11 - Conversation between the father and son (continued). 

Sumati (Jada) explains how living beings are conceived and born, and mentions the evils of all existence. 

The son spoke.

1       "Now human impregnation†† of women is a seed sown in darkness; immediately it is discharged it sots out from

2 Naraka or Svarga. Dominated thereby the two seeds attain firmness, O father! and next the character of a speck of a

3 globule-of a ball of flesh. As there may be a minute seed in the ball of flesh, so it is called a germ. So, the five limbs up

4 grow according to their parts; and the minor limbs also, the fingers, the eyes, the nose, the mouth, and the cars, grow out of the limbs; similarly, the nails and other features grow out of

5 them. In the skin is developed the hair of the body, and afterwards the hair of the head. The womb verily increases

6 in size equally with it. Just as the cocoa-nut enlarges together with its shell, so it grows in size The womb is situated with

7 its mouth downwards. But at the bottom of the womb the foetus develops, placing its hands on either side of the knees: and its thumbs are placed upon the knees, and its finger in

8 front of them; behind the knees are the eyes, and between the knees is the nose; and the buttocks rest on the heels; the arms and legs lie outside.

†† For nishekam manavam read nisheko mánavah? 

9 "In this way gradually grows the human being, when contained in a woman's womb: in the womb of other creatures,

10 the position of the foetus corresponds to its form. The gastric fluid* renders it firm. It lives on the food and drink taken by its mother. Thus, the gestation of a living creature is

* Agni; or, the digestive faculty

11 meritorious, and constitutes a means of obtaining merit. Also, the cord, which is called Apyáyaní, is fixed in its navel, and it

12 becomes fixed in the belly of women. As women's food and drink penetrate into their womb, the foetus increases in size, its body being nourished thereby.

13 "Numerous matters of its transmigrations occur to its memory; hence distressed on this side and on that it becomes

14 dispirited, thinking, 'Never again will I thus act, when once I am delivered from this womb; assuredly I will so strive

15 that I do not again undergo conception. Thus, it meditates, recollecting the hundreds of pains attending existence, which have been experienced a foretime, and which spring from destiny.

16 “Afterwards in the course of time the foetus turns round with its face downwards, since it is born in the ninth or tenth

17 month. While it is being expelled, it is pained by the wind of the prajapatis, and it is expelled wailing, being pained at

18 heart by its sufferings. And when expelled from the belly, it falls into an intolerable swoon; and it gains consciousness

19 when it comes into contact with the air. Thereupon Vishnu's magical power, which effaces consciousness, assails it; its soul being stupefied thereby, it loses its knowledge.

20 “Thereafter the human being, bereft of knowledge, enters on childhood; and afterwards on boyhood, youth and mature

21 age; and again, the human being undergoes death, and s0 birth. Hence he revolves in this round of mundane existence, like the jar and rope at a well.

22 “Sometimes a man reaches Svarga, sometimes Niraya; and

23 sometimes the dead man goes to Naraka and Svarga. Sometimes indeed re-born here, he obtains the consequences of his own actions; and sometimes the man who has consumed the consequences of his actions, passes at death with a very small remainder. And hence he is sometimes born here with a scanty stock of good and evil, having almost consumed them in heaven* and in hell, † O brahman! In the bells there is this very great suffering that the dwellers in Svarga are visible thence, O father; and the denizens of hell rejoice, †† as they are hurled down. Even in Svarga there is an

* Svar-loka.

† Naraka.

††For modante read sidante?

26 unparalleled pair in that from the very time of ascension there this thought revolves in one's mind, 'I shall fall from

27 hence': and from viewing the hells great suffering is felt; day and night one is cheerless, thinking 'I shall go this

28 course.' One who is being born has great suffering in remaining in the womb; and after birth one has suffering in childhood and old age. The connexion also between desire

29 envy and anger is grievous to bear in youth; and old age is almost all suffering; the heaviest suffering lies in death.

30 Both for him who is borne off by Yama's messengers, and for him who is hurled down to the hells, there are again destined both conception, and birth, death and hell.

31     “So, in this round of mundane existence creatures revolve about, like the jar and rope at the well; and having been bound with the fetters of nature, they are bound repeatedly.

32 No pleasure is there a whit, O father, in this world crowded with hundreds of pains; why then should I in striving for emancipation from existence observe the three branches of religion?”