Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

Patients suffering from suppression of the wind, should take it with wine.

In diseases born of excited wind, this powder should be adminis¬ tered with that variety of wine which is called ‘Prasanna.’ 129

In constipation of the bowels (when stools are entirely suppressed) this medicine should be administered with the cream of curds.

In piles, it should betaken w,ith the decoction of Punica Granatum.

In cutting pains in the anus, it should be administered with the infusion of tamarind.

In indigestion it should be administered with hot water.

It should be administered with the same vehicle in fistula-in-ano, chlorosis, asthma, cough or bronchitis, suppression of the voice, diseases of the chest, lienteric dysentery, leprosy, in loss of appetite, fever, bites of poisonous animals, cases of poisoning by vegetable roots, cases of poisoning caused by licking insects, and cases of poisoning by artificial means.

This medicine is also a purgative. It may be taken as a purga¬ tive by one whose stomach has previously been oilified by the admi¬ nistration of proper oils. >30-132

Even this is the composition, and these the uses, of the medicine called ‘Narayana-churna.’

Habusha (black aromatic stalks like those of black pepper), K5nchanakshiri (otherwise called Svarnakshiri, i. e., Cteome felind), the three myrobalans, Katurohini ( Picrorrhiza Kurroa ), Nilini (wild indigo), TrSyamana {Ficus heterophylla), (^atala (otherwise called Charmakasha, a small shrub), Trivrit {Convolvulus Turpetkum), Vacha {Acorus Calamus ), ‘Saindhava’ salt, Kala-lavana (black salt — a variety of 'Vit’ salt), and Pippali (fruits of Piper longum) :

p. 1358

CHARARA-SAMHITA .

Take all these in equal measures and reduce them into powder.

This powder should be taken with any of these vehicles, viz., the expressed juice of pomegranate fruits, the decoction of the three myrobalans, meat-juice, urine of the cow, and lukewarm water. I33-I34

This medicine should be administered' in all cases of abdominal tumours, in cases of enlarged spleen, in all varieties of abdominal dropsy, in leucoderma, in leprosy (skin-diseases) accompanied by pains and excited wind, in cases of irregularity of the digestive fire (that is, when the digestive fire once becomes keen and then weak), in dropsical swellings, in piles, in chlorosis, in anaemia, and in malig¬ nant jaundice. . .. . .

This medicine, by also purging the patient, alleviates excited wind, bile, and phlegm. 135-136

Even this is the composition, and these the uses, of the medicine called ‘Habushadya-churna.’

The bark of Nilini (Indigofera tinctoria), Vyosha (the three acrids), the two varieties of Kshâra (viz., the ashes of barley shoots and SarjjikshSra or carbonate of soda), the five varieties of salts, and Chitraka (Plumbago zeylanicci), should be reduced to powder.

This powder, mixed with ghee, should be drunk by one afflicted with abdominal dropsy. It is very effective in this disease.* 137

Even this is the composition of the powder or pulv called ‘Nilinadya.’

A ‘drona’ of milk (equal to 32 seers, in practice double the mea¬ sure is taken), mixed with half a ‘prastha’ of the milk of Sudha (or Snuhi, i. e., Euphorbia neriifolia ), should be converted into curds.

The curds should be converted into ghee by the usual process of churning.

This ghee boiled with Trivrit (Convolvlus Turpethuvi ) should be drunk. 138

Also taking a ‘prastha’ of the ghee prepared according to the above process, boil it with water eight times its measure, and mix it

* Some editions read ‘Nilinim Nichulam &c.’ Gangadhara’s reading— Nilini-cchallakam’ ms to be correct. The Bengali word ‘cabala’ is evidently a curruption of ‘cchallaka’.— T.

CHAR A KA -SAMHTTA .

*3 59 with a ‘pala’ of the thickened milk of Snuhi ( Euphorbia neriifolia\ and six ‘palas’ of the paste of Trivrit ( Convolvulus Turpethum).

Ghee thus prepared should be drunk for the alleviation of abdomi¬ nal tumours, of the effects of poisons introduced into the system, and of abdominal dropsy.* *39

Take an ‘adhaka1 of the cream of curds, and a ‘pala’ of the thick- ■ened milk of Snuhi [Euphorbia neriifolia), and a ‘pala’ of ghee. Boil these together.

One should drink a proper measure -of this ghee for the alleviation •of abdominal dropsy. *4°

After taking each of these medicated ghees , the patient should 'drink either milk or meat-juice well-prepared.'f

After the ghee has been digested and the patient purged, he should drink luke- warm water in which dry ginger has been boiled.

He should, after, this drink the ‘peya’ or soup of Kulattha [Dolichos •biflora).

If the patient’s constitution happens to become dry, he should '(after taking these drinks) eat boiled rice mixed with milk.

He should, indeed, -repeatedly take the ghees indicated above, one after another.

The physician skilled in treatment should prescribe these welltested ghees for the alleviation of abdominal tumours, the effects of poisons introduced into the system, and abdominal dropsy.

Ghee boiled with the paste of Pilu [Salvadora Indica) cures the epistasis of a person afflicted with abdominal dropsy.

Ghee boiled with Nilini (and other drugs), that cures abdominal tumours, is also prescribable in similar epistasis.

The diverse kinds of (other) medicated ghees mentioned above 'serve the same end.