A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c43.s8: The Kumāratantra ascribed to Rāvaṇa

A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c43.s8

Language: English

v3.c43.s8.t1 Contents — 34 parts

The Kumāratantra ascribed to Rāvaṇa

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The *Kumāratantra*,⁵⁵⁹ ascribed to Rāvaṇa, is a work on a particular class of demons afflicting children, and their appeasement.⁵⁶⁰

This short treatise, written in a mixture of verse and prose, describes twelve demons, called māṭrkā, who attack children on the first day after birth and in the first month or year of their lives, on the second day and in the second month or year, etc., up to the twelfth day, month, or year.⁵⁶¹

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Their names are Nandanā, Sunandā, Pūtanā, Mukhamuṇḍikā, Kaṭapūtanā, Śakunikā, Śuṣkarevatī, Aryakā, Bhūsūtikā, Nirṛtā, Pilipicchikā, and Kāmukā. The symptoms of children who are seized by these demons are enumerated, followed by magico-religious procedures destined to appease them and usually consisting of fumigations, bali offerings, the presentation of food to brāhmaṇas, etc. Each of the twelve sections of the text ends with a mantra in which Rāvaṇa is invoked.⁵⁶²

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The complete text of Rāvaṇa’s *Kumāratantra* was, indicated as such, incorporated by Cakrapāṇidatta in his *Cikitsāsaṃgraha* (bālarogacikitsā 89–100)⁵⁶³ and commented upon by Niścalakara and Śivadāsasena; it also forms part of Gaṅgādhara’s commentary on the Carakasamhitā (ad Ca.Śā.8.65), Govindadāsa’s Bhaiṣajyaratnāvalī (bālaroga 181–193), 564 Toḍara’s Āyurvedasaukhya, 565 and Vaidyarāja’s Sukhabodha. 566 The Amṛtasāgara, attributed to Pratāpasiṃha, claims to reproduce the Kumāratantra, as found in the Cakradatta, but mentions a series of twelve mātṛkās with partly different names. 567 A related text is found in Anantakumāra’s Yogaratnasamuccaya (22.1–2), 568 where Parāśara proclaims the Kumāratantra by Rāvaṇa, called Nārāyaṇīya Bālatantra in the colophon; the mantras, which are less in number, invoke Nārāyaṇa and Vāsudeva instead of Rāvaṇa. Trimalla’s Yogatarangiṇī contains an extract from Rāvaṇa’s Kumāratantra. 569 Trimalla’s Bṛhadyogatarangiṇī presents a related text, called the Pūtanāvidhāna from the Kaumāratantra by Rāvaṇa; 570 the mantras of this work invoke Rāvaṇa and Nārāyaṇa for protection. The Nighaṇṭuratnākara and Bṛhannighaṇṭuratnākara mention, at the end of their sections on children’s diseases, two series of grahīs, together with the symptoms they provoke and the treatment of these afflictions. 571 An unpublished Jain text, called Vidyānuśāsana, 572 contains a long section on bālagrahas that is said to derive from Rāvaṇa. 573

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The Uḍḍīśatantra, sometimes ascribed to Rāvaṇa, has a chapter (16), called grastabālacikitsā, which deals with the same subject as Rāvaṇa’s Kumāratantra. 574 The same applies to a chapter (pūrvārdha 41), entitled Bālacikitsā, of the Īśāna(śiva)gurudevapaddhati, 575 and to a chapter (11) of Nārāyaṇa’s Tantrasārasaṃgraha. 576 The latter work describes three series of grahīs, who attack the child on the first to tenth day, 577 in the first to twelfth month, 578 and in the second to seventeenth year. 579 Three related series of names occur in a chapter (299), entitled bālagraharabālatantra, of the Agnipurāṇa, 580 and in Anantakumāra’s Yogaratnasamuccaya. 581 Elaborate descriptions of some demons preying upon children are found in Kalyāṇa’s Bālatantra. Śālīnātha’s Rasamañjarī contains a Bālatantra that is related to Rāvaṇa’s Kumāratantra.

