A History of Indian Medical Literature v1.c14: Chapter 7: Kalpasthāna
A History of Indian Medical Literature v1.c14
- Language
- English
Chapter 7: Kalpasthāna
v1.c14.2
Chapter one¹ (madanakalpa²) begins with an exposition on the contents of the Kalpasthāna: emetic (vamanadravya) and purgative drugs (virecanadravya) will be discussed, their combination with other substances, their way of preparation and administration, etc. (1.3).³
v1.c14.3
The terms vamana and virecana are defined; both are collectively known as virecana (1.4). The emetic and purgative actions of particular drugs are explained with regard to their properties, the mahābhūtas which are predominantly present in them, their vīrya and prabhāva, and their physiological effects (1.5).⁴
v1.c14.4
Six hundred emetic (chapters 1–6) and purgative (chapters 7–12) preparations will be described (1.6), which are the most suitable ones when endowed with excellency regarding place (of origin), time (of collection), properties and containers (bhājana) (1.7).
v1.c14.5
The place of origin (deśa) is of three types: arid (jāṅgala), marshy (ānūpa) and intermediate (sādhāraṇa);⁵ flowery descriptions of these types of country are given (1.8).⁶ Recommended for medicinal purposes are plants growing in a sādhāraṇa or jāṅgala region, if particular unfavourable circumstances are absent (1.9).⁷ Particularly commendable properties are mentioned; the seasons in which particular plant parts should be collected are specified; rituals to be observed are referred to⁸ (1.10).⁹ The most suitable ways of storage are described;¹⁰ daily worship is required again (1.11).¹¹ The vehicles to be given together with a drug, dependent on the predominant doṣa, are enumerated (1.12).
v1.c14.6
The remaining part of the chapter is devoted to the fruits of madana, the seeds (pippalī) of which are the best emetic drug, the way the fruits should be collected, prepared for use, combined with other drugs, etc.¹²
v1.c14.7
A total of 133 formulations with madana as the chief ingredient are described: nine kinds in a kaṣāya (1.14), eight kinds of mātrā¹³ (1.16), five preparations with milk and ghee (1.17–18), one kind of snuff (ghreya) (1.19), one kind of phāṇita¹⁴ (1.20), one kind of cūrṇa (1.20), six kinds of varti¹⁵ (1.21), twenty kinds of leha¹⁶ (1.22), twenty kinds of utkārikā¹⁷ (1.23), twenty kinds of modaka¹⁸ (1.23), sixteen kinds of śaṣkulī¹⁹ (1.24–25), sixteen kinds of pūpa²⁰ (1.24–25), ten kinds of ṣāḍava²¹ and other types of preparation (1.26). The synonyms of madana are enumerated (1.27).
v1.c14.8
Chapter two is devoted to preparations with the fruits and flowers of jīmūta as their chief ingredient.²²
v1.c14.9
The synonyms of jīmūta are enumerated (2.3), followed by the general indications for the administration of this drug (2.4).
v1.c14.10
A total of thirty-nine formulations are described: six preparations with milk (2.5–7), one with surāmaṇḍa²³ (2.8), twelve in a kaṣāya (2.9–10ab), seven in a kaṣāya (2.10cd–11ab), eight kinds of mātrā²⁴ (2.11cd), four in a rasa (2.12), and one ghee (2.13).
v1.c14.11
Chapter three deals with preparations containing various parts of ikṣvāku as their chief ingredient.²⁵
v1.c14.12
The synonyms of ikṣvāku are enumerated (3.3cd–4ab), followed by the general indications for its use in medicine (3.4cd–5ab).
v1.c14.13
Forty-five formulations are described: eight preparations in milk (3.5cd–6 and 7cd–10ab), one in surāmaṇḍa (3.7ab), one in mastu²⁶ (3.10cd), one in takra²⁷ (3.11ab), one kind of snuff (ghreya) (3.11cd–12ab), one with guḍa²⁸ and palala²⁹ (3.12cd), one oil (3.13ab), one ghee (3.13ab), six with a successively increasing number of ikṣvāku seeds in a decoction of one of the drugs of the phalādi group³⁰ (3.13cd–14ab), one in a kaṣāya of yaṣṭyāhva³¹ and eight in a kaṣāya of one of the drugs of the kovidārādi group³² (3.14cd), eight mātrāyogas³³ (3.15ab), five kinds of leha (3.15cd–19ab)³⁴, one in a mantha³⁵ (3.19cd–20ab), and one in māṃsarasa (meat broth) (3.20c-f).
