The Materia Medica of the Hindus, compiled from Sanskrit Medical Works c5.s7.t1: Ægle Marmelos

The Materia Medica of the Hindus, compiled from Sanskrit Medical Works c5.s7.t1

Language: English

Ægle Marmelos

c5.s7.t1.1

*Sans.* बिल्व, vilva. *Vern.* Bela, Beng. Hind.

The *Ægle Marmelos* is held in great veneration by the Hindus. It is sacred to Siva whose worship cannot be accomplished without its leaves. Hence this tree is always met with near temples dedicated to Siva. It is incumbent on all Hindus to cultivate and cherish this tree, and it is sacrilegious to up-root or cut it down. The Hindu who expires under a bela tree, expects to obtain immediate salvation, notwithstanding that he may have committed innumerable sins.

c5.s7.t1.3

The *Ægle Marmelos* is used in medicine in a variety of ways. The unripe or half ripe fruit is regarded as astringent, digestive and stomachic and as useful in restraining discharges from the alimentary canal. The ripe fruit is described as sweet, aromatic, cooling and laxative. It is not easily digested and has a tendency to cause flatulence. The dried pulp of the fruit, called *Vilva peshiká* in Sanskrit, is regarded as astringent and a specific for dysentery. The root-bark is considered useful in diseases supposed to be caused by deranged air. It constitutes an ingredient of *dasamul* or the ten roots, (see *Desmodium gangeticum*.) The fresh juice of the leaves is given with honey as a domestic laxative and febrifuge.

c5.s7.t1.4

The dried pulp of the fruit is given with treacle, in recent dysentery with griping, pain in the loins and costiveness.¹ A compound powder² is prepared with equal parts of dried bela, tubers of *Cyperus rotundus* (*mustaka*), flowers of *Woodfordia floribunda* (*dhátaki*), root of *Stephania hernandifolia* (*páthá*) ginger and mocharasa. It is given in doses of twenty-two to forty-four grains with buttermilk and treacle. In the dysentery of children, a decoction and an electuary of the following drugs is used, namely dried bela, fruits of *Pothos officinalis* (*gajapippuli*), root of *Pavonia odorata* (*bálá*), flowers of *Woodfordia floribunda* (*dhátaki*), and bark of *Symplocos racemosa* (*lodhra*), in equal parts.³

c5.s7.t1.5

¹ गुडेन खादयेद्विल्वं रक्तातिसारनाशनम् । आमशूलविबन्धघ्नं कुक्षिरोगविनाशनम् । चक्रदत्तः ।

c5.s7.t1.6

² बिल्वाब्द धातकी पाठा शुण्ठी मोचरसाः समाः । पीता रुबन्ध्यतीसारं गुडतक्रेण दुर्जयेम् । चक्रदत्तः ।

c5.s7.t1.7

³ बिल्वञ्च पुष्पाणिच धातकीनां जलं सलोध्रं गजपिप्पलीच । काथाव-लेहौ मधुनाविमिश्रौ बालेषु योज्यावतिसारितेषु । चक्रदत्तः ।

c5.s7.t1.8

A decoction of the root of *Ægle Marmelos*,⁴ is given with sugar and fried rice, for checking diarrhœa and gastric irritability in infants.

c5.s7.t1.9

⁴ बिल्वमूलकषायेण लाजाश्चैवशर्कराः । आलोढ्य पाययेद्वालं छर्द्यतिसारनाशनम् । चक्रदत्तः ।

c5.s7.t1.10

The fresh juice of the leaves is given, with the addition of black pepper, in anasarca with costiveness and jaundice.⁵ In external inflammations, the juice of the leaves is given internally, to remove the supposed derangement of the humours.

c5.s7.t1.11

⁵ बिल्वपत्ररसं पूतं शोथं श्वयथुनिजे । विट् सङ्गेचैवदूर्नाम्नि विदध्यात्कामलाखपि । चक्रदत्तः ।

c5.s7.t1.12

Vilva taila is thus prepared.⁶ Take of dried bela fruits, twelve seers and a half and boil in sixty-four seers of water, till reduced to one-fourth. To the strained decoction, add four seers of prepared sesamum oil and six tolás each of the following substances, in the form of paste, namely, *Vanda Roxburghii* (*rásná*). *Boerhaavia diffusa* (*punarnavá*), *Aplotaxis auriculata* (*kushṭa*), ginger, dried bela, flowers of *Woodfordia floribunda* (*dhátaki*), wood of *Pinus deodara* (*devadáru*), bark of *Symplocos racemosa* (*lodhra*), tubers of *Cyperus rotundus* (*mustaka*), *Acorus Calamus* (*vachá*), and gum of *Bombax Malabaricum* (*sálmaliveshṭa*), and prepare an oil in the usual way. This oil is used externally in chronic bowel complaints.

c5.s7.t1.13

⁶ बिल्वतैलम् । शतं संपञ्चबिल्वस्य जलद्रोणे विपाचयेत् । तेनपादावशेषेण तैलप्रस्थं विपाचयेत् । रास्त्रा पुनर्नवाकुष्ठं नागरं बिल्वमेव च । धातकीदेव-

Linked texts (1)

Cakradatta (Cikitsāsaṅgraha) — Cakrapāṇidatta, Sanskrit