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

Fresh butter (Navanita'i is an albuminous substance, and is light, sweet, cooling, demulcent, pleasant, appetising, slightly acid and astringent. It subdues the deranged Vayu and Pittam. It is spermatopoietic, antacid in its reaction, and conduces to the improvement of one's memory and intellectual capacities. It proves beneficial in cases of consumption, cough, d3'spnoea, ulcer, piles and fecial paralysis.

Butter (of a few days standing) is heav)\ It increases the quantity of fat and Kapham, and imparts strength and rotundity to the body, and proves especially wholesome to children. Butter made of thickened milk is the best of all oily or (Kshira) substances. It

* Boiled milk curdled and subsequently heated and made into a paste is called KiMta.

t The milk of a cow recently delivered of a calf is called I'iyusha till the seventh day after its birth, while, it is subsequently called JNIoratha till it is perfectly purified and becomes fit for the use of man.

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is sweet, cooling and astringent ; and imparts softness to the body, improves the eye-sight, and proves curative in haemoptysis and eye-diseases.

Cream subdues the deranged Vayu. It is a pleasing (Tarpani ) tonic, is spermatopoietic, demulcent, palatable, heavy and sweet in taste and digestion, and proves remedial to hsemoptj'^sis.

Metrical Texts : — The virtues and properties of these modifications of curdled cow-milk have been described in detail since it is the best of all kinds of milk described before. The virtues and properties of similar preparations made from the milk of other animals should be regarded as identical with those of the milk of the animal out of which they have been prepared.

Clarified Butter (Ghritam) :~Ghritam

or clarified butter is Saumj^'a or cooling in its essence and potency, and is mild and sweet. It slightly increases the slimy secretions of the organs, and acts as a lubricating moistener, proving efficacious in Ud^varta insanity, epilepsy, colic, fever (chronic) and distention of the abdomen from the suppression of stool and urine (Anaha). It is appetising and subdues the Vayu and the Pittam. It improves memory, intelligence, complexion, voice, personal beauty, amiabihty of features and the principle of strength ;albumen,Ojas) in the body.

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It is vitalising, rejuvenating, spermatopoietic and heavy. It improves the eyesight, increases the quantity of bodily Kapham and the duration of life. It is sacred and is regarded as an appeaser of adverse fate. It eliminates poison from the body and wards off the invasions of monsters and demons.

IVIctrical Texts :— Clarified butter made of cow milk is sweet in digestion, and cool in its potency. It subdues the deranged Vayu and Pittam, and serves to eliminate poison from the system. It improves the eyesight and possesses excellent tonic and invigorating properties. Cowbutter, in its clarified state, is the best of all kinds of butter. Clarified butter made of the milk of a she-goat is appetising (Dipanam), eye-invigorating and strength-increasing. It proves a wholesome diet in cases of cough, dyspnoea and consumption (any wasting disease), and is h'ght in digestion. Clarified butter prepared with the milk of a she-buffalo is sweet, heav)"- in digestion, and proves remedial in haemoptysis. It is coohng and increases the quantity of bodily Kapham, and subdues the deranged Vayu and Pittam. Clarified butter made with the milk of a she-camel is anti-toxic, appetising and pungent in digestion. It subdues the deranged Vayu and Kapham, and proves curative in oedema, worms in the intestines, cutaneous affections, abdominal glands, and ascites. Clarified butter made with the milk of a ewe is light inp. 56p. 442 digestion. It does not enrage Pittam, and proA'es beneficial in cases of rigour, phthisis (Shosha) and in diseases due to the action of the deranged Vayu and Kapham, as well as in those which affect the female organs of generation. Clarified butter made with the milk of a mare (lit : — any female mammal with unbifurcated hoops) is light in digestion, heatmaking in its potency, and astringent in taste. It is appetising, anuretic, and subdues the action of the deranged Kapham.