Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

A. H. Edgren, Esq., Gothenburgh, Sweden':— I am deeply interested in anything Indian, and I need not say that I shall consider it as a gain to obtain whatever insight I may into the subject treated of in your valuable translation.

Professor A. V. Williams Jackson., Columbia College, New York, U. S. A. — I mu ?t congratulate you, with true appreciation of your efforts. I should very much like to make a little note, in one of our papers, of the praiseworthy work you are doing, Be assured, Sir, of my hearty thanks and appreciation and of my deep interest in India and antique lore.

Mons. A. Barth., Paris : — Your efforts to place within reach of the readers of ancient literature a work of so interesting a nature both to the Oriental scholars and to the men of medicine, are very praiseworthy, and I shall be happy to bring the work to the notice of the French public, or, at least, of those who take an interest in these researches.

Mons. B. St. Hailaire, Paris : — I praise you on your undertaking and wish you all success. The work is of interest to all learned men and to medical men, and the commentaries written on it prove its value and utility. I will put in a notice in the Journal des Savants as soon as I can and shall be happy to do you justice.

Professor H. Jacobi, Bonn University, Germany: — The work you have undertaken will interest Sanskritists as well as medical men who care for the history of their Science. I shall not fail to draw the attention of some eminent physicians whom I know personally, to the ancient work of Charaka.

Herr. R. Garbe, Prinzenstram Konigsbursh, Germany : — English translation of Charaka Samhita is, perhaps, at least from an historical point of view, the most important work of the medical literature of your country.

Sir Alfred Croft, M. A., C. I. E., Director of Public Instruction, Bengal :—l have been greatly entertained as well as edified by the examination, in part IV, of all the things which a man shall not do. A layman can understand the precepts and such a guide to life, cannot be other than valuable.

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

I43t

spoken of in the Lesson on ‘Kushtha’ (Leucoderma), may also be taken* 125-128

NAGARADYA CHURNA.

Nagara (dry ginger), AtivishU ( Aconitum heterophylluin ), Musta (tubers of Cyperus rotundus), Dhâtaki ( Woodfordia floribunda \ Rasanjana (galena), Vatsaka-tvach (the bark of Holarrhena an tidy sen t erica) , Phala (seeds of Holarrhena antidysenterica), Vilwa (fruits of AEglc ittarmelos), Pfitha (Cissatitpelos kernandifolia ), and Tiktarohini ( Picrorr - hiza Kurrroa ) : ' •

Take equal measures of each of the above and reduce them to pulv. Mixing this' pulv with honey and water in which ‘atapa’ rice has been washed, the patient should drink it if afflicted with any of these diseases, viz., ‘Grahani-disease’ due to excited bile, or that variety of this disease in which blood is passed with the stools, piles, £ula’ pains in the anus, dysentery (white flux).

All these diseases are conquered by this pulv. Verily, this pulv of Nagara and the rest (mentioned above) is highly praised by the descendant of the dark-complexioned Atri (2. e., Punarvasu, the preceptor of Agniveca and others). 129-131

BHUNIMBADYA CHURNA.

Bhunimba (otherwise called CheraytS, i. e., Agathotes Cherayta), Katuka {Picrorr hiza Kurroa), Vyosha (the three acrids), Mustaka (tubers of Cyperus rotundus'), and Indrayava (seeds of Holarrhena antidysenterica ) : equal measures are taken of each of these. Of Chitraka {Plumbago Zeylanica ), the measure taken is double that of each of the above.

Of Vatsaka-tvach (bark of Holarrhena antidysenterica ) the mea¬ sure taken is sixteen times that of each of the drugs mentioned first.

All these are reduced to pulv. This pulv should be taken, mixed with raw sugar and cold water.

It cures ‘Grahani-disease,’ and abdominal tumours. It cures also anaemia, fever, chlorosis, gonorrhoea, disgust for food, and diarrhoea. 132-133 181

p. 1432

CHARARA-SAMHITA.

CHERAYTADYA CHURNA.

VachS (Acorus Calamus ), Ativisha ( Aconitum heterophylluni). Paths ( Cissampelos liernandifolia ), Saptaparna ( Echites schplaris ), RasSnjana (galena), (^yonaka ( Bigtiomia Indica), Udichya (otherwise called Bala, i. e., Pavonia odorata ), Katvanga (otherwise called £yonaka. i. e., Bignomia Indica ),* Vatsaka-tvach (the bark of {HolarrJiena antidysenterica ), Duralabha ( Hedysarum Alhagi , r34

Darbi ( Berberis Asiatica ), Parppataka (otherwise called Kshetraparppati, i. e., Oldenlandia biflora ), Pstha ( Cissampelos hernandifolia ),f YamSni ((the seeds of Ptychotis Ajowan), Madhuka (liquorice), Sigru ( Moringa pierygospermd), Patola-patra (leaves of Trichosanth.es dioica ), SiddhSrtha (mustard seeds of the white variety), Yuthika (Jasminum auriculata), Jati-pallava (the leaves of Jasminum grandiflorum), Jamvu ( Eugenia Jambolana, the kernel of the fruits is taken), Amra {Mangifera Indica, the kernel of the fruits is taken), Vilwa (ASgle marmelos, the kernel of the fruits is taken), Nimba-gaka (the leaves of Melia Azadirachta ), and Nimba-phala (the fruits of Melia Azadirachta ) :

These, reduced to powder, should be mixed with the pulv of Bhunimba ( Agathotes Cherayta ).

The physician who desires the alleviation of ‘Grahani-disease,’ should administer this pulv. 135-136

KIRATADYA CHURNA.