Susruta Samhita - Mandhata Global

140 THE SUSHRUTA SAMHITA. [Chap. III.
of its body are more markedly developed. The Ojo-
dhdtu (in the heart of the foetus) does not remain silent
in the eighth month * A child born at that time (eighth
month) dies for want of Ojo-dhdtu soon after its birth,
a fact which may be equally ascribed to the agency of
the malignant monsters Hence (in the eighth month of
gestation) offerings of meat should be made to the demons
and monsters (for the safe continuance of the child).
The parturition takes place either in the ninth, tenth,
eleventh or twelfth month of conception, otherwise
something wrong with the foetus should be appre-
hended. i6.
The umbilical chord (Nadi) of the foetus is found to
be attached to the cavity of the vein or artery of its
maternal part through which the essence of lymph-chyle
(Rasa) produced from the assimilated food of the
mother, enters into its organism and fastens its growth
and development, (a fact which may be understood from
the analogy of percolation or transudation of blood).
Immediately after the completion of the process of
fecundation, the vessels (Dhamani) of its maternal body
which carry the lymph-chyle (Rasa) and run laterally and
longitudinally in all directions through it, tend to foster
the foetus with their own tiansudation all through its
continuance in the womb. 17.
Different opinions on the formation
of the foetal body :-Saiinaka says that
probably the head of the foetus is first developed
since head is the only organ that makes the functions
of all other organs possible. Kritaviryya says, it is
the heart that is first developed siiace heart is the seat
of Manah and Buddhi (mind and intellect). The son of
* Sometimes it passes from the body of the child to that of the
mother and vice vtna.