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An illustrated, but fragmentary, Nepalese MS of a text that resembles the Kumāratantra of Rāvaṇa and was probably entitled Dvādaśagrahaśānti, 582 was edited and translated by P.C. Bagchi. 583 This work partially agrees with Rāvaṇa’s Kumāratantra, but shows a closer affinity with a Rāvaṇatantra preserved in the Chinese Tripiṭaka. 584 In the latter work the diseases caused by the grahamātṛkās are somewhat more distinctive and the mantras are different in each case. The Sanskrit names of the twelve mātṛkās of the Chinese text are Mātṛnandā, Sunandā, Revatī, Mukhamanḍikā, Biḍālī, Śakunī, Pūtanā, Śuṣkā, Āryakā, Jambhakā, 585 Pilipicchikā, and Skanda. 586

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Demons called mātṛkā and similar beings who lurk upon children are mentioned in several more texts. 587 A series of sixteen of these, threatening children from the first to the sixteenth day after birth and called Jātahāriṇī, is described in the Kāśyapasamhitā. 588 Their names are Piśācī, Yakṣī, Āsurī, Kālī, Vāruṇī, Ṣaṣṭhī, Bhīrukā, Yāmyā, Mātaṅgī, Bhadrakālī, Raudrī, Vardhikā, Caṇḍikā, Kapālamālinī, Revatī, and Pilipicchikā. The Hārītasamhitā 589 has recorded two series of these beings, called Pūtanā. The first consists of Lohitā, Revatī, Dhvāṅkṣī (or Vāyasī), Kumārī, Śakunī, Śivā, Urdhvakeśī, and Senā, who attack a child on the first to eighth day, while the names belonging to the second series are Rohiṇī, Vijayā, Kālī, Kṛttikā, Ḍākinī, Niśā, Bhūtakeśī, and Kṛ-

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śāṅgī.

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A Tamil text that can be regarded as a parallel of the Kumāratantra was edited, translated and studied by J. Filliozat. 590

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Buddhist literature is acquainted with Hārītī as a deity devouring children. 591

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Rāvaṇa’s Kumāratantra is, apart from the texts already mentioned, quoted or referred to in Ambikādattaśāstrin’s commentary on the Rasendrasārasaṃgraha, Cakrapāṇidatta’s Bhānumatī, 592 Dalhaṇa’s Nibandhasaṃgraha, 593 Gaṅgādhara’s commentary on the Carakasamhitā, 594 Gayadāsa’s commentary on the Suśrutasamhitā, 595 Jagannātha’s Yogasamgraha, 596 and Nīlakaṇṭha’s Śāntimayūkha. 597

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An unknown work by Rāvaṇa is quoted by Kāśīrāma. 598

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Khare’s commentary on the Rasaratnasamuccaya quotes Rāvaṇa on subjects belonging to alchemy. 599 Laṅkeśa, i.e., Rāvaṇa, is mentioned as one of the Rasasiddhas in the Pāradasamhitā (1.96), Rasajalanidhi (III, 389–390), Rasaratnasamuccaya (1.2), 600 Rasataraṅgiṇī (1.29–32), and Rasendrasambhava (introductory verses).

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The Bhaiṣajyaratnāvalī contains a recipe proclaimed to Rāvaṇa by Devadeva. 601 G. Hāldār mentions a formula (pūrṇacandrarasa) made by Śaṃkara for the benefit of Rāvaṇa. 602

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The Bombay edition of the Kumāratantra adds, after the twelve sections on the mātṛkās, 189 verses on children’s diseases and their treatment. 603

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Other works going under the name of Rāvaṇa are: 604

