Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

Throw into it Chandana (red sandal wood), KirStatiktaka ( Ophelia Cherayta), Maghadhika ( Piper longum ), Trayamana, ( Ficus heterophylla ), Musta (tubers of Cyperus rotundus ), and Vatsakavija (seeds of ( Holarrhena antidysentericd).

The whole should be reduced into a paste, taking half a ‘karsha’ of each of the latter.

Six palas of new ghee should then be added to it. Boil the paste with the ghee.

The virtues of this ghee, as a drink, are well tested (in leprosy). 137-139

This bitter ghee cures leprosy, fever, abdominal and other tumours, piles, diseases of the Grahani (lienteric diarrhoea), chlorosis, dropsical swellings, eczema, erysipelas, pimples, itching, diseases of intoxi¬ cation (includihg delirium tremens), and bronchocele. 140

Even this is the composition of the ‘ghrita called ‘Tikta-Shatpala.

p. 1230

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

Saptachcchada ( Echitis sckolaris), Ativisha ( Aconitum heterophylluni), (^ampaka (otherwise called Sondalu, i. e., Cassia fistula ), Tiktarohini ( Picrorrhiza Kurroci }, Path a ( Stephania hernandifolia), Musta (tubers of Cyperus rotundas), Ushira (roots of Andropogon muricatus), TriphalS (the three myrobalans), Patola ( Tricho~santh.es dioica), Pichumardda (otherwise called Nimba, i. e., Melia Azadirackta), Parppataka ( Oldenlandia biflora ), Dhanya-yavasa (otherwise called Duralabha, i. e., Hedysaram Alhagi), Chandana (red sandal wood), Upakulya (otherwise called Gajapippali, i. e., Pothos officinalis), Padmaka (a fragrant wood of that name), the two varieties of Rajani (Haridra — Curcuma longa, and Daruharidra — Berberis Asiatica), ShadgranthS (otherwise called Vacha, i. e., Acorus Calamus), Vigala (otherwise called IndravSruni, i. e., Cucumis Colocynthis), Catavari (otherwise called (^atamuli, i. e., Asparagus racemosus), both varieties of £ariva (£yamalats — Ichnocarpus frutescens, and Anantamula — Asclepias pseudosarsa), Vatsakavija (seeds of Holarrhena antidysenterica), Vasa (Justicia Adhatoda ), Murva ( Sanseviera Zeylanica ), AmritS ( Tinospora cordifolia), Kiratatikta ( Ophelia Cherayta ), Yashtyahva (liquorice'), and Trayamana ( Ficus heterophylla ) :

These should be reduced to a paste by the physician possessed of intelligence. 141-143

The measure of this paste should be a fourth of the ghee (to be cooked).

The measure of the water should be eight times that of the ghee.

The expressed juice of the fruits of Phyllanthus Emblica, should be of twice the measure of the ghee.

Boiling all these together, the physician should administer it as a drink (to the person afflicted with leprosy). 144

Drunk at proper times and in doses suited to the strength of the digestive fire, it promptly ‘cures all varieties of leprosy, blood-bile, violent varieties of piles characterised by copious discharges of blood, erysipelas, sour bile, that variety of leprosy which is known by the name of ‘Vstarakta,’ chlorosis, malignant boils, eczema, insanity, anaemia, fever, itching, diseases of the chest, abdominal and other tumours, pimples, bloody leucorrhcea, and goitre.

This ‘ghrita,’ which is known by the name of ‘Mahatiktaka’ conquers very severe diseases that are incapable of being conquered by even hundreds of medicinal compounds. 145- 147

CHA RAKA -SA MHITA.

.1231

Even this is the composition of the Ghrita called ‘Mahatikta.’

If the faults are removed, if the blood be let out externally and internally (by means of leeches and phlebotomy), and if correctives are applied and oils and ghees administered at the proper time, then those varieties of leprosy wbich are curable,1 do not remain .uncured. 148

Five Tulas (62^ seers) of Khadira ( Acacia Catechu), one Tula (12 Yz seers) of £ingcapa ( Dalbergia Sissoo), one Tula of Agana ( Pen - taptera tomentosa ), and half a Tula of each of these, viz., Karanja (Pongamia glabra), Arishta (bark of Nimba, i. e., Melia Azadirachta ), Vetasa ( Calamus rotang ), Parpata ( Oldenlandia biflora ), Kutaja Halarrhena antidysenterica), Vrisha (otherwise called \£asaka, i. ,e., (Justicia Adhatoda), Krimihara (otherwise called Viclanga, i. e., (Embelia Ribes), the two varieties of Haridra (viz., Curcuma longa and Berberis Asiatica), KritamSla (otherwise called Sondalu, i. e.. Cassia fistula ), Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia), TriphalS (the three •myrobalans), Trivrit (Convolvulus Turpethuui) and Saptaparna (Echites sckolaris) :