त्रिंशोऽध्यायः । अथातो निवृत्तसन्तापीयं रसायनचिकित्सितं व्याख्यास्यामः, यथोवाच भगवान् धन्वन्तरिः ।। १ ।।
Now we shall discourse on the tonic remedies which remove mental and physical distress (Nivrtta-santapiya Rasayana) 1
यथा निवृत्तसन्तापा मोदन्ते दिवि देवताः । तथौषधीरिमाः प्राप्य मोदन्ते भुवि मानवाः ॥ २ ॥
Metrical Text: Even in this world mortals may live happily, free from disease and care like the gods in heaven if they (mortals) can secure the after-mentioned drugs (of allhealing potency). 2
अथ खलु सप्त पुरुषा रसायनं नोपयुञ्जीरन् । तद्यथा -अनात्मवानलसो दरिद्रः प्रमादी व्यसनी पापकृद् भेषजावमानी चेति । सप्तभिरेव कारणैर्न सम्पद्यते; तद्यथा- अज्ञानादनारम्भादस्थिरचित्तत्वाद् दारिद्रयादनायत्तत्वादधर्मादौषधालाभाच्चेति ।। ३ ।।
Persons unfit for the use of Rasayana : The (following seven classes of persons, viz, the intemperate, the lazy, the indigent, the careless, the immoral (Vyasani),¹ the sinful and the
1. व्यसन is a technical term and is divided into two classes, viz., कामज (i.e, produced by passion or desire) and क्रोधज (i.e. originated from anger ). The first group comprises hunting, dice-playing, day-sleep, censuring, addiction to woman,
CHAP. XXX triflers of medicine, are unfit to take these ambrosial (Rasayana) drugs on account of their respective ignorance, inactivity, poverty, vascillation, intemperance, impiety and inability to secure the genuine medicines. 3
अथौषधीर्व्याख्यास्यामः – श्वेतकापोती, कृष्णकापोती, गोनसी, अजगरी, वाराही, कन्या, छत्रा, अतिच्छत्रा, करेणुः, अजा, चक्रका, आदित्यपर्णिनी, ब्रह्मसुवर्चला, महाश्रावणी, श्रावणी, गोलोमी, चाजलोमी, महावेगवती, चेत्याष्टदाश सोमसमवीर्या महौषधयो व्याख्याताः । तासां सोमवत् क्रियाशीः स्तुतयः शास्त्रेऽभिहिताः । तासामागारेऽभिहुतानां याः क्षीरवत्यस्तासां क्षीरकुडवं सकृदेवोपयुञ्जीत ।। ४ ।।
Names of all-healing drugs : Now we shall discourse on these drugs. They are Sveta-kapoti, Krsna-kapoti, Gonasi, Ajagari, Varahi, Kanya, Chatra, Ati cchatra, Karenu, Aja, Cakraka. Aditya-parni, Brahma-suvarcala, Sravani, Mahasravani, Golomi, Aja-lomi and Maha-Vegavati. Thesc are the names of the eighteen different kinds of drugs of mighty potency. The mode of their use, their therapeutical effects and the religious rites to be observed in their connection, have been described in the Sastras and are identical with those of the Soma plants. In order to use them a man should enter the (prescribed ) chamber (Agara) and perform the (prescribed) Homa ceremonies. A Kudava measure of the milky juice of the secreting species of the plants should be taken once for all after entering the chamber. 4
यास्त्वक्षीरा मूलवत्यस्तासां प्रदेशिनीप्रमाणानि त्रीणि काण्डानि प्रमाणमुपयोगे । श्वेतकापोती समूलपत्रा भक्षयितव्या | गोनस्यजगरीकृष्णकापोतीनां सनखमुष्टिं खण्डशः कल्पयित्वा क्षीरेण विपाच्य परिस्त्रावितमभिघारितमभिहुतञ्च सकृदेवोपयुञ्जीत । चक्रकायाः पयः सकृदेव । ब्रह्मसुवर्चला सप्तरात्रमुपयोक्तव्या भक्ष्यकल्पेन ॥५॥
Three twigs or branches, however, to the length of a forefinger of those of the non-secreting species having roots should
intoxication, singing, dancing, playing on musical instruments and idle wanderings. The second class comprises wickedness, violence. malice.jealousy. envy, extravagance, roughness in language and assauit. See Manu, Ch. 7-47,48.