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1 A Rāvaṇakumāratantra in prose, of Buddhist inspiration, not identical with the published texts. 605 2 A Bālatantra ascribed to Rāvaṇa. 606 3 A Bālatantra ascribed to Daśagrīva. 607 This work resembles the Kumāratantra in its general outline, but differs considerably in its details. 608 4 A Bālacikitsā according to Rāvaṇa. 609 5 A Nāḍīparīkṣā ascribed to Rāvaṇa. 610 6 An Arkaprakāśa attributed to Rāvaṇa. 611 7 An Arkaprakāśa or Arkacikitsā by Laṅkānātha or Laṅkeśvara. 612 8 A Nibandhasaṃgraha ascribed to Laṅkānātha. 613 9 A Prākṛtakāmadhenu attributed to Laṅkeśvara. 614 10 A Śivastuti attributed to Laṅkeśvara. 615 11 A Kālāgnirudropaniṣad attributed to Laṅkeśvara. 616 12 A Ṛgvedabhāṣya. 617 13 A Śrīsūktabhāṣya. 618 14 Dinākrandana by Rāvaṇa, 619 also called Dīnākrandanastotra by Laṅkeśvara. 620 15 The Vaiśeṣikakaṭand, an old bhāṣya on the Vaiśeṣikasūtras. 621 16 The Uḍḍīśatantra 622 and the Indrajāla Uḍḍīśa. 623 17 The Laṅkeśasiddhānta. 624

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A Bālagraharogyaśānti according to Rāvaṇa’s Kumāratantra is also recorded. 625 A Kaumāratantra by Pārvatī is mentioned in some MSS of Vaṅgasena. 626

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The attribution to Rāvaṇa⁶²⁷ of a treatise that deals with rituals aiming at the propitiation of demonic beings, whereas Rāvaṇa himself is a rākṣasa with demonic aspects, has been discussed by J. Filliozat, who traced his development into a benevolent being and the reputed author of medical treatises.⁶²⁸ A famous Buddhist text, the Laṅkāvatārasūtra, describes him as a pious king who gives a warm reception to the Buddha.⁶²⁹ The Uttarakāṇḍa of Vālmīki’s Rāmāyaṇa contains passages which extol Rāvaṇa,⁶³⁰ a trend which assumes a more pronounced character in later versions of the Rāmāyaṇa, for example those composed by Jain authors;⁶³¹ the same phenomenon is visible in Tamil literature.⁶³²

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J. Filliozat concluded that Rāvaṇa is one of the numerous ambivalent beings in Indian mythology, to be compared with Rudra. P.C. Bagchi noticed that, in the Mahāmāyūrī, Rāvaṇa is also the name of the yakṣa who protects Rāmaṭha, while Kāpiśī is protected by another yakṣa called Laṅkeśvara.⁶³³ T. Goudriaan describes Rāvaṇa as an ambivalent god of diseases and magical protection who may be compared to Skanda and Tumburu.⁶³⁴ In the twentieth century, Rāvaṇa is being raised to the status of an admirable Dravidian hero by many Tamils.⁶³⁵

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Date The Kumāratantra is at least older than the eleventh century, since Cakrapāṇidatta was acquainted with it, and probably earlier than the tenth century, because a similar text was translated into Chinese by Dharmadeva who went to China in the year 937.

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The Siddhasāra by Ravigupta The Siddhasāra by Ravigupta⁶³⁶ is the earliest medical treatise of a new type, in which the material on nidāna and cikitsā, together with that on some more general subjects, has been arranged in a more or less systematic way.

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Contents The Siddhasāra counts 2,634 lines, which agrees with the author’s own statement about the extent of his work (31.37). Each of its thirty-one chapters deals with a different topic or cluster of topics. It is in verse, except for one mantra, and has entirely been composed, not compiled, by Ravigupta, which is highly remarkable, though some lines are so close to verses found in the early saṃhitās that it is hard to believe that they are independent.⁶³⁷ Ravigupta mentions (31.37) as his sources Dhanvantari, i.e., the Suśrutasaṃhitā, and the son of Atri, i.e., the Carakasaṃhitā, but Vāgbhaṭa is conspicuously absent.

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The first four chapters deal with general subjects: (1) tantra (describing the eight aṅgas of āyurveda), types of diseases, the qualities of the doṣas, the tastes, types of country, the constitutions, etc.; (2) dravyaguṇa, enumerating the groups of drugs and their actions;⁶³⁸ (3) annapānavidhi, listing medicinal properties of foods and drinks; (4) ariṣṭa, describing prognostic signs. Chapters five to twenty-three enter into those subjects which mainly belong to the realm of kāyacikitsā, though bhagaṇdara and upadaṃśa,

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usually regarded as forming part of śalya, are discussed in chapters belonging to this section.⁶³⁹ Chapters twenty-four and twenty-five are concerned with śalya, twenty-six is about śālākya, twenty-seven about viṣa(tantra), twenty-eight about rasāyana and vājīkaraṇa, and twenty-nine about kaumārabhṛtya; bhūtavidya is represented by chapter twenty, concerned with unmāda and apasmāra. Chapter thirty deals with pañcakarman, and chapter thirty-one with kalpa (rasona-, bhallātaka-, and other kalpas).

