Bull. Ind. Inst. Hist. Med. Vol. XXIV pp. 1 to 5

NIRUKTOPANI$AD AND GARBHOPANI$AD: THE VEDICSOURCES OF STUDIES ON HUMAN EMBRYOLOGY

K. KALADHAR.

ABSTRACT

The Science of human embryology has its roots in antiquity and has beenpractised in India over many centuries. Nirkt opaniahad and Garbhopanishad.the two important philosophical texts wh ieh were said to have been written

prior to 500 B.C. describe in detail about the development of human embryoand sex determination. Further search of Vedic literature might pave

way for unravelling more information on this fascinating field of humanembryology.

INTRODUCTION:

The Upanisads, which aregenerally treated as SOurce of Vedicphilosophy, have in fact describedabout many fields of science,including the science of humanembryology about 3000 years ago,for the welfare of mankind. Detaileddescriptions about the formation ofembryo, its growth and developmentalprocessess have been mentioned inatleast two Upani-ads namely,Nirktopanisad and Garbhopanisadwhich are said to have been writtenbetween 4000 B.C. and 500 B.C.

• Lecturer in Sanskrit. "'ost- Graduate ColieQ of Science. iOsmania University). Saifabad.Hyderabad - 500 004.

THE ORIGIN, GROWTH ANDDEVELOPMENTAL STAGES OFHUMAN EMBRYO:

"The Mind produces the phlegm.the phlegm produces the fluid. thefluid produces the blood, the bloodproduces the fat, the fat produces themuscles/nerves, the muscles producethe bones, the bones produce the mar-row and finally the marrow producesthe semen. Such semen is depositedby male into the female genitaltract, where it becomes fixed in uterusand becomes an embryo. Later. theembryo assumes the shape of <J

bubble within five days. On seventhday, it develops a mass of flesh, andassumes a fatty tumor shape withinfourteen days. The embryo turnsinto a thick mass within fifteen daysand within one month it is transformedinto 8 solid mass. The head developsin two months, and the neck of thebody is developed in three months.Nails and hairs appear within fivemonths. Facial organs such as eyes,ears and nose are developed withinsix months. The foetus is capable ofmovements within seven months.Intellect is developed within eightmonths and finally the foetus isperfect in every part of his/her limbwithin nine months" (1) Similardescription is also mentioned inGarbhop anisad (2), and with a~light modification in Atharvanivapi-j riopani-ud (3).

SEX DETERMINATION

According to the science ofgenetics, sex determination is due tothe sex chromosomes. Whereas, thedescription of sex determination inNiruktopanisad is at variance from theclassical genetics (4) i.e.

1. ~ukratireke purnan(An over flowing quantity of virile

Bul!. Ind. Inst. Hist. Med. Vol. XXIV

semen results in the form ofmaleness) .

2. Sonitatireke Stri(An over flowing quantity of bloodthan virile semen results in theform of femaleness).

3. Dwabhvarn Sarnveria Napumsakan(Equal proportions of blood andvirile semen results in the form ofimpotentness) .

4. Sukra Bhinnena Yamo bhavati(The divided (sperm cell of) virilesemen results in birth of twins).

In Caraka Samhita also, such adescription of sex determination ismentioned (5), and with slightmodifications in Garbhop anisad (6).The description in Garbhop anis.ad isas follows:

1. PituretotirikHi.t Pur uso bhavati(An overflowing quantity of virilesemen results in the form ofmaleness).

2. Maturetotiriktat Sfri bhavati(An overflowing quantity of bloodthan virile semen results in theform of femaleness).

1 - Pan d it a Jagadish Shastri - Upanishad Sangraha, pp. No. 28-29.

2 - Ibid, P No. 150.3 - Ibid. P No. 658.4 - Ibid. p. No. 28.5 - Ganga Sahaya Pandeya. Charaka Sa mhit a , p. No. 821.

6 - Pan dit a Jagadish Shastri, Upanishad Sangraha, p. ~o 150.

Nirktopanishad and Garbhopanishad Katadhar

3. Ubhavorbljatutvatvan Napurnsakahbhavati(Equal proportions of blood andvirile semen results in the form ofimpotence) .

4. Vvakulit amanaso An dhah KharijahKubjah. Varnanah bhavanthi(The distracted mind results inbirth of the physically handicappedchildren such as blind (Andal),lame (Khanjah), hump-backed(Kubjalj). and dwarf (Vamanab ) .

