अथातो बालग्रहप्रतिषेधं व्याख्यास्यामः । इति ह स्माहुरात्रेयादयो महर्षयः ।
We shall now expound the chapter Balagraha Pratisedha-treatment of diseases due to demons / evil spirits seizing the child; thus said Atreya and other great sages.
Grahah – demons, evil spirits
पुरा गुहस्य रक्षार्थं निर्मिताः शूलपाणिना | मनुष्यविग्रहाः पञ्च सप्त स्त्रीविग्रहा ग्रहाः ॥ १ ॥
स्कन्दो विशाखो मेषाख्यः श्वग्रहः पितृसंज्ञितः । शकुनिः पूतना मुखमण्डितिका शीतपूतनाऽदृष्टिपूतना ॥ २ ॥ तद्वद्रेवती शुष्करेवती।
Grahas were created long back by Sulapani (Lord Siva) for the protection of Guha ( Sapmukha / Kartikeya), five of musculine form and seven of feminine form.
Skanda, Visakha, mesakhya svagraha, pitrgraha, sakuni, putana, sitaputana, adristiputana mukhamanditika, revati and suskarevati ( are the names of the grahas). 1-3a.
Notes: Arunadatta says that the first five are males and the remaining seven are females. In ancient times people believed the existance of invesible spirits which siezed/entered into the bodies of human beings for obtaining gratification of desires. Some of them seizing only the children are called as Balagrahas. Children develop difficult diseases by their seizures.
Samanya laksana – general features of seizure
तेषां ग्रहीष्यतां रूपं प्रततं रोदनं ज्वरः ॥ ३ ॥ सामान्यं रूपमुत्त्रासजृम्भाभ्रूक्षेपदीनताः ।
फेनस्रावोर्ध्वदृष्ट्योष्ठदन्तदंशप्रजागराः ॥४॥ रोदनं कूजनं स्तन्यविद्वेषः स्वरवैकृतम् । स्वधात्र्यङ्गविलेखनम् ॥ ५ ॥ नखैरकस्मात्परितः
Continuous fever and crying are the feature of the child which is going to be seized by them.
General signs and symptoms are-fear, too much of yawning, movement of the eyebrows, timidity, discharge of froth from the mouth, upward gaze biting the lips and teeth (grinding), wakefulness (absence of sleep) crying, moaning, aversion of the breast, change of voice, scratching its own body or that of the mother by nails without any reason.
Skandagraha sisu
तत्रैकनयनस्त्रावी शिरो विक्षिपते मुहुः ।
हतैकपक्षः स्तब्धाङ्गः सस्वेदो नतकन्धरः ॥ ६ ॥
दन्तखादी स्तनद्वेषो त्रस्यन् रोदिति विस्वरम् । वक्रवक्को वमन् लालां भृशमूर्ध्वं निरीक्षते ॥ ७ ॥
वसासृग्गन्धिरुद्विग्नो बद्धमुष्टिशकृच्छिशुः । संरक्तोभयलोचनः ॥ ८॥ चलितैकाक्षिगण्डभ्रूः
स्कन्दार्तस्तेन वैकल्यं मरणं वा भवेद् ध्रुवम् ।
Flow of tears from one eye only, shaking of the head often, loss of control over half the body, stiffness (rigidity or loss of movement) of the body parts, weating, shoulders drooping down, grinding of the teeth, aversion to the breast, fearful, cries in abnormal voice, face is irreregular ( asymetrical), vomiting, profuse salivation, gaze fixed upward,body emits the smell or muscle-fat and blood, irritability, clenched fist, non-limination of faeces; only one eye, one brow and one cheek having movement, both the eyes are red-these are the features of the child seized by Skanda graha-; from this either deformity of the body or death is sure to happen. 6-9a.
