Author(s): Dr. Kirti Sameer Kulkarni
Abstract:
Vedic literature contains several references to human reproduction, pregnancy, fetal development, and childbirth, although these subjects have received comparatively less attention than ritual and philosophical themes. Ṛgveda 5.78 is particularly significant in this context. Attributed to Saptavadhri Ātreya and addressed to the Aśvins, the hymn consists of nine ṛks, of which the final three (5.78.7–9) present a prayer concerning the safe emergence of a mature fetus. Sāyaṇa designates these three verses as the Garbhasrāviṇī Upaniṣad. The present paper examines the concept of parturition expressed in these verses, with particular attention to the terms garbha, daśamāsya, jarāyu, and garbhasrāva, and compares their meanings with corresponding concepts in Ayurvedic literature. The imagery of wind moving a lotus is considered in relation to the Ayurvedic association of vāta with movement and parturition. The reference to a ten-month gestational period and the use of jarāyu also reveal significant conceptual and terminological parallels with later Ayurvedic literature. The paper further examines the apparent semantic difficulty in Sāyaṇa's designation Garbhasrāviṇī, since garbhasrāva is generally used in Ayurveda in the sense of abortion or premature loss of the fetus. The study argues that the Ṛgvedic passage is better understood as a prayer for safe parturition rather than as a description of abortion. It also distinguishes this passage from the Garbhopaniṣad of the Atharvavedic tradition, which is primarily concerned with fetal development. The study concludes that Ṛgveda 5.78.7–9 is an important source for examining early Vedic conceptions of childbirth and the semantic history of terms subsequently employed in Ayurvedic obstetrics.
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