The Materia Medica of the Hindus, compiled from Sanskrit Medical Works c4.s15: Mica or Talc

The Materia Medica of the Hindus, compiled from Sanskrit Medical Works c4.s15

Language: English

Mica or Talc

FOUR varieties of talc are described by Sanskrit writers, namely, white, red, yellow and black. Of these the white variety is used as a substitute for glass in making lanterns etc, and the black variety called *vajrábhra* is used in medicine. It is of a black colour, hard and heavy, and generally known by the name of *krishnábhra* or *sheábhra*.

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Talc is purified in the following manner. It is first heated and washed in milk. The plates are then separated and soaked in the juice of *Amaranthus polygamus* (*tandulia*) and *kánjika* for eight days. Talc thus purified is reduced to powder by being

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वृद्धदारकम्। एतानि समभागानि संचूर्ण्य वटिकां कुरु। हरीतकीरसंदत्वा पञ्चगुञ्जामितां शुभाम्। एकैकां खादयेन्नित्यं शीतलञ्च जलं पिबेत्। श्लीपदं कफवातोत्थं रक्तमांसाश्रितञ्च यत्। मेदोगतं धातुगतं हन्त्यवश्यं न संशयः। अर्बुदं गण्डमालाञ्च अन्त्रवृद्धिं चिरन्तनीम्। वातवृद्धिं पित्तवृद्धिं श्लेष्मवृद्धिं निहन्ति च। अग्निवृद्धिं करोत्येवबलवर्णकरः परः। श्रीमद्हननाथेन निर्मितोविश्वसम्पदे। नित्यानन्द रसो नाम यथोक्तः श्लीपदे गदे॥ rubbed with paddy within a thick piece of cloth, when the powdered talc passes through the pores of the cloth in fine particles and is collected for use. Talc, thus reduced to powder, is called *dhányábhraka*. It is prepared for medicinal use by being mixed with cow's urine and exposed to a high degree of heat within a closed crucible, repeatedly for a hundred times. Sometimes the process is said to be repeated a thousand times. When this is the case, the preparation is called *sahasra putita abhra* and sold at high price (eight rupees per *tolá*). It is considered to be of superior efficacy. Prepared talc is a powder of brick-dust colour and a saline, earthy taste. Chemically it consists of silicate of magnesia with iron in excess. It is considered tonic and aphrodisiac and is used in combination with iron in anæmia, jaundice, chronic diarrhoea and dysentery, chronic fever, enlarged spleen, urinary diseases, impotence etc. Its efficacy is said to be increased by combination with iron. Dose, grains six to twelve.

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*Jvarásani rasa*.¹ Take of mercury, sulphur, rock salt, aconite and copper, one part each, prepared iron and talc, five parts each, rub together with the juice of *Vitex Negundo* leaves, then add one part of black pepper and make into two-grain pills. They are administered with the juice of betle leaves in chronic fever and enlarged spleen.

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¹ ज्वराशनि रसः । रसं गन्धं सैन्धवञ्च विषं ताम्रं समं समम् । सर्व्व चूर्णसमं लौहं तत्समं शुद्धमभ्रकम् । लौहे च लौहदण्डेन निर्गुण्डीस्वरसेन च । मर्द्दयेत्तु यत्नतः पश्चात् मरिचं सुतुल्यकम् । नागवल्लीदलेनैव दातव्यं रक्तिसम्मितम् । सर्व्वज्वरहरः श्रेष्ठः ज्वरान् हन्ति सुदारुणान् । कासश्वासं महाघोरं विषमख्यं ज्वरं वमिम् । धातुस्थं प्रबलं दाहं ज्वरदोषं चिरोद्भवम् । यकृद्गुल्मोदरं प्लीहं क्षययुञ्ज विनाशयेत् ॥ भैषज्यरत्नावली ।

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*Agnikumára rasa*.² Take of mercury, sulphur, borax, iron,

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² अग्निकुमार रसः । रसं गन्धं विषं व्योषं टङ्कणं लौहभस्मकम् । अजमोदाऽहिफेनञ्च सर्व्वतुल्यं मृताभ्रकम् । चित्रकत्वक्कसायेण मर्द्दयेत्तममात्रकम् । मरिचाभां वटीं खादेदजीर्णं ग्रहणीं तथा । नाशयेन्नात्रसन्देहो गुह्यो- मेतत्चिकित्सितम् ॥ भैषज्यरत्नावली ।

