The Materia Medica of the Hindus, compiled from Sanskrit Medical Works c6.s2: Lac

The Materia Medica of the Hindus, compiled from Sanskrit Medical Works c6.s2

Language: English

Lac

c6.s2.1

Sans. लाक्षा, *Lákshá* Vern. *Lákh*, Hind. *Gálá*, Beng.

THE lac insect (*Coccus lacca*), has been known to the Hindus from a very ancient period. The *Butea frondosa* is called *Lákshá taru* or lac plant in Sanskrit, this being the principal tree in which lac is said to be produced. The fluid lac-dye obtained by dissolving the crushed stick-lac in water is called *A'lakta*. It is used in colouring silk. Cotton coloured with this dye and pressed into flat circular pieces is sold in the bazars under the name of *A'ltá* and is used in painting the hands and feet of Hindu females. Shell-lac is used in the preparation of sealing wax, varnish for carpenters and ornaments for women. A decoction of shell-lac is much used in the preparation of several medicinal oils, such as *Lákshádi taila*, *Chandanádi taila*, *Angáraka taila*, etc.

c6.s2.3

*Laksháditaila.*¹ Take of shell-lac two seers, water sixteen

c6.s2.4

¹ लाक्षादि तैलम् । लाक्षारस समं तैलं तैलात्स्त चतुर्गुणम् । अश्व- गन्धा निशा दारु कौन्तीकुष्ठाब्दचन्दनैः । समूर्वा रोहिणी रास्ना शताह्वा मधुकैः समैः । सिद्धं लाक्षादिकं नाम तैलमभ्यञ्जनादिना । सर्व्वज्वर- क्षयोन्माद श्वासपस्मार वातनुत् । यच्च राक्षस भूतघ्न गर्भिनीनां च शस्यते । भावप्रकाशः ।

c6.s2.5

1 लाक्षादि तैलम् । लाक्षारस समं तैलं तैलात्स्त चतुर्गुणम् । अश्व-
गन्धा निशा दारु कौन्तीकुष्ठाब्दचन्दनैः । समूर्वा रोहिणी रास्ना शताह्वा
मधुकैः समैः । सिद्धं लाक्षादिकं नाम तैलमभ्यञ्जनादिना । सर्व्वज्वर-
क्षयोन्माद श्वासपस्मार वातनुत् । यच्च राक्षस भूतघ्न गर्भिनीनां च शस्यते ।
भावप्रकाशः ।

c6.s2.6

seers, boil till reduced to four seers and strain. To this decoction of shell-lac add four seers of prepared sesamum oil, sixteen seers of whey, and two tolás each of the following substances, namely, *Withania somnifera* (*asvagandhá*), turmeric, *devadáru* wood, root of *Sanseviera Zeylanica* (*murvá*), *Pandanus odoratissimus* (*ketaki*), *Vanda Roxburghii* (*rásna*), dill seeds and liquorice root in the form of a paste and prepare an oil in the usual way; lastly add four tolás of camphor. This oil is much used for inunction in chronic fever and consumption. The other oils containing lac are prepared in a similar way, with the addition of various medicinal substances in the form of paste.

Linked texts (1)

Bhāvaprakāśa — Bhāvamiśra 1550, Sanskrit