The Sushruta Samhita — trans. Bhishagratna

t The drugs are to be boiled in water in which the patient should take his bath.

X The decoction should be prepared in the manner of *'Shadanga.
Ualpa."

p. 359

Vajraka-TaJIa :— The roots of Sapta-pama, Karanja, Arka, Mdlati^ Karavira^ Snuhi, S'irisha, Chitraka and Asphotd as well as of Visha (aconite roc»t), Ldngala, Vajrdkhya (mica), sulphate of iron, Haritdla^ Manah-s'ild Karanja-seQds^ Trikatu, Triphald, the two kinds of Haridrd, white mustard-seeds, Vidanga and Prapunndda should be pasted together with the urine of a cow. The paste thus prepared should be cooked in an adequate quantity of oil.* This oil known as the Vajraka-Taila, used as uguents, proves remedial to Kushtha etc., sinus and malignant ulcers in general. 34.

lYIaha-Vajraka Taila :— The drugs and substances known as white mustard-seeds (Siddhdrthaka), the two kinds of Karanja^ the two kinds of Haridrd^ Rasdnjana^Kutaja^ Prapunndda, Sapta-parna^Mrigddani Ldkshd, Sarja-rasa, Arka, Asphotd, Aragvadha, Sttuhi, S'irisha, Tuvara, Kutaja^ Arushkara, Vacha, Kushtha^ Vidanga, Manjishthd, Ldngali, Chitraka, Mdlati, Katutumbi, Gandhdhvd, Mulaka, Saindhava^ Karavira^ Griha' dhunMy Visha (aconite), Kampillaka^ Sindura (mercuric oxide), Tejohvd and sulphate of copper shuuld be taken in equal parts and made into a paste. This paste (Kalka) should be cooked with either Karanja-oW or mustard-oil-f, both of which have great curative potency, with double the quantity of cow's urine. It may also be prepared with sesamum-oil, but in this case four times as much of cow's urine should be taken. As an anointment it is undoubtedly efficacious in a case of Kushtha of whatsoever type as well as in cases of scrofula, fistula-inano, sinus and malignant ulcers. This oil is known by the t According to Gayaddsa mustard-oil should be used.

* S'ivadasa, ihe commentator on chakradatla, asserts, on the authority of Vagbhata, that the oil should be sesamum-oil and it should be boiled with cow's urine.

CHAPTER X.

Now we shall discourse on the medical treatment of major cutaneous affections (IVIahfif-Kushtha).* i.

Metrical Text :— An intelligent physician should have recourse to the following medicinal compounds in virulent types of Kushtha, urinary complaints (Meha), diseases due to the action of the deranged and aggravated Kapha and general cedima of the body and also in respect of inordinately corpulent persons wishing to reduce their obesity. 2.

2.

IVIantha-KalpaS : -Pounded barley-corn should be saturated with the urine of a cow and kept in a large bamboo basket (Kilinj i) for the whole night ; and shou'd then bi drieJ in the sun on the following day. This process should be continued for seven consecutive days. At the close of this period it should be fried in an earthen vessel vKapdla) and then ground to fine powder (Saktu). The powder, thus prepared should be given every morning to a person afflicted with Kushtha (leprosy), or any urinary complaint (Prameha) through the medium of a decoction of the drugs included within the S' alas drddz group, or of the Kantakz {thorny ) f trees, and mixed with a pulverised compound of Bhalldtaka, Prapunndda, Avalguja, Arka, Chitraka^ Vidanga and Musta weighing a fourth part of the S'aktu. Barleycorn should, in the same manner, be soaked in a

* Kushtha which affects the deeper tissues and fundamental principles of the body is called Maha-Kushtba.

Gayi interprets the term " Maha-Kushlha " as signifying those seven types of Kushtha which cannot be attributed to any detectable cause, t Vadara, Khadira, Arimeda, Snuhi, etc.

Chap. X.] CHlKlTSA STHANaM. 3,^3

decoction of the drugs constituting the S' dla-sdrddi or \.\mq Aragvadhddi ^XQM'^?,, or barley-corn should be given to a cow to eat and the undigested barley-corn passed with the cow-dung should be collected. This barleycorn should then be fried and powdered in the form of Saktu. This powder should be mixed with a pulverised compound of Bhalldtaka^ etc., mentioned above, and given to the patient through the medium of a decoction of any one of the Khadira^ Asana^ Nimba, Rdja- Vriksha, Rohitaka and Guduchi, sweetened with honey and sugar, and acidified with grapes, or the expressed juice of pomegranate and Amla-vetasa and then mixed with rock-salt. This is the method of preparing all kinds of Manthas. 3.

Articles of food made of barley-corn in the form of Dhana, Lunchaka, Kulmdsha, Apupa, Purnakosa, Utkarika,* Sashkulika, Kundrif and Kondli, etc., should be given as diet. Preparations of wheat and Venu-yava (seeds of bamboo) after the manner of barley preparations should also be recommended as a proper food. 4-5.

Preparations of wheat and Venu-yava (seeds of bamboo) after the manner of barley preparations should also be recommended as a proper food. 4-5.

lYIedicated AriShtas :— Now we shall describe the mode of preparing Arishtas (applicable in cases of Kushtha). Six Pala weight of each of the following drugs, viz., Putika, Chavya, Chiiraka, Deva-ddru^ Sdrivd^ Danti diXid Trikatti, 3.r\d one Kudava weight of Vadara and Triphald should be powdered. An earthen jar or pitcher, which formerly contained clarified butter, should be purified]: and plastered inside with a compound

* Gayadasa reads Chilra (a kind of soup) before " Utkarika.'

t Dallana does not read *'Konali" but says that some read **Konalika'

in place of "Kunari" both of which are synonyms. We have, however, both the terms in our text.

X The jar should be purified or disinfected by fumigation with the medicinal drugs such as Nimba-leaves, Guggulu, etc.

364 TriE SUSHRUtA SAMHITA. [Chap. X.

of honey, clarified butter and powdered Pippali. Then the pulverised compound, mentioned above, together with seven Kudava measures of water* half a Kudava measure of iron-powder, and half a Tuli weight of treacle, should be poured into the said jar which should then be tightly covered with a lid and placed under a heap of barley for seven days (for fermentation). After this period, it should be taken out and the patient should be made to take some of it (every day) according to his physical capacity. This Arishta (fermented liquor) cures Kushtha, obesity, urinary complaints (Meha), jaundice and cedima. Arishtas may also be similarly perpared from the drugs included in the S'dla-sdradi, the Nyagrodhddi or the Aragvadhddi group. 6.

Medicated AsavaS :— Now we shall describe the mode of preparing Asavas. The ashes of burnt Palds'a should be dissolved in hot water and duly filtered. Three parts of this (alkaline) water, subsequently cooled, and two parts of Phanita (molasses) should be mix^ed together and fermented in the manner of preparing Arishtat- Asavas may be similarly prepared with the alkali made of the ashes of sesamum plants (described in connection with the treatment of As'mari — Chapter. VII), or with the drugs constituting the S'dlasdrddiy the Nyagrodhddi, or the Aragvadhddi groups, or with cow's urine as in the preceeding manner. 7-

Medicated Suras :— Now we shall describe the process of preparing Surds (wines). A decoction should be duly made of S'ims'pd and Khadira woods with JJttamdrmi^ Brdhmi and Kos'dtaki boiled together