As we already know,the balance of the tridoshas brings about health. So to beget a healthy offspring the doshic balance of the reproductive principles is a requirement. The male and female reproductive principles are the sukra and artava respectively. These are made up of the five basic elements in the constitutional level and the tridoshas in the functional level. At the time of fertilisation or sexual union the sukra and artava unite to form a mass called the zygote which later develops into a foetus.
Ayurveda has its roots to the vedas and beleives in karya karana principle or the cause and effect theory. Birth occurs when the jeeva impelled by the afflictions of its past actions enters the heart of the father. At the time of sexual union it enters the womb of the mother and thus life begins. A seed needs proper soil, favourable environment, adequate water and sufficient sunlight to grow into a sapling. Likewise many factors influence the growth of the foetus inside the uterus like the physical and mental state of the man and the wife at the time of sexual union, the healthy state of the reproductive principles , the time of sexual union, the postures, the state of the dosas at that time and above all daiva anugraha or the grace of God. But then, how can we beget an offspring of desired sex and virtues? The answer lies in the competition between fate and freewill. Fate can be overcome by freewill and Gods grace. Herecomes the effectiveness of pumsavana in begetting an offspring of desired sex and virtues.
There are in vedas sixteen samskaras. Samskaras are aimed at purifying the jeeva to attain the highest good, liberation. Pumsavana is the first and foremost of the samskaras. Pumsavana has been practised since the vedic era. At the time of sexual union the sukra and artava unite in the fallopian tube which is a tube leading to the uterus. After fertilisation zygote is formed and cell division begins in the somatic and reproductive cells and a profile of all the organs and parts of the body of the foetus is formed in about 6 weeks. But sexual differentiation occurs only between 6-8 weeks. Pumsavana is done within six weeks of conception or to be even more specific within a week after conception or missed periods pumsavana is the instilling of water or milk medicated with herbs - that are specifically indicated for this purpose and which are collected accordingly- into the nostril of his wife by the man during pushya constellation. If desirous of a son, it is instilled in the right nostril and for a daughter in the left nostril. In the next part we shall see how pumsavana works, why nasal instillation is suggested and procedures to be followed before and after pumsavana and the process of pumsavana.