An English Translation of the Sushruta Samhita, Vol. III: Uttara-tantra — trans. Kaviraj Kunja Lal Bhishagratna (1916)

t According to Gayadasa, this rule should be observed for one, three, or five days in cases of the preponderance of Vayu, Pitta and Kapha respectively, and according to Jejjata, in cases of mild, moderate and severe attack respectively.

36 THE SUSHRUTA SAMHITjC [ Chap. XVII I.

are the symptoms which result from a proper and satisfactory Tarpana of the eye. Cloudiness of vision, a sense of heaviness in the affected organ, excessive glossiness (of the eye), lachrymation, itching, sliminess and an aggravation of the Doshas are the features which mark a case of severe and excessive Tarpana. A sense of dryness in the affected organ, cloudiness of vision, profuse lachrymation, sensitiveness to light and an aggravation of the disease are the evils which follow an act of defective Tarpana (of the eye). 5.

Treatment of excessive and defective Tarpana Z — Cases of defective and excessive Tarpana should be remedied with the application of medicinal snuffs, Anjanas, washes and inhalations of smoke and by adopting dry or emulsive measures, (as the cases may require). 6.

Cases for Tarpana Shrivelling and dcpilation of the eye-lashes, cloudiness and darkness of vision, archedness of sight, absolute want of lachrymation, parchedness of the eye, hardness of the eye-lid and a severely diseased condition of the eye are amenable to the application of the Tarpana measure as giving tone to the eye. The Tarpana measure should not to be applied in a cloudy day, nor in a day excessively hot or cold. It should not be applied to the eye of a person engrossed by anxiety or fear, nor before the subsidence of the supervening symptoms (Upadrava) of the eye-disease. 7-8.

The Puta-pa'ka The Puta-ptfka measure should be applied in the aforesaid cases. The Puta-p£ka is not applicable in cases where Nasya (errhines), Tarpana and the internal application of Sncha (Sneha-pAna) are forbidden. After a complete subsidence of the Dosha, the Puta-pdka should be applied to the (affected) eye *

Chap. XVIII.

UTTARA-TANTRAM.

p. 87

in cases where the patient would be found capable of being treated with it. The Puta-paka measure may be divided into three classes, viz., Snehana (emulsive), Lekhana (scraping) and Ropana (healing) Puta-pâka. The Snehana (emulsive) Puta-pâka is recommended in cases marked by the extreme parchedness of the affected organ or locality, and Lskhana (scraping) ones are efficacious in cases of excessive applications of the Sneha to the eye ; while the eye-sight is invigorated by the Ropana (healing) Puta-pdka, which restores the Vdta, * the Pitta and the blood of the affected locality to their natural conditions, and (consequently) heals the ulcer. 9-10.

Preparation of Snehana, Lekhana, and Ropana Puta-pa'kas s— The Snehana

(emulsive) Puta-pdka should be prepared with the flesh (of animals frequenting marshy places) abounding in Sneha f and with the Vasct (lard), Majjan (marrow), and Medas (fat), and the drugs of the Madhura group and it should be retained in the eye so long as one would take to utter two hundred syllables. The scraping or Lekhana Puta-pâka should be prepared with the flesh and the liver of an animal of the Jdngala species and the drugs possessing the Lekhana or scraping properties, as well as powders of black iron (steel), copper, conchshells, Vidruma (corals), Saindhva salt, Samudra-phena, Kdsisa (sulphate of iron) and Srotonjana (pasted together) with the cream of curd. The affected locality should be exposed to a Lekhana Puta-pjjjca as long as

* A different reading, mentioned by Dallana, does not read “Vita.” t In place of meaning flesh abounding in Sneha, a different reading tf- c * clarified butter and flesh) is quoted by

Dallana.

p. 88

THE SUSHRUTA SAMHITX. [ Chap. XVIII.

one would take to utter a hundred syllables at most. The healing or Ropana Puta-pâka should be prepared by cooking the flesh of an animal of the Jângala group with breast-milk, honey*, clarified butter and the bitter drugs, and should be retained in the affected eye for a period three times as much as the Lekhana-Puta-pdka should be retained i.e., for a period as long as one would require to utter three hundred syllables. n-13.