सप्तत्रिंशोऽध्यायः अथातो भूमिप्रविभागविज्ञानीयमध्यायं व्याख्यास्यामः, यथोवाच भगवान् धन्वन्तरिः ॥ १ ॥
Now we shall discuss the Chapter, which deals with the distinctive traits of the different classes of soil commended for the growth or culture of medicinal herbs (Bhumi-PravibhagaVijnaniya-adhyaya). 1
श्वभ्रशर्कराश्मविषमवल्मीकश्मशानाघातनदेवतायतनसिकताभिरनुपहतामनूषरामभङ्गरामदूरोदकां स्निग्धां प्ररोहवर्ती मृद्वीं स्थिरां समां कृष्णां गौरीं लोहितां वा भूमिमौषधग्रहणाय परीक्षेत । तस्यां जातमपि क्रिमिविषशस्त्रातपपवनदहनतोयसम्बाधमार्गैरनुपहतमेकरसं पुष्टं पृथ्ववगाढमूलमुदीच्याञ्चौषधमाददीतेत्यौषधभूमिपरीक्षाविशेषः सामान्यः ॥२॥
These are the general features of a ground which is recommended for the culture of medicinal plants or herbs. A plot of ground, whose surface is not broken or rendered uneven by the presence of holes, ditches, gravel and stones, nor is loose in its character, and which is not disfigured by ant-hills, nor used for the purposes of a cremation or execution ground, and which does not occupy the site of a holy temple, is favourable for the growth of medicinal herbs. A ground which possesses a soil which is glossy, firm, steady, black, yellowish or red and does not contain any sand, potash or any other alkaline substance, and is favourable to the germination of plants and easily pervious to the roots of plants growing thereon, and which is supplied with the necessary moisture from a close or adjacent stream or reservoir of water, is recommended for the growth of medicinal plants and herbs. Plants should be regarded as partaking of the virtues of the ground they grow upon. A plant, growing in such a commendable site, should be examined as to its being infested with worms or insects, or as to its being anywise infected with poison, or cut with an arm, or affected by winds, atmospheric heat, or an animal’s body. It should be culled or uprooted in the event of it being found sound, healthy, deep-rooted, full-boiled, and of matured sap. The gatherer should look towards the north at the time of culling. 2
विशेषतस्तु-तत्राश्मवती स्थिरा गुर्वी श्यामा कृष्णा वा स्थूलवृक्षशस्यप्राया स्वगुणभूयिष्ठा । स्विधा शीतलासन्नोदका स्निग्धशस्यतृणकोमलवृक्षप्राया शुक्ला अम्बुगुणभूयिष्ठा । नानावर्णा लध्वश्मवती प्रविरलाल्पपाण्डुवृक्षप्ररोहाऽग्निगुणभूयिष्ठा । रूक्षा भस्मरासभवर्णा तनुरूक्षकोटराल्परसवृक्षप्राया अनिलगुणभूयिष्ठा । मृद्वी समा श्वभ्रवत्यव्यक्तरसजला सर्वतोऽसारवृक्षा महापर्वतवृक्षप्राया श्यामा चाकाशगुणभूयिष्ठा ॥ ३ ॥
A plot of ground with a pebbly, steady, heavy, dusky or dark coloured soil, and which conduces to the growth of large trees, and yields rich harvests of corn, should be regarded as permeated with the specific virtues of essential Earth-matter.
