An English Translation of the Sushruta Samhita, Vol. I: Sutrasthanam — trans. Kaviraj Kunja Lal Bhishagratna (1907)

of all kinds of curd, and of all emollient remedies (Santarpanam). Curd prepared with the milk of a she-elephant, is light in digestion, subdues Kapham, and is heat-making in its potency. It impairs digestion, leaves an astringent after-taste and increases the quantity of fecal matter. Of all the preceding kinds of curd, the one prepared with cow's milk should be regarded as the best in virtue and quality. This curd well filtered through a piece of clean linen, imparts a relish to the food, whereas the curd, which had been prepared with boiled milk, should be deemed the most efficacious. The cloth-filtered curd subdues the deranged Va^ai. It is demulcent and restorative, though it tends to increase the Kapham without bringing about a similar augmentation of the Pittam. The curd prepared with boiled milk subdues the deranged V^yu and Pittam, imparts a relish to the food, and acts as a good stomachic remedy. It increases the strength and the root principle of life. The cream of curd is heavy and spermatopoietic. It subdues the deranged Vayu, impairs digestion and is phlegmagogic and aphrodisiac. Curd made without cream is parchifying, astringent and arrests stool and urine (Vistambhi), It increases the bodily Vayu. It is appetising and is comparatively lighter, a little astringent in taste, and imparts a rehsh to food.

The use of curd is generally prohibited in (Vasanta)

Chap. XLV] SUTRASTHANAM.

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spring, (Grishma) summer, and (Sharat) autumn, whereas it is recommended during the rains (Varsha) and in the forepart of winter (Hemanta), and in the cold season proper (Shishira). The residuar}^ sediment of curd (Mastu) is frigorific and refrigerant, light and purifying to the internal channels of the body. It has a sweet and astringent taste and is anti-aphrodisiac. It destroys the deranged Vayu and Kapham, and is pleasant and palatable. It acts as a speedy purgative, and imparts strength to the system and relish to the food. In this group have been described the virtues of the seven kinds of curd such as, the sweet, the acid, the extremely acid, the curd of incomplete curdling, the curd of boiled milk, curd cream, and the creamless curd, as well as the residuary sediment (Mastu).

The Takra Group :— The Takra (whey) is sweet and acid in taste, and leaves an astringent aftertaste. It is light, appetising and heat-making in its potency, and has a parchifying effect upon the organism. Its curative efficacy is witnessed in cases of chemical or combinative poisoning, oedema, dysentery, diarrhoea, jaundice, piles, enlarged spleen, abdominal glands, nonrelish for food, intermittent fever, thirst, vomiting, waterbrash, colic and obesity. It subdues the deranged V^yu and Kapham, and is non-aphrodisiac. It is sweet in its digestive reaction and pleasant to the system. It

438 THE SUSHRUTA SAAIHITA'. [ Chap. XLV.

proves curative in difficult urination, and in diseases due to the abuse of emollient medicinal remedies and applications.

IVIetrical Texts : — A compound made of equal parts of curd and water and subsequenth' churned so as to have the contained cream or butter completely skimmed off, and which is neither too thick nor too thin, is called Takram. It possesses a taste blended of the sweet, acid and astringent. Waterless curd, churned with the entire butter or creamy substance inherent in it, is called Gholam {a kind of whey). The use of Takram is prohibited in the hot season, nor should "it be given to a weak person, nor to one suffering from an ulcer, or laid up with an attack of hccmoptysis, or to one suffering from epileptic fits, vertigo (Bhrama), or from a burning sensation in the body. The use of Takram is recommended during the cold months of the 3'ear, as well as to persons suffering from diseases due to the action of the deranged Kapham, or from suppression of stool or urine, etc., or from the effects of the deranged Vayu.

Again sweetened Takram soothes the deranged Pittam and aggravates the Kapham. Acid Takram subdues the Vayu and produces Pittam.

IVIetrical Texts : — In a case of deranged or disordered V^yu, acid Takram should be drunk mixed with rock-salt, and with sugar in disorders of the Pittam,

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while in a case of deranged Kapliam it should be mixed with Yavakshara and the powders of the drugs known as Vyosha. TakrakurcMka (Inspissated milk) is astringent (^Gr^hi), parchifying and hard to digest. It produces Vayu. The Manda or the residuary sediment of a«compound made of the aforesaid Kurchika and Dadhi Takram fcurd-whey) is lighter than whey. Kilata* is heavy, hypnotic, spermatopoietic and subdues V^yu. Similarly, Morathat and Piyusha? are sweet to the taste and restorative and aphrodisiac in their properties.