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counterpart—the female pronucleus—and the full complement of 46 chromosomes align themselves in 23 pairs in the fertilized ovum. The single integrated cell is ready to receive a soul.
Precisely at this instant a transmigrating soul, which is conscious substance enveloped in a microbody-karma śarīra-arrives in the womb (transmigrating from its previous life) and animates this fertilized ovum which becomes its physical body through a stage by stage biological process called paryāpti.' A new human being has been conceived.
The above process of fertilization and conception is referred to by the following terms:
Terms, ‘ahābiena', 'ahāvagāseņa’ and hammakadūe joņie’ refer to the above. Here in the case of humans, bīja, i.e., the seed means the ovum fertilized by the sperm. It is popularly believed that when the sperm is more powerful, the issue will be a male, when the ovum is more strong, the issue would be a female and both are equal in strength, the issue would be a eunuch. The second term “yathū avakuāśa' refers to the reproductive organs of the female, i.e., the womb. For a successful reproduction, the womb must be active and efficient as also there should be the seed. The third term is complementary to the two above. It indicates that the effort would not be successful if the womb is unsatisfactory. The child-bearing age of a woman is from 15 to 50 years.
Term 'mehunavattiyāe' means the sexual intercourse. Sperm, the male gamete, must be delivered into the womb of the mother where the ovum would be awaiting fertilization. This is done by the actual act of copulation. The Cūrņikāra says that embracing, kissing and caressing may precede the act of copulation but conception will occur only if the sperm is delivered by ejaculation within the womb. The phrase 'te duhao vi
1. Processs of paryāpti is the acquisition and consumption of the potential vital faculties necessary for survival and functions of life. It is completed in six stages : 1. Ahāra paryāpti is the instantaneous union of the soul and the fertilized cell, 2. sarīra paryāpti--adoption of the fertilized cell as the physical body, 3. Indriya paryāpti, 4. Svāsocchvāsa paryāpti, 5. Bhāsā paryāpti, 6. Mana paryāpti-the sequence of the consumption of the potential faculties of sense-organs, respiration, speech, and thought respectively.
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