The word “blastocyst” is a combination of the Greek words for sprout (Blastos) and cavity (Cystos). It represents the first major milestone in the growth of a human embryo. The blastocyst is like the seed of a plant. Firstly, a seed contains a thin protective layer which a sapling sheds when it emerges. Similarly, the outermost later of a blastocyst develops into a protective sac (chorion). Subsequently within this develops a baby. Finally, this baby emerges as a fully conscious individual being from this sac. The protective sac is called “Jarayu” in Sanskrit.
Humans are Jarayu-Ja or born from the sac. Seers of ancient India, divided living beings into four categories based on the enviornment where they incubate before assuming their full individuality. Reptiles and birds are Andaja (Anda-Ja). This is so because they are born from an egg or Anda. Plants are seed born Udbijja (Ud-Bij-ja). Similarly, Bacteria and the like are Svedaja; they detach from the skin of the parent like the sweat.
There are higher order beings in the model of a conscious cosmos. This is easy to understand today because of the now widely accepted view of the Earth being a living entity. Firstly, per Vedic tradition, every living entity on Earth is a conscious being. Secondly, the earth which hosts these conscious beings is also conscious. Thirdly, planets which influence life on Earth are conscious. Similarly, the celestial beings influence the rhythms associated with Earth and the living creatures on it. Therefore, they are also consciousness, without having a physical body.
The Jarayu of a celestial being
The Rishis viewed the celestial beings with an individualized personality. Siddhar Agasthiyar calls these higher order beings as Jarayu-Ja also! However, in this case, what is the equivalent of the amniotic sac for humans? Vedas say that the sac or the Jarayu in such cases is of the nature of a cloud. Is this an absurd idea? Maybe not! Astronomers say that the Earth and other planets developed out of a large mass of dusty cloud swirling around a nascent Sun. Every star or a Sun in the universe had developed from interstellar gas clouds. In summary, these instances of celestial consciousness incubated in a Jarayu. Subsequently, they began their individual journeys as a planet or a star! They are Jarayuja.