Chapter 27l - The section on the articles used in cooked foods (Aharayogi)

[The articles used in cooked foods (Aharayogi—āhārayogī-varga)]

The General qualities of Til oil

286-287. Til oil [taila] is astringent in after-taste, sweet subtle, hot, diffusive, causative of Pitta and leads to the occlusion of urine and feces. It does not increase Kapha. It is the best among the causatives of Vata, strengthening, good for the skin and increases intelligence and gastric fire, and is considered curative of all diseases when it undergoes admixture and preparation.

288. By the use of oil, in olden days, the kings of Daityas became un-aging, free from disease and fatigue, and endowed with great strength in the battle.

The qualities of Castor oil

239. The castor oil is sweet and heavy and increases Kapha; it is highly curative of Vata, Rakta Gulma, heart-disease and chronic fever.

The qualities of Rape-seed oil

290. The white rape-seed is pungent, hot, vitiative of blood and Pitta, depletive of Kapha and semen, and curative of Vata-disorders, pruritus and wheals.

The qualities of the oil of Buchanan’s mango

291. The oil of Buchanan’s mango is sweet, heavy and increases Kapha. Pt is beneficial in cases where Vata and Pitta are found combined, as it is not very hot.

The qualities of the Linseed oil

292. The linseed oil is sweet, sour md pungent after digestion, hot in potency, beneficial in Vata and is provocative of hemothermia.

The qualities of Safflower oil

293. The safflower oil is hot, pungent after digestion and heavy. It is excessively irritant and provokes ill body-humors

The qualities of Other oils

294. The qualities of other oils which are used in food and which are derived from fruits not mentioned here, are to be known according to the qualities of the fruits themselves.

The qualities of Marrow and Fat

295. Animal marrow and fat are thening[?], and according to the nature of the animal their nature is to be determined as cooling or hot.

The qualities of Ginger

296. Ginger is slightly unctuous, digestive stimulant, aphrodisiac, hot and curative of Vata and Kapha, sweet after digestion, cordial and appetizing

The qualities of Long pepper

297. Green long pepper increases Kapha, is sweet, heavy and unctuous When dried, it is dispeller of Kapha and Vata, pungent and hot and is considered aphrodisiac.

The qualities of Black pepper

298. Black pepper is not very hot, is anaphrodisiac, light, appetizer and being depletive and desiccant, it is a digestive-stimulant and cures Kapha and Vata.

The qualities of asafoetida

299. Asafoetida is to be regarded as curative of Vata, Kapha and obstipation. It is pungent, hot, digestive-stimulant, light, alleviative of colicky pain, digestive and appetizer.

The qualities of Rocksalt

399. Rock salt is the best of salts; it is appetizer, digestive-stimulant, aphrodisiac, improves eye-sight and is non-irritant. It is curative of

The qualities of Sanchal salt

301. The Sanchal salt being subtle, hot, light, fragrant and relishgiving, is deobstruent cordial and purifies the eructations.

The qualities of Bida salt

302. The Bida [biḍa] silt being sharp hot and diffusive is a digestive-stimulant, cures colicky pain and regulates the upward and downward courses of Vata.

The qualities of Efflorescence salt

303. The efflorescence salt is slightly bitter, pungent, slightly alkaline, sharp and liquefacient. Kalabag [kālalavaṇa?] rocksalt has no smell Its qualities are those of Sanchal-salt.

The qualities of Sea-salt and Earth salt

304. The sea-salt is slightly sweet; the earth-salt is slightly bitter and pungent. All salts are appetizing, digestive, laxative and curative of Vata.

The qualities of Barley-alkali

305. The barley alkali cures diseases of the heart, anemia, assimilation disorders, splenic disorders, constipation, throat-spasm, cough of the Kapha type and piles.

The qualities of ail kinds of Alkali

306. All alkalis are like fire, acute, hot, light, dry, liquefacient, digestive, corrosive, caustic, digestive-stimulant and destructive of tissues.

The qualities of Celery, Black cumin Bishop’s weed, Coriander and indian tooth ache

307. Celery seeds, black cumin, cumin, bishop’s weed, coriander and Indian tooth-ache are appetizing digestive-stimulant and dispellers of Vata, Kapha and fetor.

308. Dietary adjuvants do not, however, admit of a rigid classification. Thus ends the twelfth section on the articles used in cooked foods (Aharayogi—āhārayogī-varga).