Atharvaveda and Charaka Samhita
by Laxmi Maji | 2021 | 143,541 words
This page relates ‘Therapeutics and Rejuvenation Therapy’ 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.
Therapeutics and Rejuvenation Therapy
There are two types of medicine in Caraka-Saṃhitā—
- Svāsthasya-ūrjaskara which is for promoting health and
- Ārtasya-roganut [roganud] which is to alleviate diseases.
There are two types of non-therapeutics–Bādhana which is acute and Sānubhādana which is chronic. It should be noted that the Abheṣaja for non-therapeutics produce contradictory effect. So, these elements should be avoided. According to Caraka-Saṃhitā rasāyana promotes general health and rejuvenate a person, extends longevity intellect, memory, health, youth, libido etc. Vājīkaraṇa drugs help attain progeny, libido etc. There are two method of rejuvenation therapy—Kuṭiprāveśika and Vātātapika.
Used products for Emetic therapy are as follows: the fruits of phala, jīmūtaka, ikṣvāku, dhāmārgava, kuṭaja, kṛtavedhana; leaves and flowers of phala, jīmūtaka, ikṣvāku, dhāmārgava. The above mentioned drugs should be mixed with the decoction of the roots of āragvadha, vṛkṣaka, madana, svādukaṇṭaka, pāṭhā, pāṭala, śārṅgrṣṭhā, mūrvā, saptaparṇa, naktamāla, picumarda, poṭala, suṣavi, guḍūci, citraka, somavalka, śatāvarī, dvīpī, śigru, decoctions of madhuka, madhūka, kovidāra, karvudāra, nipa, vidula, bimbī, śaṇapuṣpī, sadāpuṣpā, pratyakpuṣpā; decoctions of elā, hareṇu, priyaṅgu, pṛthvīkā, kustumburu, tagara, nalada, hrīvera, taliśa, uśīra; decoctions of ikṣu, kaṇḍekṣu, ikṣuvālikā, darbha, paṭagala, kālaṅkṛta; decoctions of sumanā, saumanasyāyanī, haridrā, dāruharidrā, vṛścīra, punarnavā, mahāsahā, kṣudrasahā; decoctions of śālmali, śālmalika, bhadraparṇī, elāparṇī, upodikā, uddālaka, dhanvana, rājādana, upacitrā, gopī, śṛṅgātikā; powder of pippalī, root of pippalī, cavya, citraka, śrṅgavera; water mixed with peridium, milk, alkali preparations and salt.
Used products for purgation therapy are as follows: latex; roots; barks; leaves; flowers and fruits of śyāmā, trivṛt, caturaṅgula, tilvaka, mahāvṛkṣa, saptalā, saṅkhinī, dantī, dravanti. These drugs may be mixed with the following group of decoctions of ajagandhā, aśvagandhā, ajaśṛṅgī, kṣīrinī, nīlinī, klitaka; decoctions of prakīryā, udakīrya, masūravidalā, kampillaka, viḍaṅga, gavākṣī; decoctions of pīlu, priyāla, mṛdvīkā, kāśmarya, parūṣaka, badara, dādima, āmalaka, harītakī, bibhītaka, viścīra, punarnavā, vidārigandhā; products of sidhu, surā, sauvīraka, tuṣodaka, maireya, medaka, madirā, madhu, madhūlaka, dhānyāmla, kuvala, badara, kharjūra, karkandhu; curd, dadhimaṇḍa, udaśvit; milk and urine of cow, buffalo, goat and sheep.