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Thirumantiram and garbha upanishad-an overview

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Thirumantiram and garbha upanishad- an overview
1 2
Sayee Rajangam ';' Leelavathy N
1 2
Professor ,Associate Professor
1
Department of Anatomy, International Medical School, Bangalore ,Saptagiri Institute of Medical Sciences and Research center,
2
Bangalore .
ABSTRACT
It is indeed amazing, that, our ancient Rishis have
visualized and narrated the formation, growth and
development of the human and also proposed the
etiology behind the formation of the congenital
anomalies.
In this paper, is aimed to report the narration on
development from Thirumular Thirumantiram and
Garbha Upanishad, the two scriptures in Tamil and
Sanskrit, in our country.
In Hinduism, the revered four Vedas are the Ruk, Yajur,
Sama and Atharvana. Equivalent to them for the Saiva
Siddhantha school of Agamic philosophy is the
Thirumantiram, rendered by Thirumular. It has 3047
verses categorized into the verses in praise of God and
thereafter into nine Tantras. 'Thiru' in tamil means Holy
and the word mantra being composed of two syllables
'man- the mind' and 'tra- the protect. The 2nd Tantram
has verses 451 to 491 narrating the phenomenon of
creation. It narrates the salient features pertaining to
the development and growth of the human with
attributes to God. The order of description is as per the
title given for the verses: creates from within the womb;
grants breath and child is born; preserves the fetus;
breathing and size of the infant; printed the sex of the
infant; sex determined at sexual union; age
determined; birth imperfections explained; how deaf,
dumb and blind are born; breathing at union decides
sex of the baby; how a handsome baby is born; how
infant in the womb grows; birth is by Lord's grace.
Garbha Upanishad, part of the Krishna Yajur Veda, is
ascribed to Pippalada, whose life time has been
assigned to around 1,400 BC. It has 5 stanzas and
stanzas 2, 3 and 4 narrate in detail about the
conception and the gradual growth of a child in the
mother's womb: formation of semen, fertilization, sex
determination, blastula and gastrula stages, embryonic
disc, formation of head, legs, foot, wrist, stomach, hip,
waist, spine, mouth, nose, eyes, ears, brain, congenital
anomalies, twinning, starting of life and intelligence.
Also narrated is the physical condition of the child's
body & its mental state at each stage of the
23
Review
development in the womb.
Thus, in the words of embryology given in the present
day textbooks, the description from Thirumantiram and
Garbha Upanishads correlate to fertilization; sex
determination; implantation; amnion and amniotic fluid;
respiration; determination of age; formation of
congenital anomalies; growth for the period of 9 months
i.e 297 days and birth.
From the 2 great scriptures of India, the paper has
reported the perceptions on the normal development
and the etiology behind the formation of congenital
malformations.
KEY WORDS Gametogenesis, Fertilization,
Development, Congenital anomalies, Garbha
Upanishad, Thirumantiram
INTRODUCTION
Thirumantiram: (Natarajan 2002) In Hinduism, Rig,
Yajur, Sama and Atharvana are the revered four Vedas.
Equivalent to them for the Saiva Siddhantha school of
Agamic philosophy is the Thirumantiram, the scripture
rendered by Thirumular. Thirumantiram has 3047
verses as the Prologue [112 verses in praise of God]
and 9 Tantras [1(113 to 336); 2 (337 to 548);3 (549 to
882); 4 (883 to 1418); 5 (1419 to 1572); 6 (1573 to
1703); 7 (1704 to 2121); 8 (2122 to 2649) and 9 (2650 to
3047)]. 'Thiru' in Tamil means Holy and 'Mantiram' in
Sanskrit is either 'general' the devotional prayers or
'special' a definite sequence of sounds. Thirumular has
used the word 'Mantra' in both senses and the word
mantra is composed of two syllables 'man- the mind'
and 'tra- the protect' i.e. mantra protects when
contemplated. In the Agamic tradition, Thirumular is the
revered spiritual leader and he was blessed to render
the Agamic truths in Tamil, the Jneya (known), Jnana
(knowledge) and Jnata (knower).
In the 2nd Tantra, verses 451 to 491 contain the
narrations on the phenomena of development and
congenital anomaly.
Garbha Upanishad: (Joshi et al 2005) The 3 periods of
Anatomica Karnataka, Vol-6, (1) Page 23-27 (2012)
Thirumantiram and garbha upanishad- an overview Review

