The Sushruta Samhita — trans. Bhishagratna

5.

Five Palas of any of the remaining species should be boiled with an A'dhaka measure of milk and taken down with one quarter left. This should then be strained and the milk thus cooked should be taken in a single

* Some explain "Sanakha mustika" as what would be contained in the hollow of a palm, with the finger nails (/.^., the fingers) extended. But "Nakha" seems to refer to the thorns of the plants and "Mushti" a Pala weight (f.^., eight Tolas).

t Gayi reads ''^pr^J^M: ^^mr^" »" P'ace of "^^^j^; q^;" and explains it as a prepairation of one part of the powders of the fruit of Kanyakd and two parts of rice cooked with milk-

Chap. XXX] CHIKITSA STHANAM. 54I

dose and once only. The regimen of diet and conduct is the same as in the case of Soma, until the patient comes out of his prescribed chamber, with this difference that his body should be anointed with butter (Navanita). 6.

Memorable Verses :— The use of any of the aforesaid drugs rejuvenates the system^ fills it with the strength of a lion, invests it with a beautiful shape, blesses the user with such powerful memory that he can commit to memory anything once heard, and ultimately extends his career to two thousand earthly years. Crowned with diadems of celestial beauty, decorated, as if, with Angadas (bracelets), Kundalas (ear* rings}, crowns and heavenly wreathes (of flowers), Sandal paste and dress, the users are enabled to traverse, like the gods, the cloud-spangled high ways of heaven, unflinchingly in their pursuits. Persons whose systems have been fortified with these medicinal herbs (Oshadhis), like the users of Soma go not by the roads on earth but scale those inaccessible heights of heaven from whence the pendent rain-clouds look down upon the soil below and where the feathered wingers of the ethereal blue frequently soar up to. 7.

Differentiating Traits:— Now we shall

describe the different traits of these (all-healing) Oshadhis. The Ajagari* Oshadhi is found to put forth five leaves which have a brown colour and are marked with variegated ring-like patches. It looks like a snake and measures five Aratnis (a cubit of the middle length from the elbow to the tip of the little finger) in length. The

* There is no mention of "Ajagari" in the list (para. 2) and there is no mention of **Suvarchald" in this descriptive list. It seems, therefore, probable that "Ajagari" and "Suvarchala" ajre identical.

p. 542

The

* There is no mention of "Ajagari" in the list (para. 2) and there is no mention of **Suvarchald" in this descriptive list. It seems, therefore, probable that "Ajagari" and "Suvarchala" ajre identical.

p. 542

S'veta-kaipoti is a leafless, gold-coloured, snake-shaped plant with a root two fingers in length and is red at the extremities. The Gonasi is a bulbous plant possessed of two leaflets, red-coloured and is marked with black rings. It measures two Aratnis in height and resembles a Gonasa (boa) snake in shape. The Krishnaka(poti is a soft, hairy, milk-secreting plant and its juice is possessed of a colour and a taste like that of sugar-cane juice. The VatrSkhi is bulbous and puts forth a single leaflet; it is resplendent like broken pieces of black antimony. It resembles a black lance hooded Kobrd (Krishna Sarpa) in shape and is possessed of mighty potency. 8.

The Chratrai and the Ati-chchhatra^ are bulbous in their origin and are found to be attached to a plant of the Sveta-kapoti species. Both of them are possessed of the virtue of arresting death and decay and act as prophylactic against the Rakshas as (malignant spirits). A plant of the Kanyai species is found to put forth a dozen leaflets beautifully coloured like the breast-feathers of a peacock. It is bulbous in its origin and exudes a gold- coloured juice. An Oshadhi plant of the Karenu species abounds in milky juice and its bulb resembles an elephant. It puts forth two leaves which look like those of a Hasti-karna-paldsa tree. An Oshadhi plant of the Ajat species abounds in milky juice, grows like a Kshupa or bushy plant and is whitecoloured like the moon, a conch shell, or a Kunda flower ; its bulb resembles the udder of a she-goat. An Oshadhi plant of the Chakrakai species is white-coloured, puts forth flowers of variegated colours, grows in bushes, resembles a Kdkddani plant in shape and size and is possessed of the efficacy in warding off death and decay. An Oshadhi plant of the A'ditya-parnini species grows

Chap. XXX.] CHIKITSA STHANAM. 543

An Oshadhi plant of the A'ditya-parnini species grows

Chap. XXX.] CHIKITSA STHANAM. 543

from roots (and has no bulb) and is furnished with five red-coloured leaflets as soft as a piece of linen and which always point towards the sun (change their direction with the progress of that luminary in heavens) An Oshadhi plant of the Brahma-Suvarchalai species, is gold-coloured, abounds in milky juice, resembles a lotus plant in appearance, grows by the side of water (?>., in marshy lands) and spreads in all directions. An Oshadhi plant of the Mahak-S'ra^vani speciesbears flowers like a Nilotpala and collyrium coloured fruit. The stem of the Kshupa (bushy) plant measures an Aratni and the leaf two fingers in length. It is gold-coloured and abounds in milky juice. An Oshadhi plant of the S'ra'vani species, possesses all the preceding features, (of the MahA-s'rdvani) but is tinged with a yellow colour. The Oshadhi known as the Golomi and the Ajalomi are hairy and bulbous (in their origin). A Vegavati Oshadhi plant puts forth leaves from its roots ; its leaves are severed like those of a Hamsapddi creeper, and move about violently (even In the absence of any wind), or it resembles a Samkha-pushpi creeper in all its features, looks like the cast-off skin of a snake and grows at the end of the raiijy season {i.e., in autumn), 9, lYIode of culling' the above drugs :—

The first seven of the all -healing Oshadi plants enumerated above should be culled by reciting the following Mantra : —"We appease thee with the holy energy and dignity of Mahendra, Rama, Krishna and of the Brdhmanas and of cows. Exert your beneficial virtues for the good of mankind". The intelligent one should consecrate all these Oshadhis with this Mantra. The lazy, the impious, the ungrateful and the unbelieving invariably fail to see and secure the Soma plants, or the drugs possessed of similar virtues. The gods after having

S44 THE SUSHRUTA SAMHITA. tChap. XXX.

drunk the celestial ambrosia to their fill cast the residue to the Somas and kindred plants as well as to the moon, the lord of the Oshadhis. lo-A.