Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

^ 4 woman during the period of gestation should be treated in thiesame way as one treats a vessel that is full tq the, brim. with oil and' that is,, on that account, not to be. shaken in the least.):.

, If she through injurious food and fpractices, menstruates in the second Or the third month (of gestation), it should be known that the conception would not last.

The foetus, at such an early stage of pregnancy, does not be-

...» The same acts which vitiate the mother’s capacity to produce good offspring vitiate the father’s capacity also to procreate good offspring. — T.

, ‘ SSdhvachara,’ is explained by the commentators as including all practices that are healthy, pious, and auspicious.— .T.

t Medicines whose action resembles th t of emeries and the rest are those which, for example, produce excessive salivation. Medicines whose action resembles that of purgatives are such as certain fruits of which enemata of the mildest kind are made. Thus the commentators. — T.

, + The sense is that she should not be subjected to any treatment that may do violence to her constitution, or give it any violent shock. She is incapable

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CHARAKA SAMHITA.

become endued with, arty any firmness (and, therefore, strength (of resisting any kind of hostile influencs).*7

If after conception has set in, the woman menstruates in the' fourth or any subsequent month, in consequence of excessive4 indulgence in wrath, grief, malice, envy, apprehension, fear, sexual congress, physical exercise, acts that shake the body, supression of the urgings of nature, food made of hostile ingredients, uneven beds and seats, and hunger dnd thirst, or owing to bad food* there are certain courses of treatment which tend to preserve the foetus. These we shall now lay down.4'

After the appearance of the menses she should be told, —

“ Make a bed overlaid with a soft and cool coverlet, and lie' down on it, placing the head a little lower than usual"

Then dipping a soft pencil made of cotton into a mixture made' of liquorice and ghee which has been kept fot sometime exposed to the night dew (or in cold water), it should be placed upon the genital organ.*

After this, taking a quantity of ghee that has been washed a hundred times, and some that has been washed a thousand times,- it should be laved upon the whole of that part of the abdomen of the woman which is below the navel.*}*

Then taking up a quantity of vaccine milk, or of cold infusion1 bf liquorice, or of the astringent infusion known as ‘ Nyagrodhadi,’ it should be sprinkled upon the woman (on that part of the abdomen which is) below the navel.};

of bearing it, even as a vessel full of oil is incapable of bearing any shock or shake if the oil is to be protected from spilling. — T.

* 1 Mixture made of liquorice and ghee The commentators explain that the liquorice should be boiled in ghee.

‘ CisirabSri ’ implies either the night dew or cold water. The night dew is preferable ; if it cannot be availed of, cold water is regarded as a good substitute.— T.

t Ghee is washed in water repeatedly before it becomes fit to be used as a tnedicine in certain cases. The process consists in throwing a quantity of water Upon the ghee placed in a flat plate of earth, and then rubbing it with the palm inoving in a circular motion. — T.

} The astringent infusion known as 'Nyagrodhadi1 is well known. The infusion is taken of the following which are all more or less astringents :

Nyagrodha ( Ficus Bengalensis, Linn ; syn. Ficus Indica , Roxb, ), U clumvard (■Ficus glome rafa, Willd ; syn, Covellia glomerata^ Miq.), Aswattha (Ficus

CHARAKA SAMHITA.

p. 833

, or, she should be made to bathe (by dipping her whole body) In cold water, or rags soaked In the expressed piece of those plants which. fall within the class called Kshirins (endued with milky juice) as also of those which are kashayas (astringents), should beUsed as plugs (for preventing the copious discharge of blood).* or boiling milk or ghee in the infusion known as ‘ Nyagrodhadhi ’ and dipping a pencil of cotton therein, it should be inserted ill the genital organ.f pr, taking a measure of 2 tolas of the above liquid ( viz milk or ghee boiled in the infusion called ‘ Nyagrodhadi,’) it should be given to the woman to drink.

or, taking a measure of 2 tolas of (pure) milk and ghee, jt should be given to the woman to drink.* ’J

Taking the filaments of Padma (a), Utpala (b),