The Classical Doctrine of Indian Medicine: Its Origins and its Greek Parallels c8.s1.6

c8.s1.6

Along with bdellium, the hymn addresses itself to a certain *Arundhatī*. Often this name denotes a certain star, but here a vegetable product is meant, also mentioned in the *Atharvaveda*, which calls it *lākṣā* too (*AV.*, V, 5-7). Now *lākṣā* is the resin known as "lac" which flows out as a result of pricking caused by an insect, called Coccus lacca, in the branches of various types of trees, of whom the chief are Ficus religiosa, Ficus indica, Rhamnus jujuba and Butea frondosa. Hymn V says, in verse 5, to *Arundhatī*: "You come out of the good Ficus infectoria, from Ficus religiosa, from Acacia catechu, from Grislea tomentosa, from the good Ficus indica and from Butea frondosa".⁴ Acacia catechu gives the black