Skandapasmara sisu
संज्ञानाशो मुहुः केशलुञ्चनं कन्धरानतिः ॥ ९ ॥
विनम्य जृम्भमाणस्य शकृन्मूत्रप्रवर्तनम् ।
फेनोद्वमनमूर्ध्वेक्षा हस्तभ्रूपादनर्तनम् ॥ १० ॥
पूयशोणितगन्धश्च स्कन्दापस्मारलक्षणम् ॥ ११ ॥
स्तनस्वजिह्वासन्दंशसंरम्भज्वरजागरा
Loss of consciousness often; plucking of the hair, drooping of the shoulders, bending of the body, associated with yawnings, and elimination of faeces and urine, vomiting of froth, upward gaze, moving the hands, brows and legs as though dancing, biting the breast of the mother and his own tongue, sudden emotions of anger, etc. fever, loss of sleep, and the body emitting the odour of pus and blood-are the features of the child due seizure by Skandapasmara graha. (other name of visakha). 9b-11.
Naigamesa graha sisu
आध्मानं पाणिपादस्य स्पन्दनं फेननिर्वमः । तृण्मुष्टिबन्धातीसारस्वरदैन्यविवर्णताः कूजनं स्तननं छर्दिः कासहिध्माप्रजागराः ।
ओष्ठदंशाङ्गसङ्कोचस्तम्भबस्ताभगन्धताः ऊर्ध्वं निरीक्ष्य हसनं, मध्ये विनमनं, ज्वरः ।
मूर्च्छकनेत्रशोफश्च नैगमेषग्रहाकृतिः ॥ १४ ॥ ॥१२॥ ॥१३॥
Distention of the abdomen, ( abnormal) movements of the hands and feet, vomiting of forth, thirst, clenching of the fists, diarrhoea, feeble voice, discolouration, moaning, crying with feeble sound, vomiting, cough, hiccup, loss of sleep, biting the lips, contracting the body, stiffness, emitting the smell of the goat, laughing with eyes fixed up, centre of the body bent ever, fainting (loss of consciousness) and swelling of only one eye-are the features of the child seized by Naigamesa graha. 12-14.
Svagraha sisu
कम्पो हृषितरोमत्वं स्वेदश्चक्षुर्निमीलनम् । बहिरायामनं जिह्वादंशोऽन्तः कण्ठकूजनम् ॥ १५ ॥
धावनं विट्सगन्धत्वं क्रोशनं च श्ववच्छुनि ।
Treatment (trembling, shaking ) horripilation, sweating, closure of the eyes, body bent outwards, biting of the tongue,
low sound from the throat, running, body emitting the smell of faeces and crying making sound like a dog-are features of a child seized by Svagraha. 15-16a.
Pitr graha sisu
रोमहर्षो मुहुस्त्रासः सहसा रोदनं ज्वरः ॥ १६ ॥
कासातिसारवमथुजृम्भातृद्शवगन्धताः अङ्गेष्वाक्षेपविक्षेपशोषस्तम्भविवर्णताः मुष्टिबन्धः स्रुतिश्चाक्ष्णोर्बालस्य स्युः पितृग्रहे | ॥१७॥
Horripilations, again and again, fear, sudden crying, fever, cough, diarrhoea, vomiting, yawning, thirst, body emitting smell of a cadaver, convulsions, tremors, emaciation, rigidity, discolouration, clenching of the fist, and tears flowing out of the eyes-are the features of the child seized by Pitr graha. 16b-18a.
Sakuni graha sisu
स्त्रस्ताङ्गत्वमतीसारो जिह्वातालुगले व्रणाः ॥ १८ ॥
स्फोटाः सदाहरुकपाकाः सन्धिषु स्युः पुनः पुनः । निश्यह्नि प्रविलीयन्ते पाको वक्क्रे गुदेऽपि वा ॥ १९ ॥
भयं शकुनिगन्धत्वं ज्वरश्च शकुनिग्रहे।
Weakness of the body, diarrhoea, ulcers in the tongue, palatej and throat, eruption having burning sensation, pain and pus appearing on the joints during nights and disappearing during day, ulceration of the mouth and or rectum, fear, body emitting the smell of a bird and fever-are the symptoms of a child seized by Sakuni graha. 18b-20a.
