We will now expound the chapter (known as) Gandushadi vidhi – procedure of mouth gargling and others. Thus said atreya and other great sages (1)
अथातो गण्डूषादिविधिमध्यायं व्याख्यास्यामः । इति ह स्माहुरात्रेयादयो महर्षयः ॥ १ ॥
Gandusha bheda – Types of mouth gargles
चतुर्विधो भवति गण्डूषः । स्नैहिकः शमनः शोधनो रोपणश्च । तेषामाद्यास्त्रयः क्रमेण वातपित्तकफामयघ्नाः । रोपणस्त्वास्यव्रणघ्नः । शमनः स्तम्भनः प्रसादनो निर्वापण इति पर्यायाः ॥२॥
Gandusa (mough gargles ) is of four types; Snaihika ( lubricating), Samana (mitigating), Sodhana (purificatory) and Ropana (healing); the first three cure diseases of vata, pitta and kapha origin respectively. Ropana cures the ulcerations of the mouth; Samana, Sthambhana, prasadana and Nirvapana are the synonyms of the above (respectively). (2)
तत्र स्वाद्वम्ललवणोष्णैरौषधैः सिद्धो युक्तो वा नात्युष्णः स्नेहो मांसरसस्तिलकल्कोदकं क्षीरं वा स्त्रैहिकः । तिक्तकषायमधुरशीतैः पटोलारिष्टजम्ब्वाम्रमालतीपल्लवोत्पलमधुकक्वाथसितोदकक्षौद्रक्षीरेक्षुरस घृतादिभिः शमनः । कट्वम्ललवणोष्णैः शिरोविरेचनद्रव्यैः शुक्तमद्यधान्याम्लमूत्रान्यतमकल्कितालोडितैः शोधनः । रोपणस्तु कषायमधुरशीतैर्यथास्वं चोपदिष्टैः ॥३॥
Snaihika (lubricating) is made from the decoction of drugs which are sweet, sour and salt in taste and hot in potency, mixed with fatty materials, (oil or ghee) and used warm. It may also be made from meat-soup, water in which paste of sesamum is mixed or with milk.
Samana (mitigating) is made from the decoction of drugs which are bitter(Tikta), astringent (Kashaya) and sweet (Madhura) in taste, cold in potency such as patola, arista, jambu, amra, tender leaves of malati flower, utpala, madhuka, or solution of sugar, honey, milk, sugarcane juice, ghee etc.
Sodhana (purificatory) is made from decoction of drugs which are pungent(Katu), sour (Amla) and salt (Lavana) in taste, hot in potency and drugs which are used for purging the head or with sour-whey, wine, sour-gruel prepared from grains, urine of animals, mixed with pastes of drugs and well churned.
Ropana (healing) is by decoctions of drugs which are astringent (Kashaya) and sweet (Madhura) in taste, cold in potency or with such drugs mentioned (in specific diseases). (3) अपि च ।
दन्तहर्षे दन्तचाले मुखरोगे च वातिके । सुखोष्णमथवा शीतं तिलकल्कोदकं हितम् ॥ ४॥
Further on :
In cases of hypersensitiveness and shakiness of the teeth, and diseases of the mouth of vata origin, gargling with warm or cold solution of sesamum paste or sesamum oil or meat soup daily is beneficial. (4)
गण्डूषधारणे नित्यं तैलं मांसरसोऽथवा । ऊषादाहान्विते पाके क्षते चागन्तुसम्भवे ॥५॥ विषे क्षारग्निदग्धे च सर्पिर्धार्यं पयोऽथवा । वैशद्यं जनयत्यास्ये सन्दधाति मुखे व्रणान् ॥६॥
In case of burning sensation, formation of ulcers, traumatic wound, poison, burns due to alkalies or fire it is better to gargle with either ghee or milk, which clears the accumulation of dirt and heals the ulcers. (5-6)
दाहतृष्णाप्रशमनं मधुगण्डूषधारणम् । धान्याम्लमास्यवैरस्यमलदौर्गन्ध्यनाशनम् ॥ ७॥ तदेवालवणं शीतं मुखशोषहरं परम् । आशु क्षाराम्बुगण्डुषो भिनत्ति श्लेष्मणश्चयम् ॥८॥
Gargling with honey relieves burning sensation and thirst, with sour gruel prepared with grains relives bad taste in the mouth, dirt and bad smell, the same without salt and used cold, relieves dryness of the mouth specially; gargling with alkaline water (Salt water) breaks up the accumulation of Kapha. (7-8)
Gandusha vidhi – procedure of mouth gargling :
अथ निवाते सातपे सुखोपविष्टस्तन्मनाः स्विन्नमृदितगलकपोलललाटदेशो वरमध्यावरां क्रमाद्वक्त्रार्धत्रिभागचतुर्भागपूरणीं द्रवमात्रां कल्कं वा कोलप्रमाणं विञ्चिदुन्नमितास्योऽनभ्यवहरन् धारयेत् । कवले तु पर्यायेण कपोलौ कण्ठं च सञ्चारयेत् । अयमेव च कवलगण्डूषयोर्विशेषः ॥ ९ ॥
