एषां वै भूतानां पृथिवी रसः, पृथिव्या आपः, अपामोषधयः, ओषधीनां पुष्पाणि, पुष्पाणां फलानि, फलानां पुरुषः, पुरुषस्य रेतः ॥ १ ॥
eṣāṃ vai bhūtānāṃ pṛthivī rasaḥ, pṛthivyā āpaḥ, apāmoṣadhayaḥ, oṣadhīnāṃ puṣpāṇi, puṣpāṇāṃ phalāni, phalānāṃ puruṣaḥ, puruṣasya retaḥ || 1 ||
1. The earth is the essence of all these beings, water the essence of the earth, herbs of water, flowers of herbs, fruits of flowers, man of fruits, and the seed of man.
The present section is introduced to lay down the method by which to obtain the kind of son who, by the manner of his birth and conception and by his good qualities, will help to achieve the worlds both for himself and for his father. Only a person who knows the meditation on the vital force and has performed the ceremony of the Mantha leading to prosperity, is entitled to this ceremony of the Mantha leading to the birth of a son. When a man wants to perform this ceremony, he should, after performing, the former ceremony, wait for the right time of his wife. This we understand from the mention of the seed being the quintessence of the herbs etc. The earth is the essence of all these beings, moving and stationary, for it has been stated that it ‘is like honey to all beings’ (II. v. i, adapted). Water is the essence of the earth, for it is pervaded by water. Herbs are the essence of water, for the herbs etc. are the effects of water. Flowers of herbs, fruits of flowers, man of fruits, and the seed of man, for another Śruti says, ‘It is the essence emanating from all parts of the body’ (Ai. IV. i).