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1 ज्वराशनि रसः । रसं गन्धं सैन्धवञ्च विषं ताम्रं समं समम् । सर्व्व चूर्णसमं लौहं तत्समं शुद्धमभ्रकम् । लौहे च लौहदण्डेन निर्गुण्डीस्वरसेन च । मर्द्दयेत्तु यत्नतः पश्चात् मरिचं सुतुल्यकम् । नागवल्लीदलेनैव दातव्यं रक्तिसम्मितम् । सर्व्वज्वरहरः श्रेष्ठः ज्वरान् हन्ति सुदारुणान् । कासश्वासं महाघोरं विषमख्यं ज्वरं वमिम् । धातुस्थं प्रबलं दाहं ज्वरदोषं चिरोद्भवम् । यकृद्गुल्मोदरं प्लीहं क्षययुञ्ज विनाशयेत् ॥ भैषज्यरत्नावली ।

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2 अग्निकुमार रसः । रसं गन्धं विषं व्योषं टङ्कणं लौहभस्मकम् । अजमोदाऽहिफेनञ्च सर्व्वतुल्यं मृताभ्रकम् । चित्रकत्वक्कसायेण मर्द्दयेत्तममात्रकम् । मरिचाभां वटीं खादेदजीर्णं ग्रहणीं तथा । नाशयेन्नात्रसन्देहो गुह्यो- मेतत्चिकित्सितम् ॥ भैषज्यरत्नावली । aconite, ginger, long pepper, black pepper, ajowan and opium each one part, prepared talc ten parts, rub together for three hours with the decoction of *Plumbago rosea* (rakta chitraka) and make into pills of the size of black peppers. This preparation is used in chronic diarrhoea and indigestion.

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Sulachanàmritábhra.¹ Take of prepared talc eight tolás, rub it with eight tolás each of the fresh juice or decoction of the following drugs, namely, pulp of *Ziziphus Jujuba* (kola), *Chavica officinarum* (chaviká), root of *Andropogon muricatus* (usira), pomegranate fruit, lemon juice, emblic myrobalan and *Oxlais corniculata* (amlalonikà), and make into pills about six grains each. This medicine is used in loss of appetite, disinclination for food, dyspepsia, vomiting, urinary diseases, anasarca and debility. It is tonic, alterative and aphrodisiac. The preparation called *Kandarpa kumárábhra* is very similar to the above in composition. In disorders of the urine the following called *Harisankara rasa*² in used. Soak some prepared talc in the juice of emblic myrobalans seven times in the course of a week and make into two-grain pills.

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¹ सुलोचनामृताभ्रम्। पल' सुजीख' गगन्तु वज्र' तेजोवती कोल सुशीरदाड़िमम्। धात्र्यम्ललोनीरुकं पृथक्रसैः पलोन्मितैर्महितमेव सेवितम्। अरोचकं वातकफत्रिदोषजं पित्तोद्भवं गन्धससुद्भवं नृणाम्। कास' स्वराघात सुरोग्यह' रुज' श्वास' वलास' यक्ष्भगन्दरम्। प्लीहाग्निमान्द्यं क्षययु' समीरग' मेह' भृग' कुष्ठमहद्रलक्ष्मीन्। मूलाम्लपित्तं क्षयरोगसुहृत' स रक्तपित्त' वमिदाहमस्ररीम्। निहन्तिचाशांसि सुलोचनामृत' बलप्रदं वृष्यमिदं रसायनम्। रसेन्द्रसारसंग्रहः।

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² हरिशङ्कर रसः। मृताभ्र मामलकजैः सप्ताहं भावयेत् रजः। हरिशङ्करः सज्ञः स्याद् भुक्तः सर्वप्रमेहजित्। रसेन्द्रसारसंग्रहः।

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*Arjunábhra*.³ In heart disease talc is used with the juice of the arjuna bark which last is considered a specific for this complaint. *Arjunbhra* is prepared by soaking some prepared talc in the juice of the bark of *Terminalia Arjuna*, seven times, and dividing the mass into two-grain pills. In phthisis and chronic bronchitis the following called *Sringárábhra*¹ is used. Take of prepared talc sixteen tolás, camphor, cardamoms, nutmegs, mace, cloves, root of *Pavonia odorata* (bálá), *Pothos officinalis* (gajapippuli), leaves called tejpatra, jatamansi root, leaves of *Pinus Webbiana* (tálisapatra), cinnamon, flowers of *Mesua ferrea* (nágakesara), root of *Aplotaxis auriculata* (kushtha), flowers of *Woodfordia Floribunda* (dhátaki) and purified sulphur, each one tolá, mercury half a tolá. Powder the ingredients, mix and make into four-grain pills with water. One pill at a time is to be chewed with betle leaves and ginger, and a little water is to be taken afterwards. The pills may be taken three or four times daily. The diet should consist of ghee, milk and broth.