The patient should be made to sit in a place devoid of heavy breeze, but having sunlight; attentive towards treatment, should be given fomentation and mild massage over his throat, cheeks and forehead; should be asked to hold the liquid or paste in his mouth, raising his face a little up; he should not drink the liquid in the mouth. Filling the mouth with half, one third and one fourth of its capacity is the best, medium and least proportion respectively for liquids and for paste it will be one kola (about 6gms ).
In Kavala, the liquid is made to move inside towards the two cheeks and throat. This is the differences between kavala and gundusha. (9)
मुखे सञ्चार्यते या तु सा मात्रा कवलः स्मृतः । असञ्चारा तु या मात्रा स गण्डूषः प्रकीर्तितः ॥१०॥
The quantity that will fecilitate the movement of liquid inside the mouth is known as Kavala and that which does not fecilitate such movement is Gandusa. (10)
पुनश्च स्वेदमर्दनान्याचरेत् । एवमुत्क्लिष्टः कफो वक्त्रं प्रतिपद्यते । तावच्च धार्यो यावत् कफपूर्णकपोलता स्त्रवद्व्राणनेत्रता भेषजस्य वानुपहतिः कफेन । एवं त्रीन् पञ्च सप्त वा गण्डूषान् धारयेत् । यावद्वा सम्यग्धूमपीतलिङ्गोत्पत्तिः । तस्य स्वास्थ्येन योगं जाड्यरसाज्ञानारुचिप्रसेकोपलेपैरयोगं, मुखशोषपाकक्लमारुचिहृदयद्रवस्वरसादकर्णनादैरतियोगमुपलक्षयेत् । तेषां यथास्वं प्रतिकुर्वीत ॥११॥
Again, the patient should be given fomentation and massage; excited by these, the kapha moves into the mouth ( from other parts ). The liquid should be retained in the mouth till the cheeks show signs of kapha accumulation, exudation appears in the nostrils and eyes or till the disappearance of kapha by the action of the drugs. In this way three, five or seven gargles should be held or till the signs described under ‘properly done inhalation therapy’ appear.
The adequacy of gargle therapy is indicated by restoration of health; its inadequacy by appearance of lassitude, loss of sensation of taste, bad taste, loss of appetite, excess salivation and coating of dirt inside the mouth; excessive therapy is indicated by the appearance of dryness of the mouth, ulceration, weakness, loss of taste, increased rate of the heart, weakness of voice and ringing in the ears. These are to be treated appropriately. (11)
Pratisarana – mouth pastes
प्रतिसारणं तु त्रिविधम् । गण्डूषोदितानां द्रव्याणाम् रसक्रिया कल्कश्चर्णश्च । तदभिष्यन्दाधिमन्थगलशुण्डिकादिषु युत्क्या प्रयोज्यम् । अतिप्रतिसारणादूषाप्लोष – दाहक्लेदशोषादयो भवन्ति ॥ १२ ॥
Pratisarana (application of paste or powder of drugs into the mouth) is of three kinds (use of) rasakriya, kalka and churna of the same drugs indicated for gargles., This therapy is useful in abhisyanda (conjunctivitis), adhimantha ( glaucoma), enlargement of uvula and others. Excessive therapy will cause local burning sensation, formation of blebs, exudation of and wasting of the parts. ( 12 )
Mukhalepa – face pack
मुखालेपो ऽपि त्रिविधो दोषघ्नो विषघ्नो वर्ण्यश्च । त्रिप्रमाणश्चतुर्भागत्रिभागार्धाङ्गुलोत्सेधः । न चालिप्तमुखोऽतिभाष्यहास्यक्रोधशोकरोदनखादनाग्न्यातपदिवास्वप्नान् सेवेत । कण्डूत्वक्शोषपीनसदृष्ट्युपघातभयात् । न च शुष्यन्नुपेक्षितव्यः । शुष्कोहि छविं दूषयति । तमार्द्रयित्वापनयेत् । आलेपान्ते च मुखमभ्यज्यात् ॥१३॥
Mukhalapa – application of paste of drugs on the face – is also of three kinds – Doshaghna (mitigating the doshas), Vishaghna (antipoisonous) and Varnya (improving colour and complexion); with three kinds of thickness – one-fourth, one-third and half of the thickness of an angula. After getting the application, the person should not indulge in too much of talking, laughing, anger, grief, weeping eating, exposure to fire and sunlight and sleeping at day, for the risk of getting irritation, dryness of the skin, nasal catarrh and disorders of vision.
