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A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c43.s3.t2: Special features

A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c43.s3.t2

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English

Special features

v3.c43.s3.t2.1

Noteworthy terms and features of the Haramekhala and its commentary in the field of nosology are: jhiṇijhiṇiṭā (jhiṇijhiṇikā; 12.15),³³⁸ a disorder explained as suptapādatā (numb feet); the use of the term lūā (lūā; 2.19–20), probably in the sense of inflamed sore; uppiāsa (4.11), explained as a synonym of the disease called dāruṇa, characterized by tvakcaṭana, i.e., cracking of the skin; dāruṇa (dāruṇaka; 4.13) is said to be a disease of the skin of the head and to be the same as uppiāsa; arūsiā (arūṃśikā; 4.16) is said to consist of small pustules; the description of head lice (4.18); pūiroa (pūtiroga; 4.35), the same as karṇasrāva; añjanaguḷi (añjanaguḷikā; 4.66) as a synonym of an eye disease called añjanapiṭakā; khuṃkhuṇaasoṇia (4.70) as designating a nosebleed (nāsikāsirāśoṇita); avvaradigubbhavaghunadantā (aparadigubhavaghaṇadantaka; 4.86); gaṇḍāpaci as a synonym of gaṇḍamālā (4.105); caraṇadadru (caraṇadadru; 4.129), a disease of the skin of the feet; khasarāi (khasarāṇi; 4.130) as a skin disease; dubbhita (durbhita; 4.140) as a synonym of sidhma; rāāmanda (rājamanda; 4.161) as a synonym of rājayakṣman, also called nrpavyādhi; the presence of pariṇāmaśūla (4.166); a variety of śarkarā, called aṭṭaṇḍasakkara (atyaṇḍaśarkarā; 4.180–181); galagaṇḍa as a synonym of gaṇḍamālāpaci (4.182); the term kuraṇḍa (4.186–188), used to designate a swelling of one or both testicles (aṇḍa- or vṛṣaṇavṛddhi); ramhaṇīvāa (raṃhaṇīvāta; 4.228–229) as a synonym of ūrustambha;³³⁹ a disease of the skin of the legs called rattamaṇḍala (raktamaṇḍala; 4.255); the description of keloid, vaṇakiṇagaṇṭhī (vraṇakiṇagranthi; 4.259); a disease of the skin called kīḍapiḍā (kīṭapiḍakā; 4.302); the mention of jvālāgardabha and jālagardabha as synonyms (4.304); the presence of śialia (śītalikā; 4.305–306), put on a par with visphoṭa; the mention of an epidemic form (upasargaja) of this disease (4.306); mahāruhira (mahārudhira; 4.310–311) and atirajas (4.310 and 312) as synonyms of pradara; a disease of the female breasts called thaṇakīkaḍa (stanakīkaṭa; 4.346); the description of varaṅgavibbhamṣa (varāṅgavibhramśa; 4.350), probably to be equated with prolapsus uteri; a children's disease called vacchāruka (vatsārūṃśi; 4.373), characterized by the presence of parasites on the lesions; the head; khuṃkhuṇiā (khuṃkhuṇikā; 4.374) as a synonym of kukkuṇaka; a children's disease called mutthai (mustaki; 4.374), in which small pustules arise on the interior of the eyelids; a disease of horses and mules called variphoḍa (vārisphoṭa; 4.411), characterized by blisters.

v3.c43.s3.t2.2

³³⁸ [^338]: ...

v3.c43.s3.t2.3

³³⁹ [^339]: ...

v3.c43.s3.t2.4

These peculiarities show that Māhuka has not been influenced by the Mādhavanidāna; the order of the diseases of that work has not been adopted, and the new disorders, described for the first time by Mādhava, are absent, with the exception of pariṇāmaśūla (4.166).

v3.c43.s3.t2.5

Māhuka's therapeutical prescriptions are partly of a magical nature. Enlargement of the spleen, for example, is treated by throwing away, as far as possible, the root of indravāruṇī, divided into two halves, while pronouncing the name of the patient (4.121).³⁴⁰ Products of animal origin are repeatedly used,³⁴¹ as well as mercury.³⁴² Opium is absent.

v3.c43.s3.t2.6

Yavanas are referred to as experts in the art of perfumery (5.58).³⁴³ The Tantric Buddhist deity Kurukullā is mentioned in the introductory verses.³⁴⁴

v3.c43.s3.t2.7

The *Haramekhalā* contains many interesting or rare names of plants and animals, both in its prayogas and its nighaṇṭu. Some noteworthy names of plants are: āpallī (4.252);³⁴⁵ cakrāṅkā (= sudarśanā; 1.69; 4.124);³⁴⁶ caṇḍālīkā (= rakṭakañcukā; 3.39);³⁴⁷ gomaya (5.234);³⁴⁸ gorambhā (3.9; 4.400);³⁴⁹ gṛhakumārī (4.233);³⁵⁰ jhiṇṭuka (= gopālaka; 1.105);³⁵¹ jhiṇṭuka (= gopālapīthaka; 1.65 and 68);³⁵² kacchodbhava (= guggulu; 4.189); kanakatvac (4.96);³⁵³ kandalī (3.27);³⁵⁴ kaṇṭakakarañja (5.159);³⁵⁵ karabhavāruṇī (3.63);³⁵⁶ kāravallī (4.54);³⁵⁷ kirimāla (= āragvadha; 4.148);³⁵⁸ kuḍuhuñcī (4.71);³⁵⁹ kukkuramardaka (= rāmaśitalika; 4.346);³⁶⁰ kulīśataru (= sudhā-vṛkṣa; 2.68);³⁶¹ mayālī (= potikā; 1.99);³⁶² māyāphala (4.352);³⁶³ mohanī (3.9);³⁶⁴ nihuduñcī (= sudhāvṛkṣa, 2.64);³⁶⁵ paraśucchinna(ka) (1.5; 5.271);³⁶⁶ suvarṇatvac (4.93);³⁶⁷ tāmraśithikā (= rāṅgiṭṭikā; 1.23);³⁶⁸ uṣṭravāruṇī (3.53);³⁶⁹ uttaṇṭakī (4.257);³⁷⁰ uttaraṇī (= uṣṭravāruṇī; 4.338); valla (= niṣpāva; 4.109);³⁷¹ vāluṅka (1.26 and 33);³⁷² vanadrākṣā (= goṣṭhamālikā; 4.373);³⁷³ vanakumārī (4.248);³⁷⁴ varāhakarṇī (4.84);³⁷⁵ vatsakarkaṭikā (= gopālakarkaṭikā; 4.179).³⁷⁶

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