An English Translation of the Sushruta Samhita, Vol. II — trans. Kaviraj Kunja Lal Bhishagratna (1911)

X Though the word "Panitala" means a "Karsha" i.e., two Tolas, yet as lhcr( is the word "Purnam" inserted after it, so a handful should be understood here by this term. — Dallana. It should be observed, however, that the difiference in the two interpretations is uhimaiely immaterial. — Ed.

p. 366

many times (i. e., seven days) saturated with the decoction of the drugs of the Ara^vad/iddt group (and dried). Then the prepared compound should be taken with the vehicle of the decoction of the drugs of the said S'd/asd nidi group. A pulverised compound {Chiirna) may be as well prepared in the above manner from the fruits of the Nyagrodddhi group or frcm the flowers of the Aragvadhddi group. lo.

IVIedicinal Ayaskriti : — Now we shall describe the process of preparing an Ayaskriti (iron compound). Thin leaves of steel should be plastered with the (five officinal kinds of) salts and heated in fire a of dried cow-dung. When red-hot, they should be immersed in a decoction of Triphald and the drugs of the S' dla-sdrddi group. The above process should be repeated sixteen times in succession after which they should be heated and burnt in a fire of Khadira wood. When cooled down, the iron foils should be pounded into fine powder and passed through a piece of thick linen. The patient should be made to take this powder with honey and clarified butter in an adequate dose suiting his capacity. After the digestion of the medicine, he should take such a meal as is not hostile to hisparticular disease and is devoid of salt and acid articles. The use of a Tula measure of this medicinal iron preparation in the above manner leads to the recovery of Kushtha, Meha (urinary complaints), obesity, cedima, jaundice, insanity and epilepsy and makes the patient live for one hundred years. The use of each additional Tula weight of the preparation adds a century to the duration of the user's life. This is the mode of medically preparing all kinds of Loha (zinc, copper, lead and gold). 11-12.

Aushadha Ayaskriti :— A ball of iron

^\veighing fifty Palas) heated and made red-hot in a

Chap. X.] CIIIKITSA STHAXAM. 367

fire of Khadira wood should be cooled by immersing it in a cauldran (Droni), made of (green) Palas'a wood and containing (five-hundred Palas of) Svarasa (expressed juice* of Trivit, S'yam^, Agnimantha, Samkhini, Kevuka, Lodhra.Triphald, Palas'a and Simsapa. The iron mass should be thus heated and cooled twenty one times in succession ; finally the iron ball should be immersed and boiled in the expressed juice of the foregoing drugs over a fire of cow-dungs. It should be removed from the fire when only a quarter part of the liquid would remain. It should now be filtered and the mass of iron should be again heated in the fire mixed with the same liquid and boiled again ; when the cooking is nearly complete, (it should be removed from the fire and) a pulverised compound of the drugs included in the Pippalyddi gxou^ together with honey and clarified butter each weighing double the quantity of the iron mass or ball should be mixed with the same. When cooled down, this preparation should be preserved in a well-sealed iron-pitcher. The medicine, thus prepared, should be given to the patient according to his capacity but not less than a Sukti (^half a Pala) or a Prakuncha measure (one Pala). After the digestion of this medicine, a diet should be given to the patient determined by the nature of his disease. This is called the Aushadha Ayaskriti and it cures even the incurable types of Kushtha and urinary complaints (Meha\ reduces obesity, impairs cedima and improves the impaired digestive functions.