Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

The ordinances about the drinking of ghee , and those about the use of mantras , for Insanity brought about by accidental causes, have now been expounded. Hear now what the well-tried combinations are (of drugs) for the cure of this diseaee. 44

Hingu (assafcetida), Sauvarchala salt, and Vyosha (otherwise called Trikatu, i. e., the three pungents, viz., dry ginger, Piper longum, and black pepper) : 2 palas of each of these should be taken.

* The direction about repetition has reference to emetics, purgatives, enemata, and cerebral purgatives. Of course, in excitement of wind, oily enemata, in excitement of phlegm, dry enemata, are prescribable. — T.

t The correct reading is ‘Vinaye’ and not ‘Vinayet’. Also ‘Kashthadyaih’ is wrong ; the locative form is correct. — T.

+ ‘Trasanam’ is explained by the commentators as exciting the fears of the patient by naming magistrates and officers of the peace. By ‘bhayam’ is meant the excitement of fear by producing before the patient snakes and tigers, &c. The distinction is certainly fanciful.— T.

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

p. 1269

One Adhaka of ghee should be taken, to which should be added four times as much cow’s urine.

The former should be boiled with the latter. This medicine is a good curative of Insanity. 4S

KALYANA GHRITA.

VigSla ( Cucumis colocynthis), Triphala (the three myrobalans, viz., chebulic, emblic, and belleric), Kaunti (otherwise called RenukS or HarenukS, i. e, Piper aurantiacum), Devadfiru (Pinus deodara), Elavaluka (a red powder of this name), Sthira ( Hedysarum Gangeticum ), AnantS, ( Asclepias pseudosarsa ), the two varieties of Rajani (*. e., Cur¬ cuma longa, and Berberis Asiatica ), the two varieties of <^ariva ( Bchites frutescens), Nata (otherwise called TagarapadikS, i. e., Tabernczmontana coronaria), Nilotpala ( Nymphosa stellata), Ela ( Elettaria cardamomuni), ManjisthS (Rubia cordifolia), Danti {Croton polyandruvi), Dadima ( Punica granatmn ), Kegara (otherwise called Nagakecara, i. e., Mesua ferrea ), Taligapatra ( Pinus Webbiana ), Vrihati ( Solanum Indicum ), fresh flowers of Mslati {Echites caryophyllata ), 46-47

Vidanga ( Embelia ribes), Prisniparni (JDoodia logopodioides), Kushtha {Aplotaxis auriculata ), Chandana ( Pterocarpus Santalinus), and Padmaka (a fragrant wood of that name, occurring in Malwa and Southern India).

With the paste, of the measure of a ‘Karsha,’ of each of these eight and twenty drugs, a ‘prastha’ of ghee should be boiled in water of four times its measure.*

This ghee is beneficial for epilepsy, fever, bronchites, asthma, loss of appetite or weakness of the digestive fire, phthisis, leprosy, catarrh in the nose, tertian and quartan fevers, nausea and vomiting, piles, difficulty of micturition, patients afflicted with, erysepelas, itches, chlorosis, Insanity, poisons, gonorrhoea, persons afflicted by evil spirits, those who having lost the power of speech only stutter and lisp, persons in swoons, and women that are sterile. It is a highly commendable medicine. It increases the period of life and imparts

* A prastha of ghee (obtained from cow’s milk) is equal to 2 seers. When the direction occurs of its being boiled in water of four times its measure, the quantity of water should be doubled. Hence 16 seers of water are indicated.— T.

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CHAR A IC A-S AM HIT A.

strength. It removes the effects of Inauspicious conditions and of sin It drives away Rakshasas (if they possess a person). It removes the effects of evil planetary and astral conjunctions.

This ghee is called ‘Kalyanaka.’ It is the foremost of all medi¬ cines administered in the rite called ‘Pumsavana.’* 48-52

Even this is the composition of ‘Kalyana Ghrita.’

Taking one and twenty of these drugs beginning with Sthira (otherwise called (pâlaparni, i. e, Hedysarum Gangeticum), (out of the eight and twenty named above), boil them in water.

With the decoction so obtained, to which should be added the milk, four times its measure, of a cow that has calved only once, ghee should be cooked. f 53

Into the ghee so cooked should be thrown the paste of these (eight) taken in equal measures, viz., Vira (otherwise called Prisniparni, i. e., Doodia logopodioides), the two Mashas {viz., Mashaparni, i. e., Glycine debilis, and Mudgaparni, i. e., Phaseolus trilobus ), Kakoli (a root of the onion tribe brought from Nepal), Swayamgupta (. Mucuna pruriens), Rishabhaka (not identified, its substitute being bambu manna), Riddhi (not identified, its substitute being Bâla, i. e., Pavonia odorata ), and Meda (not identified, its substitute being Physalis flexuosa).

The ghee thus prepared is called ‘Maha-kalyfinaka.’ It promotes nutrition and is especially alleviative of the excitement of all the three faults together. 54-55