The Classical Doctrine of Indian Medicine: Its Origins and its Greek Parallels c7.s2.72

c7.s2.72

³ It is the *drug* itself which in *Vid.*, XVIII, 13 & ff. explains all that is favourable and all that is harmful to her, thus giving the means to combat her. One can here make a *rapprochement* between this fact and the one that in India the discussion of an anti-demon ritual is ascribed to Rāvaṇa, chief of the Rakṣasas who in the Veda are specially known as the demons who cause abortion, and that this Rāvaṇa had, even from before the time of Galien (IInd century A.D.), become known as a doctor (cf., Filliozat, *La Kumaratantra*, pp. 170 & ff.). One could therefore conclude that the personage of the Avestan *drug* has, like Rāvaṇa, been subjected to a favourable evolution. According to Nyberg, op. cit., p. 67, it is with pleasure that she talks to Sraosa who has put aside his formidable mace. But probably it should be understood that she talks because of the fear that he may not seize her again.