be taken for a single dose. The (whole of) Sveta-kapoti with its leaves and roots should be used. One handful measure full up to the nails (Sankha mustika) of the severed pieces of the Gonast, Ajagari (Suvarcala) and Krsna-kapoti species should be boiled with ( an adequate quantity of) milk ( and water ). The milk thus cooked and prepared should be passed through a piece of cloth and taken only once duly consecrated. The milk cooked and prepared with one of the Cakraka² species also should be taken with milk only once, whereas (that of one of) the Brahmasuvarcala species should be taken for seven days in succession. 5
शेषाणां पञ्च पञ्च पलानि क्षीराढकक्वथितानि प्रस्थेऽवशिष्टेऽवतार्य परित्राव्य सकृदेवोपयुञ्जीत । सोमवदाहारविहारौ व्याख्यातौ, केवलं नवनीतमभ्यङ्गार्थे, शेषं सोमवदानिर्गमादिति ॥ ६ ॥
Five Palas of each of the remaining species should be boiled with an Adhaka measure of milk till only one Prastha remains. This should then be strained and the milk thus cooked should be taken in a single dose and once only. The regimen of diet and conduct is the same as in the case of Soma, until the patient comes out of his prescribed chamber, with this difference that his body should be anointed with butter (Nava-nita ). 6
भविन्त चात्र
युवानं सिंहविक्रान्तं कान्तं श्रुतनिगादिनम् । कुर्युरेताः क्रमेणैव द्विसहस्त्रायुषं नरम् ।। ७।।
अङ्गदी कुण्डली मौली दिव्यस्त्रक्चन्दनाम्बरः । चरत्यमोघसङ्कल्पो नभस्यम्बुददुर्गमे ॥ ८ ॥
व्रजन्ति पक्षिणो येन जललम्बाश्च तोयदाः । गतिः सौषधिसिद्धस्य सोमसिद्धे गतिः परा ।। ९ ।।
Memorable Verses: The use of the aforesaid drugs
1. Some explain “Sanakha mustika” as what would be contained in the hollow of a palm, with the finger nails (i.e., the fingers) extended. But “Nakha” seems to refer to the thorns of the plants and “Musti” a Pala weight (i.e., eight Tolas). 2. Gayi reads “कन्धकाया: पायसम्” in place of “चक्राकायाः पयः” and explains it as a preparation of one part of the powders of the fruit of Kanyaka and two parts of rice cooked with milk.
rejuvenate the system, fill it with the strength of a lion, invest it with a beautiful shape, bless the user with such powerful memory that he can commit to memory anything once heard, and ultimately extends his career to two thousand earthly years. Crowned with diadems of celestial beauty, the user decorated, with Angadas ( bracelets ), Kundalas (ear-rings), crowns and heavenly wreathes (of flowers), Sandal paste and dress, the users are enabled to traverse, like the gods, the cloud – sapngled high ways of heaven, unflinchingly in their pursuits. Persons who have taken successfully these medicinal herbs ( Osadhis), move (unrestricted) in the same way as birds and the clouds of full of water do. The walking power of the some treated persons is still superior. 7-9
अथ वक्ष्यामि विज्ञानमौषधीनां पृथक् पृथक् । मण्डलैः कपिलैश्चित्रैः सर्पाभा पञ्चपर्णिनी । पञ्चारलिप्रमाणा वा विज्ञेयाऽजगरी बुधैः ।। १० ।। निष्पत्रा कनकाभासा मूले द्वचङ्गुलसम्मिता । सर्पाकारा लोहितान्ता श्वेतकापोतिरुच्यते ॥ ११ ॥ द्विपर्षिनीं मूलभवामरुणां कृष्णमण्डलाम् । द्वयरलिमात्रां जानीयात् गोनसीं गोनसाकृतिम् ॥ १२ ॥ सक्षीरां रोमशां मृद्वीं रसेनेक्षुरसोपमाम् । एवंरूपरसाञ्चापि कृष्णसर्पस्वरूपेण कृष्णकापोतिमादिशेत् ।। १३ ।। वाराही कन्दसम्भवा । एकपत्रा महावीर्या भिन्नाञ्जनसमप्रभा ॥ १४ ॥
Differentiating Traits: Now we shall describe the different traits of these (all-healling) Osadhis. The Ajagari Osadhi is found to put forth five leaves which have a brown colour and are marked with variegated ring-like patches. It looks like a snake and measures five Aratnis (a cubit of the middle length from the elbow to the tip of the little finger) in length. The Svetakapiti is a leafless, gold-coloured, snake-shaped plant with a
1. There is no mention of “Ajagari” in the list (para 2) and there is no mention of “Suvarcala” in this descriptive list. It seems, therefore, probable that “Ajagari” and “Suvarcala are identical.
