Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

* Gangadhara misinterprets the last verse. He thinks that each of the four drugs men¬ tioned in verse 92, viz., (Jirisha and the rest, forms a plaster by itself that is beneficial in leprosy. The meaning, however, is that Qirisha and the three other drugs mentioned in verse 92, together form a plaster beneficial in leprosy, and that this is the fourth plaster mentioned, the three others occurring above. — T.

CHARAKArSAMHITA.

p. 1223

Kushtha ( Aplotaxis auriculata), Arka {Calatropis giganteci), Tuttha (sulphate of copper), Katphala (. Myrica sapida ), seeds of’Mulâka ( Raphanus sativus ), Rohini-katuka ( Picrorrhiza Kurroa ), Kutajaphala (seeds of Holarrhena antidy sent erica), Utpala {Nymphcea stellata ), Musta (tubers of Cyperus rotundus), Vrihati {Solatium Indicum), Karavira Nerium odoruui), Kagiga (sulphate of iron), Edagaja (otherwise called Chakundia, i. e., Cassia Tora), Nimba {Melia Azadirachta ), Patha {Stephania hernandifolia), Duralabha {Hedysarum Alkagi), Chitraka {Plumbago Zeylanica ), Vidanga {Embelia Ribes ), seeds of Tikta-Ikshaku (bitter gourds), Kampillaka ( Mallotus pkilippensis ), Sarshapa (mustard seeds), Vacha {Acorus calamus ), Darbi {Berberis Asiatica ) ; 99-ioo

Oils cooked with these are curative of leprosy. These drugs are also combined for making plasters, ointments, pastes for rubbing the body with, and powders. The combination, in all these forms, is desirable.

The expressed juice of the white variety of Karaviraka {Nerium odoruui), cow’s urine, Chitraka {Plumbago Zeylanica ), and Vidanga {Embelia Ribes), should be ccroked with oil. This combination is approved by physicians. In leprosy, the efficacy of the medicine has been tested. 102

This is the composition of the oil called “White Kafaviradya.”

The leaves and root-bark of the white variety of Karavira {Nerium odoruui), Vatsaka (Justicia Adhatoda), Vidanga (■ Embelia Ribes), Kushtha {Aplotaxis auriculata), the roots of Arka {Calatropis giganteci), mustard seeds, bark of £igru {Moringa pterygospenna), and Katurohini {Picrorrhiza Kurroa), should be reduced to a paste. ro3

Oil should be cooked with this paste the measure whereof should be a fourth (of the oil).

Adding cow’s urine the measure whereof should be four times that of the oil, an ointment is made that cures the itching sensation of leprosy. I04

This is the composition of the (second variety of) oil called “White Karaviradya.”

The seeds of Tikta-Ikshaku (bitter gourds), the two varieties of Tuttha {viz., sulphate of copper,- and galena or sulphate of lead), RochanS (concretions found in the gall-bladder of the ox), the two varieties of HaridrS {viz., Curcuma longa and Berberis Asiatica ), the fruits of Vrihati {Salanum Indicum), Eranda {Ricinus Communis ), 155

p. 1224

CHAR A KA-SAMHITA.

Vigala ( Cucumis colocynthis ■), Chitraka (. Plumbago Zeylanica ), Murva (, SlanseHiera Zeylanica ), Kfigiga (sulphate of iron), Hingu (assafcetida), £igru ( Moringa pterygosperma ), Tryushana (the three acrids, viz., dry ginger, Piper longum , and black pepper), Suradaru ( Pinus deodar a), Tumvuru ( Zanthoxylum alatum ), Vidanga ( Embelia Ribes ), Langalikft ( Gloriosa superba), the bark of Kutaja ( Holarrhena a ntidysen t ericci) , and Katurohini ( Picrorrhiza Kurtoa ), — these should be reduced to a paste.

The paste should be cooked with mustard oil. Cow’s Urine, of four times its measure, should then be added to the oil.

The oh thus prepared is curative of the itching sensation of leprosy. Rubbed on the body, this oil alleviates excited wind and phlegm. 105-107

This is the composition of “Tikta Iksaku Oil.” •

Kanaka-Kshiri (otherwise called Svarna-kshiri, i. e., Cleome felina), £aila (otherwise called Manah^ila, i. e-., realgar), Bhargi ( Clerodendron siphonanthus ), the fruits and roots of Danti [Baliospermum montanum), the leaves of Jati (Jasminum grandiflorum ), mustard seeds, garlics, Vidanga ( Embelia Ribes), the bark of Karanja ( Pongamia glabra), Saptacchada ( Echites scholarly, the leaves, roots, and bark of Arka ( Calatropis gigantea), Nimba {Me Ha Azadirachta), Chitraka ( Plumbago Zeylanica ), Asphota (otherwise called Aparajita, i. e., Clitoria Ternatea, of the wite variety), Gunja ( Abrus precatorius), Eranda ( Ricinus Communis), Vrihati ( Solanum Indicum), Mulaka (garden radish), the seeds of Surasa and Arjjaka (varieties Ocimum Sanctum ), Kushtha ( Aplotaxis auriculata ), Pfitha ( Stephania hernandifolia), Musta (tubers of Cyperus rotundus ), Tumvuru {Xanthoxylum alatuni), Murva ( Sanseviera Zeylanica), Vacha ( Acorus Calamus ), Shadgrantha (a variety of Acorus Calamus ), Edagaja ( Cassia Tora ), Kutaja ( Holarrhena antidysentetica), £igru ( Moringa pterygosperma }, Tryushana (the three acrids, viz., dry ginger, Piper longum, and black pepper), Bhallataka ( Semecarpus anacardiuni), Kshavaka {Dregea volubilis ), Haritala (orpiment or yellow arsenic), Avfikpushpi (Sulpha in Bengali, dill seeds or Peucedanum Sowa), Tuttha (sulphate of copper), Kampillaka ( Mallotus philippensis), Amritasajna (otherwise called Kharpara, i. e., zinc or zinc ore),* Saurashtri (otherwise called

* “The article used under this name by the physicians of Upper India is a sort of cala¬ mine or zinc ore. Most of the physicians of Bengal are not acquainted with this ore, and

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

p. 1225