The Materia Medica of the Hindus, compiled from Sanskrit Medical Works c4.s27: Red Ochre

The Materia Medica of the Hindus, compiled from Sanskrit Medical Works c4.s27

Language: English

Red Ochre

Two sorts of gairiká or ochre are mentioned by Sanskrit writers, namely, red and yellow. The red variety, called also Raktapáshána is used in medicine. It is a silicate of alumina coloured with oxide of iron It is purified by being soaked in milk seven times, and is described as sweetish, astringent, cooling, and usefnl in ulcers, burns, boils etc. It is rarely used internally except as an ingredient of some of the complex prescriptions containing a large number of mineral drugs, such as the preparation called Jvarakunjara párindra rasa, which contains nearly all the mineral substances.

c4.s27.3

Besides gairika several other varieties of earth are described and occassionally used in medicine. A sweet scented earth brought from Surat and called Saurástra mrittiká is regarded as astringent and useful in hemorrhages. It enters into the composition of several medicines for relieving bleeding from internal organs.

c4.s27.4

1 योगराजः । विफलायास्त्रयोभागास्त्रयःकटुकस्य च । भागास्त्वक-मूलस्य विड़ङ्गानां तथैव च । पञ्चांशजतुनो भागास्तथाप्यमलस्य च । माक्षिकस्य विशुद्धस्य लौहस्य रजतस्य च । अष्टौ भागाः सितायाश्च तत्सर्वं श्लक्ष्णचूर्णितम् । माक्षिकेषणसृतं स्थाप्यमायसे भाजने शुभे । उडुम्बरसमां मात्रां ततः खादेत् यथाग्निना । दिने दिने प्रयोगेन जीर्णे भोज्यं यथेप्सितम् । वर्जयित्वा कुलत्थांश्च काकमाची कपोतकान् । योगराज इति ख्यातो योगोऽयममृतोपमः । रसायनमिदं श्रेष्ठं सर्वरोगहरं परम् । पाण्डु रोगं विषं कासं यक्ष्माणं विषमज्वरम् । कुष्ठान्यजरकां मेहं श्वासं हिक्कामरोचकम् । विशेषान्न्यपचारं कामलां गुदजानि च । चक्रदत्तः ।

c4.s27.5

SANSKRIT MATERIA MEDICA.

Linked texts (1)

Cakradatta (Cikitsāsaṅgraha) — Cakrapāṇidatta, Sanskrit