An English Translation of the Sushruta Samhita (Bhishagratna ed.)

* A man of a Kaphaja temperament should use a twig of a plant possessed of a pungent taste (Tikta) in brushing his teeth. A man of a Pittaja temperament should brush his teeth with a twig possessed of a sweet taste (Madhura), while a man of a VsCtika temperament (nervous) should use that with an astringent (Kasdya) taste. This rule should be observed even in respect of the preponderant Doshas of the body, in a disease.

Chap. XXIV.] CHIKITSA STHANAM. 481

The teeth should be daily cleansed with (a com- pound consisting of) honey, powdered Tri-katu, Tri- vargO^, Tejovatif Saindhava and oil. Each tooth should be separately cleansed with the preceding cleansing paste applied on (the top of the twig bitten into the form of) a soft brush, and care should be taken not to hurt the gum anywise during the rubbing. This tends to cleanse and remove the bad smell (from the mouth) and the uncleanliness (of the teeth) as well as to subdue the Kapha (of the body). It cleanses the mouth and also produces a good relish for food and a cheerfulness ofmindf. 4.

Cases where tooth-brushing is for-
bidden : — Tooth-brushing is forbidden to the persons
suffering from ^affections of the teeth, lips, throat,
palate, ?or tongue, or from stomatitis, cough, asthma,
hiccough and vomiting, weakness, indigestion,
epilepsy, head-disease, thirst, fatigue, alcoholism, facial
paralysis, ear-ache, and to persons tired with over-
drinking. 5.

* The term "Tri-varga" generally means Tri-katu, Tri-phala and Tri-mada. Dallana explains it as meaning Tri-sugandhi, i.e,^ Tvak, Eld and Patra.— Ed.

+ Additional Texts :— It brings on a relish for food, imparts a cleanliness, lightness and sense of freedom to the teeth, tongue, lips and palate. It protects the mouth, throat, palate, lips and tongue from being affected by any disease. It arrests salivation, imparts an agreeable aroma to the mouth and relieves nausea and water-brush. It strengthens the religious inclination and gives a lightness to the organs. Hence one should every day use the tooih-twig, but its use is prohibited in respect of persons suffering from diseases of the palate, lips or tongue as well as from Mukha-paka (stomatitis), dyspnoea, hiccough, parchedness of the mouth and^ nausea. The. last two lines of the additional text, however, occur in the text in a slightly different form. See the next two lines of the text.

482 THE SUSHRUTA SAMHITA. [Chap. XXIV.

The use of a thin, smooth and flexible foil of gold,
silver, or wood, ten fingers in length, is commended for
the purpose of cleansing the tongue by scraping. It
gives relief and removes the bad taste, foetor, swelling
and numbness of the mouth. Sneha (oil) should be
used as a gurgle (Gandusha) every day (after the cleansing
of the teeth), as it makes them firm, and brings on a
natural relish for food. 6-7.

Eye and IVlouth -washes :— The mouth and

the eyes of a person of sound health should be washed
with the decoction of the barks of Kshira trees mixed
with milk, or with that of Bhillodaka, or of Amalaka^ or
with (a copious quantity of) cold water.* This procedure
would soon prove efficacious in destroying such affections
of the body, as Nilika, dryness in the mouth, pustules
or eruptions, Vyanga and the diseases due to the
(concerted) action of the Rakta and Pitta, and by
such washings the face becomes lighter and the sight
stronger. 8.

COlIyrium :— Srotonjana, produced in the river
Indus, is the best and purest of Collyhums. It
alleviates the burning and itching sensations in the eyes,
removes all local pains, secretions and impurities,
increases the range of vision, enables the eyes to bear

* Gayadasa interprets that the mouth should be washed with the decoction of Bhillodaka and the eyes with that of A'malaka, He also interprets that the eyes and the mouth may both, however, be washed with cold water.

Perhaps Gayadasa was of opinion that the decoction of Amalaka, being astringent, might arrest the dilatation of the pupils due to age, and so help to keep the eye-sight unimpaired. Others explain that the mouth should be washed with the decoctions of Bhillodaka and of Amalaka, and the eyes with cold water. The decoctions, however, if used as an eye-wash, should be used in a cold state.— Ed.

