तृतीयोऽध्यायः । अथातो जङ्गमविषविज्ञानीयं कल्पं व्याख्यास्यामः, यथोवाच भगवान् धन्वन्तरिः ।। १ ।।
Now we shall discourse on the subject of (the nature, virtue, etc. of) animal poisons (Jangama-visa-vijnaniya). 1
विषस्योक्तान्यधिष्ठानानि जङ्गमस्य समासेन मया यानि विस्तरस्तेषु षोडश । वक्ष्यते ॥ २ ॥
We have briefly said before that there are sixteen situations of poison in the bodies of venomous animals. Now we shall deal with them in detail. 2
तत्र, दृष्टिनिःश्वासदंष्ट्रानखमूत्रपुरीषशुक्रलालार्तवमुखसन्दंशविशर्धित (गुद) तुण्डास्थिपित्तशूकशवानीति ॥ ३ ॥
Locations: An animal poison is usually situated in the following parts, viz.; the sight, breath, teeth, nails, urine, stool, semen, saliva, menstrual blood, stings, belching’, anus, bones, bile, bristles (Suka) and in the dead body of an animal. 3
तत्र, दृष्टिनिःश्वासविषास्तु दिव्याः सर्पाः । भौमास्तु दंष्ट्राविषाः । मार्जारश्ववानरमकरमण्डूकपाकमत्स्यगोधाशम्बूकप्रचलाकगृहगोधिकाचतुष्पादकीटास्तथाऽन्ये दंष्ट्रानखविषाः । ॥ ४ ॥
1. Vrddha-Vagbhata reads Alaji-Sonite in place ‘‘Visardhita.”
Of these, the venom of celestial serpents lies in their sight and breath, that of the terrestrial ones in their fangs while that of cats, dogs, monkeys, Makara (alligators?), Frogs, Paka-matsyas (a kind of insect ), lizards (Godha), mollusks ( Snails ), Pracalakas ( a kind of insect), domestic lizards, four-legged insects and of any other species of flies such as mosquitoes, etc., lies in their teeth and nails. 4
चिपिटपिच्चिटककषायवासिकसर्षपकतोटकवर्चः कीटकौण्डिन्यकाः शकृन्मूत्रविषाः, मूषिकाः शुक्रविषाः ।
लूताश्च लालामूत्रपुरीषमुखसन्दंश – नखशुक्रार्तवविषाः ।। ५ ।।
The venom of a Cipita, Piccataka, Kasaya-vasika, Sarsapavasika, Totaka, Varcah-kita, Kaundinyaka and such-like insects lies in their urine and excreta. The poison of a mouse or rat lies in its semen, while that of Luta (spider) lies in its saliva, urine, excreta, fangs, nails, semen and menstrual fluid (ovum). 5
वृश्चिकवरटीविश्वम्भरराजीवमत्स्योच्चिटिङ्गाः समुद्रवृश्चिकाञ्चाल (र) विषा:, चित्रशिरःसरावकुर्दिशतदारुकारिमेदकसारिकामुखा मुखसन्दंशविशर्धितमूत्रपुरीषविषाः, मक्षिकाकणभजलायुका मुखसन्दंश – विषा:, विषहतास्थि सर्पकण्टकवरटीमत्स्यास्थि चेत्यस्थिविषाणि । शकुलीमत्स्यरक्तराजीवरकी (टी) मत्स्याश्च पित्तविषा:, सूक्ष्मतुण्डोच्चिटिङ्गवरटीशतपदीशूकवलभिकाशृङ्गीभ्रमरा: शूकतुण्डविषा:, कीटसर्पदेहा गतासवः शवविषाः । शेषास्त्वनुक्ता मुखसन्दंशविषेष्वेव गणयितव्याः ।। ६॥
The venom of a scorpion, Visvambhara, Rajiva-fish, Uccitinga ( cricket) and a sea-scorpion lies in their saliva. The venom of a Citrasirah, Sarava, Kurdisata, Daruka, Arimedaka and Sarika-mukha, lies in their fangs, belching, stool and urine. The venom of a fly, a Kanabha and leeches lies in their fangs. The poison lies in the bones of an animal killed by any poison, as well as in those of a snake, a Varati and a fish. The poison lies in the bile of a Sakuli, a Rakta-raji and a Caraki fish. The poison lies in the bristles (Suka) and the head of a Suksma-tunda, an Uccitinga (cricket), a wasp, a centipede (Satapadi), a Suka, a Valabhika, a srngi and a bee. The dead body of a snake or an insect is poisonous in itself. Animals not included in the above list should be deemed as belonging to the fang-venomed species i.e., the poison lies in their fangs. 6
