A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c43.s3.t4.5

v3.c43.s3.t4.5

The commentary on the *Haramekhalā*, written by an anonymous author, gives a Sanskrit chāyā of the Prakrit verses and explanations in Sanskrit. It is not only valuable with regard to information on plants, animals,³⁹⁷ etc., but also in providing detailed instructions on the preparation of medicines and perfumes, and in specifying the diseases mentioned in the text. Quotations are rare; the definitions of pāmā (4.136),³⁹⁸ jvālāgardabha (4.304)³⁹⁹ and kukkūṇaka (4.374)⁴⁰⁰ are quoted from an unnamed source, as well as the definition of the maximum length of life (paramāyus) in man and various animals (4.389),⁴⁰¹ the rules for cleansing the teeth (dantadhāvanavidhi; 5.11), and the definition of a gaṇḍūṣa and a kavala (5.12). In one case only the author names his source, namely Vāgbhaṭa (4.204).⁴⁰² He also summarizes in some verses at the end the topics dealt with in chapter four,⁴⁰³ and gives, in a series of about thirty verses at the end of chapter five, technical rules (paribhāṣā) for preparing the substances prescribed by Māhuka.