The Bower Manuscript 23

23

II. Fol. 22: Bower manuscript
… reciting mantras, threefold avoidance [of improper conduct], and fourfold celibacy—thus spoke the venerable Ātreya. // 715
I shall explain in proper order the qualities, action, and strengths
of the increasing-dose regimen of long pepper, desiring the welfare of people: // 716
For humans do not suffer afterward when they drink this nectar;
indeed, it displays success just like an emblic myrobalan [held] in the hand. // 717
Therefore, one desiring prosperity, nourishment, offspring, and intellect
should perform this gentle rasāyana which increases lifespan. // 718
Having drunk life-promoting [decoctions], unctuous,
after vomiting and purging, and having performed the dietary regimen, he should begin on an auspicious day: // 719
When the Moon comes into conjunction with Punarvasu, or Puṣya, Śravaṇa, or Śraviṣṭhā,
with the three Uttaras, or with Hasta; // 720
having fasted, bathed his head, wearing white garments, with his senses controlled,
having worshiped the deities and Brahmins, he should eat one long pepper. // 721
And after that he should drink cow's milk, or goat's milk;
and when that has digested, he should eat boiled rice of śāli grain with milk. // 722
In this manner a man should eat it increasing every single day,
until it reaches a full hundred; and just so is the decreasing [regimen]. // 723
Then, even at the end of the decreasing [regimen], boiled rice with milk
is usually to be enjoyed for seven days, and likewise boiled rice with mudga soup. // 724
And in the third seven-day period, sweet meat-soup of wild animals [should be consumed];
his food and drink should be water that has been boiled, cooled, and endowed with [wholesome] qualities. // 725
He should dwell in a house sheltered from wind, constantly resorting to wholesome habits;
then, gradually, he should employ emblic myrobalan for sour flavor, // 726
as well as Garcinia and pomegranate for sourness, and he should always practice bathing.
By this procedure a man quickly attains nourishment; // 727
a woman attains pregnancy, and even a barren woman bears offspring;
by this, leukoderma, consumption, and halīmaka are alleviated; // 728
as well as epilepsy, madness, and irregular fever that has arisen.
When applied repeatedly, it destroys wrinkles and grey hair, // 729
bestows complexion, luster, and strength, provides supreme rekindling of the [digestive] fire,
destroys kuṣṭha diseases, generates health, and is auspicious. // 730
It clears the senses of one whose semen and strength are lost.
For long peppers are auspicious in the body: pungent, with a sweet aftertaste, // 731
unctuous, of cooling potency, pervading, endowed with good qualities.
Because of their pungency they are salutary in phlegm humour, and because of unctuousness beneficial in wind humour; // 732
because of cool nature they alleviate the bile humour; they are employed in all medical actions.
The first regimen starts from three, and another from five, // 733
another from eight, and another from ten, having considered strength and season.
They are to be taken with milk as the post-drink, and along with the intake of milk. // 734
The rules of conduct are as observed, and the benefits as heard from tradition;
therefore, adhering to the rules in due order, a man // 735
should employ this [treatment] which increases health, fortune, strength, and lifespan.
This regimen of the increasing-dose long pepper was prescribed by the two Aśvins; // 736
it should be employed without envy so that one may obtain success. / …
And roots, leaves, flowers, and fruits— // 737
a wise man should gather the whole fresh Solanum nigrum plant;
he should thoroughly boil down a quarter of a tulā, finely [cut], in a droṇa measure of water; // 738
when reduced to one quarter, one who knows the procedure should cook a prastha measure of sesame oil
with four times the amount of milk and these pastes: // 739
prapauṇḍarīka, madhuka, rāsnā root, śatāvarī,
viḍaṅga, dill, and cowhage fruits. // 740
In massage, drinking, nasal therapy, and unctuous enema,
this sesame oil dispels the eighty diseases born of the wind humour. // 741
The fresh juice of maṇḍūkaparṇī should be employed,
or powder of yaṣṭīmadhuka with milk,
or juice of guḍūcī, or śaṅkhapuṣpī together with its root and flower—these bestow longevity, destroy diseases, // 742
increase strength, digestive fire, complexion, and memory, and are intellect-promoting rasāyanas;
the paste of śaṅkhapuṣpī is indeed to be employed.