5. Anyonya Vavu Paripiditha Sukr adwadhva dwidhii. tanuh svathatoyugma prjavante(The agitated wind or vitiation ofthe male causes the breaking Df

(sperm Cedi of) virile semen intotwo which results in birth cf L, ins )

The •.bove observatio ns. withregard to development of embryo andsex determination, clearly enable u sto conclude that. the beginnings ofthe study of human embrvok.qv weremade in a scientific manner akin tothe present information, and oneinfer, therefore that. the presentknowledge of human embryology hasits roots in the antiquity of Vedicculture.

3

In the field at modern science,Vesalius (1514-1564), is consideredas the founder of biological sciencesand medical sciences (anatomy andphysiology) as well. French physicianJean Fernal introduced physiology inmany details in 1552 A.D. (7) andthe field of embryology has developedinto a special science in recent times.From the Vedic point of view, it looksas if the wheel is re-invented.Therefore, it is only logical toconclude that, the origins of humanembryology . have roots in antiquityof Vedic India, and the present studyencourages an innovative mind andseeker of truth to go into the Vedicliterature in crder to unraveJlmany ascientific discoveries.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

The author wishes to thankDr. M. Gopal Reddy, Prof. of Sanskrit,Osrnania University, for er.couraqinqto write the article and to Dr. K.Shankaraiah, Prof. ofvZooloqv. :andPrincipal P. G. College of Science,Osmania University, Saif abad. Hyd-erabad, and Dr. Bapi Reddy, Prof. ofPlant Genetics, Osmania Universityfor their help in reading the manuscriptand for making necessary changes inthe manuscript.

7 - C. C Cb a t t er je= , Hu mcn Phv s io l oqv . Vol. No 1, p. No.1.

.:; Bull. Ind. lnst, Hist, Med. Vol. XXIV

REFERENCES

1. Pandita Jagadish Shastri

2. H. R. Agarwal

3. Arthur A Macdoneli

4. Maurice winter Nitz

5. Ganga Sahava Pandeya

G. C. C Chatterjee

1980 Upanisad Sangrahah (containing 188Upanishads). Printed by the Ministryof Education and Culture, Govt. ofIndia, PUb. by Motilal Banarasidas,Delhi.

1963 A Short History of Sanskrit Literature,published by Munshiram Manoharlal,P.B. No. 1165, Nai Sarak, Delhi 6.

1972 History of Sanskrit Literature, Publishedby Munshiram Manoharlal, Nai Sarak,Delhi-6.

History of Indian Literature. Publishedby Oriental Book Reprint Corporation,Rani Jhansi Road, NewDelhi-55.

1969 Charaka Samhita, Published byChowkambha Sanskrit Series Office,Varanasi-U.P.

1980 Human Physiology, Vol-I, Publishedby Medical Allied Agency, 13/18, OldBallu Gunqe, Calcutta-700 010,

Nirktopanishad and Garbhopanishad-Kaladhar 5

f~~~ff)qf~Qff'H 'l,,1qf~~Cf-qTifCf~ ~

".1~qr~ fef'tQ. at~Q~~iti c1fqll'i ~)ff

~T"q fTq1(qf~ fcr~qllli fi!f~nff u,,~arqi(J JJr;:rcr~ (f(f~T. $ ar~f'i~

qlf ~ ~~T arT ~~T ~ I oiq q~ f~~T;:r 'iH('I' if 3T;r~ Qfcnfii~ql , sr;:{f~~..~~T , I f",~~o)lffill\f<;: !f{T fTq11fill\f~ ill qifj ~" "') affliCT~ijcCJ'Iui '!~~T~-

fffli v~l if, f""illtiT ff6 ~:qilT lfir~ ~fTq'fT {"r ~ci 600 cr~ JJTilT\ifHfT t, q'ilq

tTq1~q'rfl ~ fq~nT Cl"l'T f~fT fCff",~:qq t ~Gta- it f<1fCI(f quiil snc('l' ~)8T

, I .9 IJT;:r~ 'lqTc({fo $ "(T;:{4i flf~q If; ~." it O!~~ ~~fq)' §~~T~

1fi1rc~nif ~ft:.qT~qq it If'''' .)IJI' ,,~ftq 6~Tq. ~)q1 I