A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c42.s2.74

v3.c42.s2.74

An important peculiarity of the Bower MS consists of its varying attitude towards the number of the doṣas. In many instances it accepts the traditional number of three, vāta, pitta, and kapha,¹¹⁵ but in a smaller number of passages it appears to accept blood (rakta) as a doṣa. A series of drugs are enumerated which cure in the rainy season disorders caused by vāta, in the autumn diseases caused by pitta, in the summer diseases brought about by blood, and in the spring diseases caused by kapha.¹¹⁶ Four compound medicines are described which respectively relieve disorders originating from kapha, blood (asra), pitta, and vāta (I.106–108).¹¹⁷ Vāta, rakta, pitta, and kapha are mentioned as the causes of diseases that may be cured by use of the amṛtataila (II.308–309). Disorders brought about by pitta, blood (asra), and vāta are also referred to (I.84–85).