the civilization in India are the Pre- Vedic period (3,000 and fetus in the womb till birth and also on the formation
BC)(Indus Valley Civilization) Vedic period (1,500 of the congenital anomaly.
BC)(4 vedas: Rig, Yajur, Sama, Atharva) and the Post
Aim
–Vedic period (1,000 to 800 BC) (Golden age of Indian
Medicine; evolvement of Ayurveda & presence of the It is aimed to report verbatim the salient descriptions
great proponents of medicine in India, Susruta (200 pertaining to the development and growth of the human
BC) & Charaka (1 AD). Upanishads are included both in and the suggested etiology behind the formation of the
the 3 divisions of Veda [Mantras or Hymns (prayers); congenital anomalies.
Brahmanas (sacrificial rituals); Upanishads
(philosophical, theological, mystical treatises)] and in MATERIAL AND METHOD
the 2 departments of Veda [Karma Kanda (Mantras &
From Thirumantiram and Garbha Upanishad, the
Brahmanas); Jnana Kanda (Upanishads)].
appropriate verses describing the development and the
Upanishads mean (upa-ni-sad) sitting down near
formation of the congenital malformations are
somebody, in order to listen and meditate and also it
provided.
means worship or from 'sad' destruction of all, save that
of 'Self'.108 upanishads are mentioned. In Garbha Results
Upanishad, is the description on the development of
In Table 1 is given the verses from Thirumantiram and
the embryo in an astonishingly precise manner. This
Garbha Upanishad. Wherever the narration was not in
Upanishad is ascribed to the sage, Pippalada around
accordance, the columns either in Thirumantiram or in
1,400 BC. It has 5 Stanzas and in stanzas 3 & 4 are
Garbha Upanishad remained blank.
given the narration on the development of the embryo

Table1 -
Thirumantiram Garbha Upanishad
451: God creates within the womb. -
Thus He creates, seated within the globular womb
He the Primal one creates
452: The Lord grants breath and the child is born.
There in the water filled womb,
The infant lay, its tiny feet entangled
463: The Lord preserves the fetus.
He designed ways of preservation numerous;
He surrounded the fetus with water.
(The Lord takes infinite care to protect the fetus
inside the womb for 300 days He surrounds it
with a protective 'bag of waters')
464: Breathing and size of infant.
And measuring eight finger -span
Of its own tiny palm
(The child born measures 8 spans of its own
finger length).
- 2. In whomsoever these substances arise and
increase, the rasa (essence) is the cause of the
one following and so on [These rasas are six in
number; from the rasas (probably chyme) arises
blood: from blood, flesh; from flesh, fat; from fat,
bones; from bones, marrow; and from marrow,
sukla (the male seminal fluid)]. From the union of
sukla and sonata (the female vital energy), occurs
garbha (conception in the womb). Being
stationed in the heart, it is led.

