The Sushruta Samhita — trans. Bhishagratna

The use of (the officinal) urine and the applications of the * A Piitra measure is equal to eight seers

4/8 THE SUSHRUTA SAMHITA. CChap. XIII

(medicated) Vartis are likewise recommended. The patient should be made to take every day the medicine known as the Nava^yasa* through the medium of honey. He should be made to take a Dharana weight of the compound of powdered Vidanga, Ativishd, Kutaja-(tu\t, Bhadra-ddru, Ndgara and Markka in tepid water. Trikatu, Yava-kshdra and powdered iron should be mixed together and administered through the medium of the decoction of Triphald ; or, cow's milk and cow^s urine, in equal proportions should b2 taken. As an alternative, treacle and Haritaki mixed in equal proportions should be administered. Deva-ddru and S'unthi\ may be given ; or Guggulu* dissolved in cow^s urine or in the decoction of Varshdhhu. Equal parts of treacle and S^ringavera § may as well be prescribed ; or the roots of the Varshdbhu pasted with the decoction of the same drug and mixed .vith powdered S'unthi dissolved in milk should be given to the patient every day for a month. He should take Mudga pulse fried with the clarified butter prepared by cooking it with the decoction of Trikatu and Varshdbhu. Milk boiled with Pippali, Pippali-roots^ Chavya^ Chitraka^ Mayura (Apdmirga) and Varshdbhu, or with Sunthi and Surangiroots, or with Trikatu, Eranda-roots and Sydrnd-rootSj or with Varshdbhu, S'unthi, Sahd and Deva-ddru should be given to the patient. A paste of Aldvu and

• See Chapter XXII, para. lo, Chikitsita*sthdnam.

t Some commentators explain that the compound of Deva*d4ru and S'unthi also should be taken ihrough the medium of cow's urine or the decoction of Varshdbhu.

X According to Ohakradatta's reading, Deva-daru, S'unfhi and
Guggulu should be taken together with cow's urine.

5 The S'iringavera in this compound may be either fresh oi dried.— Ed.

chap. XXIII ] CHIKITSA STHANAM. 4/9

Vibhitaka dissolved in the washings of rice, should likewise be administered. 15.

5 The S'iringavera in this compound may be either fresh oi dried.— Ed.

chap. XXIII ] CHIKITSA STHANAM. 4/9

Vibhitaka dissolved in the washings of rice, should likewise be administered. 15.

The diet of the patient should consist of cooked barley or wheat saturated with the unsalted soup of -Mudga pulse, cooked with Yava-kshdra, Pippali, Maricha. and S^ringavem, and prepared with only a small quantity of oil or clarified butter. A decoction of Vrikshaka, Arka, Naktatndla^ Nimba and Varshdhhu should be used in effusing (Parish eka) the affected part. It should be plastered with a compound consisting of Sarshapa^ Suvarchald^ Saindhava and S^drngashtd, pasted together. Strong purgatives, Asthdpana measures and applications of Sneha, Sveda and IJpansnia should be constantly employed according to the nature and instensity of the aggravated Doshas involved in the case. In a case of Sotha, other than what is the outcome or supervening symptom (Upadrava) of any other disease, the patient should be frequently bled by opening a vein of the locality. 16.

Memorable Verse :— A patient wishing to get rid of an attack of Sopha (oedematous swelling) should refrain from taking all sorts of cakes, acid substances, liquor, clay, salts, oil, clarified butter,* water, heavy and indigestible articles of food, sleep in the day time, the flesh of animals other than that of the animals of the Jdngala group and from visiting the bed of any woman. 17.

Thus ends the Twenty-third Chapter in the Chikitsita Sthinam of the
Suslruta Samhitil which deals with the medical treatment of S'opha.

* Some read «' ^^," «•<?•. treacle in place of " ^TW," ''^m clarified hutter. This reading seems to be the correct one, inasmuch as it is supported by all other authoritative works on Ayurveda. — Ed,

CHAPTEE XXIV.

Now we shall discourse on the rules of hygiene and the prophilactic measures in general (Atlctg^at^*- vstdha-Prati-shedhaniya). i.

Metrical Texts :— Now we shall describe the rules of conduct to be daily observed by an intelligent man (after leaving his bed) seeking perfect health and a sound body. 2.

i.

Metrical Texts :— Now we shall describe the rules of conduct to be daily observed by an intelligent man (after leaving his bed) seeking perfect health and a sound body. 2.

Tooth-brushing :— A man should leave his bed early in the morning and brush his teeth. The tooth-brush (Danta-Kishtha) should be made of a fresh twig of a tree or a plant grown on a commendable tract and it should be straight, not worm-eaten, devoid of any knot or at most with one knot only (on one side), and should be twelve fingers in length and like the small finger in girth. The potency and taste of the twig (tooth-brush) should be determined by or vary according to the season of the year and the preponderance of any particular Dosha in the physical temperament of its user.* The twig of a plant possessed of any of the four tastes as sweet, bitter, astringent and pungent should be alone collected and used. Nimha is the best of all the bitter trees ; Khadira of the astringent ones ; Madhuka of the sweet ; and Karanja of the pungent ones. 3

* A man of a Kaphaja temperament should use a twig of a plant possessed of a pungent taste (Tikta) in brushing his teeth. A man of a Pittaja temperament should brush his teeth with a twig possessed of a sweet taste (Madhura), while a man of a VsCtika temperament (nervous) should use that with an astringent (Kasdya) taste. This rule should be observed even in respect of the preponderant Doshas of the body, in a disease.

p. 481

The teeth should be daily cleansed with (a compound consisting of) honey, powdered Tri-katu, TrivargO^, Tejovatif Saindhava and oil. Each tooth should be separately cleansed with the preceding cleansing paste applied on (the top of the twig bitten into the form of) a soft brush, and care should be taken not to hurt the gum anywise during the rubbing. This tends to cleanse and remove the bad smell (from the mouth) and the uncleanliness (of the teeth) as well as to subdue the Kapha (of the body). It cleanses the mouth and also produces a good relish for food and a cheerfulness ofmindf. 4.

Cases where tooth-brushing is forbidden : — Tooth-brushing is forbidden to the persons suffering from ^affections of the teeth, lips, throat, palate, ?or tongue, or from stomatitis, cough, asthma, hiccough and vomiting, weakness, indigestion, epilepsy, head-disease, thirst, fatigue, alcoholism, facial paralysis, ear-ache, and to persons tired with overdrinking. 5.