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Therapy is the predominant concern of the Siddhasāra, and only a few lines of each chapter are devoted to nidāna. Ravigupta’s teachings are embedded in the main current of the āyurvedic tradition and consequently relatively free from divergent features.

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Later authors made ample use of the Siddhasāra.⁶⁴⁰

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Ravigupta and the Siddhasāra are quoted by name by numerous medical authors: Aḍhamalla,⁶⁴¹ Ananta,⁶⁴² Aruṇadatta,⁶⁴³ Bhāradvāja,⁶⁴⁴ Candranandana,⁶⁴⁵ Candraṭa,⁶⁴⁶ Gopāladāsa, Jīvānandavidyāsāgara,⁶⁴⁷ Lakṣmīrāma,⁶⁴⁸ Niścalakara,⁶⁴⁹ Rūpanyana,⁶⁵⁰ Śivadāsasena,⁶⁵¹ Soḍhala,⁶⁵² Śrīkaṇṭhadatta,⁶⁵³ Toḍara,⁶⁵⁴ and Viṣṇudeva.⁶⁵⁵ The Siddhasāra is moreover quoted in the Bāhaṭagrantha⁶⁵⁶ and in the interpolated portion, written by an unknown author, of Niścalakara’s Ratnaprabhā. It is mentioned as a source in the Ratnākarauṣadhayogagrantha.⁶⁵⁷ It is referred to in the anonymous Vaidyāśāstrapravartakācāryanāmasamuccaya. The widespread fame acquired by Ravigupta’s work is shown by quotations from it in al-Rāzī’s Kitāb al-Ḥāwī.⁶⁵⁸

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Niścalakara indicates in his Ratnaprabhā which verses of Cakrapāṇidatta’s Cikitsāsaṃgraha were borrowed from Ravi(gupta) and his Siddhasāra.⁶⁵⁹

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Special features Pitta is said to be located in the pakvāśaya (1.17–18).

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The order of the diseases does not conform to that found in the early saṃhitās and seems to be peculiar to Ravigupta; it was ignored by later authors. A series of disorders and their therapy, specified in the early saṃhitās, are not described in the Siddhasāra, such as ajīrṇa, arocaka, kṣatakṣīṇa, the kṣudrarogas, bhagna, mūtrāghāta, mūrchā, vidradhi, visūcikā, śūkaroga, śūla, and svarabheda.⁶⁶⁰

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The author Ravigupta mentions, in the beginning and at the end of his treatise, his own name and that of his father, Durgagupta, who was an aśvavaidya from the West. He adds that he wrote the work on the insistence of his elder brother, Devagupta, who suffered from an illness, called pāṇḍunāga.⁶⁶¹

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Date Clues to the date of the Siddhasāra are provided by its translations into Tibetan,⁶⁶² Khotanese,⁶⁶³ and Uighur,⁶⁶⁴ which testify to its popularity.⁶⁶⁵ As the Khotanese translator was acquainted with the Tibetan version,⁶⁶⁶ the date of the latter, made in the early ninth century, gives us a provisional terminus ante quem.

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The ample use made of the Siddhasāra by later authors helps to bring down this provisional limit, since several verses were incorporated in the Mādhavanidāna⁶⁶⁷ and Mādhavacikitsā, which date from the eighth century.

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The terminus post quem is more difficult to establish, but the date suggested by R.E. Emmerick, ca. A.D. 650,668 is acceptable and accounts for the fact that Vāgbhaṭa, who lived about A.D. 600, is not mentioned as a source by Ravigupta.669

Linked texts (1)

Kumāratantra (Rāvaṇa) — Rāvaṇa, Sanskrit