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The natural body fluid (semen) has been noted in many cases%;B but the imparting of the semen and the birth thereby is supranatural. Semen as the male principle and water as the female principle in fusion cause birth... The semen released in water if drunk being mixed with it, also causes birth. 77 Fusion of the semen through the human sexual relationship would lead to normal natural conception. But for supra-natural birth, the drinking of water mixed with ejected semen is cause enough for birth. Drink of semen released in water, both being liquids, consumed directly would be included in this study. 76. Patil, D.R., Cultural History from the Vayu Purana, Poona, 1946, p.160. 77. Dange S.A., Encyclopaedia of Puranic Beliefs and Practices, Vol. I (A-C), New Delhi, 1986, p.138.

A 480 There are several beliefs of such supranatural births, brought about by the drink of ejected semen, in the various religious texts of which, we first and foremost turn to the birth of Karttikeya, in this context, as has been provided in the Matsya P. as well as Padma-purana (Srstikhanga 41.118-132). The account proceeds thus - Thousands of years rolled on, and the gods were anxious to know the activities of Siva. So, they commissioned Agni, who assuming the form of a parrot entered through the lattice-hole and saw Siva in copulation with Parvati. Siva enraged by this disturbance, compelled him to drink up the remnant semen not discharged in his spouse, which filled the bellies of the gods and tearing asunder Agni's belly gushed out like heated golden fluid released into the waters of the lake. Once Uma with the desire to drink water, approached this lake, where the six Krttikas requested her to drink water from the lotus-leaf handed by them to her, for bearing a child, to be named after them. Although initially, she hesitated, she ultimately drank the water, whereby a son was born tearing off her right belly, the six-faced Kumara named Karttikeya after the six Krttikas. A variant of the motif of semen-drinking comes in the context of the birth of Tirtharaja. According to an account from the Padma-purana (Srsti Khanda 42.20-35) Santanu's wife, Amogha

481 was o once seen by Brahma in the absence of her husband. As he sat on the cot eyeing her, his semen fell down; and he left. When Santanu returned and recognised the semen as that of Brahma, he asked his wife to absorb it. She drank it, but could not bear it%;B so she threw it out in the water. Out of it, was born a lustrous man wearing a garland of gems. The gods showered him with flowers and named him Tirtharaja present in all holy places. Whereas in the earlier case, the birth of Karttikeya, was due to the drink of semen discharged in lake-water, while in the present context semen emanated into the water without entering the human body, was also responsible for procreation. Not only is semen in fructification with water responsible for super-natural birth, but even semen fallen on a blade of grass was spontaneous in securing such birth. For instance, the birth of Krpa and Krpi is said to be from the semen of 1 Saradvan that fell on a blade of grass. 1 nurtured by Santanu (Bhag.P.IX.21.35-36). These blades were In yet another version based on the motif of semendrinking the sage's semen emanates on seeing the nymph, which on being consumed by the queen leads to progeny. According to the account from the Brahmavai.P. (Srstikhanda 20, 12ff) Kalavati, wife of King Drumila of Kanyakubja, was barren due to the fault in her husband. So, being advised by

The her husband, she approached the sage Kasyapa for union. sage, however, did not accept her wish and was angry with her. It so happened, that the sage chanced to look at the nymph Menaka and his semen fell out. The queen saw this, and ate up the fluid that fell to the ground. She conceived and later gave birth to a s on, who had a lotus-mark on his feet. 482