After the paste dries up it should not be allowed to remain because dried paste vitiates the complexion. The dried paste should be removed after moistening it (with water). After removal, the face should be anointed with oil. (13)
न तु योज्यो रात्रिजागरिताजीर्णदत्तनस्यारुचिहनुग्रहप्रतिश्यायिनाम् । सम्यक्प्रयुक्तश्चाकालवलीपलिततिमिरव्यङ्गतिलकादीन् प्रशमयति । स्वस्थस्य तु दृष्टिबलं पुण्डरीककान्तिवक्त्रतां चकरोति ॥१४॥
This therapy should not be administered for those who keep awake at nights, who have indigestion, who have been administered nasal medication, or those suffering from loss of taste, lockjaw and nasal catarrh. Administered properly, it relieves premature wrinkles, grey hairs, blindness, pigmented patches on the face and black moles. In a healthy person, it bestows good eyesight and complexion resembling the lotus flower. (14)
Murdha taila – anointing the head-etc
मूर्धतैलं पूनश्चतुर्धा भिद्यते । अभ्यङ्ग परिषेकः पिचुर्बस्तिरिति । यथोत्तरं ते बलिनः । तेष्वभ्यङ्गादयः प्रसिद्धस्वरूपाः ॥१५॥
Murdhataila – anointing the head with oils is of four kinds – Abhyanga (massage with oil over the head), Pariseka (pouring oil over the head), Pichu (putting a cloth soaked in oil over the head) and Basti (making the oil to stand on the head), each succeeding one stronger than its preceding; of these, the procedure of abhyanga (oil massage) and two others are well known. (15)
Sirobasti vidhi
शिरोबस्तिविधिस्तु बस्तिं सुमृदितं द्विमुखं शिरः प्रमाणमांकर्णप्रवेशं द्वादशाङ्गुलविस्तारं कुर्यात् । अथ शुद्धतनोः सायं रात्रौ वा स्वभ्यक्तस्विन्नस्य जानुसमसोपाश्रयासनोपविष्टस्य केशान्ते श्लक्ष्णं त्र्यङ्गुलं सुसूक्ष्मेण माषपिष्टेन सद्यः सुखाम्बुमृदितेनोभयतः प्रदिग्धं वस्त्रप बनीयात् । ततस्तस्योपरि सन्धाय बस्तिमाकर्णं बस्तिमूलं च दृढमवलीकं समञ्चैलवेणिकया बध्वा पुनर्माषपिष्टेनापरित्राविकृत्वा यथाव्याधिदोषदृष्यहितं सिद्धमन्यतमं स्नेहं सुसुखोष्णमासेचयेद्यावत् केशभूमेरुपर्यङ्गुलम् । तावच्च धार्यो यावत् कर्णमुखनासास्रुतिर्वेदनोपशमो वा भवति । विशेषतो वातजेषु विकारेषु दशमात्रासहस्त्राणि । पित्तरक्तजेष्वष्टौ । षट् कफजेषु । सहस्त्रमरोगकर्मणि । ततोऽपनीते स्नेहे विमुच्य बस्तिं शिरस: स्कन्दग्रीवापृष्ठललाटादीन्यनुसुखं मर्दयेता उष्णाम्बुना स्नातं यथार्हं भोजयेत् । स्नेहोक्तं चास्याचारमादिशेत् । एवं त्रीणि पञ्च सप्त वा दिनानि योजयेदिति । भवति चात्र ॥ १६ ॥
The procedure of Sirobasti is as follows – a basti (leather bag or cap) having opening both at the top and bottom, with a diameter of twelve angulis (fingers breadth) well lubricated and made soft, to be worn on the head of the patient up to the level of his ears, should be got ready.
