Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

This ‘arishta1 conquers also the following diseases, viz., diseases of the chest, chlorosis, swellings of even aggravated nature, enlarge¬ ment of the spleen, fever (some texts have vertigo), disgust for food', gonorrhoea, abdominal tumours, fistula-in-ano, the six varieties of dropsy, cough, asthmatic breathing, lienteric dysentery, leprosy, itches, vitiated wind in blood and other ‘dhatus’ of the body, consti¬ pation of the bowels, hiccup, leucoderma, and malignant jaundice.

If a person that is afflicted with swellings takes boiled rice with meat-juice (after drinking this ‘arishta’) he becomes endued with brightness of complexion, strength, longevity, ‘ojas,’ and energy. 35-36

Even this is the composition of ‘Punarnavadyarishta.’

The three myrobalans, Dipyaka ( Ptychotis Ajowan ), Chitraka ( Plumbago zeylanica ), Pippali ( Piper longum ), the dust of iron, and Vidanga ( Embelia Ribes), — all these should be powdered.

Take a ‘Kudavika’ (4 palas) of this powder ; add twice that measure of honey, and a tula of old treacle. Put the product in an earthen jar which has soaked a sufficient quantity of ghee, for a month, covering it with the straw of barley.

* The text of these 3 verses is currupt as occuring in the Calcutta and Bombay editions, t adopt Gangadhar’s readings. He has, however, one error to answer for. In the first line of 32, ‘Sapatha,’ and not ‘Sapathe,’ is correct. In the same line ‘Vas5,’ and not ‘Danti,’ is Ihe correct reading. ‘Tame yavanam,’ and not ‘pale yav5n5m,’ is correct. ‘Paratastu’ and not ‘paritastu’ is correct.

In the first line of 34, the last word is ‘patraih’ and not ‘lobaih.’ The other inaccuracies need not be noticed.— T.

CHARAKA -SAM HIT A.

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The ‘arishta’ thus prepared, cures the same diseases (that is, those which are cured by the ‘arishta’ of Punarnava and the rest). 37

Even this is the composition of ‘Triphaladyarishta.’

Those ‘arishtas’ which have been pronounced beneficial in piles and in the case of persons afflicted with chlorosis, are also beneficial in the cases of persons afflicted with swellings.

Krishna (otherwise called Pippali, that is, Piper longum ), Paths .( Cissampelos hernandifolia ), Gajapippali ( Pothos officinalis ), Nidigdhika {Solanum Xanthocarpum ), Chitraka ( Plumbago Zeylanicd), Nagara (dry ginger), the roots of Pippali {Piper longum ), Rajani {Curcuma longa), Ajaji (cumin seeds), and Musta (tubers of Cyperus rotundus), should be pulverised and dissolved in hot water. When the water becomes lukewarm, it should be drunk.

This solution cures the excitement of the three“faults, and swell¬ ings that are old. The paste of Bhunimba (Agathoies Chereyta ) and Mahaushadha (ginger), dissolved in hot water, produces the same •effects. 38-39

Iron dust, the three acrids, and the ashes of incinnerated shoots of barley, reduced to powder and drunk with the decoction of the three myrobalans, produces the same effects.

The two varieties of alkaline ashes {viz., those of dry radishes ^and those of dry ginger), the four varieties of salt, iron dust, Vyosha (the three acrids), and Phalatrika (the three myrobalans), the roots of Pippali {Piper longum), the kernel of Vidanga {Embelia Ribes), Musta (the tubers of Cyperus rotundus ), Ajamoda {Ptychotis Ajowan), Amaradaru {Pinus deodara), Vilwa {Xigle marmelos), Kalingaka (the seeds of Holarrhena antidysenterica ), the roots of Chitraka {Plumbago Zeylanicd), Patha {Cissampelos hernandifolia ), Yashthika (liquorice), and AtivishS {Aconitum heterophyllum) :

Take a pala of each of these drugs : add 2 karshas of Hingu (assafcetida).

Reduce all these into a fine powder.

Take a drona (32 seers) of the ashes of dried radishes and dry

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CHAR A KA-SAMHITA.

ginger. (Boil it in water of eight times the measure till a fourth part of the liquid remains in the vessel).

Into the decoction thus prepared, throw the powdered drugs (mentioned above). Stir the powder till the liquid becomes thick without being burnt. .

Of the thick mass thus obtained, boluses should be formed of the size of jujubes.

When well dried, these boluses should be taken according to the ordinances laid down.

These boluses cure enlarged spleen, abdominal dropsy, leucoderma, malignant jaundice, chlorosis, disgust for food, consumption, swellings, violent diarrhoea, abdominal tumours, the effects of poison, calculi, difficulty of breathing, and cough of even the most violent forms. 4°-43

Even this is the composition of ‘Kshara-Gudika’ (boluses of alkaline ashes).

The physician may administer ginger, either raw or dry, with an equal measure of old treacle (to a person afflicted with swelling).