Putana graha sisu
पूतनायां वमिः कम्पस्तन्द्रा रात्रौ प्रजागरः ॥ २० ॥
हिध्माऽऽध्मानं शकृद्भेदः पिपासा मूत्रनिग्रहः । स्त्रस्तहृष्टाङ्गरोमत्वं काकवत्पूतिगन्धिता ॥ २१ ॥
Vomiting, tremors, stupor, loss of sleep at nights, hiccup, distention of the abdomen, diarrhoea, severe thirst, suppression of urine, weakness, horripilations, body emitting the smell like that of a crow-are the feature of a child seized by Putana graha. 20b-21.
Sitaputana graha justa sisu
शीतपूतनया कम्पो रोदनं तिर्यगीक्षणम् । तृष्णाऽन्त्रकूजोऽतीसारो वसावद्विस्त्रगन्धता ॥ २२ ॥ पार्श्वस्यैकस्य शीतत्वमुष्णत्वमपरस्य च ।
Child seized by Sitaputana has tremors, crying, sideward gazing, thirst, intestinal gurglings, diarrhoea, bad smell from the body resembling that of muscle-fat; half of the body being cold and the other half warm. 22-23a.
Andhaputana graha sisu
अन्धपूतनया छर्दिर्ज्वर: कासोऽल्पनिद्रता ॥ २३ ॥
वर्चसो भेदवैवर्ण्यदौर्गन्ध्यान्यङ्गशोषणम् । दृष्टे: सादातिरुक्कण्डूपोथकीजन्मशूनताः ॥ २४ ॥
हिध्मोद्वेगस्तनद्वेषवैवर्ण्यस्वरतीक्ष्णता वेपथुर्मत्स्यगन्धत्वमथवा । साम्लगन्धता ॥ २५ ॥
Seized by Andhaputana, the child has vomitings, fever cough, little of sleep, diarrhoea, discolouration, bad smell, emaciation, weakness of vision, severe pain, itching, occurrance of pothaki, (eye disease-small multiple eruptions inside the eyelids) and swelling of the eyes, hiccup, emotions, aversion for the breast, discolouration, increased pitch of the voice, shivering, body emitting the odour of fish or sour odour. 23b-25.
Mukhamandita sisu
मुखमण्डितया पाणिपादास्यरमणीयता । सिराभिरसिताभाभिराचितोदरता अरोचकोऽङ्गलपनं गोमूत्रसमगन्धता । ज्वरः ॥ २६ ॥
Seized by Mukhamandita graha child has gracious appearance of the hands, feet and face (which is abnormal), black coloured veins prominantly appearing on the abdomen, fever, loss of taste / appetite, exhaustion, tiredness and the body emitting the smell of cow’urine. 26-27a.
Revati graha sisu
रेवत्यां श्यावनीलत्वं कर्णनासाक्षिमर्दनम् ॥ २७ ॥
कासहिध्माक्षिविक्षेपवक्रवक्क्रत्वरक्तताः । बस्तगन्धो ज्वरः शोषः पुरीषं हरितं द्रवम् ॥ २८ ॥
Seized by Revatigraha-the child has blackish-blue colour of the skin, rubbing its ears, nose and eyes, cough, hiccup, abnormal movements of the eyeballs, face uneven ( asymetrical) and reddish; body emitting the smell of a goat; fever, emaciation and the faeces is green and watery. 27b-28. Suskarevati justa sisu
क्रमात्सर्वाङ्सङ्क्षयः । In seizure by Suska revati, the child becomes emaciated in all its body parts gradually. 29a.
जायते शुष्करेवत्यां
Asadhya laksana – signs of incurability
केशशातोऽन्नविद्वेषः स्वरदैन्यं विवर्णता ॥ २९ ॥
रोदनं गृध्रगन्धत्वं दीर्घकालानुवर्तनम् । उदरे ग्रन्थयो वृत्ता यस्य नानाविधं शकृत् ॥ ३० ॥
जिह्वाया निम्म्रता मध्ये श्यावं तालु च तं त्यजेत ।
Falling of the hair, hatredness of food, feeble voice, discolouration, crying, smell of vulture coming out from the body, round nodules appearing on the abdomen, faeces of many kinds being eliminated, depression in the middle of the tongue and the palate becoming black-the child having these should be refused treatment. 29b-31a.
