Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

Hear now of those medicines that- cure the tastelessness of the mouth and that cause relish for food. 131

Twice a day (i. e., morning and evening), one should, for clearing

* The decoctions of these seven should be taken and boiled with any of the three com¬ binations already mentioned, beginning with Patha. These ‘Khadas’ are regarded as possess¬ ing constipatory virtues. Hence, they act beneficially in diarrhoea _ T.

t Four drinks are here laid down, viz., I. the decoction of the five roots, 2. Whey, 3. Wine mixed w h Chukrika, and 4. the expressed juice of Dadima. — T.

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

p. 1253

one’s mouth, chew tooth-sticks (made of proper vegetables or plants). One should, after the same manner m e., morning and evening) wash one’s mouth with water. One should, similarly, hold in one’s mouth gargles (made of proper drugs). r3 2

One should drink the smoke (of proper drugs). One should also eat (chew) such ‘pachanas,’ properly pulverised, as are capable of kindling the digestive fire. One should also take such medicines, and food and drink, as are beneficial and of agreeable taste.* *33

The decoction of Twach (bark of Cinnamomum Zeylanicum ), Musta ( Cyperus rotundus), Ela ( Elettaria cardamomum), and Dhanya ( Coriandrum sativum ) ;

That of Musta ( Cyperus rotundus'), Amalaka ( Phyllanthus Emblica )„ and Twach (bark of Cinnamomum Zeylanicum) ;

That of Darbi (. Berberis Asiatica), Twach (bark of Cinnamomum Zeylanicum), and Yamlani ( Ptychotis Ajowan) ;

That of Pippali ( Piper longum ) and Tejavati (otherwise called Chavya or Piper Chaba) ; and

That of Yamani (. Ptychotis Ajowan), and Tintiri [Tamarindus Indica) ;

These five, each laid down in a foot of the above verses, constitute excellent washes of the mouth. They are alsQ correctives of the moCith, and they bring back relish for food. *34- 135

Or, one may keep in one’s mouth, boluses made of the paste of each of these five groups of drugs, or grinding them into pulv, one may rub the pulv on one’s tongue and thereby correct one’s mouth.

Or, reducing each of these five groups into paste and dissolving the paste in water, gargles may be made which the patient should keep in his mouth. l36

There are other gargles which are beneficial in such cases and which should, therefore, be held in the mouth. They are SurS, Madhwika, Sidhu, oil, honey, ghee milk, and the expressed juioe of the sugarcane. r37

* ‘Pachanas’ are drugs which assist in digesting undigested food but do not generally kindle the appetite. Some medicines have both these properties ; i. e., they are appetisers as well as digestives. The ‘Pachanas’ recommended in this verse are of the latter kind. They are ‘Dipana-pachanas’. — T.

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

*254

YAMANI SHADAVA.

Yamâni (. Ptychotis Ajowan), Tintiri ( Tamarindus Indica ), Nagara (dry ginger), Amlavetasa ( Rumex vesicarius), Dâdima (pomegranates), and sour Vadara (Lizyphus Jujuboi) : take a ‘karshika’ (2 toias) of each of these.

Dhanya (coriander seeds), ‘Sauvarchala’ (salt of a particular variety), Ajaji (otherwise called Krishnajiraka, i. e., Nigella sativa), and Varânga (otherwise called Twach or Daruchini, i. e., the bark of Cinnamomum Zeylanicum) : take half a ‘karsha’ (1 tola) of each of these.

Of Pippali ( Piper longum ) take a hundred ; of Maricha (black pepper) take two hundred.

Of sugar take four ‘palas’ (half a seer).

Pound all these together. The pulv so made is a corrective of the tongue. It is agreeable in taste, and gives relish to food. i38-r4o

This pulv cures pains in the chest, the spleen, and the sides.

It cures epistasis or suppression of urine, and all varieties of constipation.

It alleviates cough and asthma. It is also an inspissant.

It also cures ‘Grahani’ disease (lienteric diarrhoea) and piles. >4i

Even these are the ingredients of ‘Yamani-shadava.*

Taligapatra (leaves of Pinus Webbidna ), Maricha (black pepper), Nagara (dry ginger), Pippali ( Piper longum ), and £ubha (otherwise called Vangsalochana, i. e., bambu manna), the measure of each succeding drug being greater by one part than that of the immediately preceding one ;f

Also Twach (bark of Cinnamomum Zeylanicum ), and Ela (Elettaria Cardamomum ), taken in measures half of that of Taligapatra {Pinus Webbiana ) ;

To this should be added sugarcandy eight times of the measure of Pippali {Piper longuin).

Reduce all these to pulv. This pulv is the foremost of appetisers, and conquers cough and asthma and disgust for food.

* ‘Shadava’ literally, ‘group of six’. Here six ingredients are mentioned, beginning with Yamani. Hence the medicine is called ‘Yamani-shadava’.— T.

t /. e., if the measure of Taligapatra be 1, that of Maricha should be 2, that of Nagara 3i and that of (Jubha, 4.— T.

CHAR A KA - SA MHITA,

1235:

It conquers also all ailments of the chest, chlorosis, faults of the '‘Grahani,’ dropsical swellings, enlargement of the spleen, and fever.

It cures vomiting, diarrhoea, and deep-seated pains (in the abdo¬ men). It also causes the wind 'that has gone upwards to move in normal directions.