v1.c14.14
Chapter four deals with preparations containing various parts of dhāmārgava as their chief ingredient.³⁶
v1.c14.15
The synonyms of dhāmārgava are enumerated (4.3), followed by the general indications for its use (4.4–5ab).
v1.c14.16
Sixty formulations are described: nine kinds of gulikā³⁷, made of young leaves (pravāla, pallava), to be taken together with a kaṣāya of madhuka³⁸ or one of the drugs of the kovidārādi group³⁹ (4.6), four preparations in milk (4.7), one in surā (4.7), nine in a kaṣāya of madhuka or one of the drugs of the kovidārādi group (4.7–9ab), one mixed with food (4.9cd), one snuff (ghreyayoga) (4.10),⁴⁰ twelve kinds of varti soaked in the liquid from the dung of various animals (4.11–12), ten kinds of leha (4.13–15ab), one kalka (4.15cd), eleven in a kaṣāya (4.16–18ab), and one ghee (4.18cd).
v1.c14.17
Chapter five deals with preparations containing vatsaka seeds as their chief ingredient.⁴¹
v1.c14.18
The names of vatsaka and its seeds (indrayava) are enumerated (5.4). The male and female plants are described (5.5). The general indications for the use of the drug are given (5.6).
v1.c14.19
Eighteen formulations are described: nine in a kaṣāya of madhuka or one of the kovidārādi drugs (5.7–9ab),⁴² a cūrṇa,⁴³ to be taken in combination with one of five kaṣāyas (5.9cd–10) or one of three watery solutions (5.11ab) or together with kṛśara⁴⁴ (5.11cd).
v1.c14.20
Chapter six deals with preparations of various parts of kṛtavedhana.⁴⁵
v1.c14.21
The names of kṛtavedhana are listed and its chief indications are mentioned (6.3–4).
v1.c14.22
A total of sixty formulations are described: four preparations in milk, etc. (6.5ab), 46 one in surā (6.5ab), nine in a kaṣāya of one of the drugs of the madhukādi group47 (6.5cd–6ab), nine in a kaṣāya of one of the drugs of the āragvadhādi group48 (6.6cd–7), ten in a picchā49 prepared with the cūrṇa of śālmalī roots 50 (6.8ab), six kinds of varti (6.8cd), one ghee (6.8cd), eight kinds of leha (6.9–10), seven preparations in a meat broth (6.11–12ab), and one in sugarcane juice (ikṣurasa) (6.12cd).
v1.c14.23
Chapter seven deals with preparations containing śyāmā or trivṛt51 as their chief ingredient. 52
v1.c14.24
The roots of trivṛt constitute the best among the purgative drugs (7.3ab). The synonyms of trivṛt(ā) are enumerated (7.3cd–4). Its properties and actions are described (7.5–6).53 The differences between the roots of the śyāmā and aruṇā types of trivṛt are discussed, including the indications for the preferential use of one of both types (7.7–9).54 The way of collecting and preparing the roots is described (7.10–11).
v1.c14.25
One hundred or more formulations are described: nine preparations in amla,55 four kinds of urine, sauvīraka,56 tuṣodaka,57 prasannā,58 or a kaṣāya of triphalā (7.12cd–13), twelve in a saline solution (7.14),59 eighteen preparations with cow’s urine (7.15–17ab), 60 two with madhuka (liquorice) (7.17cd),61 fourteen of the same type as the preceding ones, but with jīvaka and thirteen other drugs (7.18–20ab), seven preparations in milk and six other substances (7.20cd–21ab), eight kinds of leha (7.21cd–27, 29–32, 37–39),62 four kinds of sitāyoga (7.28),63 five preparations in a pānaka,64 meat broth (rasa),65 yūṣa,66 in modakas,67 or in a rāgaṣāḍava68 (7.33–35),69 five kinds of modaka (7.36–55),70 six preparations to be prescribed in accordance with the seasons (7.56–64),71 two kinds of tarpaṇa (7.65–66ab), four in milk and ghee (7.66cd–68),72 two kinds of alcoholic preparation73 (7.69–71),74 one in sauvīraka (7.72),75 one in tuṣodaka (7.73),76 ten in a ṣāḍava and other types of preparation (7.74).77
v1.c14.26
Chapter eight deals with preparations containing caturaṅgula (= āragvadha) as their chief ingredient.78
v1.c14.27
The synonyms of āragvadha are enumerated (8.3). Its properties and the main indications for its use are mentioned (8.4–5),79 followed by the way of collection and preparation of its fruits; the pulp (majjā) of the fruits is the substance employed for medicinal purposes (8.6–7).