root two fingers in length and is red at the extremities. The Gonasi is a bulbous plant possessed of two leaflets, redcoloured and is marked with black rings. It measures two Aratnis in height and resembles a Gonasa (boa) snake in shape. The Krsna-kapoti is a soft, hairy, milk-secreting plant and its juice is possessed of a colour and a taste like that of sugar-cane juice. The Varahi is bulbous and puts forth a single leaflet; it is resplendent like broken pieces of black antimony. It resembles a black lance hooded Kobra (Krsna Sarpa) in shape and is possessed of mighty potency. 10-14
छत्रातिच्छत्रके विद्याद्रक्षोघ्ने जरामृत्युनिवारिण्यौ कान्तैर्द्वादशभिः कन्दसम्भवे । श्वेतकापोतिसंस्थिते ।। १५ ।।
पत्रैर्मयूराङ्गरुहोपमैः । कन्दजा काञ्चनक्षीरी कन्या नाम महौषधी । । १६ ।।
करेणु: सुबहुक्षीरा कन्देन गजरूपिणी । हस्तिकर्णपलाशस्य तुल्यपर्णा द्विपर्णिनी ।। १७ ।।
अजास्तनाभकन्दा तु सक्षीरा क्षुपरूपिणी । अजा महौषधी ज्ञेया शङ्खकुन्देन्दुपाण्डुरा ।। १८ ।।
श्वेतां विचित्रकुसुमां काकादन्या समां क्षुषाम्। चक्रकामोषधीं विद्याज्जरामृत्युनिवारिणीम् ।। १९ ।।
मूलिनी पञ्चभिः पत्रैः सुरक्तांशुककोमलैः । आदित्यपर्णिनी ज्ञेया सदादित्यानुवर्त्तिनी ।। २० ।।
कनकाभा जलान्तेषु सर्वतः परिसर्पति । सक्षीरा पद्मिनीप्रख्या देवी ब्रह्मसुवर्चला ॥ २१ ॥
अरत्निमात्रक्षुपका पुष्पैर्नीलोत्पलाकारैः पत्रैर्व्यङ्गुलसम्मितैः। फलैश्चाञ्जनसन्निभैः श्रावणी महती ज्ञेया कनकाभा पयस्विीनी ॥ २२ ॥
श्रावणी पाण्डुराभासा महाश्रावणिलक्षणा ।। २३ ।।
गोलोमी चाजलोमी च रोमशे कन्दसम्भवे । हंसपादीव विच्छिन्नैः पत्रैर्मूलसमुद्भवैः । अथवा शङ्खपुष्प्या च समाना सर्वरूपतः ॥ २४ ॥
वेगेन महताविष्टा सर्पनिर्म्मोकसन्निभा । एषा वेगवती नाम जायते साम्बुदक्षये ।। २५ ।।
The Chatra and the Ati-cchatra are bulbous in their origin and are found to be attached to a plant of the Sveta-kapoti species. Both of them are possessed of the virtue of arresting death and decay and act as prophylactic against the Raksas as (malignant spirits). A plant of the Kanya species is found to put forth a dozen leaflets beautifully coloured like the breastfeathers of a peacock. It is bulbous in its origin and exudes a gold-coloured juice. An Oshadhi plant of the Karenu species abounds in milky juice and its bulb resembles an elephant. It puts forth two leaves which look like those of Hasti-karnapalasa tree. An Osadhi plant of the Aja species abounds in milky juice, grows like a Ksupa or bushy plant and is whitecoloured like the moon, a conch, shell, or a Kunda flower; its bulb resembles the udder of a she-goat. An Osadhi plant of the Cakraka species is white-coloured, puts forth flowers of variegated colours, grows in bushes, resembles a Kakadani plant in shape and size and is possessed of the efficacy in warding off death and decay. An Osadhi plant of the Adityaparni species grows from roots (and has no bulb) and is furnished with five red-coloured leaflets