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

Decoctions of the leaves of the trees (Vilvâdi) possessed of Vayu-subduing virtue should be used for sprinkling purposes and oil duly cooked and prepared with the decoction of their roots and with the drugs of the Sarvagandha, group and pvith Kaitaryya* and Surdmanda as Kalka should be used in anointing the body of the child laid up with an attack of Skanda-graha. Draughts of clarified butter duly cooked with Deva-ddru , Rds?td> the drugs of the Madhura group and with milk, should be internally administered. 2-3.

Fumigation : — Moreover the body of the child should be fumigated with the fumes of the mustard seeds, the cast-off skin of a snake, Vachd , Kdkddani, clarified butter and the hairs of a camel, a goat, a sheep or of a cow mixed together and burnt. 4.

The twigs of Soma-balli (Guduchi), lndra-balli (Asmantaka) and S’ ami as well as the thorns of Vilva and the roots of Mrigddanz) should be strung together (in the shape of a garland) and tied (round its neck). 5.

The physician (or any other person acting on his behalf) should bathe in the night and worship the god Skanda for three successive nights in the inner quadrangle of the house of the child or at the crossing of roads with various offerings, viz., garlands of red flowers, red flags, red perfumes such as Kumkuma y edibles of various

* ICaitaryya, according to Dallana, means Nimba or Guduchi.

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14 6 THE SUSIIRUTA SAMHITX. [Chap. XXVIII.

kinds and newly harvested barley grains, 5 Alt rice. A cock should be sacrificed on the occasion (to appease his wrath) and bells should be rung (for his propitiation). The water to be used for bath (in course of worship), should be consecrated by reciting the G£yatri Mantra and the sacrificial fire should be duly lit with (three, seven or ten) libations (of clarified butter). 6 .

Mantras > — The body of the child should be guarded by a careful physician against the influence of the malignant Grahas by reciting every day a Mantra which runs as follows : — “May Skanda, the eternal and changeless deity who is the receptacle of all sorts of energies produced by austerities, fame, valour, or organic combination (vital energy), be propitious to thee. May the almighty Guha protect thee from all evils — Guha who is the commander-in-chief both of the army of the gods and of the Grahas and is the destroyer of the enemies of the army of the gods (in which rank he has been installed, lit. wedded, with the suffrage of all the gods). May he who is the begotten son of the supreme deity — the god of the gods and who acknowledges severally the exalted motherhood of Gangd, Umd and the KrittikAs, give thee health and comfort. May the beautiful god who pierced with a single shaft right through the heart of the mountain Krouncha and who is effulgent with the red rays of his own divine person smeared with the paste of red sandal-wood and decked with the garland of red flowers, protect thee from all perils.” 7 .

Thus ends the twenty-eighth chapter of the Uttara-Tantra in the Sus'ruta Samhitd which deals with the Therapeutics of Skanda-Graha.

CHAPTER XXIX.

Now we shall discourse on the chapter which deals with the Therapeutics of an attack by Skanddpasmâra

(Skandapasmara-Pratishedha). i.

A decoction of Vilva, S' iris ha, Golomi (. Durdlabhd ), and the drugs of the Surasddi group should be employed in sprinkling the body of the possessed child in a case of the present disease. Medicated oil duly cooked with the drugs of the Sawagandhd group should be used in anointing its body. Clarified butter duly cooked with milk and the decoction of the barks of the Kshiri trees together with the drugs of the Kâkolyddi group as Kalka* should be prescribed for internal use. 2 A.

The body of the affected child should be rubbed (Utsstdana) with the paste of Vachd and Hingu taken together. The dungs of an owl and a vulture, human hairs, the nails of an elephant, clarified butter, and the hairs of a bull should be mixed together and used for fumigating the child’s body. Anantd , Vimbi , Markati, and Kukkuti should be strung together and fastened (as a charm) to the body of the child. 213.

The physician (or the votary officiating for him) should worship the presiding deity of the disease in a ditch (dug out for the purpose) with the offerings of both cooked and uncooked meat, fresh blood (of a goat), milk, and edibles prepared with the Mdsha pulse for the ghosts, and the possessed child should be bathed at the crossing of roads by physician ' observing the

* Although Dallana prescribes the drug® of the K6koly£di group to be used as Kalka, we are inclined to take the sentence to mean that the decoction of those drugs should be used.

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THE SUSHRUTA SAMHITX. [ Chap. XXIX.

necessary fast, etc. with the recital of the following Mantra : — “O thou, the trusted and beloved friend of the god Skanda, O Skanddpasmdra, O thou ugly-faced one whom the world knows by the epithet of Visâkha, may good befall this child in distress.” 2.