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

the deranged Pittam and Kapham. Zinc and lead are vermifugal, as well as liquefacient and corrosive. They have a saline tas*e. Pearls, corals, diamonds, sapphires, Vaidurya (lapis lazuli), crystals, etc. are beneficial to the sight, and cooling in their potency. They ar« antitoxic and act as liquefacient or corrosive agents. They are possessed of sacred prophylactic virtues, and bring good luck to men who wear them, and cleanse their wearers from all impurities. Thus the description of the salt group is ended.

IVIetrical texts : —The intelligent shall determine the properties of cereals, flesh, fruits, potherbs, etc., (other than those described under their respective heads in the present chapter), which should be determined with the help of their respective tastes, as well as from the nature of the predominant material principles which enter * into their composition. The Shastika, barley, wheat, Rakta-Shali, and the pulses such as the Mudga, the Adhakia, and the Masura should be regarded as the best and by far the most nutritious of the cereals which fall under the respective heads of the Paddy Group (Dhanyavarga). The flesh of the Lava, Tittiri, Saranga, Kuranga, Ena, Kapinjala, Mayura (peacock), Varmi and Kurma (tortoise) should be regarded as the best of those of all other animals respectively belonging to their own species. Of fruits, those called Dddimva, A'malaka, Drdkshd,

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THE SUSHRUTA SAMHITA. [Chap. XLVI.

Kharfura, Parushaka, Rcijddana and ■ Mdtulunga should be considered as the most commendable and efficacious. Of potherbs those- known as the Satma, Vdstiika, ChuchcJmka, Chilli, Mulaka-Potikd, Mandi'ikaparnij and Jivanti should be regarded as possessed of the most commendable properties. Cow's milk is the best of milks, and similarly, clarified butter made from the milk of a cow should be considered as pre-eminently the best and the most efficacious of clarified butters.

Saindhava salt is the best of all other salts. Dhdtri and Dddhnva fruit are the best of all the acid kinds ; Pippali and Ndgara of all pungent, and Patola and Vdrtdkam of all bitter vegetable substances. Honey and clarified butter occupy the highest place in the list of all sweet articles. Pugaphalam and Parushakam are the best of all astringent fruit. Sugar is pre-eminently the best of all the modifications of the sugar-cane juice, while Madvirka and Asava (grape-juice) are the best of all cordials. Similarly, the corn (lit : paddy) of a year's standmg or matured for a year after being harvested, is the most efficacious. The flesh of a young animal, as well as well-cooked rice prepared, that day, fully ripe fruit, and fresh and tender potherbs should be deemed as the best of their respective kinds.

The kritarina varga :- Now we shall fully

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deal with the properties of cooked and prepared food (Kritaniias). A gruel (Manda) of fried paddy seasoned with ^/owdered Pippali and Nagara proves a wholesome diet to a patient after the exhibition of purgatives and emetics, inasmuch as it is digestantf appetising and agreeable, and tends to restore the bodily Vayu to its normal condition. Peyd is diaphoretic, appetising, light of digestion, diuretic (lit : bladder-cleanser). It allays thirst and hunger, and tends to remove the sense of fatigue and exhaustion. It serves to rekindle an impaired appetite and restore (lit : soothes down) the deranged Vayu to its normal condition. Vilepi acts as an emulcent food and soothes the entire organism. It is tonic, and imparts strength and rotundity to the frame. It is light, astringent, appetising, agreeable, quenches thirst and satisfies hunger. The Yavdgii, when cooked with meat, potherbs and fruit, is hard to digest. It is otherwise agreeable, soothing, s}iermatopoietic, tissuebuilding, and tonic. ]\Ianda is prepared by carefully excluding all the residuar)- shreds of its component substances, while Peya is cooked without any such exclusion. A gruel, which abounds with such^ seedy shreds, is called Vilepi, while the variety, which is slightly fluid and extremel}' seedy in its consistency, is named Yavagu. The preparation known as the Payasa (a sort of porridge cooked by boihng rice with milk and sugar) is long retained in the stomach in an undigested state and is heavy of digestion,p. 534 though it tends to impart strength to the body, and generates fat and Kapham in the organism.