अपक्वं भुक्तमाहारं स वायुः कुरुते द्विधा । संप्रविश्यान्नमध्ये च पक्वं कृत्वा पृथग्गुणम्
Food that is eaten but not yet digested is divided by the wind; entering into the food, it makes it properly cooked and distinct in quality.
अग्नेरूर्ध्वं जलं स्थाप्य तदन्नं च जलोपरि । जलस्याधः स्वयं प्राणः स्थित्वाग्निं धमते शनैः
Above the digestive fire is water, and that food rests upon the water; below the water, the vital air itself remains and gently fans the fire.
वायुना धम्यमानोग्निरत्युष्णं कुरुते जलम् । तदन्नमुष्णयोगेन समंतात्पच्यते पुनः
The fire, fanned by the wind, makes the water exceedingly hot; by the union of heat, that food is again cooked thoroughly on all sides.
द्विधा भवति तत्पक्वं पृथक्किट्टं पृथग्रसः । मलैर्द्वादशभिः किट्टं भिन्नं देहाद्बहिर्व्रजेत्
That cooked food becomes twofold: the waste is separated, and the essence is distinct; the twelve wastes are expelled from the body separately.
कर्णाक्षि नासिका जिह्वा दंतोष्ठ प्रजनं गुदा । मलान्स्रवेदथ स्वेदो विण्मूत्रं द्वादश स्मृताः
The ears, eyes, nose, tongue, teeth, lips, generative organ, and anus—these exude wastes; sweat, feces, and urine are remembered as the twelve.
हृत्पद्मे प्रतिबद्धाश्च सर्वनाड्यः समंततः । तासां मुखेषु तं सूक्ष्मं प्राणः स्थापयते रसम्
All the channels are bound together in the heart-lotus; at their openings, the vital air places the subtle essence.
रसेन तेन ता नाडीः प्राणः पूरयते पुनः । संतर्पयंति ता नाड्यः पूर्णा देहं समंततः
With that essence, the vital air again fills those channels; filled, those channels nourish the body throughout.
ततः स नाडीमध्यस्थः शारीरेणोष्मणा रसः । पच्यते पच्यमानश्च भवेत्पाकद्वयं पुनः
Then, the essence situated within the middle of the channels is cooked by the bodily heat, and as it is being cooked, there arises a twofold transformation.
त्वङ्मांसास्थि मज्जा मेदो रुधिरं च प्रजायते । रक्ताल्लोमानि मांसं च केशाः स्नायुश्च मांसतः
From it arise skin, flesh, bone, marrow, fat, and blood; from blood come hairs and flesh, and from flesh, hair and sinew.
स्नायोर्मज्जा तथास्थीनि वसा मज्जास्थिसंभवा । मज्जाकारेण वैकल्यं शुक्रं च प्रसवात्मकम्
From sinews come marrow and bones, from marrow and bones comes fat; from the form of marrow arises deficiency, and semen, which is the cause of procreation.
इति द्वादश शान्तस्य परिणामाः प्रकीर्तिताः । शुक्रं तस्य परीणामः शुक्राद्देहस्य संभवः
Thus, the twelve transformations of the digested food are described; semen is its final transformation, and from semen, the body is produced.
ऋतुकाले यदा शुक्रं निर्दोषं योनिसंस्थितम् । तदा तद्वायुसंसृष्टं स्त्रीरक्तेनैकतां व्रजेत्
When, at the proper time, semen, free from defect, is established in the womb, then, united with the wind, it merges with the woman’s blood.
विसर्गकाले शुक्रस्य जीवः कारणसंयुतः । नित्यं प्रविशते योनिं कर्मभिः स्वैर्नियंत्रितः
At the time of emission of semen, the soul, endowed with its causes, always enters the womb, governed by its own deeds.
शुक्रस्य सह रक्तस्य एकाहात्कललं भवेत् । पंचरात्रेण कलले बुद्बुदत्वं ततो भवेत्
From the union of semen and blood, on the first day, a lump is formed; in five nights, that lump becomes a bubble.
