Indian Medicine (Medicin), translated by C. G. Kashikar c15.14

c15.14

The worse forms of madness are attributed to demoniac influence and are, therefore, denoted as possession (bhūtonmāda). There are 8 or 18 or 20 or "innumerable" demons and gods of insanity who attack the man if he acts against the religion, stays alone in a vacant house or in a burial place at night and the like. One can gather from his way of acting as to which spirit had attacked the patient. Thus one possessed by Daitya is malicious, wrathful, haughty, gives himself out to be a god, likes spirituous drink and flesh. One possessed by a *Gandharva* sings and dances, adorns himself, bathes and anoints himself. One possessed by a serpent-demon has red eyes, fixed sight, crooked and staggering walking, stretches out the tongue, licks his mouth-angle, likes milk, honey and sweets. One possessed by a *yakṣa* seeks joy, is lavicious, prodigal, generous, talkative, staggers like a drunkard while walking. One possessed by a *piśāca* is uneasy, voracious, unclean, without memory, runs about, tears the flesh with nails, goes naked. For possession are prescribed various medicines to be taken internally, to be used as ointments, nasal remedy, fumigating remedy and the like. The treatment, however, especially conforms to the appeasement of the demons by different oblations, appeasing ceremonies, penances, religious donations, worship of Brahmans and the like rather than to the medicinal substances which are effective against demons. Every demon or god has his particular time when he attacks men. At this time the physician should offer him oblations consisting of milk, flesh, sugar, liquor and other food-articles, clothes, jewels and the like, on the place where the demon is accustomed to dwell (Car; Bhav; Vang l. c.; Su 6.60; MN 164-68; AS 6.7 f.). On children-demons of. § 50.