भुञ्जानोऽन्नं बहुविधं यो बालः परिहीयते ॥ ३१ ॥ तृष्णागृहीतः क्षामाक्षो हन्ति तं शुष्करेवती ।
That child which becomes emaciated even though consuming food of many kinds, suffers from severe thirst and shrivelled eyes-gets killed by Suskarevati. 31b-32a.
Grahana karana – reasons for seizure
हिंसारत्यर्चनाकाङ्क्षा ग्रहग्रहणकारणम् ॥ ३२ ॥
Desire of himsa ( causing pain), rati ( seeking sexual gratification) and arcana (seeking worship) are the reasons for seizure by the grahas. 32b.
तत्र हिंसात्मके बालो महान् वा स्स्रुतनासिकः । क्षतजिह्वः क्वणेद्वाढमसुखी साश्रुलोचनः ॥ ३३ ॥
दुर्वर्णो हीनवचनः पूतिगन्धिश्च जायते । क्षामो मूत्रपुरीषं स्वं मृद्गाति न जुगुप्सते ॥ ३४॥
हस्तौ चोद्यम्य संरब्धो हन्त्यात्मानं तथा परम् । तद्वच्च शस्त्रकाष्ठाद्यैरग्निं वा दीप्तमाविशेत् ॥ ३५ ॥
अप्सु मज्जेत्पतेत्कूपे कुर्यादन्यच्चतद्विधम् । तृड्दाहमोहान् पूयस्य छर्दनं च प्रवर्तयेत् ॥ ३६ ॥
रक्तं च सर्वमार्गेभ्यो रिष्टोत्पत्तिं च तं त्यजेत् ।
When the seizure is for himsa (causing trouble), the child or the adult will have running in the nose, biting of the tongue, cries greatly, is miserable, tears flowing, has bad colour (of the skin), little of speech, foetid smell of the body, emaciation, plays with his own urine and faeces without any disgust; raises his hands to beat himself and others in great anger, similarly with the weapons, baton or fire; enters into burning fire, drowns in water, falls into the well and does other similar acts; suffers from thirst, burning sensation, delusion, vomiting of pus, discharge of blood from all the channels and develops fatal signs. Such a child/person should be rejected. 33-37a.
रह:स्त्रीरतिसंलापगन्धस्त्रग्भूषणप्रियः ॥३७॥
हृष्टः शान्तश्च दुःसाध्यो रतिकामेन पीडितः ।
The child/adult seized by the graha for the sake of sexual gratification, — desires solitude, copulation and conversation with women, is fond of pleasant smell, garlands and ornaments, always joyful (mischievous) and calm (waiting for an opportunity) this condition is difficult to cure. 37b-38a.
दीन: परिमृशन् वक्त्रं शुष्कौष्ठगलतालुकः ॥ ३८ ॥
शङ्कितं बीते रौति ध्यायत्यायाति दीनताम् । अन्नमन्नाभिलाषेऽपि दत्तं नाति बुभुक्षते ॥ ३९ ॥
गृहीतं बलिकामेन तं विद्यात्सुखसाधनम् ।
The child/adult who is timid, desires to look at his own face (in mirror etc.) ; his lips, throat and palate are dry; sees others with suspicion; cries, worries and becomes timid; does
not consume the given food though desirous of foodshould be understood as seized by grahas which desires oblations/worship; this is easily curable. 38b-40a.
Chikitsa – treatment
हन्तुकामं जयेद्धोमैः सिद्धमन्त्रप्रवर्तितैः ॥ ४० ॥ इतरौ तु यथाकामं रतिबल्यादिदानतः ।
The graha which desires to kill the child/adult should be won over by resorting to homa (fire sacrifies) initiated by (accompaied with) chanting of the effective hymns. The other grahas by fulfilling their desires such as sexual gratification, offering of oblations etc. 40b-41a.
