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

* According to Dallana, four Pala weights of\honey, one Pala of milk, one Pala and a half of cow's urine, and four Pala and a half of Kanjika, should be added to this solution.

Chap. XXXVIII.] CHIKITSA STHANAM. 64I

Pichchhila-Vasti :— Milk cooked with Vtddrz* Airdvati, S'clti, S'dlmali and the tender sprouts of Dha?ivana should be used as a Vasti with the blood and honey (added to it) ;f it is called the PichchhilaVasti. The fresh blood of a buffalo, hog, sheep, or of a cat, or the contents of a newly laid (hen's) egg|: may be used for the purpose. 29-30.

Grahi -Vasti :— A paste of the drugs of the Amhashthddi group, dissolved in a decoction of those of the Priyangvddi group and mixed with honey and clarified butter, may be used as a Vasti and is called the Gr^hi-Vasti. 31.

Sneha-Vasti :— A Sneha-Vasti should be prepared by duly cooking the drugs of one or two of the above groups with a Sneha. 32.

Sterile women should be treated with a Vasti consisling of the S'ata-pdka-Vala-Taila or the TraivritaGhrita (as described before)§ after being cleansed (S'odhaiia) in due succession. 33.

Strong" enemas (possessed of keen medicinal potency) should be employed in respect of extremely strong t Vrinda does not recommend the addition of honey ; he reads "^^cfT. ^;" (»•*•» ^^ Vasti should be in a cold state), in place of "tj)^4Jcir." But it is evident from the rea<3ing of Dallana's commentary, as quoted by S'rikantha Datta, that honey should be added.

* Both Vrinda and Chakrapani read " Vadari " in place of " Vidari", and their annotators mean to say that the tender sprouts of all tiees, viz., Vadari, etc., should be used.

X Both Vrinda and Chakrapani read "^T^i" in place of "'^Hjg" which means that the newly spilt blood of a goat should be added to the list and hen's egg should be eliminated therefrom.

§ Vala-Taila has been mentioned in the treatment of Mudha-garbha (Chapter XV, Chikitsita Sthanam) and the Traivrita-Ghriia has been describeil in the treatment of Maha-Vatavyadhi (Chapter V, Chikitsita Sihanam).

Si

642 THE SUSIIRUTA SAMIIITA. [Chap. XXXVIU.

patients, and those of moderate potency should be employed in respect of persons possessed of a middling sort of bodily strength, while weak persons should be treated with Vastis (enemas) of mild potency. An experienced physician should thus apply Vastis (enemas) with due regard to the nature of the season, the strength of the patient, the nature and intensity of the disease under treatment and of the Doshas involved therein and to the nature of the potency of the ingredients to be used in charging the Vasti (enema).* 34.

Loosening or disintegrating (Utkles'ana — lit. irritating) enemas {ie.^ those possessed of the virtue of dislodging and disintegrating the accumulated Doshas in the system) should be employed at the outset and corrective ones (Dosha-hara) should then be employed, while those exerting a soothing influence on the organism (Sams'amana) should be employed last of all towards the close of the treatment 35.

Different Vastis : — An Utklesana (disintegrating) Vasti consists of castor seeds, Yashti-madfm, Pippaliy Saindhava^ Vacha^ Habushd and Phala (Triphala — Madana-phala, according to others) pasted together. A Dosha-hara- vasti (corrective enema) consists (of a solution) of Yashti-madhu, Kutaja seeds and Madanaphala with Kanjika and cow's urine. A Sams'odhanaVasti '.(soothing enema") consists of Priyangu, Yashtimadhu, Musta and Rasdnjajta-w\{h cow's milk. 36 — 38.

Wladhu-Tailika Vasti :— Now we shall describe in short the process of applying a Madhu-Tailika

* S'ivadasa, the commentator of Chakradatta, quotes two additional lines as being incorporated in Sus'ruta's text which, when translated, would be as follows : — Better use a Vasti of milder potency but never use on of strong potency than what is necessary and this is recommended especially in cases of delicate persons. — EJ.

Chap. XXXVIII.] CHIKITSA STUANAM. 643^