v1.c14.28
Twelve formulations are described: one in grape juice (8.8–9ab), one in surāmaṇḍa (8.9cd), one in a sīdhu made of kola (8.9cd), one in dadhimaṇḍa (8.10), one in the juice of āmalaka (8.10), one in sauvīraka (8.10), one in a kaṣāya of trivṛt (8.11), one in a kaṣāya of bilva (8.11), one kind of leha (8.12), two kinds of ghee (8.13–14), and one kind of ariṣṭa (8.15).
v1.c14.29
Chapter nine deals with preparations containing tilvaka as their chief ingredient.80 The synonyms of tilvaka are enumerated (9.3ab). The way of preparing its root bark (mūlatvac) for medicinal use is described (9.3cd–5).
v1.c14.30
Sixteen formulations are described: five preparations in dadhi,81 takra, surāmaṇḍa, urine and sīdhu (9.6),82 one in sauvīraka (9.7–8ab), one kind of surā (9.8cd), one kind of ariṣṭa (9.9–10ab), one in a kaṣāya of kampillaka (9.10cd–1 lab), three kinds of leha (9.11cd–13), and four kinds of ghee (9.14–16).
v1.c14.31
Chapter ten deals with preparations containing sudhā (= snuh) as their chief ingredient. 83
v1.c14.32
Sudhā is the most drastic (tīkṣṇatama) among the purgatives; on account of its harmful effects when improperly prescribed, it is contra-indicated in particular groups of patients (10.3–4). Its indications are discussed (10.5–7ab). Two varieties are distinguished: having a small and a large number of thorns (kaṇṭaka); the latter variety is the best one for medicinal use (10.7cd–8ab). The synonyms of sudhā are enumerated (10.8cd). The way of collecting its latex (kṣīra) is dealt with (10.9).
v1.c14.33
Twenty formulations are described: a series of seven preparations in sauvīraka, tuṣodaka, juice of kola, juice of āmalaka, surā, dadhimaṇḍa, and juice of mātuḷuṅga (10.10–12ab), one kind of ghee (10.12cd–13), one in meat broth (10.12cd–13), one kind of pānaka (10.14), one kind of snuff (ghreya) (10.15–17), one kind of leha (10.18), one in yūṣa, one in meat broth, one in ghee (10.19ab), one with dried fish, one with dried meat (10.19cd), two in ghee (10.20), and one in surā (10.20).
v1.c14.34
Chapter eleven deals with preparations containing saptalā and śaṅkhinī as their chief ingredients. 84
v1.c14.35
The names of these two plants are enumerated (11.3). Their properties and indications are listed (11.4). The dehusked (nistuṣīkṛta) seeds of śaṅkhinī and the roots of saptalā are the medicinally used parts (11.5).
v1.c14.36
Thirty-nine formulations are described: sixteen kinds of kaṣāya (11.6–8), 85 six kinds of oil (11.9–11), 86 eight kinds of ghee (11.12–15), 87 three kinds of leha (11.16ab), 88 one kind of surā (11.16cd), 89 one in a kaṣāya of kampillaka (11.16cd), 90 and four with sauvīraka and tuṣodaka (11.17). 91
v1.c14.37
The first part of chapter twelve (12.1–40) deals with preparations containing dantī and dravantī as their chief ingredients. 92
v1.c14.38
The synonyms of these two plants are listed (12.3). The roots of dantī and dravantī which are most suitable to medicinal use are described (12.4), followed by their way of preparation (12.5), 93 properties and actions (12.6).
