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

The species of pulse known as Masura is sweet of digestion and constipates the bowels. The species Makushthaka is vermigenous, while the species Kalaya generates Vayu copiously. The species Adhaki subdues the Pittam and Kapham, and does not excessively agitate the V^yu in the organism. The species known as the Chanaka generates Vayu and is cooling in its potency. It has a sweet and astringent taste, and produces a parched condition of the body. It subdues the Pittam and Kapham, corrects the deranged blood, and tends to bring on a loss of the virile powers. The species known as Satina and Harenu are astringent in their virtues and tend to constipate the bowels. All the varieties of pulse except the Mudga and the Masura tend to produce a distension of the abdomen caused by gas or air in the organism (Tympanites or Adhm^na).

The pulse known as the Masha has a sweet taste, is heavy and pleasant, laxative, diuretic, demulcent, heat-making, aphrodisiac, and specifically spermatopoietic, tonic and galactogoguic. It subdues the Vayu and increases the Kapham. The species known as the Alasandra (Rajamasha) does not produce Kapham

476 THE SUSHRtJTA SAMHITA. [ Chap. XLVI.

and is neither laxative nor diuretic on account of its astringent nature. It is sweet in taste and of digestion, pleasant, glactogoguic and improves-'a relish for food. The properties of Atmagupta and Kakanda seeds are similzir to those of the aforesaid Masha pulse. The species known as the Aranya-masha is astringent in taste, produces a condition of parchedness in the system, and is not followed by any reactionary^ acidity after being digested. The pulse known as Kulattha has an astringent taste, is pungent of digestion and is possessed of astringent properties. It proves curative in cases of urinary calculi arising from seminal derangement (Shukr^shmari), abdominal glands, catarrh, and cough. The species known as the Vanya-Kulattha subdues the deranged Kapham, and proves curative in cases of Anaha, obesity, piles, hic-cough and dyspnoea. It may bring on an attack of hoemoptysis, and proves beneficial in diseases affecting the eyes. Tilam has a taste blended of the sweet and the bitter with a shade of the astringent. It is astrigent, heat-making, and produces Pittam. It is sweet of digestion, demulcent, tonic, and curative as a plaster for ulcers. It is benefiicial to the skin and teeth, improves the intellect and'digestion, is anuretic and heavy, helps the growth of hair, and subdues the deranged Vdyu.

Of all the different varieties of sesamum, the black species is the best in respect of efficacy. The whitep. 477 species occupies a middle position as regards its virtues, while the remaining varieties should be regarded as of inferior quality. *

Barley (Yava) is cooling, sweet and astringent in taste, and pungent of digestion. It subdues the deranged Pittam and Kapham. It is anuretic, beneficial to ulcers ; and like sesamum, increases the quantity of stool and the emission of flatus, imparts firmness to the body and improves the voice, complexion and digestion. It is slini}^ and produces a condition of extreme parchedness in the system, removes obesity, and subdues fat. It subdues the deranged Vayu, is refrigerant and soothes (purifies) the blood and Pittam. The Atiyavas (a species of barle}^) is inferior to the barley species in respect of the preceding qualities.

Wheat is sweet, heavy, tonic, rejuvicient, spermatopoietic, and improves the relish for food. It is demulcent and extremely cooling, subdues the Vayu and Pittam, and generates the Kapham. New wheat is laxative and brings about the adhesion of fractured bones or helps fermentation (SandhanakritJ.

The Shimvas (Beans) have an astringent taste and produce a condition of parchedness in the S3'stem. They are antitoxic, discutient, and reduce the Kapham and the power of sight. They are imperfectly digested and acquire a pungent taste in digestion, though

478 THE StiSHRUTA SAMHITA. [ Chap: XLVt."

ordinarily sweet in taste. They cause evacuation of the bowels and emission of flatus.

There are four variteies of Shimva such as, the white, the black, the yellow and the red, of which each preceding species is superior in virtues and qualities to the one immediately following it in the order of enumeration. The Shimvas are heat-making and pungent both in taste and digestion.