Kautilya's Arthashastra 4.3.13

4.3.13

vyādhibhayam aupaniṣadikaiḥ pratīkāraiḥ pratikuryuḥ, auṣadhaiś cikitsakāḥ śāntiprāyaścittair vā siddhatāpasāḥ //

Such remedial measures as will be treated of in the 14th book shall be taken against pestilences. Physicians with their medicines, and ascetics and prophets with their auspicious and purificatory ceremonials shall also overcome pestilences. The same remedial measures shall be taken against epidemics (maraka = killer). Besides the above measures, oblations to gods, the ceremonial called, Mahá- kachchhavardhana, milking the cows on cremation or burial grounds, burning the trunk of a corpse, and spending nights in devotion to gods shall also be observed.