Chapter CXCVII - Preparations of medicinal oils and Ghritas

Dhanvantari said:—Hear me, O Sushruta, who art well-conversant with the nature of diseases, discourse on the preparations and efficacies of different medicinal oils and Ghritas. Cook a Prastha measure of clarified butter with an Aksha measure of each of the following drugs, viz., Shankhapushpi, Vacha, Soma, Brahmi, Brahma, Suvarchala, Abhaya, Guduchi, Atarushaka and Vaguchi, in combination with a Prastha measure of the expressed juice of Kantakari. and the same quantity of milk. This Ghritam is called Brahmi Ghritam. It improves the intellect and memory. Cook a Ghritam with Triphala, Chitrakam, Vala, Nirgundi, Nimva, Vasaka, Punarnava, Guduchi, the two kinds of Vrihati and Shatavari, or with as many of them as are available. This Ghritam may be used with benefit in all forms of disease. Cook half an adakam of oil with a decoction of a hundred Valas and a paste of Madhukam, Manjishtha, Chandana, Utpalam, Padmakam, Sukshmela, Pippali, Kushtham, Tvak, Ela, Aguru, Keshara, Ashvagandha, and drugs of the Jivaniya group; cook it over a gentle fire, and keep it in a silver pitcher after cooking. This Ghritam, which is named as Rajaballabham, proves highly efficacious in all diseases of the deranged Vayu, no matter what fundamental principle of the organism it might have affected, as well as in diseases of the deranged Kapham. Cook a Prastha measure of clarified butter with a Prashtha measure of the expressed juice of Shatavari and a Prastha measure of milk, as well as with the addition of the paste of a Karsha of each of the following drugs, viz., Shatapushpa, Devadaru, Mansi, Shaileyakam, Vala, Chandanam, and Tagaram. Hanch backs, dwarfs, maimed persons, deaf ones, or those suffering from Vyanga of Kushtham, as well as those who suffer from distortions of limbs in consequence of the enargement of the bodily Vayu, or meet disappointment during the middle part of an act of sexual congress, persons suffering from the imbecilities of old age, or from tympanites or dryness of the mouth, of from diseases affecting the skin, veins and ligaments have got a splendid remedy in this Narayana Tailam, the killer of all diseases, the recipe of which was formerly disclosed by Vishnu himself. Oils or Ghritas may be separately cooked in admixture with each of the following drugs, viz., Shatavari, Guduchi, Chitrakam, Vyosha, Nimva, the expressed juice of Nirgundi, Prasarini, or Kantakari, Varshabhu, Vala, Vasaka, Phalatrikam, Brahmi, Eranda, Yashthika, Bhringaraja, Mushali, Dashamulam, Khadira and Vata. Confection, pills, or pulverised compounds of the foregoing drugs, taken with honey, sugar, and clarified butter, or with water, prove curative in all diseases. The intelligent one should cook a medicinal oil in combination with Chitrakam, Trivrit, Patha, Malapum, Hayamarakam, Sudha, Vacha, Langalakim, Saptaparnam, Suvarchika, and Jyotishmali. This oil is called Syandanam Tailam and should be employed for the purpose of asepsising and healing ulcers, and especially in fistula in ano. The medicinal oil of great efficacy, which is called Chitrakadyam Tailam, cures all diseases; cook mustard oil in combination with Ajamoda, Sindura, Haritalam, the two kinds of Nisha, the two kinds of Kshara, Phena, ardrakam, Sarala, Indra-Varuni, Apamarga, Kadala and Kandala taken in equal parts with the addition of the usual quantity of goat’s urine. This Tailam should be cooked over a gentle fire and with the admixture of cow-milk. The oil thus cooked and prepared is called Ajamoda Tailam, which proves highly efficacious in scrofula and scrofulous sores. It induces satisfactory suppuration in indurated or partially suppurated sores, and cleanse the suppurating ones. Healing, granulation and softening of ulcers may be brought about with the help of this Ajamoda oil, which is one of the most efficacious of medicinal oils, and cures a host of bodily distempers.