Vanaspati: Plants and Plant-Life as in Indian Treatises and Traditions c6.t3.1

c6.t3.1

Over and above the branches dealt with in previous sections of the paper, the verses of Atharva Veda contain a variety of uses to which plants used to be put. We place this under the head "Miscellaneous uses of plants." One of these topics is "the growth of hair." It is the outstanding merit of medical science in India that even in its infancy it took a due note of the vital relation of the body and the soul as also of the vital importance of considering its æsthetic aspects, and hence cosmatic consideration plays a part therein. Some hymns of the Atharva Veda mention plants used for contributing to the preservation, growth, development and nicety of hairs. The following extracts will give us an idea of the thing.