914 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 3, Ch. 23
passion, may be rendered fit for you. Also, my lord, please think of a
suitable house for this purpose.

PURPORT

The Vedic literatures are not only full of spiritual instruction, but they

are also instructive in how to prosecute material existence very nicely,
with the ultimate aim of spiritual perfection. Devahiti asked her husband,
therefore, how to prepare herself for sex life according to the Vedic
instructions. Sex life is especially meant for having good children. The
circumstances for creating good children are mentioned in kdma-sastra,
the scripture in which suitable arrangements are prescribed for factually
glorious sex life. Everything needed is mentioned in the scriptures~ what
sort of house and decorations there should be, what sort of dress the wife
should have, how she should be decorated with ointments, scents and
other altractive features, etc. With these requisites fulfilled, the husband
will be attracted by her beauty, and a favorable mental situation will be
created. The mental situation at the time of sex life may then be trans-
ferred into the womb of the wife, and good children can come out of that
pregnancy. Here is a special reference to Devahiiti’s bodily features.
Because she had become skinny, she feared that her body might have no
attraction for Kardama. She wanted to be instructed how to improve her
bodily condition in order to attract her husband. Sexual intercourse in
which the husband is attracted to the wife is sure to produce a male child,
but sexual intercourse based on attraction of the wife for the husband may
produce a girl. That is mentioned in the Ayur Veda. When the passion of
the woman is greater, there is a chance of a girl’s being born. When the
passion of the man is greater, then there is the possibility of a son.
Devahiiti wanted the passion of her husband to be increased by the
arrangement mentioned in the kama-sastra. She wanted him to instruct
her in that way, and she also requested that he arrange for a suitable
house because the hermitage in which Kardama Muni was living was very
simple and completely in the mode of goodness, and there was less
possibility of passion’s being aroused in his heart.

TEXT 12

#57 a7

fara: Rreafreay eat aeratfea: |
fra ara aamdarfacsterq 1122
