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Vanaspati: Plants and Plant-Life as in Indian Treatises and Traditions c6.t1: 1. Physical Maladies

Vanaspati: Plants and Plant-Life as in Indian Treatises and Traditions c6.t1

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1. Physical Maladies

c6.t1.1

The medicinal plants that were used as drugs against diseases brought about by physical agencies are mentioned in the following hymns of the Atharva Veda:¹

c6.t1.2

¹ Translations are quoted from Whitney's.

c6.t1.3

Bk. I. 2—against injury and diseases. ,, ,, 3—obstruction of urine. ,, ,, 23 and 24—against white leprosy. Bk. II. 25—against abortion. Bk. V. 4—against fever and other maladies. Bk. XIX. 39—against disease *takman* (fever).

c6.t1.4

The physical maladies against which cure is provided are leprosy, fever, obstruction of urine, head-disease, evil of the eye, abortion and injury and diseases in general. Some of the several medicinal plants that are mentioned in the text have been identified with their modern representatives. These are *Reeds*, *Haridrā*, *Kushṭha*, *Chitraparṇī*, etc. The genesis of the diseases in some cases are given and the method of the application of the drugs is nicely described. From the hymns containing cure against natural diseases, it is clear beyond all doubt, that the Science of medicine as revealed in the Atharva Vedic texts is far from being in a state of infancy. It presupposes a good deal of experiments and observation, and seems to be based on a wide generalisation.

c6.t1.5

“We know the reed’s father, *Parjjanya* the much-nourishing; and we know well its mother, the earth of many aspects.”—Plant identified is reed. (I. 2. 1.)

c6.t1.6

“Night-born art thou, O herb, O dark, black, dusky one ; O colourer, do thou colour this leprous spot and what is pale.” (I. 23. 1.)

c6.t1.7

“Of the bone-born leprous spot, and of the body-born that is in the skin, of that made by the spoiler—by incantation have I made the white mark disappear.” (I. 23. 4.)

c6.t1.8

“The *Asura*-woman first made this remedy for leprous spot, this effacer of leprous spot ; it has made the leprous spot disappear, has made this skin uniform.” (I. 24. 2.)

c6.t1.9

Plant identified is *Haridrā*—Circuma longa.

c6.t1.10

“The blood-drinking wizard, and whoso wants to take away fatness, the embryo-eating *kaṇva* do thou make disappear, O spotted leaf and overpower.” (II. 25. 3.)

c6.t1.11

Plants identified are :
1. *Māṣaparṇī*—Glycine debilis.
2. *Lakṣmaṇ*—Having upon its leaves red spots. *Putrajanī*—*Bhābaprakāśa*, I. 208. *Putrakandā*—*Rājanighaṇṭu*, VII. 114. *Putradā*—a bulbous plant.
3. It is a leguminous plant identified by U. C. Duta as Uraria lagopodioides. Dec.

c6.t1.12

“On an eagle-bearing mountain, born from the snowy one; they go to it with riches, having heard of it, for they know the effacer of fever.” (V. 4. 2.)

c6.t1.13

“The *Aśwattha*, the seat of the gods in the third heaven from here ; there the gods won the *Kuṣṭha*, the sight of immortality.” (V. 4. 3.)

c6.t1.14

“Born in the north from the snowy mountain, thou art conducted to people in the eastern quarter; there they have shared out the highest names of the *Kuṣṭha*.” (V. 4. 8.)

c6.t1.15

“Head-diseases, attack, evil of the eyes, of the body—all that may *Kuṣṭha* relieve, verily a divine virility.” (V. 4. 10.)

c6.t1.16

Plant identified is *Kuṣṭha*—Costus speciosus or arabicus.

Cites (3)