The Sushruta Samhita — trans. Bhishagratna

The patient should then be asked to get up and sit on his legs for the full outflow of the injected solution. The period of a Muhurta (about forty-eight minutes) is usually required for a complete outflow of the Niruha-vasti (from the bowels;. 4.

IVIetrical Texts:— This method of applying the Vasti should be continued three or four times as required in each case by the physician, experienced in the application of the same. It should be discontinued after certain characteristic symptoms had been fully developed and manifested (in the system of the patient). Less is better than excess (in respect of Vasti-applications and more so particularly in the case of a patient of a delicate constitution. 5.

Symptoms of an inadequate and excessive application of a Vasti :— The emission of only a small quantity of flatus (Vdyu), fcecal matter and (of the medicinal solution applied in; the Vasti, as abo the appearance of the supervening distresses of urinary disorders, an aversion to food and physical lassitude indicate the inadequacy of the application of the Vasti. Symptoms which have been described before* as marking an excessive use of purgatives are also said to result from an excessive application of a Niruha-vasti. 6 -A.

Symptoms of a satisfactory application of a Vasti :— A lightness of the body, experienced in consequence of the successive and satisfactory evacuations of stoolj-f Pitta (bilious matters), bowds.— Dallanau The period of a Matra has elsewhere been defined as that required to utter a short vowel. — Ed.

* See Chapter XXXIII, Para. l8, Chikitsita Sthanam.

t Satisfactory urination should also be understood as one of the sysnptoms of the satisfactory application of a Niruha-vasti. — Ed.

p. 630

Kapha (mucus) and Vayu (flatus) from the bowels, are the salient features of a satisfactory application of a Niruha-vasti (Su-nirudha). After the manifestation of the foregoing symptoms the patient should be advised to bathe (in hot water) and to take meat-soup (Rasa), milk and pulse-soup (Yusha) in diseases due to the action of the deranged Vdyu, Pitta and Kapha respectively. The essence (Rasa) of the meat of any Jdngala animal may, however, be prescribed in all cases under the circumstances, since it would produce no harm. Only a quarter, a half or three-quarter part of the usual diet should be prescribed according to the digestive capacity of the patient, and the nature and intensity of the Doshas involved in each case. 6-B.

Only a quarter, a half or three-quarter part of the usual diet should be prescribed according to the digestive capacity of the patient, and the nature and intensity of the Doshas involved in each case. 6-B.

The subsequent treatment should consist in applying a Sneha-vasti (oleaginous enema) according to the nature and intensity of the underlying Doshas in each case. A lightness of the body, sprightliness of the mind, amelioration or abatement of the disease, an emulsive condition of the organism, are the features which mark the satisfactory application of an Asthdpana as well as of an Anuvasana-vasti. 6-C.

The patient should be made to partake of his meal with meat-soup on the day of his being treated with a (Niruha) Vasti ; since there is an apprehension of the Vayu being greatly deranged and aggravated (by the application of the Vasti). He should then be treated with an Anuvdsana (Vasti) on the same day. Thereafter tha application of the Sneha-vasti should be regulated* with a regard to the state of the appetite and the intensity of the deranged Vdyu, and in theChap. XXXVIII.] CHIKITSA STHANAM. 63 1 event of the Koshtha (stomach) being found to have been stuffed with food. 6

* A second application of the Sneha-vasti should be made, if necessary, on the 2nd, 3rd, or 5th day with a due regard to the symptoms mentioned in the text.

A fresh and stronger Nirudha injection (Vasti), composed of Yava-kshdra, cow's urine, Kdnjika and the S'odhana (purifying) drugs, should be applied (.into the bowels) in the event of the previous one not passing out within a Muhurta, since a Nirudha injection (Vasti) long retained in the bowels by the enraged and aggravated Vayu causes Sula (colic), an aversion to food, fever and Anaha* (distension of the abdomen with suppression of stool and urine), or may ultimately have a fatal termination. 7.

7.

The application of an Asthapana enema is forbidden after a meal as it may bring on an attack of Visuchika* (D. R.— Ama), or of vomiting, or may tend to aggravate the Doshas of the body. Hence an Asthapana-vasti (enema) should be applied only on an empty stomach. The Doshas (in the system) of a person He in a free and potent state at the close of the process of digestion, and are easily and spontaneously eliminated from the system (by the application of the Asthapana-vasti), when the stomach (As'aya) is not further oppressed or stuffed with food. The digestive fire ifdthards^ni) can not digest the food, if scattered or diffused by the application of an Asthapana-vasti (into the bowels). Hence it is that an Asthdpana injection should be made on an empty stomach. The application of a Niruha-vasti (which is not applicable in all cases) should, however, be determined with a regard to the exigencies of the case, since the strength of the aggravated Doshas of the body abate with the evacuap. 632tions of the bowels (as well as with the elimination of all filthy matters from the system). 8.

* Both Vrinda and Chakradatta read ^^A'^topa'' (rumbling sounds in the intestines) in place of ^*A'^ndha/^

Drugs to be used in a NiruhavaSti :— The following drugs and articles, or as many of them as would be available, such as, all kinds of milk, acid group (Kanjika, etc.), urine, Sneha (oleaginous substances), the drug decoctions (Kashaya), meatsoup (Rasa), salts, Phala (Triphala), honey, S^atdhvd, Sarshapa, Vacha, Eld, Trikatu, Rdsnd, Sarala, Devaddru, Rajani, Yashti-madhu, Hingu, Kushtha, the drugs of the Sams' odhana (corrective) group (Trivrit, etc.), Katuka, Sugar, Musta, Usira, Chandana, S athi, Manjishthd, Madana, Chandd Trdyamdnd, Rasdnjana, (dried) Vilva fruit, Yamdni, Phalini, Indrayava, Yava, Kdkoli, Kshira-kdkoli , Jivaka, Rishahhaka, Medd, Mahdmedd, Riddhi, Vriddhi and MadhuHkd, should be used in charging a Nirudha-vasti. 9.

Formula of the Niruha-vasti :— In the