Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

With the dung of the cow, the mule, the camel, the boar and the horse, mixed with chaff ( of paddy ) or wheat, as also with sand, dust, pounded stone, dried and pounded cowdung, and iron dust, collected together within a piece of cloth and made into a loose ball, Sweda should be applied to persons of phlegmatic constitutions. With the articles mentioned in Verse 24, Sweda should be applied to persons whose constitutions are subject to the influence of the wind.

In Prastara-sweda the articles mentioned above are applaud¬ ed, the selection, of course, depending upon the particular disor¬ der or disease that is sought to be removed.t25'26

In subterranean chambers, rooms specially designed for the

* Each of these articles is to be used for being converted into a ball. The Bengali Commentator explains that this is cooling Sweda. * Pinda-sweda ’ is explained by the Commentator as * Pinda rupa Sweda ‘ Sweda ’ here means the articles with which the operation is to be performed. Of course, the sense is, as already said, that the operatic is to be performed with balls made of the articles indicated. — T.

f Having spoken of the ‘ Pinda-sweda,’ the speaker refers here to the ‘ Prastarasweda.’ The difference between the two is that in the former the articles used are first converted into a jelly-like substance and then formed into balls. In the latter, the articles remain partially or totally dry, and are, therefore, put into a piece of cloth and made into a loose ball. — T.

CHAR A KA-SA MH IT A. 15?

purpose and called Jentakas, and chambers having no windows and, therefore, very warm, all heated for sometime by smokeless fire, the patient, after being rubbed with oil, may easily undergo the operation of Swedana."J*2 7

The flesh of domestic animals ( such as goat or sheep), of animals living in marshes ( such as buffalos), of aquatic animals ( such as tortoises ), and the head of the goat, as also the middle portion of the boar, its bile and blood, oily seeds ( like those of the castor-oil plant ), sesame, and rice, should all be boiled together and with the decoction thus obtained should a patient be subjected to the operation called Nadi-sweda by the learned physician, experienced in the modifications brought about by country and season, and guided by reason.2 8-2 9

Varuna (a), Amritaka (5), Eranda (c), Sigru (d), Mulaka (e), Sarshapa (/), the leaves of Vasa (g), and Vangga (h), and Karanja (z'), and Arka (/), and Agmantaka (£), as also the leaves of Sobhanjanaka (/), of £airiya ( m ), of Surasa (zz), and of Arjjuka f ‘ Bhugriha ’ is any subterranean chamber. Throughout the North West such chambers still occur in almost all respectable mansions. ‘Jentaka,’ as used here, means an artificially heated chamber. 1 Ushnargabha griha ’ is one into which no air is admit¬ ted either because there are no windows or because of the windows, if any, not being opened. All these chambers are directed to be heated by means of burning charcoal from which no smoke should emanate. ‘ Avyakta ’ is rubbed with oil.’ — T.

J The operations of Swedana spoken of in Verses 27 and 28 are intended, the Commentators remark, for persons whose wind has been excited. — T.

(a) Cratceva religiosa, sy n. , Capparis trifoliata, Rox.

(b) Another name of Guduchi. Tinospora cordifolia , syn ; Mcnisptrmum cordifolium.

(c) Ricitius communis.

(d) Moringa pterygosperma.

(c) Garden radish. Raphanus sativus.

(f) Mustard seeds.

(g) Justicia Adhatoda ; syn, Adhatoda Vasica.

(h) Bambusa arundinacea, Reiz. The Bamboo.

(i) Pongamia Glabra ; syn, Galedupa Indica.

(j) Calalropis Gigantea ; syn, Asclepias Gigantea.

(k ) Called also Pashanbhedi. Coleus Amboinicus.

(l) Moringa pterygosperma (of the red variety.)

(pi) Called also Nila- Jhinti. Berleria cristata, Linn.

(n) Ocimum Sanctum.

CHA RA KA -SA MHITA.

p. 158

(a), should all be boiled together. With the decoction thus obtained, a patient should be subjected to the operation called NadiSweda.30'31

Another kind of Nadi-Sweda consists of the decoction obtained by boiling together the following, viz., Bhutika (/), Panchamula! (y), wine, butter-milk, the eight kinds of animal urine, the several acids, and oil.3*

Keeping these several kinds of decoctions in a trough, or filling the trough with ghee, milk, and oil, Sweda should be administered by the physician.33

Plasters made of the flour of wheat and barley mixed with Kanjika and other acids, as also with Oils, the seeds with which' fermentation is set about for making wines, arid salt, are spoken of as highly beneficial.34

The physician should apply plasters made of fragrant sub¬ stances ( such as sandal &c. ), the seeds with which fermentation is produced for making wines, Jivanti (a), (jlatapushpi (6), Uma. (c), Kushtha ( d ), and Oils.4135

After applying the plaster, it should be bound with some hairy skin that should be free from bad odor and that should be capable of imparting heat or keeping off cold. If such a piece of skin cannot be found, then some silken cloth or warm blanket or petticoat may be used. 3 A

A plaster bound up in this way in the night should be exposed

(o) Ocimum Basilicum.

(p) Called also Yamani. Ptychotis Ajowan.