Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

One should live, subsisting upon milk alone, "in the midst of kine continually, mentally thinking of ‘SSvittri’, practising sexual conti¬ nence, and with senses under control.* 13

After the expiration of a year, on the day of the full moon of the month of Pousha, or of Magha, or of Phalgoon, after having previ¬ ously observed a fast for three days, one should enter an Amalaka forest. r4

He should then climb an Amalaka tree that is large, and that is endued with wealth of fruits. He should then pluck with his hand a few fruits from the branches of that tree.

He should then, holding the fruits in his hands, mentally recite that which is called ‘Pranava’, viz,,, the syllable Om, which is identical with Brahma, till nectar comes into it.

Verily, while mentally reciting the ‘Pranava’ nectar will come into the fruits for at least a short space of time,. At that time the fruits will become as sweet: as sugar, or honey, juicy, and soft,, in conse¬ quence of. their union, with nectar.

One will live in the enjoyment of. youth, for as many thousands of years as the number of fruits, one. eats according to this method.f 15-17

By eating these fruits till, one’s hunger is gratified, one becomes like unto an immortal (i. e., a deity).

Then, again, these three, viz., £ree, the Vedas, and Speech in her embodied form,’ come unto such a person.! 18

LAUHADI RASAYANA.

Take a leaf of keen iron that is long by the breadth of four fingers and of the thickness of a sesame seed.

* ‘Mentally thinking of Savittri’, i. e., mentally reciting the Gayattri, which is the most sacred verse in the Vedas. — T.

f ‘Pluck with the hand’, i. e., not by shaking the tree or branches and allowing the fruits to drop down on the ground.

As sweet as sugar, &c.’, implying: that their astringent taste will disappear. — T. t ‘Qree’ is the goddess of prosperity.

‘The Vedas come unto him’ implies that he succeeds in mastering the Vedas without toil

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

p. 1046

Make it red-hot in fire.

Dip it then in the juice of the three myrobalans.

Heat it again in fire till it becomes red like fire, and dip it in cow’s urine.

Heat it once more in fire till it becomes red like fire, and dip it in water in which have been dissolved the ashes of the green spikes of barley.

Heat it again and dip it in water in which salt has been dissolved.

Place it, again, on fire till it becomes red-hot, and dip it in water in which have been dissolved the ashes of the wood of ‘Ingudi.’

Heat it, once more till it becomes red like fire and dip it in water in which have been dissolved the ashes of the wood of ‘Kingsuka’ ( Butea frandosa)

When the leaf, by this process, attains a hue as black as collyrium, pound it into pulv.

Mix the pulv with honey and the juice of ‘Amalak’ ( Phylanthus emblica ).

When it is thus reduced to a paste fit for being licked, put it in a vessel which has been allowed to suck as much ghee as possible.

The vessel should then be placed for a year under a heap of barley.

The intelligent physician should move the vessel, every month, in such a way that the whole of its contents be stirred.*

At the expiration of a year this medicinal product should be administered with honey and ghee, every morning, considering the strength of the digestive fire (of the patient).

When this ‘Rasayana’ becomes digested such diet should be prescribed as can be assimilable.

Thus have been declared the (ordinances about the) administration of the ‘Rasayana made of iron.f

‘Speech’, that is goddess of speech, viz., Saraswati, comes to him in her embodied form.

Saraswati is the goddess of learning. — T.

* In the text there is no reference to the fact that honey and the ... expressed juice of ‘Amalaka’ ( Phyllanthus emblica ) should be poured into the vessel when its contents are to be stirred every month. Gangadhara, in his commentary, gives this direction. Probably, it is traditional. — T.

t The direction is that the medicine should first be taken in empty stomach. After it has been digested, i. e., after three or four hours one may take such food as one is capable of assimilating. No food should be taken immediately after taking the medicine. — T.

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William Emmette Coleman, Esq., San Francisco , California: — . As each successive part is issued, the greater intrinsic value of the work is apparent .

there is much in it both of interest and value to the Western mind, occidental medical science, therapeutic. American and European medical’ science has much to learn .

Chas. E. Sajons, Esq., Philadelphia , U. S. A. : — You are entitled to the greatest praise. Next May or June the Satelite — a journal under my editorial management — will begin to review books, &c., and one of the first to be taken up will be yours.