A ground having a cool, glossy, white coloured soil, which is adjacent to water, and whose surface is covered with a lavish growth of glossy weeds and luscious shady trees, should be considered as characterised by the essential properties of water (Ambuguna). A ground having a gravelly soil of varied colours, and which contributes only to the germination of scanty and yellowish sprouts, should be looked upon as permeated with the attributes of essential fire (Agniguna). A ground with an ash-coloured or ass-coloured (grey), soil, and on which withered looking, sapless, large-holed trees of stunted growth, somehow eke out a miserable existence, should be considered as being controlled by the specific properties of air (Anilaguna); while the one having a soft, level surface with large trees and lofty hills cropping up at intervals thereon, and which is covered with growths of weeds and under-shrubs, and is endued with a dark soil, kept moist and sappy by the percolation of invisible (subterranean) water, should be looked upon as permeated with the essential properties of sky (Akasaguna). 3
अत्र केचिदाहुराचार्या :- प्रावृवर्षाशरद्धेमन्तवसन्तग्रीष्मेषु यथासङ्ख्यं मूलपत्रत्वक्क्षीरसारफलान्याददीतेति । तत् तु न सम्यक् कस्मात् ? सौम्याग्नेयत्वाज्जगतः। सौम्यान्यौषधानि सौम्येष्वृतुष्वाददीताग्नेयान्याग्नेयेषु; एवमव्यापन्नगुणानि भवन्ति । सौम्यान्यौषधानि सौम्येषु ऋतुषु गृहीतानि सोमगुणभूयिष्ठायां भूमौ जातान्यतिमधुरस्निग्धशीतानि जायन्ते । एतेन शेषं व्याख्यातम् ॥ ४॥
According to certain authorities, the roots, leaves, bark, milky exudations, essence and fruits (seeds) of medicinal plants and herbs, should be respectively culled in the early part of the rains (Pravrt) and in the rainy season proper (Varsa), autumn, (Sarat), fore-winter (Hemanta), spring (Vasanta ) and summer ( Grisma ). But we cannot subscribe to that opinion inasmuch as the nature or essential temperament of the earth is both cool (Saumya) and hot (Agneya). Accordingly drugs of cooling virtues should be culled during the cold seasons of the year, and heat-making ones in the hot season, as they do not become divested to their native virtues at those seasons of the year. Medicinal plants of cooling virtues, which are grown on a soil of cool temperament and are culled during the cool seasons of the year, become intensely sweet, cooling and glossy. These remarks hold good of other medicinal plants and herbs. 4
तत्र पृथिव्यम्बुगुणभूयिष्ठायां भूमौ जातानि विरेचनद्रव्याण्याददीत, अग्न्याकाशमारुतगुणभूयिष्ठायां वमनद्रव्याणि । उभयगुणभूयिष्ठायामुभयतोभागानि । आकाशगुणभूयिष्ठायां संशमनान्येवं बलवत्तराणि भवन्ति ।। ५ ।।
Herbs of purgative properties, which are grown on a soil permeated with the specific virtues of water or earth matter, should be culled as the most effective of their kind. Similarly, herbs of emetic virtues should be culled from a ground permeated with the essential virtues of fire, sky and air.
Herbs exercising both purgative and emetic virtues should be culled from ground exhibiting features common to both the two aforesaid classes of soil. Similarly, herbs possessed of soothing properties (Samsamana)¹ are found to exert a stronger action in the event of their being reared on a soil permeated with the essential properties of sky. 5
सर्वाण्येव चाभिनवान्यन्यत्र मधुघृतगुडपिप्पलीविडङ्गेभ्यः । (सर्वाण्येव सक्षीराणि वीर्यवन्ति ।) तेषामसम्पत्ताव (न) तिक्रान्तवत्सराण्याददीतेति ॥ ६ ॥
All medicinal herbs and substances should be used as fresh as possible, excepting Pippali, Vidanga, Madhu, Guda, and Ghrta, (which should be used in a matured condition i.e. not before a year). The milky juice or sap of a medicinal tree or plant should be regarded as strong and active under all circumstances. Herbs and drugs, that had been culled or collected within the year, might be taken and used in making up a medicinal recipe in a case where fresh ones would not be available. 6