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³ अर्जुनअभ्र' । सहस्र पुटितैः सिद्धं द्वाभ्रमर्जुनत्वचः। सत्त्वैविमहितं सप्तदिन' खल्लेविशोषितम्। छायाशुष्कावटीकाय्य' नाम्नेदमर्जुन-

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¹ शृङ्गारभ्रम्। शुद्धं कृष्णाभ्रचूर्णञ्च द्विपलपरिमितं शाणमानं यदन्यत्। कर्पूरं जातीकोषं सजलमभ्रकनातेजपत्रं लवङ्गम्। मांसोतालीशचोचेगज-कुसुमगदं धातकीचेति तुल्यं। एताजातीफलाख्यं क्षितितलविधिनाशुद्धगन्धाभ्र-कोलं। कोलाईं पारदस्य प्रतिपदविहितं पिष्टमेतत्समिश्रं। पानोयेनैव कार्य्यः परिणत चनकास्वनतुल्याश्चवथः। प्रातः खाद्यास्ततस्तदनुखलुवियत् शृङ्गवेरं सपर्णं। पानीयं पीतमन्तेध्रुवमपहरतिक्षिप्रमेतान् विकारान्। कोष्ठेदुष्टाग्नि-जातान् ज्वरमुदररुजां राजयक्ष्मक्षयञ्च। कास श्वासं सशोथं नयनपरिभवं मेहहृद्दोविकारान्। सारकौमुदी।

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*Mohálakshmi bilásarasa*.² This preparation is used as an alterative tonic and aphrodisiac in general debility, impotence etc. To prepare it, take of talc eight tolás, mercury four tolás, sulphur four tolás, tin two tolás, silver one tolá, orpiment one tolá, copper half a tolá, gold half a tola, camphor, nutmegs and mace, each four tolás, seeds of *Argyreia speciosa* (bridhadáraka) and of datura, two tolás each. Mix together, rub with the juice of betle leaves and

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² महालक्ष्मीविलासः। पलं कृष्णाभ्रचूर्णस्य तदद्धं गन्धपारदं। वङ्गभस्म तदद्धञ्च तदद्धं तारकस्य च। तत् समं हरितालञ्च तदद्धं ताम्रभस्मकं। रसतुुल्यं कर्पूरञ्च

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भक्रम। हृद्रोगं सर्व्वशूलांश्र्वहल्लासच्छर्द्दरोंचकान्। अतिसारं मन्दमग्निं रक्तपित्तं क्षतक्षयम्। शोथोदरायमम्लपित्तं विषमज्वरमेव च। हन्त्यन्यान्-
पिरोगांश्च वल्यं वृष्यं रसायनम्। अनुपानं पिबेच्चैव हृद्रोगे च कफात्मके।
रसेन्द्रसारसंग्रहः।

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make into pills of about six grains each. Another preparation of composition similar to the above is called *Manmathábhra rasa*. It is, as its name implies, intended for the votaries of Cupid.

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*Galitakushthári rasa*.¹ Take of mercury, sulphur, prepared copper and iron, bdellium, plumbago root, *silájatu*, nux vomica, and the three myrobalans, each one part, prepared talc and the seeds of *Pongamia glabra* (*karanja*), four parts each, rub together with honey and ghee, and preserve in an earthen pot smeared with ghee. Dose about a drachm. It is given in leprosy with ulceration of the toes and fingers. The diet should consist of fine rice, milk, sugar and honey. The patient must live apart from his wife.

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¹ गलितकुष्ठारि रसः । रसोवलिस्ताम्रमयः पुरोऽग्नि शिलाजतु स्याद्विपतित्तु-कञ्च । वराच तुल्यं गगण करञ्जबीजं पृथक् भागचतुष्टयञ्च । संमर्द्य सर्वं मधु-नाष्टतेन घृतस्यपात्रे निहितं प्रयत्नात् । कर्षं भजेत् प्रत्यहमस्य पथ्यं शाल्योदनं दुग्ध मधुत्रयञ्च । विशीर्णकर्षाङ्गुलिनासिकोऽपि भवेद्ननेन खरतुत्यमूर्तिः । दारा परित्याग इहप्रदिष्टो जलोदनं तत्र निबद्धमूले ॥ भाव प्रकाशः ।

Linked texts (3)

Bhāvaprakāśa — Bhāvamiśra 1550, Sanskrit
Bhaiṣajyaratnāvalī — Govindadāsa, Sanskrit
Rasendrasārasaṃgraha (Gopāla Kṛṣṇā) — Gopāla Kṛṣṇā 1800, Sanskrit