24 Anatomica Karnataka, Vol-6, (1) Page 23-27 (2012)

Thirumantiram and garbha upanishad- an overview
- 3. Through having connection at the rtu (seasons)
477: He printed the sex of infant. The seed of life,
As a steady flame in womb burns It takes shape
one of three Male, female and hermaphrodite;
How the father and mother at union were, Even so
He printed the sex. 478: Sex Determined at sexual
union. The masculine flow dominates, the infant is
male born, The feminine dominates, the infant is
female born; When the two are in force equal, a
hermaphrodite is born; When masculine flow
gushes in plenty, The infant born will sway the
world entire; When masculine flow is scanty,
Naught indeed conception is.
479: Age is determined.
If after emission, The male's breath five
finger-length extends, The infant born lives a
hundred years; When breath to four finger
measure stretches, To age eighty the infant lives;
(If after ejaculation, man inhales spontaneously
five times, the infant to be born will live up to
100 years; eighty, if he inhales four times and
so on).
480: Birth imperfections explained.
When after intercourse, the man is short of breath,
The infant born a dwarf will be; When breath blows
feeble, The issue may of defective limbs be born;
When breath halts in mid act, A hunch back will be
born; All these apply not, To woman's breathing
rhythm. (If the flow of the male discharge is slow,
the offspring is short in stature; if sluggish, lame; if
fitful and interrupted, hunchback)
481: How deaf, dumb and blind are born. When at
the time of union, The mother's bowels are heavy
exceeding, A dullard will be born; If urine exceeds,
A dumb will be born; If both exceed, A blind will be
born; Thus is it for the infant born The mother's
condition according.
25
Review
fit for raising issues, it (the embryo formed in the
womb) is like water in the 1st night; in 7 nights, it is
like bubble; at the end of half a month, it becomes
a ball. At the end of a month, it is hardened; in 2
months, the head is formed; in 3 months, the
region about the feet; and in the 4th month, the
region about the stomach and the loins and also
ankle is formed; 5th month, the back ( or spinal)
bone; in the 6th, the face of the nose, eyes and
ears; in the 7th,it becomes united with jiva (Atma);
in the 8th month, it becomes full (of all organs);
in the 9th, it becomes fatty.
Sukla belongs to men and sonata to women.
Each (by itself) is neutral (of is powerless).
(But in their combination) a son is born when the
father's seed preponderates. A daughter is born
when the mother's seed preponderates. Should
both be equal, a eunuch is born. Since females
have more of passion, on account of their deriving
more pleasure (than male from sexual union),
a greater number of females are born.
-
-
Action corresponds to mental state (of the actor).
Hence the child (born) takes after (the thought of)
the parents. From parents with minds full of
anxieties (at the time of union) are born and blind,
the lame, the hunchback, the dwarf, and the
limbless. (From impregnation) during eclipses of
the sun and the moon, children are born with
defective limbs.
Anatomica Karnataka, Vol-6, (1) Page 23-27 (2012)
Thirumantiram and garbha upanishad- an overview
482: Breathing at union decides sex of baby. If
breath flows leading on nostril right, The infant
born will a male be; If on the nostril left, A female
will be born; If the descending current Apana,
Opposes the ascending current Prana, Twins there
shall be; If in measure equal the breath rhythm
runs, Through nostrils right and left, Hermaphrodite
shall be the baby born. (If the male breath runs
dominant in the right nostril (Pingala) at the time
of discharge, the offspring will be male; if it runs
dominant in the left nostril (ida), the offspring will
be female. If the apana breath comes up from the
lower regions of the body system, twins will be
born. If the breathing is through both the nostrils,
the child born will be impotent).
483: How a handsome baby is born.
If in male and female breath runs
In measure equable,
The infant born will exceeding handsome be;
When in both breath rhythm falters,
No conception will there be.
484: How infant in the womb grows. The
infant-seed, The damsel in her womb bore
Nourished by bright milk That is fed by Sakti in
Eye-brow center Grew, Beaming like the golden
rays of rising sun inside, it took form appropriate.
491. Birth by Lord's Grace
To be born thus is His grace indeed.
(Birth and hence, life is considered as a
valuable gift).
26
Review
When sukla bursts into two through the interaction
(or blowing against one another) of the vayu of
both sukla and sonata, then twins (of the same
sex) are born. In the same manner when the retas
(the seminal fluids), viz., (sukla and sonata) of both
the parents burst into two, then mixed progeny
(male and female) is the result. Among mankind,
five embryos (only can be formed at a pregnancy
in the womb). A womb with one embryo is
common. There are some with two. Those with
three are only to found (as rarely) as one in a
thousand. Where there is frequent pouring (of
seminal fluid into the womb), a greater number of
limbs is produced (in the child). When the pouring
(within the womb), is only once, then the child
becomes dried up (or contracted). By pouring
(within) more than once, couples are
(sometimes) born.
Increase or decrease, similarities or dissimilarities
of bodies arise (in children) through the influence
of time, place, action, dravya (substance) and
enjoyment. From a well-conducted intercourse
(or union), the child being born with the form of the
father possesses, his qualities, just as the image
in a glass reflects truly the original.
-
4. Then (viz., in the 9th month), this (in the body)
made of five elements and able to sense odour, t
aste, etc., through tejas (spiritual fire), etc., which
is also made up of the five elements - this
cognizes the indestructible omkara through its
deep wisdom and contemplation. It cognizes as
the one letter (OM).
Then there arise in the body the eight prakrits and
the sixteen vikaras (changes). Through the food
and drink of the mother transmitted through her
nadis, the child obtains prana. In the 9th month, it
is full of all attributes. It then remembers its
previous births, finds out what has been done and
what has not been done, and discriminates
between actions, right and wrong. (Then it thinks
thus:) “Many thousands of wombs have been seen
by me, many kinds of food have been tasted (by
me) and many breasts have been suckled (by me).
All parts of the world have been my place of birth,
as also my burning – ground in the past. In
Anatomica Karnataka, Vol-6, (1) Page 23-27 (2012)
Thirumantiram and garbha upanishad- an overview Review

eighty-four lakhs of wombs, have I been born. If I

get myself freed from the bondage of the womb, I
shall perform great penances. Then this beings,
who had entered many hundreds of female wombs
of beings (in the previous births) comes to the
mouth of the womb wishing to obtain release. Here
being pressed by the yantra (neck of the uterus) it
suffers much trouble. Moreover it is much affected
by parsuti (delivery) vayu and ceases to remember
anything of the past; it also ceases to see far and to
be the cognizer

CONCLUSION Address for Communication

From the 2 great scriptures of India, the paper has Dr Sayee Rajangam
reported the perceptions on the normal development
Professor, Department of Anatomy
and the etiology behind the formation of congenital
malformations. International Medical School, Bangalore 560054
In the words of embryology, the description correlates Email: drsayee@gmail.com
to fertilization; sex determination; implantation; amnion
Phone: College:91-80- 23607913; Residence: 080-
and amniotic fluid; umbilical cord; respiration;
26662837;
determination of age; formation of congenital
anomalies; growth for the period of 9 months i.e 297 Mobile: 09901024059
days and birth. Fax: College: 91-80- 25520777 or 23607330
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Authors gratefully acknowledge Sri Ramakrishna
Math, Chennai and Parimal Publications, Delhi for the
permission to reproduce the material from
Thirumantiram and Garbha-Upanishad.

REFERENCES
1. Joshi KL, Bimali ON, Trivedi B. 112 Upanisads.
Chapter 17-Garbhoupanisad. Volume 1. Parimal
Publications, Shakti Nagar, Delhi- 110007, 2005, pp
359- 365.

2. Natarajan B. Thirumantiram by Thirumular. Tantra

2. Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai- 600004,
2002, pp 52- 85.

27 Anatomica Karnataka, Vol-6, (1) Page 23-27 (2012)

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