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A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c48.s3: Special features

A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c48.s3

Language
English

Special features

v3.c48.s3.1

The author declares that the contents of his treatise are based on the words of his teacher and his own experience (1.6 and 13).³³

v3.c48.s3.2

The naisargikadoṣas or mahādoṣas of mercury are eight in number: nāga, vaṅga,

v3.c48.s3.3

mala, vahni, cāpalya, viṣa, giri, and asahyāgni;³⁴ the most important of this group are viṣa, vahni and mala (1.16–19ab). The doṣas are twelve in number according to another classification:³⁵ two yaugikadoṣas: nāga and vaṅga, seven kañcukas or aupādhikadoṣas: bhūmija, girija, vārja, two kinds of nāgaja, and two kinds of vaṅgaja, supplemented by the doṣas called viṣa, vahni and mala (1.19cd–22ab).

v3.c48.s3.4

The ritual preceding the alchemical enterprise is described very concisely; one should praise one's guru and pay homage to Kanyā (= Kumārī), Vaṭuka (= Bhairava), Gaṇeśa, the Yoginī, and the Kṣetrapālas (1.27cd–30ab).

v3.c48.s3.5

The saṃskāra called anuvāsana is described twice (1.104–105).³⁶

v3.c48.s3.6

Mūrchana³⁷ is of various types: nirgandha- and sagandhamūrchanā; the nirgandha type is not subdivided; sagandhamūrchanā is of three varieties: bahirdhūma-, antardhūma- and nirdhūmamūrchanā; nirdhūmamūrchanā is of five types: gandhapiṣṭi, gandhabaddharasa, gandhajīrṇarasa, gandhakajjali, and dhātupiṣṭi (1.137).³⁸ Two particular bījas, borrowed from the Siddhamata, are called lohabhekī and tārābhekī (1.298–299).³⁹ The Siddhamata employs the term bheka to designate a dhātu (1. 301).⁴⁰ The types of vedha called kuntavedha, kṣepavedha, etc., are not dealt with.⁴¹ The alchemist is advised to sell his artificial gold in the market of a city (1.327).⁴² Methods for making artificial silver and gold by means of the deposition of coloured surface-films are discussed (1.329–350: tāravatī and hemavatī vidyā).

v3.c48.s3.7

The bandhas of mercury receive much attention (1.351–390). The descriptions of the twenty-five bandhas are taken from the Rasaratnasamuccaya.⁴³ A disagreeing view, distinguishing four bandhas, is quoted from an unspecified source; these types are pāṭa-, khoṭa-, jalaukā- and bhasmabandha (1.363).⁴⁴ Pāṭabandha is the same as parpaṭībandha;⁴⁵ piṣṭībandha results in a khoṭaka;⁴⁶ jalaukābandha⁴⁷ is identical with pakvabandha (1.364);⁴⁸ two varieties of sūtabhasman, the product of bhasmabandha, are mentioned: ūrdhvaga and adhoga; ūrdhvagabhasman is of two kinds: rasasindūra and rasakarpūra (1.365).⁴⁹

v3.c48.s3.8

A process called mūrchana, but altogether different from the third saṃskāra, also known as mūrchana, makes a bhasman out of mercury (1.391–396).⁵⁰

v3.c48.s3.9

The twenty uparasas listed in chapter two (2.1) are the same as those mentioned in the Dhanvantarīyanighaṇṭu (7.92).⁵¹ The second series of twenty (or twenty-one) uparasas (2.347–349) is not known to me from an earlier work. The third list of eight uparasas (2.350–351) is found in the Rasahṛdaya, Rasaprakāśasudhakara, Rasendracūḍāmaṇi, and other treatises. The eight rasas (2.350) agree with those called mahārasa in the Dhanvantarīyanighaṇṭu.⁵²

v3.c48.s3.10

Four varieties of sulphur are distinguished: red (called śukaṭuṇḍa), yellow (called āmalasāra), white (called khaṭikā) and black (2.11cd–13), three varieties of cinnabar: carmāra, śukaṭuṇḍaka and haṃsapāda (2.70cd–72ab), four varieties of mica: white (= brāhmaṇa), red (= kṣatriya), yellow (= vaiśya) and black (= śūdra), four varieties of black mica: pināka, dardura, nāga and vajra (2.91–93), two varieties of haritāla: pattrākhya and piṇḍasamjñaka (2.173–175).⁵³

v3.c48.s3.11

A time-consuming way of preparing a haritālabhasman from a variety called tabakī is described according to the Siddhamata; this process, taking 441 days, results in a product that cures numerous diseases. Twenty-one different plant juices are employed;⁵⁴ the purified haritāla has to be steeped in or rubbed with each of these juices for twenty-one days, followed by heating of the powder obtained for eight days. The bhasman is claimed to cure all kinds of diseases, amongst which are eighteen disorders of the blood (raktavikāra),⁵⁵ the group of kaṭhinavikāras,⁵⁶ the mūdhavikāras,⁵⁷ phiraṅga, and the ten disorders caused by blood (raktajaroga),⁵⁸ etc. (2.209).

v3.c48.s3.12

The four varieties of haritāla acknowledged in the Siddhamata are bugadādi, godantī, tabakī and piṇḍatāla (2.209).

