Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

Thus prepared, one should take this ‘Rasayana’ in proper measure having entered the chamber described above. It should be taken while the stomach is empty (that is, before one has eaten any food).

After taking the ‘Rasayana’, one should drink gruel of barley and other gruels of the kind, and continue to do so till his constitution is restored to its normal condition. §

One should have one’s body then rubbed with ghee, as also with the pulv of barley.H

* Equal numbers are directed to be taken. — T.

t The fruits are boiled or softened by the vapour arising from the lower vessel. — T.

+ In the text there is no indication of measure. — T.

§ The fact is, before beginning to take ‘Rasayana’, one requires one’s body to be cor¬ rected or purified by ‘sucha’ and ‘swedana’ or other processes. ( Vide verses 25 and 26 above of this Lesson.) Hence, after commencing to take ‘Rasayana’, one should not at once take one’s usual food, but must drink gruels and very light food before one does. — T.

II The rubbing with oil or ghee is called ‘abhyanga’, and with pulv of barley or of tur¬ meric, &c., is called ‘utsadana.’ — T.

CHARAKA-SAMH1TA.

p. 1027

The administration of ‘Rasayana’ in this method is regarded as the best.

Keeping an eye over the strength of the digestive fire, one may take food twice, with soups of the pulses or of meat, and milk, and ghee. The food should be boiled ‘sashtika’ rice.

After this, one may bear oneself, as regards food and drink and movements as one pleases.

Through the use of this ‘Rasayana’ the Rishis got back their youth, and succeeded in living for many centuries, freed from disease, and endued with great strength of body, of understanding, and of the senses. It was through it that they were able to practise severe penances with exceeding devotion. 74

[THE FIFTH HARITAKI RASAYANA.]

Take the decoction of Chebulic, Emblic, and Belleric myrobalans and the five groups of five roots.*

Take also the paste of Piper longum, liquorice, the flowers of Bassia lutifolia, ‘Kakoli’, ‘Kshirakakoli’, (Atmagupta) Macuna pruriens, ‘Jivaka’, ‘Rishabhaka’, and (Kshiragukta) convolvulus paniculatus ;

Take also the expressed juice of (Vidari) Convolvulus panicutatus.

Take also (cow’s) milk equal to eight times the measure of the expressed juice of the above.

Boil with these a ‘Kumbha’ (equal to 64 seers) of ghee.

The ghee thus prepared should be administered, keeping an eye over the strength of the digestive fife.

When the dose taken has been digested, food should be given consisting of (boiled ‘£ali’ and ‘Shastika’ rice, with milk and ghee.

Hot water should form the drink after such food.

With body freed from decrepitude, disease, sin and fear of incan¬ tations, and requiring extraordinary strength of understanding and the senses, with all efforts crowned with success, one would attain to a long life (by using this ‘Rasayana.’) 75

[THE SIXTH RASAYANA.]

Take the decoction of Chebulic, Emblic, and Belleric myrobalans, t The five groups of five roots have been mentioned in verses 41, 42, and 43 above of

p. 1028

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

(Haridra) Curcuma longa, (Sthira) Hedysarum Gangetkum, (Vacha) Acorus calamus, (Vidanga) Embellia , Ribes, (Amritavalli) Tinoopora cordifolia, (Viswaveshaja) Dry ginger. (Madhuka) liquorice, (Pippali) Piper longum, and (Somavalka) Acacia catechu of the white variety.

Boil it with milk and ghee, as also with ■honey and sugar.

Add a hundred palas of the pulv of Emiblic myrobalans, macer¬ ated in the expressed juice of myrobalans of the same species ; also the pulv of iron, the measure of which should be a fourth of the pulv of Emblic myrobalans.

One should take two tolas of the ghee thus prepared, every morn¬ ing, according to the instructions already laid down (/, e. having entered the chamber of the kind described).

In the evening, he should take (boiled) ‘£ali’ and ‘Shastika’ rice, with the soup of (Mudga) the seeds of P kaseolus Mungo, as also milk and ghee.

If one takes ghee (continually) for three years, one lives for a hundred years, freed from decrepitude or decay. He succeeds in retaining what he hears. No disease overtakes him. If poison comes in contact with his body, it fails to affect him. His body becomes as compact as stone. He also becomes irresistible to view unassail¬ able by all creatures. 76

( There are some verses here.)

As (amrita) nectar to the deities, as (sudha) ambrosia to the Nagas, even so was the use of ‘Rasayana’, in days of yore, to the great Rishis. 77

Those who used, in ancient times, to take ‘Rasayana’, were never subject to decrepitude, or weakness, or a diseased condition, nor death for a thousand years. 78 .