A History of Indian Medical Literature v1.c25.178

v1.c25.178

A verse (8.58) introduces a long prose passage on the preparation of an antidote (agada), a collyrium (añjana) in this case, called sarvārthasiddha, to be employed by kings, high officials (mahāmātra), ³³⁶ brāhmaṇas studying the Vedas and other sciences, etc. This drug, to be prepared very carefully, ³³⁷ accompanied by rituals, derives from the king of Videha; earlier, it was given by the Aśvins to Indra in order to enable him to kill Vṛtra. ³³⁸ It should be administered while muttering a dhāriṇī addressed to the Tathāgata, Arhant Samyaksambuddha. Many divinities and sages are to receive homage during one of the stages of the process of preparation: Āryāvalokiteśvara, Āryatārā, Brahmā, Dakṣa, the Aśvins, Rudra, Indra, Āditya, Soma, Varuṇa, Vaiśvānara, ³³⁹ Vāyu, Viṣṇu, Janaka, Bharadvāja, Dhanvantari, Suśruta, Bhavya, ³⁴⁰ Sukanyā, ³⁴¹ Skanda, Cyavana, Vainateya, ³⁴² and others (8.59–61).