The patient who has undergone purificatory therapies should be given this therapy either during the evening or night, after doing lubricating and sudation procedures.
He should be made to sit on a stool of the height of the knee made comfortable with a cushion, hand rest and back rests.
A piece of cloth, of the width of three angulis (fingers breadth), moistened slightly is covered on both sides with a nice paste of masa (blackgram) and around the head touching the lower edge of the hairs. The leather cap is made to sit tight over this pasted cloth, without leaving any folds, and sitting just above the level of the ears; paste of blackgram filled into the crevices to prevent the leakage of oil, tied with threads if necessary, making the cap free from leakage.
Then the medicated oil or any other lubricating material which is appropriate to the disease and the dosha involved, is made comfortably warm and poured into the cap, slowly, to the level of one anguli (fingers breadth) over the skin of the scalp. (the patient should not shake his head, cough, sneeze, laugh or do any act which will cause leaking of oil). The patient should retain the oil till exudation appears in his ears, mouth and nose or till his painful symptoms subside. Especially in diseases of vata origin, it should be retained for the duration of ten thousand matras, in diseases of pitta and rakta origin, for eight thousand; in those of kapha origin, for six thousand and during health for one thousand matras.
Afterwards, the oil is to be removed and then the cap; the shoulders, neck, back, forehead etc., are massaged mildly and comfortably. The person should be given a bath in warm water and good food. He should then follow the regimen prescribed for oleation therapy.
In this manner, the therapy can be continued for three, five or seven days. (16)
तत्राभ्यङ्गः प्रयोक्तव्यो रौक्ष्यकण्डूमलादिषु । अरूंषिकाशिरस्तोददाहपाकव्रणेषु च ॥१७॥
परिषेकः पिचुः केशशातस्फुटनधूपने । नेत्रस्तम्भे च बस्तिस्तु प्रसुप्त्यर्दितजागरे ॥ नासास्य शोषे तिमिरे शिरोरोगे च दारुणे ॥१८॥
Some more verses further.
Abhyanga (oil-massage over the head followed by bath) is to be administered in conditions of dryness, itching and accumulation of dirt.
Pariseka (pouring oil over the head) in conditions such as ulcerations, headache, burning sensation and wounds.
Pichu (oil pad) in conditions of falling hairs, cracks of the skin and burning sensation and loss of movements of the eyes.
Basti (oil cap) in conditions such as excess of sleep, facial paralysis, loss of sleep, dryness of the nose and mouth, blindness and severe headaches. (17-18)
कचशतनसितत्वं पिञ्जरत्वं परिपुटनं शिरस: समीररोगान् । जयति जनयतीन्द्रियप्रसादं स्वरहनुमूर्धबलं च मूर्धतैलम् ॥१९॥
Murdhataila (anointing the head with oil) therapy cures falling, greying and matting of hairs, cracks of the skin and diseases of vata origin; improves the strength of the sense organs, voice, lower jaw and the head. (19)
धारयेत् पूरणं कर्णे कर्णमूलं विमर्दयन् । रुजः स्यान्मार्दवं यावन्मात्राशतमवेदने ॥२०॥
Karnapurana (filling the ear with oil) should be done along with massaging of the base of the ears, and retained till the pain subsides and in case of painless conditions for the duration of one hundered matras. ( 20 )
Matrakala – unit of time
यावत् पर्येति हस्ताग्रं दक्षिणं जानुमण्डलम् । निमेषोन्मेषकालेन समं मात्रा तु सा स्मृता ॥२१॥
A matra is defined as the time required for the finger to go round the right knee joint (which is folded) once and is equivalent to the time required for opening and closing of the eyelids ( put together) (21).
॥ इति एकत्रिंशोऽध्यायः ॥
Thus ends the thirty-first chapter
