Part 3 - Incineration of haritala

For the purpose of incineration, patra-haritala is the best suited, whereas pinda-haritala is to be avoided. Godanta-haritala may be incinerated for use in cancer leprosy. The vakadala-haritala is the best for incineration with a view to being used in leucoderma.

First process.

Purified haritala is to be broken into pieces, rubbed with lime water, juice of apamarga, solution of ksharas, and then to be kept in an earthen vessel with powdered ksharas of barley husks put below and upon it. This is to be covered with an earthen basin. The remaining portion of the vessel is to be filled with the kernel of a kushmanda fruit. The mouth of the vessel is then to be closed. It is next to be subjected to heat which is to be increased gradually at a uniform rate, for twelve hours. Haritala, thus incinerated, may be used in leprosy and other diseases.

Second process.

Purified vansa-patra-haritala is to be rubbed in a mortar for one day with the juice of punarnava and made into a lump and dried. Half the portion of an earthen vessel is then to be filled with the kshara of punarnava, upon which is to be kept the lump of haritala. The portion up to the neck of the vessel Is then to be filled with the kshara of punarnava, and the mouth of the vessel to be closed by means of an earthen basin, the joint being tightly closed in the usual way. The vessel is then to be placed over fire and heated continuously for five days, the fire being gradually increased at a uniform rate. The haritala will thus be incinerated. This is to be used in doses of one gunja a day with suitable anupana.

Third process.

Purified haritala is to be subjected to bhavana for 36 hours with each of the following:—juice of changed, juice of nimboo (lemon), and lime dissolved with water. This is next to be dissolved in water with double its quantity of kshara obtained by reducing the stones of shalmali fruits to ashes. The solution is then to be dried, put inside a Kavachi-yantra, and heated by means of a Baluka-yantra for 36 hours. When the apparatus gets cooled of itself, the product is to be taken out, powdered and used in doses of one rakti a day, for the purpose of curing leprosy and elephantiasis.

Fourth process.

Forty tolas of purified gold leaves with an equal quantity of purified haritala is to be nibbed with one prastha of the juice of each of the following, taken in order of their occurrence, until the whole thing turns into a lump:—kanya, nimboo, sharapunkha, bajri, and arka. The lump is then to be dried in the sun for seven days. In an earthen vessel are to be kept ashes of palasha, upon which is to be kept the lump which is to be covered with the same ashes. The mouth of the vessel is now to be covered with an earthen basin by means of mud, rag, etc. The vessel is then to be heated for 360 hours by means of fire increasing gradually at a uniform rate. When cooled, the white ashes of haritala are to be collected and used in doses of half to one tandula (rice) a day.

Fifth process.

Haritala is to be powdered very fine and rubbed for two days, with the juice of dugdhika, sahadevi, and bala, and made into a lump, which is to be dried in the shade and confined in a samputa or in a glass bottle, with the ashes of palasha, placed on all sides of the lump, and then heated by a gradually increasing and strong fire by means of a Baluka-yantra or a Handika-yantra (i.e., the apparatus described in the preceding process).

Sixth process.

One pala of purified haritala is to be rubbed with the juice of kanya, dried, kept within a samputa, and heated for 36 hours. Haritala, thus incinerated can cure leprosy.

Seventh process.

Purified Vakadala-haritala is to be nibbed in a mortar for seven days with the juice of kanya, duly dried, and then entered into a glass bottle with its mouth kept open. It is then to be heated by means of a Baluka-yantra over a strong fire. After some time smoke of a bluish yellow colour will come out of the glass bottle.

An iron probe is then to be inserted into the glass bottle, with a view to turn frequently the haritala by means of it. This probe is to be taken out every now and then and examined. When the probe will be found to contain a few drops of water, bluish yellow in colour, it is to be taken for granted that the apparatus is to be heated for one or two days more. When the water attached to the probe will be found to be white in colour, the heating is to be stopped and the apparatus to be allowed to cool of itself.

Eighth process.

Fine powder of haritala is to be subjected to bhavana for twenty days with the juice of asvattha, rubbed in a clean mortar and made into a ball, which is to be kept inside a vessel, one half of which is filled with the ashes of asvatha bark. The remaining portion of this vessel is to be filled again with the same ashes, and the mouth of the vessel is to be closed by means of a basin, as usual. The whole thing is now to be heated for 12 hours in Gajaputa, by means of fire made of one thousand cowdung cakes. Haritala will thus be incinerated. If it is so, it will assume a white colour and emit no smoke, when heated by an iron rod.

Ninth process.

Pure haritala is to be reduced to, powder, subjected to bhavana for three times with each of the following:—kanya, kushmanda, and curd; and then made into a ball which is to be kept inside an earthen vessel, previously filled with ashes, six angulis deep. This vessel is then to be placed upon an iron pot, and covered on all sides with ashes. It is also to be filled with ashes up to its neck, covered closely by means of an earthen basin placed at the mouth, and then heated for 96 hours continuously by means of fire gradually rising, at a uniform rate, in the intensity of its heat. This will result in the reduction of the haritala to ashes having the appearance of lime. This haritala cures vata-rakta and fever, if taken with sugar in doses of one grain of rice (in weight) a day.

Tenth process.

One part of pure haritala is to be put inside an earthen vessel, partly filled with ashes. Upon the haritala is to be put double its quantity of condensed smoke (soot). The mouth of the vessel is to be closed tightly by means of an earthen vessel. The apparatus is then to be heated for 12 hours by means of fire rising gradually in the intensity of its heat at a uniform rate. This will result in the incineration of haritala which will assume a white appearance and will emit no more smoke, even if subjected to further heat.

