The Bower Manuscript 1.2

1.2

Suśruta approached the sage, the king of Kāśi: "What could this be?" Then that venerable one told him truly: // 9
"Long ago, when the nectar was churned, the lord of the Asuras drank it himself. / The venerable Janārdana severed his head. // 10
When his head was cut off, near the windpipe, / drops fell upon the earth; that was indeed its first origin here. // 11
I. Fol. 2: Bower manuscript
And for this reason, Brahmins do not eat it, because it came forth from contact with a body; / and precisely on this account those proficient in traditional lore speak of its pungent smell. // 12
Because it lacks the salty taste, they call it raśūna, / while 'laśuna' is its well-known worldly designation. / What need is there to state its many names in vernacular tongues? Listen to its taste, quality, and potency, and also its practical application: // 13
It is stated to be pungent in taste and in post-digestive effect, / and another [variety] is mentioned as sweet in post-digestive effect. / It is light, and because of its smell hard to digest, and hot in potency, and renowned as an aphrodisiac. // 14
Owing to its sourness, heat, and unctuous nature, it removes the power of the wind humour, / as stated by the foremost sages; through sweetness and its nature regarding bile, by its taste it pacifies the bile humour; / through heat, sharpness, and pungency, it overcomes the power of the phlegm humour, as told by the wise; it cures all diseases when applied according to the rule, removing the combination of the three humours. // 15
It destroys the wind humour even when residing in the bones, and it quickly pacifies excited phlegm humour; / it generates strong digestive power, produces strength and complexion, and is considered pre-eminent. // 16
Now then, for those who consume various kinds of wine, meat, clarified butter, barley, and wheat, living comfortably, / this garlic-festival should be undertaken in the winter season, and in the months of Madhu and Mādhava, // 17
When waistbands fitting for the hips are cast aside by loving women, / when necklaces are not worn over the chest and twin breasts because of cold, / when women do not find pleasure on mansion roofs made attractive by interwoven moonbeams—