A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c43.s3.t1.2

v3.c43.s3.t1.2

The Haramekhala deals with a diversity of subjects. The first chapter, called koūhalāhīara (kautūhalādhikāra), 315 opens with a maṅgala addressed to Paśupati, nine verses on the author, and a verse explaining the purpose of the book. 316 A series of nineteen verses follows, introducing the subject of chapter one by giving examples. This subject consists of unusual phenomena giving rise to curiosity and wonder (kautūhala or āścarya), which are brought about by the power of gems, drugs, and mantras. A series of six verses extols the adroit person who makes a living by producing these phenomena. The remainder of chapter one describes a long series 317 of methods (prayoga) of bringing about these exciting events, which, amongst many other things, consist of recipes to make the mouth beautifully red when chewing betel (21–25), recipes for an ink by means of which one can write a book that may be read in utter darkness (34–35) or which makes letters written on the back of the hand visible on the palm (36), procedures to make madirā smell like water (45), to write letters which remain floating on water (47), to make fruits fall from trees (58–59), and produce objects invisible to the eye (60), procedures that enable a person to swim under water like a fish (100) or to walk on the surface of water (102), etc. The second chapter, called riujaṇadamana (ripujanadamana; 2.101), is, as its title