The Sushruta Samhita — trans. Bhishagratna

This anti venomous compound (Agada) is known as the Ajita^gada and is efficacious in cases of both vegetable and animal poisoning. 22.

TarkShyagada :--A compound made of the fine powders of Prapaundarika^ Deva-ddru, Mustd^ Kdldnusdryd, Katu-rohini, Sthauneyaka, Dhydmaka, Padmaka, Punndga^ Talis' a ^ Suvarchikd, Kutannata, Eld, white Sindhu-vdra, S'aileya, Kushtha, Tagara^ Priyangu, Lodhra^ Jala {Bdlaka), Svarna-Gairika, Mdgadha^ (red) Chandana and Saindhava salt, taken in equal parts and pasted with honey, should be kept inside a horn. This Agada is called the Tairkshyaigada and is capable of neutralising the effects even of the poison of a Takshaka. 23.

RiShabhagada :— A compound made of the powders of Mdnsi, Triphald, Murangi^ Manjishthd^ Yashti-madhu, Padmaka^ Vidanga^ Tdlis'a^ Sugandhikd^ Eld, Tvak, Kushthay Teja-patra, Chandana, Bhdrgiy Patola^ Kinihi ( A pdmdrga), Pdthd, Mrigddaniy Karkatikd^ fura (Guggulu), Pdlindi^ As'oka^ Kramuka and flowersp. 725 of Surasi and of Bhalldtaka^ well pasted with honey and with the bile of a boar (Vardha), Godha, Peacock, Sallaka, cat, Prishata (deer) and of mungoose, should be preserved inside a horn. This anti-venomous medicine is called the Rishabha'gada. Snakes never visit the house of the fortunate and mighty one wherein this well prepared remedy is preserved. Venomous insects dare not come within the precincts of such a mansion and even their poison loses its quickness and fatal character. The sound of trumpets and drums, smeared with this compound and blown upon and beaten, tend immediately to destroy the effects of poison. If a poisoned patient would only look at the banner plastered with this Agada the poison from his system would be thereby eliminated. 24

Sanjivana Agada: -a compound made of

the powders oi Ldkshd, Harenu, Nalada, Priyangu, the two kinds of S'igrJi, Yashti-madhu^ Prithvikd (Eld) and Haridrd, pasted with honey and clarified butter, should be preserved inside a cow's horn and covered in the above manner. This anti venomous medicine is called the Sanjivana Agada and should be used as snuff, collyrium and drink. It is capable of restoring even a man apparently dead (by poisoning) to life. 25.

Darvi-kara- Rajila-Vishahara-Aga-

da \ — An Agada consisting of the powders of S'leshmdtaka^ Katphala^ Mdtulunga, S'vetd, Girihvd, Kinihi^ sugar and Tanduliya should be regarded as the best remedy in cases of poisoning by Darvi kara or Rdjila-bites. 26.

Mandlf-Vishahara Agada: -One part

^dichoi Drdkshd^Sugandhd^ Naga-vrittikd^ and Samangd

26.

Mandlf-Vishahara Agada: -One part

^dichoi Drdkshd^Sugandhd^ Naga-vrittikd^ and Samangd

* Dallana says that in place of "Sugandha Naga-vrittikd" some read "Sugandha Naga-mrittika" which means **the sweet-scented earth of the mountain" known to be possessed of anti-poisonous virtues.

p. 726

(Vardha krdntd), two parts each of the following drugs, viz.^ — leaves of Surasd^ Vilva^ Kapittha^ and of Dddima, and half a part each of the following, viz. : (leaves of) black Sindhuvdra, Antkotha and Gairika^ should be powdered together and mixed with honey. This anti-venomous medicine (Agada) is highly efficacious especially in the case of poisoning by a Mandali-bite. 27.