Haritala is to be washed with lime juice and mixed with one tenth its weight of tankana. It is then to be confined in a piece of cloth having four folds, and made into a bundle, which is to be boiled by means of a Dola-yantra, with a slow heat such as is produced by the burning of an earthen lamp lighted with vegetable oil, for six hours, with each of the following:—lime water, kanji, kushmanda juice, lemon oil, and triphala. It is then to be washed with sour vegetable juice, rubbed with the bark of the root of palasha tree, and dried. It is next to be rubbed with the urine of she-buffalo and dried. Next it is to be put into a samputa made of two basins and heated by means of Gajaputa; the contents of the samputa being taken out when the fire will be extinguished completely and the samputa cooled of itself. The haritala is then to be rubbed with goat’s milk, made into a ball, and dried. It is next to be put into a vessel, covered on all sides with powdered lime, the remaining portion of the vessel being filled with the ashes of palasha. The mouth of the vessel is to be closed in such a way as not to let out any smoke. The vessel is then to be subjected to heat, gradually increasing, for 96 hours continuously, with the result that the haritala will be found, when taken out after the apparatus gets cooled, to be as white as moon and will emit no smoke, if subjected to further heat.

How to use the haritala-bhasma described above.

One rakti in weight of the incinerated haritala, described above, is to be taken with old molasses for the core of all sorts of leprosy, skin diseases, carbuncles, fistula, etc. At the time of taking this haritala, the patient should take bread prepared from chanaka grams and shasthi rice, without the addition of any salt.

Twelfth process.

One karsha of purified haritala with an equal quantity of incinerated iron and a little of incinerated gold and silver are to be mixed together and put into a glass bottle, properly coated with mud and rag for seven times. This bottle is to be put into a Baluka-yantra and heated for 12 hours. The medicine is to be taken out, when cooled of itself.

Thirteenth process.

Purified haritala is to be rubbed separately with each of the following and made into a lump:—juices of kushmanda, nimboo, gojihva, kulattha, chhikkani, ardraka, dhatura, bhringaraja, dugdhika, sahadevi, palasha, eranda roots, brahmadandi, svarna-balli, rasona, palandu, gopala-karkati, kakamachi, milk of bajri, and arka. The lump is then to be put inside a vessel filled with the ashes of asvatha, and heated as usual, for 96 hours. The haritala, thus incinerated, cures quickly all sorts of diseases, and especially leprosy, scrofula, hysteria, and urinary diseases, if the patient lives twice a day on a good diet, prepared without salt, pungents, and strong ingredients.

Fourteenth process.

Purified haritala is to be rubbed for seven days with the juice of drona-puspi and put into a Vidyadhara-yantra, which is to be heated for 24 hours, the contents being taken out when the apparatus gets cooled by radiation. The substance attached to the upper pot is then to be collected, rubbed for three days with the same juice, and again heated in the aforesaid way, for 24 hours continuously. The process is to be repeated over and over again until the essence of the haritala becomes stable, which generally takes place after seven days. On the eighth day, the haritala is to be rubbed for one day with the milk of arka, and heated for 24 hours. This process is to be performed for three times. The product, thus prepared, cures cancer leprosy and swelling of the body due to vatarakta, and syphilis. The dose in leprosy is 2 raktis a day, whereas in syphilis only one rakti is to be taken with honey and powdered topchini, ¼ of a tola in weight.

Fifteenth process.

Purified haritala is to be kept inside the hollow of a big human bone, the ends being closed by means of the ashes of asvattha, palasha or punarnava. The bone is to be plastered all over, for several times, with mud, etc. and dried each time. It is next to be heated by means of a strong fire, causing the incineration of the haritala. The product becomes more efficacious, if the haritala, prior to its being incinerated, were rubbed with the juices of suitable herbs. The haritala, thus incinerated, cures all sorts of diseases. It leads the chemist to the attainment of his wished-for object, i.e., fame in the practice of medicine.

Test of incinerated haritala.

Haritala is considered to be properly incinerated, if it does not emit any smoke when put upon fire; otherwise it is to be considered un-incinerated.

Merits of incinerated haritala (1)

Incinerated haritala cures eighty different kinds of diseases due to an abnormal excess of vayu (viz., paralysis, etc.), if taken in doses of half a gunja, mixed with six ballas in weight of khanda (condensed molasses).

Merits of incinerated haritala (2)

Haritala may be used in asthma, bronchitis phthisis, leprosy pitta, vata-rakta, ringworm, itches, carbuncle, and diseases due to an excess of vayu.

Accompaniments of haritala.

Incinerated haritala is to be used with the juice of amra-haridra in impurity of the blood; with purified aconite and jeera in hysteria; with samudra-phala in dropsy; with the juice of devadali in bhagandara and priyanga diseases (syphilis); with the decoction of manjista, etc.^[1] in eighteen different kinds of leprosy; with triphala and sugar in jaundice; with powdered shunthi in rheumatism, with incinerated gold in raktapitta; with the juice of tanduliya in eight different kinds of fever. Such accompaniments may be devised by the physician himself in accordance with the particular requirements of the case.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Manjistha, bakuchi, chakramarda, nimba, haritaki, haridra, amalaki, basa, shatabari, bala, nagabala, jastimadhu, kokilaksha seeds, patola leaves, ushira, gudachi, and rakta-chandana.