Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

Ghee boiled with £ampaka (otherwise called Aragvadha, i. e.T Cassia fistula ), Trivrit ( Convolvulus Turpethum ), and the juice of MridvikS ( Vitis vinifera), the decoction of Tilvaka (otherwise called Lodhra, i. e., Symplocos racemosa ), and the expressed juice of Vidari ( Batatus paniculatus), should, with discretion, be drunk :

This medicated ghee corrects the bowels of a weakened system.

It is beneficial to the body and increases its strength.

In fact, it is regarded as the preservative of such a patient. *50^5*

When the bile and the phlegm have become attenuated, and when the ‘dhatus also have become greatly wasted, the patient should drink ghee boiled with milk and the paste of Karkataka ( Rhus succeedanea \ and the two Balas (i. e., Sida cordifolia and Sida alba). 1S2

If, in this disease:, the urine becomes discoloured and comes out with difficulty, the patient should then take ghee and milk boiled with the paste of Vidari ( Batatus paniculatus ), or with Kadamba ( Nauclea Cadamba), or with the kernel of palmyra fruits. >53

If there is swelling, with pain, in the genital organ, the rectum, the hips, and the pubic region, of such a patient, enemata should be administered consisting of the inanda of ghee , or of ghee and oil mixed together. »54

After administration of such enemata, he should be given boiled rice, with the flesh of wild animals. Gradually the flesh should be given to him of ‘Varttakas’ (a variety of quails, Perdix slivacea), of animals residing in holes, and of carnivorous animals and birds of prey, iss

* ‘Vringhanas’ are medicines that promote nutrition and increase corpulency. — T. t ‘Vahudoshaya’ means, literally, ‘unto one in whom there are many faults.’ Here it weans* one who has many supervening ailments. T.

CHAR A KA - SA M HIT A .

153*

These kinds of meat, in consequence of their heating and stimu¬ lating virtues, cause the phlegm to fall away from the ducts of the body.

The ducts being thus cleansed, the ‘dhStu’ called ‘Rasa’ (that is, the juice into which food is converted in the first stage of digestion), being freely borne through them, conduces to nourishment.* >56 DWI-PANCHAMULADI GHRITA.

The two groups of five roots (viz., ‘Swalpa’ and ‘Vrihat’), the three myrobalans, Chavika (Piper chaba), Bhargi (Siphonanthus Indica), ChitrakS (Plumbago Zeylanica) Kulattha (Dolichos biflorus), Pippalil mula (the roots of Piper longum ), Paths (Cissampelos htrnandifolia), Kola (dried Jujubes), and Yava (barley) :

Boil these in water for obtaining their decoction.

Take equal measure of the paste of each of the following, viz., Nagara (dry ginger), Dusparja (otherwise called Duralabha,’ i. e., Hedysarum Alhagi), Pippali (the fruits of Piper longum ), £ati (Curcuma Zerumbet), Paushkara (a root of that name which not being available, the roots of Aplotaxis auriculata are used), and Karkatacringi (Rhus succeedaned) :

Boil the decoction and the pastes with ghee. 157-158

When the boiling is complete, throw into the boiled product the pulv of the two ‘KshSras’ (viz., ‘Sarjji’, i. e., carbanate of soda, and ‘YavakshSra’ the ashes of green barley shoots), and the five salts.

One afflicted with waste-born cough should take this ghtt in proper measure.-)- 157-159

* The reading of the second line of this verse is evidently incorrect as given in all the printed texts. Gangadhara has ‘Kaphaih $uddhasya taih &c. vahan rasah.’ He explains that ‘taih’ refers to ‘ varttakadibhih. ’

The Calcutta and the Bombay editions read ‘Kaphai’ juddhaigcha taih &c. vahanrasa.’ If this reading be adopted, ‘taih’ stands for ‘ducts.’

Whatever the reading, the meaning does not seem to be unintelligible. — T.

The difficulty lies with ‘Kaphaih’ in all the editions. Evidently ‘Kapha is intended to be the object of the verb ‘Chyavayanti.’ The varieties of meat mentioned above cause the phlegm to fall away from the ducts. So it seems that the word in the second line should be ‘Kapham’ in the objective case and not ‘Kaphai.’ — Ed. „ f The measure of ghee , as explained by Gangadhara, should be 4 seers ; that of the decoction should be 16 seers ; and that of the pastes should be I seer to the aggregate.— T.

p. 1532

CHARAKA-SA MH1TA.

GU0UCHYADI GHRITA.

Guduchi ( Tinospora codifolia Triphala (the three myrobalans1, Murvfi ( Sansevieria zeylanica ), HaridrS ( Curcuma longa ), £reyasi (otherwise called Gajapippali, i. e., Pothos officinalis ), Vacha {Acorns Calamus'), Nidigdhika {Solatium xantkocarpum ), Kasamardda {Cassia Sophora ), Patha {Cissampelos kernandifolia), Chitraka {Plunibago zey¬ lanica), and Nagara (dry ginger) :

These are boiled in water of four times their united measure down to a fourth of the whole.

Boil an equal measure of ghee with the decoction thus obtained.

This ghee should be drunk. It is curative of abdominal tumours* asthma, and waste-born cough.* 160-161

KASAMARDDADI GHRITA.