Vamsa-tvagsCdi Agada:— An Agada should

be prepared with the scrapings of green bamboo (Vams'a-tvak), Amalaka, Kapittha, Tri-kaiu, Haimavatiy Kushtha, Karanja-^QQds, Tagara and S'irisha flowers, pasted with cow's bile. Used as a plaster, snuff or collyrium, it destroys the poison of a spider, mouse, serpent or any other (poisonous) insect. Used as a collyrium (over the eye-lids), as a plaster over the umbilical region, or as a Varti (plug), it removes the obstruction of stool, urine and Vdyu (flatus, etc.), or of a foetus in the womb. Used as a snuff* or a collyrium, its curative potency is manifest even in such dangerous eye-diseases as Kdcha, Arman, Kotha, Patala and Pushpa. 28.

Pancha-^irisha Agada:— A potion con

sisting of a decoction of the roots, flowers, bark, seeds and sprouts of a S'irisha tree, taken with honey, the five officinal kinds of salt and a profuse quantity of powdered Trikutu, proves speedily efficacious in a case of poisoning by an insect-bite. 29.

Sarva-KsCmika Agada :— An Agada prepared with Kushtha, Tri-katu^ Ddrvi^ Madhuka (flower), the two kinds of salt (Saindhava and Sauvarchala), Mdlati (flower), Ndgapushpa and all the drugs of the Madhura (Kdkolyiidi) group and pasted with the juice of Kapittha and mixed with honey and sugar destroys all sorts of poison specially that of a mouse (Mushika). 30.

Chap, v.] KALPA-STHANAM. 72/

Ekasara Agada : — The following i^drugs viz., Somardji seeds and Somardji flowers* Katdbhiy Sindhuvdra, Choraka^ Varuna, Kushtha^ Sarpa-gandhd^ Saptald, Punarnavd, flowers of S'irisha, Aragvada and of Arka, S'ydmd, Amhashthd^ Vidanga, Antra, As'mantaka, black earth and Kuravaka comprise the Ekasara Agada. These should be applied singlyt or in combination of two or three to destroy the eff"ects of poison. 31.

These should be applied singlyt or in combination of two or three to destroy the eff"ects of poison. 31.

Thu: ends the fifth Chapter of the KalpaSdthana in the Sus'rula
Samhila which deals with the medical treatment of snake-bites.

* Some explain "^♦lllt^HJ^ H^" to mean 'Somaraji, Phala (Madana) and Pashpa (Naga-kes'ara).'

t Some explain "^^f^ flrt%^ ^ifq" to mean that the Agada should be used *'once, twice or thrice" according to the requirements in each ca£e.

CHAPTER VL

Now we shall discourse on cases of rat-poisoning (IVIushika-kalpa) i.

Different varieties of rats (WI. Text) :

— Now hear me enumerate the names of the different families of Mushika (rats) briefly referred to before as having their poison in their semen, classified according to their different names, features and the medical treatment to be employed for the neutralisation of the effects of their poison. They are eighteen in number and are named as follows :— Ldlana, Putraka, Krishna, Hamsira, Chikkira, Chhuchhundara, Alasa, Kashdya-dasana, Kulinga, Ajita, Chapala, Kapila, Kokila, Aruna, Mahd- Krishna, S'veta, Maha-Kapila and Kapotdbha. 2 A

General symptoms of rat-poisoning*: — The blood of any part of a human body coming in contact with the semen of any of these different classes of rats or scratched with their nails, teeth, etc., previously besmeared with their semen (S'ukra) is vitiated and gives rise to the appearance of Granthi (nodes), swelling, Mandala, eruptions of circular erythematous patches on the skin, Karnikd (eruptions of patches resembling the calycle of a lotus flower), pimples (pustules) violent and acute erysipelas, Kitima (keloid tumours), breaking pain in the joints, extreme pain (in the body), fever, violent epileptic fits, anemia, aversion to food, difflcult breathing, shivering and horripilation. 2.

Specific symptoms and treatment

of rat- poison ing" :— The general symptoms of rat-poisoning have been briefly described above, "^ow

Chap. VI.] KALPA STHANAM. 7^9