1. Some read ‘वरटीमत्स्य’ (Varati fish) as one word – the name of a species of fish.
भवन्ति चात्र
राज्ञोऽरिदेशे रिपवस्तृणाम्बुमार्गान्नघूमश्वसनान् विषेण । सन्दूषयन्त्येभिरतिप्रदुष्टान् विज्ञाय लिङ्गैरभिशोधयेच्च ।। ७ ।।
Memorable Verses: The enemies of a sovereign poison the pastures, water, roads, food-stuffs and smoke (Dhuma) of their country and even charge the atmosphere with poison in the event of his making incursions into their country. The poisonous nature of the foregoing things should be ascertained from the following features and should be duly purified (before use). 7
Characteristic Features and Purifications of poisoned water
दुष्टं जलं पिच्छिलमुग्रगन्धि फेनान्वितं राजिभिरावृतञ्च । मण्डूकमत्स्यं म्रियते विहङ्गा मत्ताश्च सानूपचरा भ्रमन्ति ॥ ८ ॥
मज्जन्ति ये चात्र नराश्वनागास्ते छर्दिमोहज्वरदाहशोफान् । ऋ (ग) च्छन्ति तेषामपहृत्य दोषान् दुष्टं जलं शोधयितुं यतेत ।। ९ ।।
धवाश्वकर्णासनपारिभद्रान् सपाटलान् सिद्धकमोक्षकौ च । दग्ध्वा सराजद्रुमसोमवल्कांस्तद्भस्म शीतं वितरेत् सरःसु ।
भस्माञ्जलिञ्चापि घटे निधाय विशोधयेदीप्सितमेवमम्भः ।। १० ।।
Characteristic Features and Purifications of poisoned water, etc. : A sheet of poisoned water becomes slimy, strong smelling, frothy and marked with (black-coloured) lines on the surface. Frogs and fish living in the water die without any apparent cause. Birds and beasts that live (in the water and) on its shores roam about wildly in confusion (from the effects of poison), and a man, a horse or an elephant, by bathing in this (poisoned) water is afflicted with vomiting, fainting, fever, a burning sensation and swelling of the limbs. These disorders (in men and animals) should be immediately attended to and remedied and no pains should be spared to purify such poisoned water. The cold ashes, of Dhava, Asva-karna, Asana, Paribhadra, Patala, Siddhaka, Moksaka, Raja-druma and Somavalka burnt together, should be cast into the poisoned pool or tank, whereby its water would be purified; as an alternative, an Anjali-measure (half a seer) of the said ashes cast in a Ghata-measure’ (sixty-four seers) of the required water would lead to its purification. 8-10
क्षितिप्रदेशं विषदूषितन्तु शिलास्थलीं तीर्थमथेरिणं वा । स्पृशन्ति गात्रेण तु येन येन गोवाजिनागोष्ट्रखरा नरा वा ।। ११ ।।
तच्छूनतां यात्यथ दह्यते च विशीर्यते रोमनखं तथैव ॥ १२ ॥
तत्राप्यनन्तां सह सर्वगन्धैः पिष्ट्वा सुराभिर्विनियोज्य मार्गम् । सिञ्चेत् पयोभिः सुमृदन्वितैस्तं विडङ्गपाठाकटभीजलैर्वा ।। १३ ।।
A poisoned ground or stone-slab, landing stage or desert country gives rise to swellings in those parts of the bodies of men, bullocks, horses, asses, camels and elephants that may chance to come in contact with them. In such cases a burning sensation is felt in the affected parts and the hair and nails (of these parts) fall off. In these cases, the poisoned surface should be purified by sprinkling it over with a solution of Ananta and Sarva-gandha (the scented drugs) dissolved in wine (Sura)2, or with (an adequate quantity of) black clay dissolved in water or with the decoction of Vidanga, Patha, and Katabhi. 11-13
