History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c22.s3.39

v1.c22.s3.39

2. Virecana (Purgation): The administration of purgatives the drugs which are pleasant/palatable, easily digestable, and tending to move downward in order to eliminate the vitiated doṣas especially the pitta from the lower regions of the body as taken from the stomach to the large intestine and expelled through the anal passage. When properly carried out, the expelled contents will be in this order, viz. faeces, urine, ‘pitta’, medicines taken and kapha (SS. Ci. 33.22). Clarity of mind, efficiency of sense organs, stability of the bodily constituents, vigour and good digestion are brought about by proper purgation (SS. Ci. 33.26). The treatment through purgatives is especially indicated in diseases where the vitiation of pitta along with initiative of kapha figures prominently.