A History of Indian Medical Literature v1.c23.11

v1.c23.11

Medicinal substances (oṣadhi) derive from immobile (sthāvara) and mobile (jaṅgama) living beings (1.28). The immobile class consists of the types called vanaspati, vṛkṣa, vīrudh, and oṣadhi; their characteristics are given (1.29). ¹³ The four classes of mobile beings are enumerated again ¹⁴ and examples are given (1.30). The parts of these beings used as medicinal substances are mentioned (1.31). Inorganic (pārthiva) substances are listed (1.32). The importance of the divisions of time for medicine is discussed (1.33–34).