तृणेषु भक्तेषु च दूषितेषु सीदन्ति मूर्च्छन्ति वमन्ति चान्ये । विडूभेदमृच्छन्त्यथवा म्रियन्ते तेषां चिकित्सां प्रणयेद् यथोक्ताम् ।।१४।।
विषापहैर्वाऽप्यगदैर्विलिप्य वाद्यानि चित्राण्यपि वादयेत | तारः सुतारः ससुरेन्द्रगोपः सर्वैश्च तुल्यः कुरुविन्दभागः ।। १५ ।।
पित्तेन युक्तः कपिलान्वयेन वाद्यप्रलेपो विहितः प्रशस्तः । वाद्यस्य शब्देन हि यान्ति नाशं विषाणि घोराण्यपि यानि सन्ति ।। १६ ।।
Poisoned hay or fodder or any other poisoned food-stuff produces lassitude, fainting, vomiting, diarrhoea or even death ( of the animal partaking thereof). Such cases should be treated with proper antipoisonous medicines according to the indications of each case. As an alternative, drums and other musical instruments smeared with plasters of anti-poisonous compounds (Agadas ) 4 should be beaten and sounded (round them). Equal parts of silver (Tara), mercury (Sutara) and Indra-Gopa insects with Kuru-Vinda¹ equal in weight to that of the entire preceding compound, pasted with the bile of a Kapila (brown) cow, should be used as a paste over the musical instruments (in such cases. The sounds of such drums, etc. (pasted with such anti-poisonous drugs) are said to destroy the effects of even the most dreadful poison. 14-16
1. Jejjata explains ‘Ghata’ as a pitcher, i.e., a pitcher-ful of water.
2. Dalhana holds that the use of the plural number here in “सुराभिः” means that honey, treacle, etc. should also be used with wine.
3. Dalhana says that some read ‘earth of an ant-hill’ in place of ‘black clay for its anti-poisonous properties.
See Chapter VII, Kalpa-Sthana. 4.
Poisons of the Atmosphere and its purification
धूमेऽनिले वा विषसम्प्रयुक्ते खगाः श्रमार्त्ताः प्रपतन्ति भूमौ । कासप्रतिश्यायशिरोरुजश्च भवन्ति तीव्रा नयनामयाश्च ।। १७ ।। लाक्षाहरिद्रातिविषाभयाब्दहरेणुकैलादलवल्ककुष्ठम् प्रियङ्गुकाञ्चाप्यनले निधाय धूमानिलौ चापि विशोधयेत ।। १८ ।। ।
Poisons of the Atmosphere and its purification: The dropping of birds from the skies to the earth below in a tired condition is a distinct indication of the wind and the smoke (of the atmosphere) being charged with poison. It is further attended with an attack of cough, catarrh, head ache, and of severe-eye-diseases among persons in-haling the same wind and smoke. In such cases the ( poisoned) atmosphere should be purified by burning quantities of Laksa, Haridra, Ati-visa, Abhaya, Abada (Musta), Renuka, Ela, Dala (Teja-Patra), Valka (cinnamon ), Kustha and Priyangu in the open ground. The fumes of these drugs would purify the Anila (air) and the Dhuma ( smoke) from the poison they had been charged with. 17-18
प्रजामिमामात्मयोनेब्रह्मणः सृजत: किल । अकरोदसुरो विघ्नं कैटभो नाम दर्पितः । । १९ ।।
ततः क्रुद्धस्य वै वक्ताद् ब्रह्मणस्तेजसो निधेः । क्रोधो विग्रहवान् भूत्वा निपपातातिदारुणः ।। २० ।।
स तं ददाह गर्जन्तमन्तकाभं महाबलम् । ततोऽसुरं घातयित्वा तत्तेजोऽवर्धताद्भुतम् ।। २१ । ।
ततो विषादो देवानामभवत् तं निरीक्ष्य वै । विषादजननत्वाच्च विषमित्यभिधीयते ।। २२ । ।
ततः सृष्ट्वा प्रजाः शेषं तदा तं क्रोधमीश्वरः । विन्यस्तवान् स भूतेषु स्थावरेषु चरेषु च ।। २३ ।।
1. ‘Sariva’ according to Dalhana. ‘Bhadra-musta’ according to others.