अथ साध्यग्रहं बालं विविक्ते शरणे स्थितम् ॥ ४१ ॥
त्रिरह्नः सिक्तसंमृष्टे सदा सन्निहितानले ।
विकीर्णभूतिकुसुमपत्रबीजान्नसर्षपे रक्षोघ्नतैलज्वलितप्रदीपहृतपाप्मनि ॥ ४२ ॥
व्यवायमद्यपिशितनिवृत्तपरिचारके पुराणसर्पिषाऽभ्यक्तं परिषिक्तं सुखाम्बुना । साधितेन बलानिम्बवैजयन्तीनृपद्रुमैः ॥ ॥ ४३ ॥
पारिभद्रककट्वङ्गजम्बूवरुणकट्तृणैः ४४ ॥
कपोतवङ्कापामार्गपाटलामधुशिग्रुभिः काकजङ्गामहाश्वेताकपित्थक्षीरिपादपैः ।
सकदम्बकरजैश्च, धूपं स्नातस्य चाचरेत् ॥ ४६ ।। द्वीपिव्याघ्राहिसिंहर्क्षचर्मभिर्घृतमिश्रितैः ।
Further, the child seized by graha which is easy to ward off, should be kept for three days in a seperate house, in solitude; body smeared with oil, purified ( with bath ) and placed very near to the fire alter, the area around spread with auspicious things, flowers, leaves, seeds, prepared foods, sarsapa ( mustard ), lamps burning by the help of oil which wards off eveil spirits and sin; the child taken care of by atten dents ( female ) who are not indulging in copulation, wine and meat. The baby should be anointed with old ghee and bathed in comfortably warm water processed with bala, nimba, vaijayanti, nrpadruma, paribhadraka, katvanga,jambu, varuna, kattrna kapotavanka apamarga, patala, madusigru, kakajangha, mahasveta, kapittha, trees with milky sap, kadamba, and karanja, after bath, fumigation should be done with the skin/hairs smeared with ghee of the leopard, tiger, snake, lion or bear. 41b-47a.
पूतीदशाङ्गसिद्धार्थवचाभल्लातदीप्यकैः ॥४७॥ सकुष्ठैः सघृतैर्धूपः सर्वग्रहविमोक्षणः ।
Fumigation with puti, dasanga ( vide chapter 37-27 of uttarasthana) siddhartha, vaca, bhallata, dipyaka and kustha, mixed with ghee, relieves the child from all the grahas (evil spirits). 47b-48a.
सर्षपा निम्बपत्राणि मूलमश्वखुरा वचा ॥ ४८ ॥ भूर्जपत्रं घृतं धूपः सर्वग्रहनिवारणः ।
Fumigation with sarsapa, leaves of nimba, roots of asvakhura, vaca and bhurja patra, mixed with ghee wards off, all the grahas ( evil spirits). 48b-49a.
अनन्ताम्रास्थितगरं मरिचं मधुरो गणः ॥ ४९ ॥
शृगालविन्ना मुस्ता च कल्कितस्तैघृतं पचेत् । दशमूलरसक्षीरयुक्तं तद् तद् ग्रहजित्परम् ॥ ५० ॥
Medicated ghee prepared with the paste ananta, stone ( seed) of amra, tagara, marica, drugs of madhura gana (chapter 10 of sutrasthana ), srgalavinna and musta, decoction of dasamula, and milk; this ghee (consumed daily ) is best to dispel evil spirits. 49b-50.
रास्त्राद्व्यंशुमतीवृद्धपञ्चमूलबलाघनात् क्वाथे सर्पिः पचेत्पिष्टैः सारिवाव्योषचित्रकैः ॥ ५१ ॥
पाठाविडङ्गमधुकपयस्याहिङ्गुदारुभिः । सग्रन्थिकैः सेन्द्रयवैः शिशोस्तत्सततं हितम् ॥ ५२ ॥ सर्वरोगग्रहहरं दीपनं बलवर्णदम् ।
Medicated ghee is prepared with the decoction of rasna, amsumati, Vrddha (brhat) pancamula, bala and ghana, the paste of sariva, vyosa, citraka, patha, vidanga, madhuka, payasya, hingu, daru, granthika and indrayava. This ghee consumed continuously by the child cures all the diseases caused by evil spirits, is carminative and bestows strength and colour/complexion. 51-53a.