v1.c14.39
Forty-eight formulations are described: three preparations in dadhi, takra and surāmaṇḍa (12.7ab), five with priyāla, kola, badara, pīlu and sīdhu (12.7cd), 94 three with a broth made with the meat of cow, deer and goat (12.8), 95 three with a fatty substance (sneha) (12.9–10), six kinds of leha (12.11–15), one kind of cūrṇa (12.16), one preparation in the stem (kāṇḍa) of the sugarcane (12.17), three in a mudga soup (rasa), 96 in a broth made with the meat of lāva or the meat of vartīraka (12.18), 97 three in a yavāgū, 98 a broth made with the meat of jāṅgala animals, and a māṣa soup (yūṣa) (12.19), one kind of utkārikā (12.20), one kind of modaka (12.21ab), one in the form of an alcoholic drink (madya) (12.21cd), 99 one, in the form of various sweets (bhakṣya), prepared with a kaṣāya of dantī and fried in dantī oil (12.22), one kind of cūrṇa (12.23–26), one kind of modaka (12.27–29), five kinds of āsava (12.30–34), 100 one in sauvīraka (12.35ab), one in taṣodaka (12.35ab), one kind of surā (12.35cd), 101 one in a kaṣāya of kampillaka (12.35cd), 102 and five in a ghee. 103
v1.c14.40
Three hundred and fifty-five emetic and two hundred and forty-five purgative preparations have thus been described, making a total of six hundred; all these preparations are mainly based on fifteen drugs (12.41–44).
v1.c14.41
The remaining part of the chapter is devoted to a number of interconnected subjects.
v1.c14.42
Some verses deal with general principles relating to compound recipes, the interaction of drugs, their potentiation (balādhāna), etc. (12.43–50). 104
v1.c14.43
The next group of verses (12.51–86) is concerned with general rules relating to the treatment of patients with emetic and purgative measures. These evacuative measures are of three types: drastic (tīkṣṇa), of medium strength (madhya), and mild (mṛdu) (12.51–57). Diseases are of three types too: severe (tīkṣṇa), of medium strength (madhya), and mild (mṛdu), according to the number of symptoms present (12.58).
v1.c14.44
Dosages are important in this context, which explains that the units of weight (māna, pramāṇa, parimāṇa) are discussed (12.87–97): 6 dhvamśī 105 = 1 marīci; 6 marīci = 1 sarṣapa; 8 (rakta)sarṣapa = 1 taṇḍula; 106 2 taṇḍula = 1 dhānyamāṣa; 2 dhānyamāṣa = 1 yava; 107 4 yava = 1 aṇḍikā; 4 aṇḍikā = 1 māṣaka, 108 also called hema and dhānyaka; 3 māṣaka = 1 śāṇa; 2 śāṇa = 1 draṅkṣaṇa, also called kola and badara; 2 draṅkṣaṇa = 1 karṣa, 109 also called suvarṇa, akṣa, biḍālapadaka, picu, pāṇitala, tinduka, and kavalagraha; 2 karṣa = 1 palārdha (half a pala), which is also called śukti and aṣṭamikā; 2 palārdha = 1 pala, 110 also called muṣṭi, 111 prakuñca, caturthikā, bilva, ṣoḍaśikā, and āmra; 2 pala = 1 prasṛta, 112 also called aṣṭamāna; 4 pala = 1 añjali, 113 also called kuḍava; 114 2 kuḍava = 1 mānikā; 4 kuḍava = 1 prastha; 115 4 prastha = 1 āḍhaka, 116 also known as pātra; 8 prastha = 1 kaṃsa; 4 kaṃsa = 1 droṇa, 117 also called armaṇa, nalvaṇa, kalaśa, ghaṭa, and unmāna; 2 droṇa = 1 śūrpa or kumbha; 2 śūrpa = 1 goṇī, also called khārī 118 and bhāra; 119 32 śūrpa = 1 vāha; 100 pala = 1 tulā. 120
v1.c14.45
Rules are given for the dosages of fresh and dried medicinal substances, 121 the ratios of liquids in relation to the drugs in a compound recipe, etc. (12.98–101). 122 The preparation of fat-containing compound drugs (oils, ghees) is described; this so-called snehapāka is of three types: mṛdu (mild), madhya (medium), and khara (firm), according to the consistency of the final product; the indications of these three products of snehapāka are mentioned (12.102–104). 123
v1.c14.46
The two systems of weights and measures which are employed in medicine are referred to in a verse considered to be spurious (anārṣa) by Cakrapāṇi; the Māgadha system is said to be superior to the Kāliṅga system (12.105). 124
Linked texts (1)
- Carakasaṃhitā — Agniveśa (Āyurveda) & Caraka, Sanskrit