Chap. XXIV.] CHIKITSA STHANAM. 483

the blasts of the wind and the glare of the sun and guards
against the inroads of occular affections. Hence the
application of collyrium (along the eye-lids) is highly
recommended ; but its use is forbidden just after taking
one's meal or bath (washing the head) and after the
fatigue of vomiting, or riding, etc., nor after keeping
late hours and also not during an attack of fever. 9-11.

A betel-leaf prepared with cloves, camphor, nut-
meg (Jati), lime, araca-nut, Kakkola and Katukdhva
(Lata-kasturi), etc., should be taken (chewed after meals),
as it tends to cleanse the mouth, impart a sweet aroma
to it, enhance its beauty and cleanse and strengthen
the voice, the tongue, the teeth, the jaws and the
sense-organs. It checks excessive salivation, soothes
the body (Hridya), and acts as a general safeguard
against throat disease. A betel-leaf (prepared as
before) proves wholesome after a bath, after meals,
after anointing as well as after rising from sleep.
A person suffering from Rakta-Pitta, Kshata-Kshina,
thirst, or parchedness of the mouth should refrain
from taking betel-leaf, the use of which is equally for-
bidden in such diseases as anaemia, internal dryness
of the organism and epilepsy. 12.

^irobhyanga :— Anointing (Abhyanga) the
head with oil is a good cure for the affections of the head.
It makes the hair grow luxuriantly, and imparts thick-
ness, softness and a dark gloss to them. It soothes and
invigorates the head and the sense-organs and removes
the wrinkles of the face. The medicinal oil known as
the Chakra-Taila should be cooked with the paste
(Kalka) and the decoction of Madhuka, Kshiras'ukid,
Sarala, Deva-ddru and the minor Pancha-mula taken
in equal parts (in each case). The head should be con-
stantly anointed with this cooling oil. 13-14.

484 THE SUSHRUTA SAMHITA. [Chap. XXlV.

Combing the hair improves its growth, removes dandriff and dirt, and destroys the parasites of the scalp. Pouring oil (Karna-purana) into the cavities of the ears is highly efficacious in pains of the jaws (Hanu'^ and of the Manya, and acts as a good cure for head -ache and ear-ache. Anointing (Abhyanga) the body (with oil, etc ) imparts a glossy softness to the skin, guards against the aggravation of the Vayu and the Kapha, improves the colour and strength and gives a tone to the root-principles (Dhdtus) of the body. * I5-I7-

Parishcka :— Affusing the body (Parisheka) removes the sense of fatigue, and brings about the adhesion of broken joints. It alleviates the pain which usually attends burns, scalds, bruises and lacerations, and subdues the actions of the deranged Viyu. Sneha (oil) affused on the human organism imparts a tone and vigour to its root-principles (Dhdtus), in the same manner as water furnishes the roots of a tree or a plant with the necessary nutritive elements, and fosters its growth^ when poured into the soil where it grows. The use of Sneha (oil, etc.) at a bath causes the Sneha to penetrate into the system through the mouths of the veins (Siras) and the ducts (Dhamanis) of the body, as also through

* Rubbed on the body and allowed to stand or kept unwiped, the Sneha (oil) reaches down the skin, through the hair-follicles in the course of time necessary to utter four hundred Matras. It reaches the principle of blood in the course of that necessary to utter five hundred Matras, and to the principle of flesh in the course of that necessary to utter six hundred Matrds. It penetrates further to the principle of fat in the course of that necessary to utter seven hundred Matrds, and to the principle of bone in the course of that necessary to utter eight hundred Mdtrds, and lastly to the principle of marrow in the course of that necessary to utter nine hundred Miitis. It successively cures the diseases respectively located in those principles. — Dallana.

Chap. XXIV. CHIKITSA STHANAM. 485

the roots of the hair, and thus soothes and invigorates the body with its own essence. 18 — 20.

Under the circumstances, affusions and anointments
of the body with oil or clarified butter should be pre-
scribed by an intelligent person with due regard to one's
habit, congeniality and temperament and to the climate
and the season of the year as well as to the preponder-
ance of the deranged Dosha or Doshas in one's physical
constitution. 21.

