[INDOLOGY] Ayur Veda Question

[Kathleen Marie Longwaters]

She might want to start with the work of Martha Selby, such as: “Narratives
of Conception, Gestation, and Labour in Sanskrit Ayurvedic Texts.” *Asian
Medicine *1, no. 2 (July 2005): 254-75.
​

All the best,

Kathleen Longwaters

​

​


On Sat, Jul 8, 2017 at 5:30 PM, Greg Bailey via INDOLOGY <
indology at list.indology.info> wrote:

> Dear List,
>
> A friend who has done some Sanskrit but is not a specialist in Ayiur Veda
> would like to get some responses to the question in bold, which relates to
> what she is writing about surrogacy.
>
> I know there are some excellent books on Ayur Veda but some on this list,
> but if anyone can help me hone in on these particular issues, it would be
> much appreciated.
>
> As usual, thanks in advance.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Greg Bailey
>
>
> "Her book is about Surrogacy and she is wanting a reference to the
> Ayurveda that reflects the quote below. I am not getting anywhere and I
> know next to nothing about the Ayurveda. Wondering whether you can shine
> any light on this.
>
> * She would like to add something about the ideas of birth, blood and how
> that is represented in the Ayurveda. And/orr the book of the Ayurveda in
> which it is written about. Because these ideas are being talked about by
> Indian researchers.*
>
> Any suggestions or ideas? I am also happy to chase and read if there is a
> link to look at. You have to know where to start!
>
> She writes,
>
> A further nail in the coffin of the body deniers und gene lovers comes
> from India. As part of Indian ancient Ayurvedic culture, according to
> surrogacy researcher Sheela Saravanan (pers.com. June 2017): “Parturition
> and breastfeeding is considered a transfer of blood from the mother to the
> child and children are considered to be indebted to this and need to look
> after and have respect for their mothers all their life owing to this.”
>
> Amrita Pande, in her ethnography of India’s surrogacy business (2015, p.
> 8) quotes a so-called surrogate mother, Parvati, who just underwent foetal
> reduction as saying:
>
> Doctor Madam told us that the babies wouldn't get enough space to move
> around and grow, so we should get the surgery. But both Nandini *did*i
> [the genetic mother] and I wanted to keep all three babies. I told Doctor
> Madam that I'll keep one and *didi* can keep two. *After all it's my
> blood even if it's their genes*. And who knows whether at my age I'll be
> able to have more babies (emphasis added by Pande).
>
> Pande comments (2015, p. 8) that “Parvati, thus, uses her interpretation
> of the blood tie to make claims on the baby/fetus. Raveena makes a similar
> claim. But in addition to the substantial ties of blood, Raveena also
> emphasizes the labor of gestation and giving birth.” Here is Pande’s quote
> from Raveena (2015, p. 8):
>
> Anne [the genetic mother] wanted a girl but I told her even before the
> ultrasound, coming from me it will be a boy. My first two children were
> also boys. This one will be too. And see I was right, it is a boy! After
> all *they just gave the eggs, but the blood and all the sweat, all the
> effort is mine. Of course it's going after me* (emphasis added by Pande).
> Amrita Pande adds (2015, p. 8): “This sweat (*paseena*) and the blood (
> *khoon*) tie between surrogate and fetus is often advocated by womb
> mothers as stronger than a connection based solely on genes."
>
>
>
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-- 
Kathleen Longwaters
Fulbright-Nehru Fellow, 2015-2016
Ph.D. Candidate Asian Languages and Cultures
Department of Asian Studies
University of Texas at Austin
klongwaters at utexas.edu


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