A History of Indian Medical Literature v1.c23.377

v1.c23.377

The subjects dealt with are: rasāyana measures are always indicated in youthful and adult patients after oleation and purification (i.e., emesis and purgation), but should never be prescribed to those whose body has not previously been purified (27.3–4);²⁴³ articles of diet useful in preserving a youthful appearance (27.5–6); five preparations, with viḍaṅga seeds as their chief ingredient, which, when their daily ingestion is followed by the proper diet, increase the life expectancy (27.7);²⁴⁴ another preparation with viḍaṅga seeds, which, when taken in the proper way during a period of four months, rejuvenates old people and endows them with superhuman (amānuṣa) qualities (27.8); substitution of the viḍaṅga seeds by dehusked (niṣkulīkṛta) seeds of kāśmarya gives, with some adjustments of the course of treatment, the same results; these recipes are also applicable in diseases caused by blood and pitta (27.9); preparations having similar rasāyana effects and useful in a number of diseases, with as chief ingredients the roots of balā,²⁴⁵ atibalā,²⁴⁶ nāgabalā,²⁴⁷ vidārī, or śatāvarī (27.10); a rasāyana preparation with the rhizomes of vārāhī (27.11); a rasāyana preparation, specifically promoting eyesight, with the pith (sāra) of bījaka and the roots of agnimantha as its main ingredients (27.12); śaṇa fruits boiled in milk and taken with milk are effective in preserving youthful vigour (27.13).