भवन्ति चात्रगोपालास्तापसा व्याधा ये चान्ये वनचारिणः । मूलाहाराश्च ये तेभ्यो सर्वाoयवसाध्येषु भेषजव्यक्तिरिष्यते ॥७॥
पलाशलवणादिषु । व्यवस्थितो न कालोऽस्ति तत्र सर्वो विधीयते ॥ ८ ॥
Authoritative Verses on the Subject: Medicinal herbs and plants should be recognised and identified with the help of cowherds, hermits, huntsmen, forest-dwellers, and those who cull the fruits and edible roots of the forest. No definite time can be laid down for the culling of the leaves and roots of medicinal plants, etc., such as are used in compounding the recipe, which is called the Patra-lavana, and which covers, within its therapeutic range, diseases, which are
1. Herbs or drugs, which in virtue of their own essential properties soothe or subdue a disease without eliminating the morbid humours or without exercising any emetic or purgative action. peculiar to the entire organism (such as Vata-vyadhi, etc.)¹ 7-8
गन्धवर्णरसोपेता षड्विधा भूमिरिष्यते । तस्माद्भूमिस्वभावेन बीजिनः षडूरसायुताः ।।९।।
अव्यक्तः किल तोयस्य रसो निश्चयनिश्चितः । रसः स एव चाव्यक्तो व्यक्तो भूमिरसाद् भवेत् ।। १० ।।
As soil admits of being divided into six different classes according to its smell, colour, taste, etc. so the sap of a medicinal plant may assume any of the six different tastes through its contact with the peculiar properties of the soil it grows on. Tastes such as, sweet, etc., remain latent in water, which imparts them to the soil in a patent or perceptible condition. 9-10
सर्वलक्षणसम्पन्ना भूमि: साधारणी स्मृता । द्रव्याणि यत्र तत्रैव तद्गुणानि विशेषतः ।।११।।
A plot of ground, exhibiting traits peculiar to all the five fundamental material principles (such as the earth, water, fire, etc.) is said to be possessed of a soil of general character (Sadharani Bhumi), and medicinal plants and herbs partake of the specific virtues of the soil they grown on. 11
विगन्धेनापरामृष्टमविपन्नं रसादिभिः । नवं द्रव्यं पुराणं वा ग्राह्यमेवं विनिर्द्दिशेत् ॥ १२ ॥
विडङ्गं पिप्पली क्षौद्रं सर्पिश्चाप्यनवं हितम् । शेषमन्यत्त्वभिनवं गृह्णीयाद् दोषवर्जितम् ॥ १३ ॥
Drugs, whether fresh or old, and emitting a contrary smell, or in any way affected as regards their natural sap or juice, should not be used for pharmaceutical purposes. 12
The virtues of such medicinal drugs and substances such as Vidanga, Pippali, Madhu, and Guda, improve ( after a year). Accordingly all drugs and medicinal herbs, excepting the preceding ones, should be used fresh and unsoiled, or uninjured by insects. 13
1- Hence the doctrine, as regards the culling of the different parts of a medicinal plant such as, the leaves, roots, etc., in the different seasons of the year, naturally falis to the ground.
जङ्गमानां वयःस्थानां रक्तरोमनखादिकम् । क्षीरमूत्रपुरीषाणि जीर्णाहारेषु संहरेत् ।।१४।।
Blood, nails, or hair etc., of animals, (officinally laid down to be used in our Pharmacopoeia), should be taken from young and healthy animals, and the ordure, urine, or milk or an animal, (enjoined to be used for medicinal purposes), should be collected at a time after it has completed its digestion. 14
प्लोतमृद्भाण्डफलक-शङ्कु विन्यस्तभेषजम् ।
प्रशस्तायां दिशि शुचौ भेषजागारमिष्यते ॥ १५ ॥
The pharmacy and the medicinal store of a physician should occupy a commendable site and an auspicious quarter of the sky (North to East), and the collected medicines should be kept tied in pieces of clean linen, or stored in earthen vessels and hollow tubes of wood, or suspended on wooden pegs. 15
इति सुश्रुतसंहितायां सूत्रस्थाने भूमिप्रविभागविज्ञानीयो नाम सप्तत्रिंशोऽध्यायः ॥३७॥
Thus ends the thirty-seventh Chapter of the Sutrasthanam in the Susruta Samhita which treats of the Classification of grounds for the culture of medicinal plants and herbs, etc.
