The Classical Doctrine of Indian Medicine: Its Origins and its Greek Parallels c8.171

c8.171

³ *naktam jātāsy oṣadhe rāme kṛṣṇe ásikni ca|* *idām rajanī rajaya kilāsam palitám ca yāt||1||* *kilāsam ca palitám ca nīr itó nāśayā pṛṣat|* *ā tvā svó viśatām várṇaḥ pārā śuklāni pātaya||2||* *ásitam te pralāyanam ásthānam ásitam táva|* *ásikny asy oṣadhe nīr itó nāśayā pṛṣat||3||* *asthijāsya kilāsasya tanujāsya ca yāt tvaci|* *dūṣyā kṛtāsya brāhmaṇā lákṣma śvetám anīnaśam||4||* V. Henry, *Manuel védique*, p. 135, note, remarks in connection with st. 3 that *pralāyana* is derived from *pra-lī*, "to dissolve oneself"; He understands: "black is thy decoction (read: solution), black is thy station (on the stalk)". i.e., "dead or alive, thou art always black". This interpretation, however, is uncertain. One can also read: "Devoid of white (when) thou art in the lying position..." which signifies "dead (pulled out) or (yet standing) you are black". In the same work V. Henry interprets *svo várṇaḥ* of st. 2, as applicable to the plant and understands it as follows: "take the proper colour (O plant, in the patient's body)", i.e., "become there dark, and thereafter, darken him." It is more natural to think that the aim of the formula is to transfer the pale spots to the plant, because it is black in essence, it will absorb that white.