Prohibitions of anointments, etc.:—

Anointments of the body simply with (unmedicated) Sneha are strictly forbidden in cases of undigested (Ama) Doshas (as long as the aggravated Doshas of the body continue in an unassimilated or undigested state and in their full virulence and intensity). Anointment should not be resorted to in cases of acute fever and indiges- tion, nor after the exhibition of emetics and purgatives, nor after an application of a Nirudha-Vasti. Anoint- ment in the first two cases (acute fever and indigestion) serves to make the diseases curable with difficulty and even incurable, while that made on the same day after the application of purgatives, emetics, or a Nirudha- Vasti, tends to impair the digestive capacity, etc. Anoint- ment is similarly prohibited in diseases due to Samtar- pana (repletion, etc). 22 — 24.

Physical Exercise :-- What is (popularly)

known as physical exercise is (nothing but) a sense
of weariness from bodily labour, and it should be
taken every day. After taking physical exercise, the
whole body should be shampooed, until it gives rise
to a comfortable sensation in the limbs. It makes
the body stout and strong, helps the symmetrical
growth of the limbs and muscles, improves the com-
plexion and the digestive powers, prevents laziness and

436 THE SUSMRUTA SAMHITA. CCJ^ap. XXlV.

makes the body light and glossy, firm and compact.
The power of enduring fatigue and weariness and
the variations of temperature, thirst, etc., are the
virtues which are invariably found to follow in its
train. It leads to an undiseased existence and is the
best means of reducing corpulency. The enemies of
a man habituated to regular physical exercises, dare
not molest him through fear (for his strength — D. R.).
Imbecility and senile decay never approach him, and
the muscles of his body become firm and steady.
Diseases fly from the presence of a person, habituated* to
regular physical exercise and (subsequent) shampooing,
just as small beasts do on seeing a lion. It makes an
aged and deformed man (youn^2j and) good-looking.
Food consisting of articles incompatible in their
potency, and indigested and decomposed food are easily
digested in a man who takes regular physical exercise
(and cannot produce any bad effects Regular physical
exercise is (particularly) beneficial to a strong man
accustomed to the use of emollient food (abounding in
proteid matter), in all seasons of the year ; but in
the winter and the spring, it is highly (indispensably)
necessary for him. A man seeking his own good should
take physical exercise every day only to the half extent
of his capacity (Valardha), as otherwise it may prove
fatal. That amount of exercise which makes the Prdna-
Vayu come out through the mouthf {i e., as soon as

* Dallana's reading here evidently is "o?n?ITTf^^1T^^" >n P'^^e ol "o^T^nW^^TT^^" I "^^'^ would mean "of one taking so much exercise as produces sweat."

t According to several authorities, the appearance of perspiration on the nose, the axilla, the forehead and in the joints of the hands and the legs and dryness of the mouth are the symptoms which indicate that one has taken Valstrdha physical exercise (i.e., to the half extent of his capacity).— Dallana.

Chap. XXIV.] CHIKITSA STHANAM. 487

hard-breathing would set in), is known as the Valairdha
exercise. One's own age, strength, physique and food
as well as the season of the year and the physical
nature of the country are the factors which should be
considered before one began to take physical exercise,
as otherwise it might bring on some disease 25.

Consumption, haemorrhage (Rakta-pitta), thirst phthisis, aversion to food, vomiting, illusiveness, weari- ness, fever, cough and asthma are the diseases, which are likely to originate from excessive physical exercise, and is, therefore, forbidden after a meal and the fatigues of sexual intercourse, in a fit of vertigo and in respect of persons suffering from haemorrhage, phthisis, cachexia, cough, asthma and ulcer. 26-27.

The deranged Vayu of the body is restored to its
normal condition by the help of Udvartana (massage).
It reduces the fat and the aggravated Kapha of the
system, smoothes and cleanses the skin and imparts a
firmness to the limbs. 28

Utssbdana (rubbing) and Udgharshana* (friction)
tend to dilate the orifice of the (superficial) ducts and
increa.se the temperature of the skin. Utsddana
specifically improves the complexion of females and
gives a lovely appearance, cleanliness, beauty and
suppleness to the female form. Udgharshana (friction)
pacifies the bodily Vdyu, cures itches, rashes and
eruptions (Kotha). Phenaka t imparts lightness and
steadiness to the thighs, cures itches, eruptions, Vdta-
stambha and excretal diseases. Friction of the body
with brickbat powders excites the heat of skin, brings