The Sushruta Samhita — trans. Bhishagratna

Under its use worms and vermin would be expelled (^from their unsuspected seats in the organism) and creep out of the upper, lower and lateral parts of the body.

$26 THE SUSHRUTA SAMHITA. [Chap. XXVIII.

This preparation would give a favourable turn to one's fortune, impart a lotus-like bloom (to the cheeks) with perpetual youth, unparalleled intellectual faculties and a life that would cover a period of three centuries of song and sunshine. This elixir orRasa^yana covers within its therapeutic range such affections of the body as cutaneous diseases (Kushtha\ chronic fever, epilepsy, insanity, and the diseases due to the effect of poisons and to the evil influences of ghosts and malignant spirits, as well as of all other dangerous diseases. 6.

Vacha Rasayana:— A paste of white Vachai to the size of an Amalaka should be taken with (an adequate quantity of) milk, after consecrating it (in the proper manner). The medicine should be taken after cleansing the system (with emetics and purgatives, etc.) and after entering the Agara (room). After the medicine had been digested, a meal of boiled rice with milk and clarified butter should be partaken of. A continuous use of this elixir for twelve days improves the power of hearing. It increases the power of memory if taken for the next twelve days. It enables the user to remember a hundred words at a time by a thrice repetition of the same (z>., by taking it for a period of thirty-six days). A repetition of a twelve days' (2>, forty-eight days) use of the medicine leads to the expiation of all sins ; it imparts a keenness of sight like that of Garuda and enables the user to witness a hundred summers on earth. A decoction prepared with two Pala weight of any other species of Vach£^ should be taken with milk.* The benefits which would result from its use and the rules of diet and conduct to be

* According to Dallana, this preparation of Vacha should be ptc pared by boiling it in the manner of Kshira-pdka Vidhi,

Chap. XXVIII.-, CHIKITSA STHANAM. 52/

observed (during its course} are identical with those of the preceding one. 7.

^ata-psLka Vacha-Ghrita ".—Clarified butter should be cooked a hundred times in succession with an adequate quantity of Vachai. The use of a Drona measure of this medicated Ghrita (taken every day in an adequate dose) extends the earthly career of its user to five centuries, and proves beneficial in cases of scrofula, goitre, elephantiasis and hoarseness. 8.

Measures for prolong^ing life— IVI. T. :

8.

Measures for prolong^ing life— IVI. T. :

— Now we shall discourse on life-prolonging measures and remedies. The powders of Vilva (roots) should be consecrated a thousand times with Vilva flowers by reciting the SreeSukta (as mentioned in the Rig- Veda), They should then be mixed with (powdered) gold, honey and clarified butter (in the form of an electuary), and licked every morning. It is thus a combination of medicine and Mantra, and, if used continuously for a year, would remove all inauspicious features (both of the body and of the mind). 9-10.

Every morning after a bath^ a man should offer ten thousand oblations in fire and take the powders and decoction of the roots and bark of the Vilva with milk in a spirit of self-control, whereby he would be able to acquire longevity. This remedy should be considered as a good Rasiyana. Similarly a decoction of Mrina^la mixed with honey and fried paddy and duly consecrated a hundred thousand times with oblations in fire would be considered an infallible Rasdyana. 11-12.

The use (of a compound consisting of gold, Padmareed, PriyangU and fried paddy mixed with honey and taken in (an adequate quantity of) cow's milk gives a favourable turn to one's fortune. A potion of milk cooked with the decoction of the petals (Dala)

528 THE SUSHRUTA SAMHITA. C^hap. XXVIII.

of Nilotpala (in the manner of Kshira-p^ka Vidhi) and mixed with gold and sesamum seeds^ is attended with similar results. 13-14.

Cow's milk with gold, wax and Mdkshika (honey), if (regularly) taken after having performed a Homa ceremony a hundred thousand times, should be considered the best Rasayana. The use of the pulverised compound of the three things viz., Vachd, gold and Vilva, if taken with clarified butter, tends to improve the health, memory, intellectual powers and physical growth. It increases the duration of one's life and brings good luck in its train. 15-16.

A (medicated) oil prepared by duly cooking it with the decoction of a Tuld weight of Vdsd-roots should be taken by a man after having performed a Homa ceremony with a thousand libations for the expansion of his intellectual faculty and the increase of the duration of his life on earth A Tul^ weight of barley grains should be powdered. The preparations of this barley powder (gradually) taken with honey and powdered Pippa/i incresises one's capacity for study. 17-18.

The preparations of this barley
powder (gradually) taken with honey and powdered
Pippa/i incresises one's capacity for study. 17-18.

The use of pulverised Amalaka and gold with honey imparts vitality to a dying man. A regular use of the Sataivari-ghrita mixed with honey and pulverised gold enables a man to subjugate even his king. A compound consisting of Go-chandand, Mohanikd, honey and gold should be taken by a man wishing a good turn to his destiny 19-21,

Clarified butter cooked with an admixture of the pasted Yashti-madhu and with the decoction of Padma and Nilotpala should be regularly taken with gold, and then a potion of milk cooked with the foregoing drugs should be taken. It invariably removes the evil features (of both mind and body), and gives a good turn to

Chap. XXVIII.] CHIKITSA STHANAM. 529

fortune. It increases longevity and makes the user (fortunate like) a king. 22-A.

The Tri-padi (lit. three-footed) GAyatri should be recited in connection with the use of any of these elixirs where no Mantra would be found to be specifically mentioned. The use of the foregoing medicinal compounds improves one's beauty, surrounds a man with the majesty and effulgence of the gods and makes him as strong as an elephant. Constant study, disquisitions (on philosophical and scientific topics), discussions in other subjects, and residence with professors or men learned in the respective branches of knowledge, are the best means for improving memory and expanding one's intellect. Eating after the digestion of a previous meal, non-repression of any natural urgings of the body, annihilation of all killing propensities, perfect continence, self-co ntrol and refraining from rash and hazardous undertakings, should bs deemed the keys to a long life. 22.

Thus ends the Twenly-eighlh Chapter of the Chikitsila-Slhanam in the Sus'ruta Samhita which deals with elixirs and remedial agents for improving the memory and intellect and increasing longevity.

6;

CHAPTER XXIX.

Now we shall discourse on the restorative and on the constructive agents (Rasdyana) which arrest innate morbific tendencies and decay* (Svabh^Vlka-

Vyadhi Pratishcdhaniya Rasayana) i-

IVIetrical Text : —in the days of yore the gods such as Brahma, etc created a kind of Amrita ambrosia) which is known by the epithet of Soma, for the prevention of deathf and decay of the body. We shall now deal with the mode of using this (ambrosia). 2.