Mythological origin of poison ( Visa )
तोयमन्तरीक्षान्महीगतम् । तं नियच्छति ॥ २४ ॥ व्याप्यावतिष्ठते । समनुवर्तते ।। २५ ।।
यथाव्यक्तरसं तेषु तेषु प्रदेशेषु रसं तं एवमेव विषं यद् यद् द्रव्यं स्वभावादेव तं तस्य रसं
Mythological origin of poison ( Visa ) : It is stated in the Scriptures that a demon named Kaitabha obstructed in various ways, the work of the self-origined Brahma when he was engaged in creating this world. At this the omnipotent god grew extremely wrathful. The vehement wrath of the god gradually swollen and inflamed, at last emanated in physical forms from his mouth and reduced the mighty. death-like, roaring fiend to ashes. But the energy of that terrific wrath went on increasing even after the destruction of the demon, at the sight of which the gods were greatly depressed in spirit. The term Visa (poison) is so called from the fact of its filling the gods with Visada (depression of spirits ). After that the god of creation, having finished his (self imposed) task of creating this world, cast that wrath both into the mobile and the immobile creations. Just as the atmospheric water which is of imperceptible and undeveloped taste, acquires the specific taste of the ground or soil it falls upon, so it is the very nature of the ( tasteless ) Visa that it partakes of the specific taste (Rasa) of a thing or animal in which it exists. 19-25
विषे यस्माद् गुणाः सर्वे तीक्ष्णाः प्रायेण सन्ति हि । विषं सर्वमतो ज्ञेयं सर्वदोषप्रकोपणम् ।। २६ ।।
ते तु वृत्तिं प्रकुपिता जहति स्वां विषार्दिताः । नोपयाति विषं पाकमतः प्राणान् रुणद्धि च ।। २७ ।।
श्लेष्मणावृतमार्गत्वादुच्छ्वासोऽस्य निरुध्यते । विसंज्ञः सति जीवेऽपि तस्मात् तिष्ठति मानवः ॥ २८ ॥
Properties of poisons: All the sharp and violent qualities are present in poison. Hence poisons should be considered as aggravating and and deranging all the Dosas of the body. The Dosas aggravated and charged with poison forego their own specific functions. Hence poison can never be digested or assimilated in the system. It stops the power of inhaling. Expiration (exhalation of the breath) becomes impossible owing to the internal passages having been choked by the deranged Kapha. Consequently a poisoned person drops down in an unconscious state even when life is still present within his body. 26-28
सर्वसर्पाणां विषं सर्वशरीरगम् । शुक्रवत्क्रु द्धानामेति चाङ्गेभ्यः शुक्रं निर्मन्थनादिव ।। २९ ।। तेषां वडिशवद्दंष्ट्रास्तासु सज्जति चागतम्।
अनुद्वृत्ता विषं तस्मान्न मुञ्चन्ति च Nature and Location of Snake-poison: The poison of a snake like the semen in an adult male lies diffused all through its organism. As semen is gathered up, dislodged and subsequently emitted through the urethra by being agitated (by contact with woman, etc.), so the poison in a snake is gathered up and secreted through the holes of its fangs under the conditions of anger and agitation. The fangs being hook-shaped, a snake cannot secrete its poison without lowering its hood just after a bite. 29-30
General treatment of poisoning
भोगिनः ।। ३० ।। यस्मादत्यर्थमुष्णञ्च तीक्ष्णञ्च पठितं विषम् । सर्वविषेषूक्तः परिषेकस्तु परिषेकस्तु शीतलः ।। ३१ ।। विषम् । अतः मन्दं कीटेषु नात्युष्णं बहुवातकफं अतः कीटविषे चापि स्वेदो न प्रतिषिध्यते । कीटैर्दष्टानुग्रविषैः सर्पवत् समुपाचरेत् ।। ३२ ।।
