Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

£uka paddy {a),'£ ami paddy, (b), meat, potherbs, and fruits, — each constitutes a group ; these with Harita (c), Wines, Water, Milk, and Sugar-cane, and the modifications of Milk and those of sugar-cane, constitute the ten and two groups of food prepared ( cooked) and unprepared ( uncooked ).

They are being explained with reference to their tastes, potency, and assimilation.6-*

The red £ali, the Maha^ali, Kalama, £akulakrita, Churnaka, Dirghatjuka, Gaura, Panduka, Langula, Sugandhika, Lauhavala, £arika, Pramodaka, Patanga, Tapaniya, and all other varieties of <^ali that are beneficial, are cooling in potency ; in taste and assi¬ milation, they are sweet, capable of exciting the wind a little, a little constipating, oily, nutritive, and increasing semen and wine.*8-10 a Cuka paddy, as a group, includes all varieties of paddy or rice.

b. Cami paddy, as a group, includes all varieties of Phaseoli and pease. Grains generated within cods are so called. They are called paddy or Dhanya in consequence of their being seeds.

c. All birds and fowls are included in this.

* The several varieties of paddy here mentioned belong, as observed by Chakrapani, to various parts of India. They have many local names. Chakrapani remarks that he would confine himself to such names as were current in Gauda or Bengal. The red Cali is, of course, well known. The Maha9ali or great Cali used in those days to be grown in Behara (the Magadha country). Kalama is spoken of Chakrapani as grown in

CHA RAKA -54 MtllTA .

p. 331

Amongst these, that which has been mentioned first, vis, the red £ali, is the foremost.

The red £ali allays thirst, and subjugates all the three faults when they are excited.

Mahafali is next to red £ali in virtues. Kalama is next to Mahagali (and each of those coming after is lesser, and lesser in the possession of virtues ). 1 2

Yavaka, Hayana, Pantju, Vapya, Naishadhalca, and others, included within the class called £ali, resemble the red £ali and others mentioned before, in respect of their merits and demerits.*13

That variety of paddy which is called Shashtika is cooling, oily, heavy, agreeable, destructive of all the three faults, and in¬ vigorates the body and makes it hard.

In all these respects, Shashtika is the foremost; its two species which are white and dark are possessed of the same virtues in a lesser and lesser degree.14

Baraka, Uddalaka China, £arada, Ujjwala, Darddura, Gandhana, and Ivuruviddha, are like Shashtika. They differ, indeed, from it, very little in virtues.f15

Vedagrahara. The Ayuveddrtha Ckantlrikd speaks of it as grown in Kashmiaa. Cakulakrita, or as some manuscripts have it, Kuyalakrita, was grown in Cravanti. One of the latest Commentators reads ‘Cakunarhita, ’ ‘ brought by birds ’ from a distant country.

The other varieties have not been commented upon. — T.

* Yavaka is not Yava or wheat, but a kind of small grain which the Rishis included in the class called paddy.

Hayana is a variety of paddy difficult to identity.

Panqu is equally difficult to identity.

Vapya is a species of paddy that grows in deep water.

Naishadhaka was grown in the country of the Nishadhas.

All these seem to be local names.

The medical lexicons mention them merely as ‘varieties of paddy’. — T.

+ These are different varieties of paddy. The names appear to be local. Carada is that which is reaped in autumn. Gandhana is a fragrant variety. Probably, it is what in Bengal is known under the name Samati or Manibhoga or Randhanipagla, China probably came from China or further Asia,— T,

p. 332

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

That variety of paddy which is called Vrihi is sweet, sour in assimilation, provocative of the bile, and heavy.18

The paddy called Patala ( called also A<ju in consequence of its being reaped very quickly, for it is gathered in the month of A§win ), increases faeces and urine, enhances the heat of the body, and provokes all the three faults.17

The paddy called Koradusha, and that called £yamaka, are astringent, sweet, and light. They provoke the wind, destroy phlegm and bile, are cooling and constipating, and dry up the fluids of the body.*1*

Those varieties of paddy which go by the names of Hasti¬ ly amaka, Nivara, Toyaparni, Gavedhuka, Pragatika, aquatic - (^ySmaka, Lohityanu, Priyangu, Mukunda, Jhlntiga, Muti, Charuka, Baraka, £ivira, Utkata, and Jurnabha,, all resemble the £yamaka in their virtues.-f- 19-20

Yava ( Hordeum kexastichum, Linn.) or barley, is dry, cool¬ ing, heavy, agreeable, and enhances the wind and the faeces. It makes the body consistent and hard, is of astringent taste, in¬ vigorating, and destructive of all affections due to phlegm.21

Venuyava (a variety of the above) is regarded as dry, astringent as regards its principal taste and sweet as regards its secondary taste, destructive of phlegm and bile, as also of abdo¬ minal fat, worms, and poisons, and invigorating.22