A History of Indian Medical Literature v1.c21.72

v1.c21.72

CYAVANA is a member of the assembly of sages in the opening chapter of the Carakasaṃhitā. His name is found again at the end of the formula of cyavanaprāśa (Ci.1¹.62–74), a rasāyana preparation that is very famous since it restored youth to Cyavana when he had grown very old. This story about Cyavana is alluded to again in the second and fourth parts of the same chapter (Ci.1².3 and 20; 1⁴.44). The first chapter of the Bhāvaprakāśa makes mention of Cyavana among the assembled sages on the slopes of the Himālayas. The Aṣṭāṅgasaṃgraha (Sū.8.59) refers to Cyavana as one of the sages and deities who have to be honoured anterior to the preparation of an eye-salve, called sarvārthasiddha. The same text (U.16.88) mentions him as one of the sages and deities to be honoured for the protection of one’s eyesight. The Br̥hannighaṇṭuratnākara²⁶⁵ regards him as the author of a medical saṃhitā.²⁶⁶ The Brahmavaivartapurāṇa (Brahmakhaṇḍa 16.9–22) tells that Cyavana wrote a medical treatise, called Jīvadāna.²⁶⁷ According to the first chapter of Pālakāpya’s Hastyāyurveda, Cyavana was one of the sages at Romapāda’s court who wanted instruction in the medicine of elephants.