मांसत्वं मासमात्रेण पंचधा जायते पुनः । ग्रीवा शिरश्च स्कंधश्च पृष्ठवंशस्तथोदरम्
In one month, it becomes flesh, and then, in five ways, it is further formed: the neck, head, shoulders, spinal column, and abdomen.
पाणीपादौ तथा पार्श्वौ कटिर्गात्रं तथैव च । मासद्वयेन पर्वाणि क्रमशः संभवंति च
Likewise, the hands and feet, the sides, the waist, and the body; in two months, the joints arise gradually.
त्रिभिर्मासैः प्रजायंते शतशोंकुरसंधयः । मासैश्चतुर्भिर्जायंते अंगुल्यादि यथाक्रमम्
Within three months, hundreds of joints begin to form; in four months, the fingers and other parts develop in order.
मुखं नासा च कर्णौ च मासैर्जायंति पंचभिः । दंतपंक्तिस्तथा जिह्वा जायते तु नखाः पुनः
The mouth, nose, and ears appear in five months; the rows of teeth, the tongue, and then the nails are formed.
कर्णयोश्च भवेच्छिद्रं षण्मासाभ्यंतरे पुनः । पायुर्मेढ्रमुपस्थं च शिश्नश्चाप्युपजायते
The openings of the ears arise again within six months; the anus, genitals, and the penis are also produced.
संधयो ये च गात्रेषु मासैर्जायंति सप्तभिः । अंगप्रत्यंगसंपूर्णं शिरः केशसमन्वितम्
The joints in the limbs are formed in seven months; the body becomes complete with all parts, and the head is adorned with hair.
विभक्तावयवस्पष्टं पुनर्मासाष्टमे भवेत् । पंचात्मक समायुक्तः परिपक्वः स तिष्ठति
In the eighth month, the distinct and clear divisions of the body appear; endowed with five elements, the fully matured being remains.
मातुराहारवीर्येण षड्विधेन रसेन च । नाभिसूत्रनिबद्धेन वर्द्धते स दिनेदिने
By the strength of the mother's food and the sixfold essence, bound by the navel cord, it grows day by day.
ततः स्मृतिं लभेज्जीवः संपूर्णोस्मिञ्छरीरके । सुखं दुःखं विजानाति निद्रां स्वप्नं पुराकृतम्
Then the soul attains memory in the complete body; it perceives pleasure and pain, recognizes sleep, dreams, and past actions.
मृतश्चाहं पुनर्जातो जातश्चाहं पुनर्मृतः । नानायोनिसहस्राणि मया दृष्टान्यनेकधा
I have died and been born again; I have been born and died again; I have seen thousands of different wombs in many ways.
अधुना जातमात्रोहं प्राप्तसंस्कार एव च । ततः श्रेयः करिष्यामि येन गर्भे न संभवः
Now, I am just born and have received the rites; then I will act for the highest good, so that I may not return to the womb.
गर्भस्थश्चिंतयत्येवमहं गर्भाद्विनिःसृतः । अध्येष्यामि परं ज्ञानं संसारविनिवर्तकम्
While dwelling in the womb, I think thus: When I am released from the womb, I will pursue supreme knowledge that ends the cycle of rebirth.
अवश्यं गर्भदुःखेन महता परिपीडितः । जीवः कर्मवशादास्ते मोक्षोपायं विचिंतयेत्
Certainly, afflicted by the great pain of the womb, the soul, compelled by karma, remains and contemplates the means of liberation.
यथा गिरिवराक्रांतः कश्चिद्दुःखेन तिष्ठति । तथा जरायुणा देही दुःखं तिष्ठति दुःखितः
Just as someone trapped beneath a mountain suffers, so does the embodied soul, enveloped by the membrane, endure pain and distress.
पतितः सागरे यद्वद्दुःखमास्ते समाकुलः । गर्भोदकेन सिक्तांगस्तथास्ते व्याकुलात्मकः
As one fallen into the ocean suffers, overwhelmed, so does the soul, its body soaked in womb fluid, remain agitated.
लोहकुंभे यथा न्यस्तः पच्यते कश्चिदग्निना । गर्भकुंभे तथाक्षिप्तः पच्यते जठराग्निना
Just as someone placed in an iron pot is cooked by fire, so is one cast into the womb-pot cooked by the fire of the belly.