Atharvaveda and Charaka Samhita
by Laxmi Maji | 2021 | 143,541 words
This page relates ‘Sarvaroga-bhaishajya hymns’ found in the study on diseases and remedies found in the Atharvaveda and Charaka-samhita. These texts deal with Ayurveda—the ancient Indian Science of life—which lays down the principles for keeping a sound health involving the use of herbs, roots and leaves. The Atharvaveda refers to one of the four Vedas (ancient Sanskrit texts encompassing all kinds of knowledge and science) containing many details on Ayurveda, which is here taken up for study.
The Sarvaroga-bhaiṣajya hymns
The Sarvaroga-bhaiṣajya [sarvarogabhaiṣajjyaṃ ] hymns, the panacea for all diseases–of the Atharvaveda are included in the so-called Amholiṅgāḥ gaṇa and the Āyuṣya gaṇa. The healing rituals ascribed to them are quite general and mainly consist of sprinkling water and washing of the patient with water mixed with dregs of ghee[1], as well as leaves of Kāmpīla[2] or Kuṣṭha[3] or Yava[4]. After the bath Yava maṇi or Varaṇa maṇi is tied. The water dug up by the ants Upajīkā and the earth from an ant-hill are used in this connection. One cannot differentiate between Ātharvaṇ prayers for longevity (Āyurṣyāṇi) and those for prosperity (Puṣṭikarma). In such cases, the Kauśika Sūtra primarily proposes Āñjanamaṇi[5], Śaṅkhamaṇi[6], Parṇamaṇi[7] which are all prescribed for a Brahmin youth on the occasion of his investiture.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
[2]:
bhavāśarvāviti sapta kāmpīlapuṭānapāṃ pūrṇān sampātavataḥ kṛ ______tvā dakṣiṇenāvasicya paścādapavidhyati || (Kauśika Sūtra- 28.8); Atharvavedīya–Kauśika Gṛhyasūtraṃ (Dārilakeśavayosaṃ-kṣiptaṭīkaya sahitaṃ), trans. Udayanarayana Sinha, Varanasi, Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series office,2009, p. 67.
[3]:
kuṣṭhaliṅgābhirnavanītamiśreṇāpratīhāraṃ pralimpati || (Kauśika Sūtra-28.13);Atharvavedīya–Kauśika Gṛhyasūtraṃ (Dārilakeśavayosaṃ-kṣiptaṭīkaya sahitaṃ), trans. Udayanarayana Sinha, Varanasi, Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series office,2009, p. 67.
[4]:
dive svāhemaṃ yavamiti catura udapātre sampātānānayati || dvau pṛthivyām || tau pratyahṛtyaplāvayati || sayave cottareṇa yavaṃ badhnāti || (Kauśika Sūtra-28.17-20);Atharvavedīya–Kauśika Gṛhyasūtraṃ (Dārilakeśavayosaṃ- kṣiptaṭīkaya sahitaṃ), trans. Udayanarayana Sinha, Varanasi, Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series office, 2009, p. 69.
[5]:
ehi jīvamityañjanamaṇiṃ badhnāti || (Kauśika Sūtra-58.8 in connection with IV.9);Atharvavedīya–Kauśika Gṛhyasūtraṃ (Dārilakeśavayosaṃ-kṣiptaṭīkaya sahitaṃ), trans. Udayanarayana Sinha, Varanasi, Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series office,2009, p. 142.
[6]:
vātājjāta iti kṛśanam || (Kauśika Sūtra-58.9 in connection with IV.10);Atharvavedīya–Kauśika Gṛhyasūtraṃ (Dārilakeśavayosaṃ-kṣiptaṭīkaya sahitaṃ), trans. Udayanarayana Sinha, Varanasi, Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series office,2009, p. 142.
[7]:
āyamagannayaṃ pratisaro'yaṃ me varaṇo'rātīyoriti mantroktān vāsitān badhnāti || (Kauśika Sūtra-19.22 in connection with III.5); Atharvavedīya–Kauśika Gṛhyasūtraṃ (Dārilakeśavayosaṃ-kṣiptaṭīkaya sahitaṃ), trans. Udayanarayana Sinha, Varanasi, Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series office,2009, p. 42.