सारिवासुरभिब्राह्मीशङ्खिनीकुष्ठसर्षपैः वचाश्वगन्धासुरसायुक्तैः सर्पिर्विपाचयेत्। ॥ ५३॥
तन्नाशयेद्ग्रहान् सर्वान् पानेनाभ्यञ्जनेन च ॥ ५४॥
Medicated ghee should be prepared with (decoction and paste) of sariva, surabhi, brahmi, sankhini, kustha, sarsapa, vaca, asvagandha and surasa. This wards-off all the evil spirits by making use of it for drinking and massaging. 53b-54.
गोशृङ्गचर्मवालाहिनिर्मोकं निम्बपत्राज्यकटुकामदनं कार्पासास्थियवच्छागरोमदेवाह्वसर्षपम्
मयूरपत्र श्रीवासं तुषकेशं मृद्भाण्डे बस्तमूत्रेण भावितं श्लक्ष्णचूर्णितम् । धूपनं च हितं सर्वभूतेषु विषमज्वरे ॥ ५७ ॥
वृषदंशविट् । बृहतीद्वयम् ॥ ५५ ॥ सरामठम् ॥ ५६ ॥
Pieces of horn, skin and hairs of the cow, snake peel, excreta of the cat, leaves of nimba, ghee, katuka, madana, the two brhati, seeds of karpasa, yava, hairs of the goat, devahva, sarasapa, feathers of the peacock, srivasa, tusa, kesa, (husk and hairs) and ramatha are made into fine powder and kept in an earthern pot and soaked in goat’s urine, (for one day). Used for fumigation if is beneficial to dispel all the evil spirits and in irregular ( remittant ) fevers. 55-57.
घृतानि भूतविद्यायां वक्ष्यन्ते यानि तानि च ।
युञ्ज्यात्तथा बलिं होमं स्त्रपनं मन्त्रतन्त्रवित् ॥ ५८ ॥
The physician conversant with hymns and procedures (of sorcery) should make use of the medicated ghee recipes, described in Bhuta vidya (chapter 4 and 5 of this sect on) and also perform rites such as bali (offering oblations), homa (fire sacrifices) and snapana (religious bath/ sacrificial bath). 58.
पूतीकरञ्ज(ञ्जात )त्वपत्रं क्षीरिभ्यो बर्बरादपि ।
तुम्बीविशालारलुकशमीबिल्वकपित्थतः उत्क्वाथ्य तोयं तद्रात्रौ बालानां स्नपनं शिवम् । ॥ ५९॥
Water should be boiled with the bark and leaves of putikaranja, barks and leaves of trees with milky sap and also of barbara, tumbi, visala, araluka, sami, bilva and kapittha; bathing the child with this water at nights is beneficial (auspicious). 59-60a.
अनुबन्धान् यथाकृच्छ्रं ग्रहापायेऽप्युपद्रवान् ॥ ६० ॥ बालामयनिषेधोक्तभेषजै: समुपाचरेत् ॥ ६०% ॥
The secondary disease arising from seizure by evil spirits, which persist for long time should be treated with medicines (and other remedial measures) described in Balamaya nisedha (chapter 2 ).
इति श्रीवैद्यपतिसिंहगुप्तसूनुश्रीमद्वाग्भटविरचितायामष्टाङ्गहृदयसंहितायां षष्ठे उत्तरस्थाने बालग्रहप्रतिषेधो नाम तृतीयोऽध्यायः ॥ ३ ॥ Thus ends the chapter Balagraha pratisedha-the third in Uttarasthana of Astanga hrdaya samhita composed by Srimad Vagbhata, son of Sri Vaidyapati Simhagupta.
इत्यष्टाङ्गहृदये द्वितीयं कौमारतन्त्रं समाप्तम् ।
Thus ends the Kaumaratantra / Bala cikitsa- (paediatrics) the second branch of ayurveda.
