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

instinctively dawn upon his consciousness. Like the gods, he knows no failure in life and roams about in the world in the full glory of divine majesty. 9.

Distinctive features of the Soma

Plants! — A Soma plant of whatever species is furnished with fifteen leaves which wax and wane with the waxing and the waning of the moon. Thus one leaf grows every day in the lighted fortnight attaining the greatest number (fifteen) in the night of the full moon and then the leaves begin to decrease in number dropping one by one every day till the bare stem of the creeper is left on the night of the new moon. 10.

Their description :— The Ams'uman species of the Soma is characterised by a smell like that of clarified butter and has a bulb, while the Rajata-prabha is possessed of a bulb resembling a plantain in shape. The Munjavan puts forth leaves like those of a garlic while the Chandramah species is possessed of a golden colour and is aquatic in its habitat. The Garudahrita and S vetcLksha species are yellowish (Pandura) and look like the cast-off skins of a snake and are usually found to be pendent from the boughs of trees 11.

All other species are marked with parti-coloured circular rings. Possession of fifteen leaves of variegated colours, a bulb, a creeper-like appearance, and secretion of milky juice are the general characteristics of all the Soma plants. 12- A,

Their habitats : —The Himdlayas,'the Arvuda, the Sahya, the Mahendra, the Malaya, the S'ri-Parvata, the Deva-giri, the Deva-saha, the Paripatra, the Vindhya mountains and lake Devasunda are the habitats of the Soma plants. Somas, of the Chandramdh species are often found to be floating here and there on the mighty stream of the river Sindhu (Indus) which flows down at the foot

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538 THE SUSHRUTA SAMHITA [Chap. XXIX.

of the five large mountains lying to the north bank beyond the Vitasta (river). The Munjavdn and the Ams'umdn species may also be likewise found in the same locality while those known as the Gdyatri, Traishtubha Pamkta, Jdgata, S'amkara, and others looking as beautiful as the moon are found to float on the surface of the divine lake known as the little Mdnasa in Kashmir. 12-B.

The Soma plants are invisible to the impious or to the ungrateful as well to the unbeliever in the curative virtues of medicine and to those spiteful to the Brdhmanas. 12.

Thus ends the Twenty-ninth Chapter of the Chikitâila Sihanam in the Sus'ruta Samhita which deals with the Prophylactic elixirs for the innate maladies.

CHAPTER XXX.

Now we shall discourse on the tonic remedie? which remove mental and physical distress (Nivrittasamtapiya-Rasayana). i.

IVIetrical Text :- Even in this world mortals may live happily, free from disease and care like the gods in heaven if they (mortals) can secure the aftermentioned drugs (of all-healing potency). 2.

Persons unfit for the use of Rasaiyana :— The (following) seven classes of persons, viz , the intemperate, the lazy, the indigent, the unwise, the immoral (Vyasani^,* the sinful and the triflers of medicine, are unfit to take these ambrosial (Rasdyana) drugs on account of their respective ignorance, inaclivily, poverty, vascillation, intemperance, impiety and inability to secure the genuine medicines. 3.

Names of all-healing drugs :— Now

we shall discourse on these drugs. They are S'vetakdpoti, Krishna-kdpoti, Gonasi, Vdrdhi, Kanyd, Chhatrd, Ati-chchatrd^ Karenu^ Afd, Chakrakd, Adityaparnini, Suvarchald, Brahma-suvarchald, S'rdvani, liTahd-s'rdvani, Golomi, Aja-lomi and Mahd-Vegavati. These are the namas of the eighteen different kinds of drugs of mighty potency. The mode of their use, their

*3TFfff is a technical term and is divided into two classes, viz., et)|4(3f (/,^. , produced by pafsion or desire) and ^>;fg^ (/.^., originated from anger). Tde first group comprises hunting, dice-playing, day-sleep, censuring, addiction to woman, intoxication, singing, dancing, playing on musical instruments and idle wanderings. The second class comprises wickedness, violence, malice, jealou.-.y, envy, extravagance, roughness in language and assault. See Manu, Ch. 7. 47, 48.

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therapeutical effects and the religious rites to be observed in their connection, have been described in the Sdstras and are identical with those of the Soma plants. In order to use them a man should enter the (prescribed) chamber (AgaCra) and perform the (prescribed) Homa ceremonies, A Kudava measure of the milky juice of the secreting species of the plants should be taken once for all after entering the chamber. 4.