as soft as a piece of linen and which always point towards the sun (change their direction with the progress of that luminary in heavens). An Osadhi plant of the Brahma-Suvarcala species, is gold-coloured, abounds in milky juice, resembles a lotus plant in appearance, grows by the side of water (i.c., in marshy lands) and spreads in all direction. An Oshadhi plant of the Maha-Sravani species bears flowers like a Nilotpala and collyrium coloured fruit. The stem of the Ksupa (bushy) plant measures an Aratni and the leaf two fingers in length. It is gold-coloured and abounds in milky juice. An Osadhi plant of the Sravani species, possesses all the preceding features, (of the Maha sravani) but is tinged with a yellow colour. The Osadhi known as the Golomi and the Ajalomi are hairy and bulbous (in their origin). A Vagavati Osadhi plant puts forth leaves from its roots; its leaves are severed like those of a Hamsapadi creeper, and move about violently (even in the absence of any wind), or it resembles a Samkha-puspi creeper in all its features, looks like the cast off skin of a snake and grows at the end of the rainy season (i.e., in autumn). 15-25
सप्तादौ सर्वरूपिण्यो या ह्यौषध्यः प्रकीर्त्तिताः । तासामुद्धरणं कार्यं मन्त्रेणानेन सर्वदा ।। २६ ।।
गवामपि । महेन्द्ररामकृष्णानां ब्राह्मणानां तपसा तेजसा वाऽपि प्रशाम्यध्वं शिवाय वै ।
मन्त्रेणानेन मतिमान् सर्वा अश्रद्दधानैरलसैः कृतघ्नैः नैवासादयितुं शक्या: सोमाः पीतावशेषममृतं एवाभिमन्त्रयेत् ॥ २७ ॥
पापकर्मभिः । सोमसमास्तथा ।। २८ ।। देवैर्ब्रह्मपुरोगमैः । चाप्योषधीपतौ ।। २९ ।। निहितं सोमवीर्यासु सोमे
Mode of culling the above drugs : The first seven of the ail-healing Osadhi plants enumerated above should be culled by reciting the following Mantra :- “We appease thee with the holy energy and dignity of Mahendra, Rama, Krsna and of the Brahmanas and of cows. Exert your beneficial virtues for the good of mankind.” The intelligent one should consecrate all these Osadhis with this Mantra. The lazy, the impious, the ungrateful and the unbelieving invariably fail to see and secure the Soma plants, or the drugs possessed of similar virtues. The gods after having drunk the celestial ambrosia to their fill cast the residue to the Somas and kindred plants as well as to the moon, the lord of the Osadhis. 26-29
देवसुन्दे ह्रदवरे तथा सिन्धौ महानदे। दृश्यते च जलान्तेषु मेघ्या ब्रह्मसुवर्चला ।। ३० ।।
आदित्यषर्णिनी ज्ञेया तथैव हि हिमसंक्षये । दृश्यतेऽजगरी नित्यं गोनसी चाम्बुदागमे ।। ३१ ।।
काश्मीरेषु सरो दिव्यं नाम्ना क्षुद्रकमानसम् करेणुस्तत्र कन्या च छत्रातिच्छत्रके तथा ।। ३२ ।।
गोलोमी चाजलोमी च महती श्रावणी तथा । वसन्ते कृष्णसर्पाख्या गोनसी च प्रदृश्यते ।। ३३ ।।
कौशिकीं सरितं तीर्त्वा सञ्जयन्त्यास्तु पूर्वतः । क्षितिप्रदेशो वल्मीकैराचितो योजनत्रयम् ॥ ३४ ॥ ।।
विज्ञेया तत्र कापोती श्वेता वल्मीकमूर्धसु मलये नलसेतौ च वेगवत्यौषधी ध्रुवा ॥ ३५ ॥
