Hārīta's Compendium of Medicine 1.13

English (machine translation) 1.13

Language: English

1.13.1

Now after this I shall explain the group of sugarcanes, rich in virtues,
an excellent rejuvenation therapy, strengthening, and an excellent warder-off of diseases,

1.13.2

unctuous, nourishing, promoting bulk, and revitalising.

1.13.3

White sugarcane pacifies vāta and pitta, is aphrodisiac,
causes burning within, and produces kapha.

1.13.4

Likewise, very dark [sugarcane] possesses properties: it is aphrodisiac, nourishing, and relieves burning;
it is slightly alkaline, sweet in taste, removes wasting, but causes wounds and swelling.

Juice pressed out by a machine is declared heavy, aphrodisiac, generates kapha, and is very cooling;
it produces burning and strength upon digestion, is very pleasant, and when consumed cures bleeding disorders.

1.13.6

Juice pressed out by the teeth stimulates appetite, is heavy,
saturating, strengthening, generates kapha, and cures fatigue;
it causes constipation, and likewise cures all pitta disorders of the blood,
vomiting, and wasting.

1.13.7

Stale sugarcane juice is not approved; according to some it removes burning, is heavy,
causes kapha and pitta, produces wasting, is purgative, or diuretic.

1.13.8

When cooked, it is heavier, unctuous, sharp, and destroys kapha and vāta;
it specifically cures pitta, and relieves phantom tumour, diarrhoea, and cough.

1.13.9

Sugarcane syrup is heavy, obstructs the channels, promotes bulk, and increases semen;
it relieves pitta, cures fatigue, and eliminates blood disorders.

1.13.10

[Jaggery] is strengthening, aphrodisiac, heavy, unctuous, relieves vāta, and purifies urine;
when aged it has superior qualities, and cures phantom tumour, haemorrhoids, and anorexia.

1.13.11

In wasting, cough, chest injury, anaemia, and loss of blood,
jaggery is beneficial when suitably combined, and is considered most wholesome.

1.13.12

Piece-jaggery is sweet, white, relieves vāta and pitta,
possesses slightly cooling qualities, is strengthening, aphrodisiac, and imparts appetite.

1.13.13

It is declared to relieve vāta and pitta, cold, unctuous, strengthening, pleasant to the mouth,
good for the eyes, and produces phlegm; among sugars, raw sugar is considered most aphrodisiac.

1.13.14

White refined sugar is said to be very sweet, aphrodisiac, increasing semen,
relieving pitta, sweet, strengthening, and a sugar consumed by men.

1.13.15

Another sugar is very cooling, arisen for cough and pain;
it is beneficial in bleeding pitta and wasting, and cures fainting, dizziness, and intoxication.

1.13.16

In anorectal disease, jaundice, wasting, and urinary anomaly, in phantom tumour, anaemia, and chlorosis,
in vāta, bleeding pitta, and consumption, it imparts appetite, removes poison, and is heavy.

1.13.17

Jaggery is not approved in cough and wasting, but is considered beneficial elsewhere;
properly applied, it is beneficial everywhere, being an abode of a multitude of virtues.

1.13.18

For patients emaciated and wasted from trauma, dyspnoea, and fainting;
for fatigue from travel, exhaustion, intoxication, poison, dysuria, and calculus;

1.13.19

in chronic and debilitating fever, irregular [fever], and aggravation of bleeding pitta;
in thirst, burning sensation, wasting, and blood disorders—it destroys all diseases.

1.13.10-2

Thus ends the tenth chapter, entitled the Group of Sugarcane, in the First Section spoken by Ātreya in the later part of the Hārīta [compendium].