A History of Indian Medical Literature v2.c30.428

v2.c30.428

542 Cf. Su.Ka.3.18–22. The story about the appearance of viṣa as one of the products of the churning of the milky ocean is found in the epics, several Purāṇas (e.g., Viṣṇupurāṇa 1.9), etc. (see, e.g., Vettam Mani). 543 Agastya is the regent of Canopus (α Carinae or α Argus), a star of the first magnitude in the southern hemisphere and next to Sirius the brightest of all fixed stars; the waters are cleansed when Canopus rises, as is alluded to not only in medical texts (compare Ca.Sū.6.46; A.s.Sū.4.56; A.h.Sū.3.52), but also in classical poetry (see, e.g., Raghuvamśa 13.36). 544 The Carakasamhitā mentions these poisons without describing their plant sources. Cakra remarks that forest tribes, such as the Śabaras and Kirātas, are acquainted with them. Vatsanābha and śṛṅgiviṣa are often identified as poisonous species of Aconitum. See on Indian aconites: H.L. Chakravarty and D. Chakravarti (1954); R.N. Chopra et al. (1958): 52–61; R.N. Chopra, R.L. Badhwar and S. Ghosh (1984): 97–112; R.N. Chopra, J.C. Gupta and N.N. Ghosh (1928); DWH I, 1–23; B.D. Sharma et al. (1993): 3–23; O. Stapf (1979); G. Watt I, 84–99; WIRM I, 24–28; WIRM I (rev. ed.), 57–63. See on kālakūṭa and hālāhala: S. Kramrisch (1981): 145–152. 545 Cakra distinguishes two kinds of gara: resulting from a mixture of non-toxic (gara sensu stricto) or a mixture of toxic substances (kṛtrimaviṣa). See B.L. Gaur (1992): 365–366. See on gara in Vedic literature: A.A. Macdonell and A.B. Keith (1967). 546 Cf. Su.Ka.2.34–39. 547 Cf. Su.Ka.4.42–45ab. 548 See Ca.Ci.23.26. Compare Cakra’s comments ad Ci.23.24–27; 24.29–36. 549 See Ca.Ci.23.26. Compare Cakra’s comments ad Ca.Ci.23.24–27; 24.29–36. 550 Cf. Su.Ka.2.18cd–20ab. 551 See Cakra’s comments; poison is yogavāhin; the process is compared with bhāvanā. 552 Cf. Su.Ka.2.20cd–23. 553 Cf. Su.Ka.5.37–39. 554 Compare kīṭima as a form of kuṣṭha. 555 Cf. Su.Ka.2.27. 556 See on tejas: J.Ph. Vogel (1930). Tejas is often a synonym of ūṣman (Cakra ad Ca.Ci.3.217, 15.3, 26.132), agni (Cakra ad Ca.Ci.17.22) and pitta (Cakra ad Ca.Ci.3.38ab; Ḍalhaṇa ad Su.Sū.15.23) in medical texts; other meanings are also referred to in the commentaries (see Ḍalhaṇa ad Su.Sū.14.3; Madhukośa ad Mādhavanidāna 8.10, 18.6, 59.47–48ab). 557 Compare Ca.Ci.23.32 and Su.Ka.3.35cd–37. 558 The fact that mantra heads the list is noteworthy. Cf. Su.Ka.5.9–13. 559 Ariṣṭa is of two kinds according to Cakra: by means of mantras and by means of articles like ropes (rajju), etc., (fastened) proximally to the site (of the bite, etc.). See on the application of an ariṣṭa: Ca.Ci.23.38 (a bandage called veṇikā is mentioned) and 44 (which compares the ariṣṭa with a setu, a dam or dyke). Cf. Su.Ka.5.3–4 and 8. See also on the ariṣṭa (tourniquet) in Indian medicine: G. Majno (1975): 283, 285. See on mantras used in applying a ligature: S.C. Mitra (1916). 560 Cf. Su.Ka.5.5–6. 561 Cf. Su.Ka.5.16. 562 Cf. Su.Ka.5.14–15 and 36. 563 Cf. Su.Ka.5.19 and 39.