Their habitats : The Brahma-suvarcala species (of the Osadhis) is found to grow in and about the waters of the great river Indus and the lake Deva-sunda. The aditya-parni species may be had in those two regions at the end of winter, and Gonasi and Ajagari at the beginning of the rains. The Karenu, the Kanya, the Chatra, the Ati cchatra, the Golomi, the Ajalomi, and the Maha-sravani varieties of the Osadhis are found ( in spring ) in the lake of Ksudraka-Manasa in Kasmir. The Krsna-sarpakhya and the Gonasi species also are found in that locality during the spring. The Sveta-kapoti species is white coloured and is found to grow on the ant-hills which cover a space of three Yojanas on the other (viz., the western) side of the river Kausiki and to the east of the Sanjayanti. The Osadhi of the Vegavati species grows on the Malaya hills and on the Nala-setu. 30-35
कार्त्तिक्यां पौर्णमास्याञ्च भक्षयेत् तामुपोषितः । सोमवच्चात्र वर्त्तेत फलं तावच्च कीर्त्तितम् ।। ३६ ।।
Any one of these Osadhis should be taken after a fast under the auspices of the full-moon in the month of Kartika. The regimen of diet and conduct is the same as laid down in connection with Soma-Rasayana and the results have been already described to be the same. 36
सर्वा विचेयास्त्वोषध्यः सोमाश्चाप्यर्बुदे गिरौ । शृङ्गैर्देवचरितैरम्बुदानीकभेदिभिः ।
स व्याप्तस्तीर्थेश्च विख्यातैः सिद्धर्षिसुरसेवितैः ।। ३७ ।। सिंहोन्नादितकुक्षिभिः ।
गुहाभिर्भीमरूपाभिः गजालोडिततोयाभिरापगाभिः समन्ततः । विधिधैर्धातुभिश्चित्रैः सर्वत्रैवोपशोभितः ।। ३८ ।।
The common habitats of all the Osadhis: The Soma as well as all the other Osadhi plants may be had on (the summits of) the Arbuda mountains whose cloud-rending summits are the favourite haunts of the gods and which abound in holy pools and fountains frequented by the gods, the Siddhas and the holy Rsis, and whose large hollow caves are reverberated with the thundering roars of lion and which are moated on all sides by swift coursing rivers, whose waters are perpetually tossed by sportive elephants of the forests and whose brows are effulgent with the lustres of various brilliant metals imbedded in their hearts. 37-38
नदीषु शैलेषु सर:सु चापि पुण्येष्वरण्येषु तथाश्रमेषु । सर्वत्र सर्वाः परिमार्गितव्याः सर्वत्र भूमिर्हि वसूनि धत्ते । । ३९ ।।
These ambrosial plants (as well as other drugs) are to be sought in the rivers, the holy forests and hermitages, as well as in lakes and on hills, since this world is a bed of gems and is known to hold priceless treasures in all places. 39
इति सुश्रुत संहितायां चिकित्सिस्थाने निवृत्तसन्तापीयं रसायनचिकित्सितं नाम त्रिंशोऽध्यायः ।। ३० ।।
Thus ends the Thirtieth Chapter of the Chikitsa Sthana in the Susruta Samhita which deals with the tonic remedies which have the power of removing the mental and physical distresses.