v3.c48.s3.13

Three varieties of manaḥśilā are described: śyāmāṅgī, kaṇavīrikā and dvikhaṇḍākhyā (2.215–217). Two varieties of sroto’ñjana are recognized by the author: sroto’ñjana, which is black, and sauvīra, which is white; another classification acknowledges five types: sroto’ñjana, sauvīra, rasāñjana, nīlāñjana and puṣpāñjana (2.225–227); the variety called kulatthikā is added (2.240–241). Capala is regarded as a sādhāraṇarasa, but hiṅgula and mṛddāraśṛṅga are not mentioned as belonging to this group (2.345). Rājāvarta, considered to be one of the uparasas or a ratna, is of two kinds: rakta and nīla (2.247–248). Two kinds of khaṭikā are described: khaṭī and gaurakhaṭī (2.264). Three varieties of gairika are distinguished: svarṇa-, sāmānya- and pāṣāṇākhyagairika (2.268–269), two varieties of kāsīsa: pāṃsu- and puṣpakāsīsa (2.273), two varieties of kharpara: dardura and kāravellaka (2.276–278ab), three varieties of kapardikā or vāratikā: red, white and yellow (2.294–295), supplemented by a black type with white spots (2.295cd–296ab), three varieties of bola: rakta, śyāma and manuṣyaja (2.306), and two varieties of kaṅkuṣṭha: nalikākhya and reṇuka (2.312). Kaṅkuṣṭha is regarded as a substance found in the Himālaya, but disagreeing opinions are given too (2.312–317). Two varieties of gauripāṣāṇa are described: a white artificial one, and a yellow, naturally occurring one (3.336–337), and two varieties of bodāraśṛṅgaka: yellow and pale (3.343).

v3.c48.s3.14

The metals (dhātu) are seven or nine in number; the series of seven consists of gold, silver, copper, tin, zinc, lead and iron (3.1); the series of nine metals, connected with the nine grahas, comprises gold, silver, copper, tin, lead, tīkṣṇaka, āra (= pittala), kāṃsya and vartaloha (3.3–4ab). The usual varieties of gold, silver, copper, tin and lead are described. The three varieties of muṇḍaloha are mṛdu, kuṇṭha and kaḍāraka (3.206); the six varieties of tīkṣṇaloha are kharākhya, sārasamjñaka, huṇṭāla, tārāvaṭṭa, vājira, and kālaka (3.207); the five varieties of kāntaloha are bhrāmaka, cumbaka, karṣaka, drāvaka and romaka (3.208). Three varieties of vimala are described: svarṇa-, rūpya- and kāṃsyavimala (4.27), two varieties of pittala (brass): rājaritikā and kākatuṇḍī (4.69). The alloy, called pañcaloha or bharta, consists of bronze (kāṃsya), brass (pittala), copper, lead and tin (4.83).

v3.c48.s3.15

Śilājatu has its origin in rocks or an alkaline earth (4.93); the first kind is of four varieties: sauvarṇa, rājata, tāmra and āyasa (4.94–98); another kind of śilājatu, used in fireworks (agnibāṇa),⁵⁹ is called soraka (4.133). The usual four varieties of capala are mentioned: white, black, yellowish green (harit) and red (4.136).

v3.c48.s3.16

The nine major gems (ratna) are, according to a quotation from the Rasapaddhati: vajra (diamond), vidruma (coral), mauktika (pearl), marakata (emerald), vaidūrya, gomedaka, māṇikya (ruby), harinīla (sapphire), and puṣpadraḍ (topaz); the same

v3.c48.s3.17

series is found in the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, cited by Mādhava (5.4–6ab). Minor gems (uparatna) mentioned by name are: vaikrānta, sūryakānta, candrakānta, rājāvarta, lāla,⁶⁰ peroja, muktāśukti, śaṅkha, karpūrāsman, and coloured glass (kācaja maṇi) (5.6–8). Two varieties of peroja (turquoise) are described: bhasmāṅga and harita (5.148); eight varieties of vaikrānta are referred to (5.164).

v3.c48.s3.18

The ten poisons, derived from bulbous or tuberous plants (kandabhava), which may be used in medicine (saumya), are: saktuka, mustaka, kaurma, dārvīka, sārṣapa, saikata, vatsanābha and śvetaśṛṅgī (6.11); the ten ugra poisons to be avoided in medicine are: kālakūṭa, ṛṣaśṛṅgī, darduraka, hālāhala, karkoṭī, granthi, hāridra, raktaśṛṅgī, kesara, and yamadaṃṣṭrā (6.20–21). The nine vegetable poisons distinguished by other authorities are: vatsanābha, hāridra, saktuka, pradīpana, śṛṅgika, kālakūṭa, saurāṣṭrika, and hālāhala; they are said to be found in mountainous regions, in haridrā regions,⁶¹ in the mountains, in flat regions, in Surāṣṭra, in the vicinity of kapilā riverbanks, in Ahicchatra, on the mountain Kiṣkindha, and on the mountain called Brahma respectively (6.40).⁶² The minor poisons of vegetable origin (upaviṣa) are seven in number: arka, sehuṇḍa, dhattūra, lāṅgalī, karavīra, guñjā, and ahiphena (6.108); their number is nine according to other authorities: arka, snuh (= sehuṇḍa), lāṅgalī, guñjā, mayāri (= karavīra), viṣamuṣṭi, āphena (= ahiphena), unmatta (= dhattūra), and jepāla (6.111). An added item is bhaṅgā.

v3.c48.s3.19

The extent to which the Āyurvedaprakāśa consists of quotations from earlier treatises is, in particular, elucidated in Somadevaśarman’s commentary. The glosses in prose can be attributed to Mādhava himself, who does not hesitate to give his own opinion on some issues⁶³ and refers to the tradition established by his guru.⁶⁴ The views adopted by him are repeatedly indicated, followed by disagreeing opinions.

v3.c48.s3.20

In several instances the vernacular name of a substance is recorded.⁶⁵

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