General treatment of poisoning : Since a poison of whatever sort is extremely keen, sharp and heat-making in its potency, a copious sprinkling with cold water should be us in all cases of poisoning. But since the poison of an insect is mild and not too much heat-making in its potency and as it engenders a large quantity of Vayu and Kapha in the organism, measures of fomentation (Sveda) are not forbidden in a case of insect-bite. A bite by a strongly poisoned insect, however, should be treated as a snake-bite to all intents and purposes. 31-32
मुहूर्त्तात् स्वभावादेव तिष्ठेत् तु प्रहारादंशयोर्विषम् । व्याप्य सावयवं देहं दिग्धविद्धाहिदष्टयोः ।। ३३ ।।
लौल्याद् विषान्वितं मांसं यः खादेन्मृतमात्रयोः । यथा विषं स रोगेण क्लिश्यते म्रियतेऽपि वा ।। ३४ ।।
अतश्चाप्यनयोर्मांसमभक्ष्यं तदुपादेयं मृतमात्रयोः । प्रहारादंशवर्जितम् ।। ३५ ।।
The poison of a venomed dart or of a snake-bite courses through the whole organism of the victim but it is its nature that it returns to the place of hurt and bite respectively. A man eating, from culpable gluttony, the flesh of such an animal, just dead (from the effect of poison), is afflicted with symptoms and diseases Similar to the specific pathogenetic virtues of the poison with which the dead body is charged, and, in the long run, meets with his doom. Hence the flesh of an animal killed by a venomed dart or a snake-bite (should be considered as fatal as the poison itself and) should not be taken immediately after its death. The flesh of such an animal, however, may be eaten after a period of forty eight minutes (Muhurta) from its death after the portions of the hurt and the bite have been removed. 33-35
Symptoms of taking poison internally
सवातं गृहधूमाभं योऽतिसार्यते । आध्मातोऽत्यर्थमुष्णास्त्रो सादपीडितः । उद्वमत्यथ पुरीषं विवर्णः विषपीतं फेनञ्च तमादिशेत् ।। ३६ ।।
दहत्यपि । चास्य हृदयं वह्निर्विषजुष्टं तद्धि स्थानं चेतनायाः स्वभावाद् व्याप्य तिष्ठति ।। ३७ ।।
Symptoms of taking poison internally : Whoever passes a black sooty stool with loud flatus, or sheds hot tears and drops down with agony, and whose complexion becomes discoloured, and whose mouth becomes filled with foam, should be considered as afflicted with poison taken internally (Visa-pita ). The heart of such a man (dying from the effect of internal poisoning) cannot be burnt in fire; since the poison from its very nature lies extended in the whole viscera of the heart, the se of cognition.¹ 36-37
अश्वत्थदेवायतनश्मशान-वल्मीकसन्ध्यासु चतुष्पथेषु । याम्ये सपित्र्ये परिवर्जनीया ऋक्षे नरा मर्मसु ये च दष्टाः || ३८ ।।
दर्वीकराणां विषमाशुघाति सर्वाणि चोष्णे द्विगुणीभवन्ति ।
अजीर्णपित्तातपपीडितेषु वृद्धातुरक्षीणबुभुक्षितेषु बालप्रमेहिष्वथ रूक्षेषु भीरुष्वथ रूक्षेषु भीरुष्वथ गर्भिणीषु । दुर्दिनेषु ।। ३९ ।।
1. In the Caraka-Samhita also we come across identical expressions of opinion as to the seat of poison in the dead body of an animal or man, dying from poison from a poisoned dart of snake-bite or from poison administered internally. See chapter xxiii, Chikitsa- sthana– Charaka Samhita.
