Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

In consequence of their keenness, heating virtues, purity, and subtility, wines, acting upon the mouths of ducts, speedily open them. In consequence of the mouths of the ducts being (thus opened, the seven ‘dhatus’ (juice, blood, flesh, bones, marrow, semen, and ojas), grow. In consequence, again, of the growth of the ‘dhatus,’ phthisis becomes soon alleviated. i63

With the decoction of the flesh of such animals as live upon flesh, ghee should be boiled. Such ghee acts as an alleviative of phthisis.

Ghee boiled with milk ten times its own measure, and mixed with honey, alleviates phthisis.

Ghee boiled with the paste of such drugs as are included in the group called ‘Madhuraka,’ as also with the decoction of the ten roots> and mixed with milk and meat-juice, is the feremost of all alleviatives of phthisis. 164-165

Ghee , cooked with Pippali ( Piper longum), Pippalimula (roots of Piper longum ), Chavya ( Chavica officinarmri), Chitraka (. Plumbago Zeylanica ), Nagara (dry ginger), the ashes of barley spikes, and milk, Is regarded as a corrective of (obstructed) ducts. 166

Ghee cooked with Rasna ( Vanda Roxburghii), Bala (Rida cordifolia), Gokshuraka ( Tribulus terrestris ), SthirS ( Hedysarum Gange-

‘Prasanna,’ &c., are different kinds of wir s. — T.

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

p. 1258

ticuwi), and Varshabhu (otherwise called PunarnavS, i. e., Boerkavia diffusa), and the paste of Jivanti ( Ccelogyne ovalis ) and Pippali {Piper longum ), and milk, conquers phthisis. 167

Or, the patient should drink, in proper measure, these ghees thuscooked with the kinds of flesh mentioned above, mixing them with the gruel of barley, or lick them, mixing them with honey, or eat them with his meals.* 168

Even thus is laid down the course of food and drink in respect of a person who is wasting away under an attack of phthisis.

The course of treatment that should be adopted in respect of external applications, are now being laid down. i6.9

The patient should, after his body has been well-rubbed with oil, be bathed in a tub filled with ghee} milk, and water, for opening the obstructed mouths of the ducts, as also for imparting to him strength and growth.-)- *1°

When the patient rises from the tub, he should be made to sit at his ease, and his body should be rubbed with oils and ghees of differ¬ ent kinds mixed together. The person who rubs him should do so with gentle and wet hands.

He should also b.e gently rubbed with the following pulv.$ 171

Jivanti {Ccelogyne ovalis ), (^ataviryya {Panicum dactylon ), Vikasa (otherwise called Manjishtha, i. e., Rubia cordifolia ), Punarnava ( Boer - havia diffusa), AgwagandhS {Physalis fiexuosa ), Apamârga {Achyr ranthes aspera ), Tarkari {AEschynomene sesban),% Madhuka (liquorice), Bala ( Sida cordifolia), 172

Vidari {Batatus paniculatuPj, mustard seeds, Kushtha {Aplotaxis auriculata ), rice-grains, Atasiphala (linseeds), MSsha (seeds of Phaseolus Roxburghii), sesame seeds, and the fruit of Vilwa {AEgle Marmelos ) ;

These should be pounded together. *73

•* The patient is directed to take the ghees mentioned, in three different ways : I. mixing them with gruel of barley ; 2. mixing them with honey ; and 3. along with his meals. — T.

-|- ‘Avagahayet’ implies that the patient’s body should be wholly immersed in the tub.— T.

* ‘MridpiySt’ is rubbing. ‘Utsadana’ implies cleaning. What is said here is that mixed oils and ghees should be used for rubbing the patient’s person. The pulv mentioned in the next verse should be rubbed on the body for cleansing it of all filthy — T.

§ ‘Tarkari’ is otherwise called ‘Jayanti.’ In Bengal, it is known by the name of ‘Dhanche.’ — T.

CHAR A ICA-SAMHITA .

p. 1259

Add flour of barley, of twice the measure (of the powder thus obtained).

Add curds mixed with honey.

The compound thus formed should be used as an ‘utsâdana.’ It is capable of bringing about growth, complexion, and strength.* 174 The patient may also be rubbed with the paste of white mustard seeds, or with emollients made of the paste of sweet-scented drugs.

He should then be bathed in water boiled with the drugs belong¬ ing to the ‘Jivanya’ group and made agreeable to the body according to the requirements of the season. j- i75

After the bath he should be smeared with fragrant unguents and decked with floral vvreaths and good robes and ornaments. He should then touch the (usual) auspicious articles (such as kine, gems, &c,), and worship the deites along with the physician himself and Brahmanas. 176

1 He should then eat and drink such food and drink as are endued with agreeable colour, taste, and touch, and as are possessed of deli¬ cious scent, as are agreeable, mixed with things that are agreeable, as are beneficial, and as are productive of happiness. *77

The rice which is beneficial for ' persons afflicted with phthisis should be a year old ; well cooked ; light of digestion yet not devoid of strength-giving substance ; possessed of agreeable taste and good scent ; and capable of imparting cheerfulness.]; *78 ... .