Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

brown Sandal wood. The word is sometimes used for Berberis asiatica.

2Q CHA RAKA-SA MHITl.

Sita(«), Lata (6), Vetasa(e), Padmaka(^), liquorice, Aindri(<?), lotus, Durva(/), the root of Yavasa(^), of Kufa(A), of Kafa(f), Jala ( j ), and Eraka(/£), form a plaster that relieves burning of the skin,25

£aileya(/), Ela (m), Aguru(«), Kushtha(o), Chanda (/ ), Nata(y), Tvak(r), Suradaru(j), Rasna(^), £irisha( u ), Sindhuvara( v), form a plaster which, if applied cold, would soon destroy the effects of poision (f, venomous bites),25

£irisha(a/), Namajjaka(jf), Hema(y), and Lodhra(^), if pounded into dust and rubbed, destroy diseases qf the skin and check excessive sweat, a. The \yord stands sometimes for Vidari ( Convolvulus paniculatus ) , as also for sugar; the Bengal physicians understand hy it the white Durva or Panicum dactylon. The ordinary Durva may be made to assume a white color by causing it to grow under cover of a large basket.

k. Identified by the Commentator \yith hfanjishtha. Rubia cordifolia ; syn. Rubia manjishta.

c. Calamus rotang.

d. Root-stock of Nymphtza Lotus.

e. Called also Qorakshakarkati or Rakhale Sasha. Momordica umballata.

f. Panicum dactylon ; syn. Cynodon dactylon.

g. Called also Duralava (vide Commentary). 3edysarum.Alha.gi; syn. Alkqgi

Maurorum.

h. Poa Cynosuroides.

i. Saccharum spontaneum.

j. Called also Vata (vide Commentary).

k. Typha angustifolia ; syn. Typha elefihantinq.

l. Called also Cailaja. A species of Lichen.

m. Cardamoms (large).

». Aquilaria Agallocha.

a. Saussurea auriculata ; syn. Aplotaxis auriculata.

p. Called also Ohorepushpi. Andropogon acicularif.

q. Called also Tagarapadika or Tagarapaduka.

r. Cinnamomum Zeylanicum.

s. Cedrus deodar a.

t. Vanda Roxburghii ; syn. Cymbidium tessaloides.

u. Albizzia Lebbek ; syn. Mimosa Sirissa.

v. Called also Nirgunthi (vide Commentary); as also Nishinda. The Commentator explains that Cirisha and Sindhuvara form a separate applicatio n.

w. Vide note u above.

x. Called also Ucira ( vide Commentary) Andropogon muricatum.

y. Called also Nagakecara, Mesua ferrea.

*. Symplocos racemosa.

CHARAKA-SA MHITA .

p. 27

Patra [a), Amvu (b), Lodhra (c), Abhaya (d), and sandal wood, form a plaster that cures the offensive smell of the skin.87

Here is a verse containing a summary.

In this lesson, Aragbadhiya, Atri’s son, revered by Siddhas and great Rishis, said, for the benefit of the world, unto many ascetics crowned with high success, of two and thirty kinds of powders and- plasters that destroy diverse kinds of diseases,88

LESSON IV.

And now we shall explain the Lesson having for its topic the six centuries of Purgatives. Thus said the son of Atri.

In. this Lesson six centuries of Purgatives ( e ) verily occur.

They depend for their action upon six kinds of vegetableproduce(/). Astringents are five hundred in number. They are of five species(g). There are, again, five processes for preparing them. The number of per-eminently astringent objects is fifty. This is a brief enu¬ meration.1 The six hundred Purgatives of which we have spoken will be mentioned briefly in this lesson. We shall describe them fully in that part of the work where instructions will be laid down about the processes of preparing them.8

One hundred and thirty-three kinds of Purgatives are prepared from fruits(/?) ; 39 kinds from Jimutaka (i) ; 45 kinds from Ikshwaku (/) ; with Dhamargava ( k ) 60 kinds are made ; Kutaja (/) enters into 18 kinds ; Kritavedhana ( m ) makes 60 kinds ; with black Trivrit

6. Pavonia odorata.

, c. Symplocos racemosa.

d. The loots of Andropogon muricatum.

e. The word Vhechana in the original, as used here, signifies purgatives proper, emetics, errhines, diaphoretics, and enemata of both varieties,

/. These are gum, root, bark, leaves, flower, and fruit.

g. Yoni is explained by the Commentator as equivalent to Jciti.

h. The kind of fruits used is Madana or Randia dumetorum.

i. The Ayurvedartha Chandrika identifies it with the Devatada or A ndropogon serratus .

Bengal physicians use the Ghoshaphal. i. A kind of bitter gourd.

k. Called also Ghosalraiita. The red variety of Achyranthes aspera .

l. Vide note r in p. 8.

m. Vide note i in p. 8.

p. 28

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

( a ) no kinds are prepared; Chaturangula ( b ) enters into 12 kinds ; Lodhra (c) enters into the composition of 16 kinds; Mahavriksha (< d ) makes 20 kinds ; with Saptala ( e ) and £ankhini (f) 39 kinds are prepared ; and with Danti ( g) and Dravanti ( h ) 48 kinds are made. These are the six hundred kinds of Purgatives. The six kinds of vegetable produce upon which Purgatives depend for their action are milk (gum or exudation), root, bark, leaves, flower, and fruit. The five varieties of Astringents are sweet-astringents, sourastringents, pungent-astringents, bitter-astringents, and astringentastringents, as indicated in the compilation (called Science of Life).3

Astringents have five processes of preparation. These are —

Swarasa (2'), Kalka ( j), Grit a (k), Cita (/), and Phanta (m).

The strength of these five is according to their order of enu¬ meration ( n ).

Astringents (thus prepared) are to be used according to the strength or weakness of the disease. All are not to be applied in all diseases.4

The fifty Astringents par excellence that have been spoken of shall now be indicated. They are as follows