Fatal bites
Fatal bites: A man bitten by a snake in any of the vulnerable parts of the body, or near (the root of) an Asvattha tree, or a temple, at the cremation ground or on an ant-hill, or at the meeting of day and night, or at the crossings of roads or under the influence of the Bharani or Magha asterisms (astral mansions) should be given up as lost. The poison of a hooded cobra (Darvi-kara) proves instantaneously fatal. All poisons become doubly strong and operative summer (Usna)’. In cases of persons suffering from indigestion, urinary complaints, or from the effects of deranged Pitta or oppressed with the heat of the sun (sun-stroke) as well as infants, old men, invalids, emaciated persons, pregnant women, men of timid disposition, or of a dry temperament, or oppressed with hunger or bitten on a cloudy day, the poisons become doubly strong and operative. 38-39
शस्त्रक्षते यस्य न रक्तमस्ति राज्यो लताभिश्च न सम्भवन्ति । शीताभिरद्भिश्च न रोमहर्षो विषाभिभूतं परिवर्जयेत् तम्।। ४०।।
जिह्वा सिता यस्य च केशशातो नासावभङ्गश्च सकण्ठभङ्गः । कृष्णः सरक्तः श्वयथुश्च दंशे हन्वोः स्थिरत्वञ्च स वर्जनीयः ।। ४१ । ।
On the other hand, a snake bitten person, in whose body an incision is unattended with bleeding, or on whose body the strokes of lashes leave no marks, nor does horripilation appear even after a copious pouring of cold water on the body, should be likewise given up as lost. A case of snake-bite in which the tongue of the victim is found to be coated white and whose hair falls off (on the slightest pull), the bridge of whose nose becomes bent and the voice hoarse, where there is lock-jaw and the appearance of a blackish-red swelling about the bite,–such a case should be given up as hopeless. 40-41
वर्त्तिर्घना यस्य निरेति वक्ताद् रक्तं स्त्रवेदूर्ध्वमधश्च यस्य । दंष्ट्रानिपाताः सकलाश्च यस्य तञ्चापि वैद्यः परिवर्जयेत् तु ।। ४२ ।।
The case in which thick, long lumps of mucus are expectorated accompanied by bleeding from both the upward and the downward orifices of the body with distinct impression of all the fangs on the bitten part, should be given up by the physician. 42
1. In place of “3” some read “”. This would mean “if bitten in the upper part of the body.”
उन्मत्तमत्यर्थमुपद्रुतं वा हीनस्वरं वाप्यथ वा विवर्णम् । सारिष्टमत्यर्थमवेगिनञ्च जह्याच्च तं कर्म न तत्र कुर्यात् ।। ४३ ।।
A case of snake-bite marked by the symptoms of an insane state like that of a drunkard and accompanied by severe distressing symptoms (Upadrava), as well as loss of voice and complexion and an absence of the circulation of blood and by other fatal symptoms should be abandoned and no action need to be taken therein. 43
इति सुश्रुतसंहितायां कल्पस्थाने जङ्गमविषविज्ञानीयो नाम तृतीयोऽध्यायः ।। ३ ।।
Thus ends the third Chapter of the Kalpa-Sthana in the Susruta Samhita which treats of animal poisons.
