Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

‘Stanyajanana’ (those which increase the lacteal secretion), £ukravardhana’ (those which increase the semen), and ‘Vayasthapana’ (those which prevent the effects of age), and which have been spoken of in the Lesson called ‘The six centuries of Purgatives,’* as also of the stems of ‘Chandana’ ( ' Pterocarpus santalinus), ‘Aguru’ ( Aquilaria Agallocka), ‘Dhava’ {Conocarpus latifolid) ‘Khadira’ ( Acacia catechu ), ‘Singsapa’ ( Dalbergia sissoo), and ‘Asana’ ( Terminalia tomentosa ), cut into very small pieces, and also of ‘Haritaki’ (Chebulic myrobalans), ‘Vibhitaka’ (Terminalia Bellerica ), ‘Pippali’ ( Piper longum), ‘Vacha’ ( Acorus calamus ), ‘Chavya’ ( Viper choba ), ‘Chitraka’ (P lumbago Zeylanica), and ‘Vidanga’ ( Embellia Ribes ), pounded together ;

take an ‘adhaka’ (8 seers).

Boil the measure so taken of all these in water of the measure of 160 seers, till only 16 seers of the decoction remains in the vessel.f

Strain the product thus obtained through a piece of cloth.

Into it should then be thrown the ‘adhaka’ of the powder of the fruits of ‘Amalaka’ (P hyllanthus Emblica ) mentioned before.

The result should be heated by fire made of dried cowdung (obtained from fields and forests), or of split bamboos, or of the reeds of the class called Saccharum sara.

The heating should go on till the liquid entirely evaporates.

Care must be taken so that the solid portion may not be burnt.

The solid portion should, after the evaporation of the liquid, be taken from the vessel and spread upon an iron plate for drying.

* The fourth Lesson of ‘Sutrasthana’ is called ‘the six centuries of purgatives.’

As regards the ‘Jivaniya group, they are ten, beginning with ‘Jivaka.’ Vide p. 30, Lesson IV, Sutrasthana ante.

The ‘Vririghaniya’ group consists of ten, beginning with ‘Kshirini.’ Vide p. 31, Lesson IV, Sutrasthana, ante.

The ‘Stanyajanana’ group consists of ten, beginning with ‘Virana.’ Vide p. 36, Lesson IV, Sutrasthana, ante.

The ‘(Jukravardhana’ group, otherwise called ‘(Jukrajanana,’ consists of ten, beginning with ‘Jivaka.’ Vide p. 36, Lesson IV, Sutrasthana, ante.

The ‘VayasthSpana’ group, consists of ten, beginning with ‘Amrita.’ Vide p. 47, Lesson IV, Sutrasthana, ante. — T.

t The measure of water being stated to be of 80 seers, double the quantity should be

The quantity to which the whole is to be boiled down being stated to be an ‘adhaka’ or 8 seers, it should be understood to imply 16 seers,— T.

p. 1044

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

When it is dry, it should be pounded, on a stone placed on a black deer-skin, into a fine pulv, and then kept in a vessel of iron.

The pulv so obtained should then be mixed with an eighth of its own measure of the fine pulv of iron.

It should then be administered, mixing it with honey and ghee, the dose being regulated by the strength of one’s digestive fire, W

{Here are some verses.)

In days of yore, Vagishtha, Kagyapa, Angiras/Jamadagni, Bharadwaja, Bhrigu, and others like them, having taken this ‘Rasayana’ under proper restraints, became free from the fear of fatigue, disease, and decrepitude.* 8 Endued with great strength, those Rishis, through the puissance of this ‘Rasayana’ were able to practise pen¬ ances, as long as they liked. 9 In consequence of their penances, sexual continence, meditation (on Brahma), and tranquillity of mind, as also of their taking this ‘Rasayana’, their lives did not come under the touch of Time.f 10

There were no great Rishis before (the time of Vagishtha and others) ; there was no ‘Rasayana’, the men of those days were boorish, engaged in acts other than penances, and of souls entirely unres¬ trained ; hence success they had not.* 11

Brahman (the Grandsire of the universe) invented this ‘Rasayana’ through exertions that occupied him for a thousand years. This ‘Rasayana’ is alleviative of disease and decripitude, and invigourates the senses and understanding. 12 t ‘Kala or Time, implies Yama or Death, Did not come under the touch of Time, means ‘were above the control of Yama or Death in other words, they lived as long as they liked. In laying down their lives they acted of their own motion. Death did not come to them till they desired its approach. — T.

* Gangtdhara’s reading, ‘muktagrama vyadhijarabhayah’ is not neat. The correct reading is ‘muktah gramavyadhijarabhayat.’ — T.

t Gangadhara explains this verse differently. According to him the meaning is this : “there were great Rishis before (the time of Vagishtha and the others named) : but there was no ‘Rasayana’ ? the great Rishis, however, of those days were boorish, engaged in acts other than penances, and of unrestrained souls ; hence, success was not theirs.” This can hardly be the sense. If there were ‘Maharshis’, that is, great Rishis, they could not have been boorish, &c. It is a blasphemy to describe great Rishis as ‘gramya’ &c. The fact is, the ‘na’ in the first line applies to all the statements made ; that is, ‘Maharshayah na sthitah ; na kinchit Rasayanam sthitam ; and ‘siddhischa na sthitah,’ — T,

CHALiAKA-SAMHl'FA.

p. 1045

Thus end the ordinances about the preparation of AmalakaSyasa-Rasayana.’ (i. e., Rasayana of Amlaka and iron.)}

RASAYANA OF AMALAKA ALONE.