childhood and old age as well. 

78. In youth he suffers from the evil effects of vicious desires, jealousy, rage. He is afflicted by bad dreams. Old age ends in death which is extremely painful. 

79. Being dragged by the emissaries of Yama he is thrust into hell. From hell he descends to the earth to suffer again the utmost pangs of birth and death. 

80. Thus, on the wheel of this universe, people are made to rotate like the potter's wheel and are tortured incessantly, tangled by the noose of their actions. 

81. O bird, there is no pleasure whatsoever in this world abounding in a multitude of sorrows. O son of Vinată, people should endeavour for salvation. 

82. Thus, I have told you all about the child in the womb. I now answer your further query in the serial order, if you desire to hear. 

Garuda said: 

83. I am satiated with the answer to both of my queries. I implore you, now, to answer my third query too. 

84. You have asked me what should be done for a dying person. Now listen, I shall tell you my answer in brief to your query. 

85. Knowing that the person is going to die, he should be bathed with cow-urine, cowdung, sacred clay, water from sacred rivers and other waters sanctified by Kuśha grass. 

86-87. He should be dressed in pure, auspicious, clean clothes. He should be laid on earth besmeared with cowdung, bestrewn with darbha grass, with tips pointed to the south and overspread with gingelly seeds. 

88. His head should be put in the east or in the north with gold in the mouth. 

89. O lord of birds, Sālagram stone and Tulasi leaves should be kept nearby. An earthen lamp should be kindled. He should utter: Om namo bhagavate Vasudevāya. 

90. He should draw Om at first, worship the same and offer charity. 

91. He should worship lord Vişhnu with flowers, incense etc, and pay homage glorifying his deeds and concentrating on him with sincere devotion. He should offer charity to the brahmins, poor and the indigent. 

92. He should give up attachment for the son, friend, wife, fields, corns, wealth and set his heart on Vişhnu. 

93. He should recite Puruşha sūkta if he is in distress, O good one. If he is dying and is unable to recite, the sons and other relations should do the same. 

94. I have told you all that can be done when death is imminent. Now, I shall tell you, in brief, the fruits of all these activities. 

95. Bath purifies a man, removes impurity. Meditation on Vişhnu yields all sorts of fruits. 

96. A blade of darbha grass takes him to heaven. There is no doubt in this. Bath with water mixed with gingelly seeds and darbha grass is as much sanctifying as the bath at the end of sacrifice. 

97. A circle should be drawn around the dying person, for, it is said, Brahmå, Vişhnu, Rudra, Lakşhmi and fire reside within the circle. 

98. If he is laid on earth with his head eastward or north-ward, O lord of birds, he reaches the sublime regions if his sins are minimum in life. 

99-100. If five gems are put into his mouth, knowledge dawns upon him. 

In this shadowy world of unsurmountable difficulties, the following six incite devotion: meditation on Vişhnu, observance of vow on the eleventh day of the month (ekadashi), listening to the Bhagavadgită, worship of the sacred plant Tulasi, brahmins and cows. 

101. By muttering the mantra Om namo bhagavate Väsude- vaya, one is completely absorbed in Brahma. Even by worshipping me alone, one can reach my region direct. 

102. In the obsence of entanglement, attachment vanishes by the knowledge as revealed in the Purusha Shukta. 

103-104. But one who has other sources as well obtains reward in proportion to the additional sources. All those sources he should utilize for the pleasure of lord Vişhnu. I have thus told you in detail the benefits derivable from ablution, etc. 

105-106. The various features of the cosmos are present in the body as well. The various worlds, mountains, continents, oceans and the planets like sun, etc, are all present in the body. 

107-108. The sole of the foot is atala¹ (the nether world of that name); the upper surface of the foot is vitala; the knee is satala; the calf is talátala; the thigh is rasátala; the private parts are mahålala. The pātāla is in the hips. Thus the lower worlds are explained and must be noted by the learned men.

1. Seven lower regions descending from the earth one below the other are named Alala, Vitala, Satala, Talatala, Rasatala, Mahilala and Påtala while seven higher regions rising from the carth one above the other are called Bhür, Bhuvar, Svar, Mahar, Janas, Tapar, Satya or Brahma. 

109-110. The Bhür is stationed in the centre of the navel; the Bhuvar is above it. The Svar is in the heart. The Mahar is in the throat. The Janas is in the mouth; the Tapas is on the forehead and the Satya or Brahma is in the aperture of the head. Thus the fourteen worlds are explained. 

111-112. The mount Meru is in the triangular shoulder blade. The mount Mandara is in the lower angle i.e. hips. The mount Kailása is in the right angle. The Himalaya is in the left angle. The mount Nişhadha is in the upper surface. The Gandha-mådana is to the right and the Ramaņa is in the linear section in the left side. Thus, the seven great mountains are present in the body. 

113-114. The Jambū dvipa is stationed in the bones; the Śhāka dvipa in the marrow; the Kušha dvipa in the flesh, the Krauňcha dvipa in the head; the Śhälmali dvipa in the skin: the Gomeda in the hair; the Puşhkara dvipa in the nail and oceans thereafter. 

115-116. The salt ocean is stationed in the urine; the milk ocean in the milky exudations of the body. The wine ocean is stationed in the phlegm; the butter ocean in the marrow; the rasa ocean in the lymphatic secretion; the curd ocean in the blood; the water ocean in the region of excreta and the ocean of sugar cane juice in semen. 

117-119. The Sun is stationed in the sound-circle; the Moon in the spot-circle; the Mars in the eyes; Mercury in the heart; the Jupiter in the navel; the Venus in the semen; the Saturn in the umbilical region; Råhu in the mouth and Ketu in the feet. The planets are stationed in the body. Thus, the body is divided from head to foot. 

120-123. Those who are born must die too. Hunger, thirst, unconsciousness and the affliction due to the bites and stings of serpents, scorpions and Aies have all their origin in Rudra. O bird, the base wretches who sin and who are devoid of mercy and virtue are dragged through scorching sand and blazing fire, seized by their hair by the servants of Yama. 

124. They live in the region of Yama and when they are reborn they will be born in cottages. O Tårkşhya, thus, man is born in the mortal world as a result of his own actions. 

125-126. The five characteristics, viz. the span of life, action, wealth, learning and death are created in men even as they are in the womb. The life is born as a result of action; it is dissolved as a result of action. 

127. Happiness or misery, fear or welfare are the results of actions. The foetus lies in the womb with the feet up and the face downwards. 

128. From the moment of birth the Mayå of Vişhnu enamours and deludes the life. The life takes its birth with its association brought about by its own actions. 

129. Due to merit, man enjoys pleasures in heaven and is fortunately born in a noble family¹. If he is sinful in actions he is born in a mean-minded family.

1. The same idea is found in the Bhagavadgita VI. 41 

In V, 128 above, a reference was made to life's associations that determined the future birth of man. Here the Puråņa speaks of his enjoyments in heaven and rebirth in a pious noble family. Because of the predominance of impulses to enjoyment his release is not possible.  

130. He becomes poor, sick, foolish, sinful and miserable. O son of a sage, I have thus told you the various features of the birth of a life.