A History of Indian Medical Literature v1.c13.18

v1.c13.18

Indra proceeds with his teachings on rasāyana by describing nine divine herbs (divyauṣadhi): brahmasuvarcalā, ādityaparṇī (also called sūryakāntā), 44 aśvabalā, kāṣṭhagodhā, sarpanāmā, soma, padmā, ajā (also called ajaśṛṅgī), and nīlā, 45 and the use made of these herbs in a course of treatment that results in making one the equal of the gods in outward appearance and that provides a life span of a thousand years (4.7). 46 This treatment, perfectly suitable only to sages with a controlled mind (kṛtātman), will enable them to perform all their duties; vānaprasthas 47 and gṛhasthas 48 with a sufficiently disciplined mind (niyatātman) may also resort to it (4.8–10). The same herbs, when growing in another habitat than the Himālayas, have a less powerful effect.