Rasa Jala Nidhi, vol 5: Treatment of various afflictions

by Bhudeb Mookerjee | 1938 | 63,627 words | ISBN-10: 8170305829 | ISBN-13: 9788170305828

This fifth volume of the Rasa-jala-nidhi deals with the symptoms, treatment and dietary prescriptions of various afflictions. For example, ratapitta (haemoptysis), cough, asthma, tumours and obesity are dealth with and various Iatro-chemical recipes are provided for these diseases. The Rasa-jala-nidhi (“the ocean of Iatrochemistry, or, chemical me...

Chapter 3 - Symptoms and treatment of Kasa (cough)

Its causes.

The prana vayu or the air which works the respiratory system may be deranged by one or more of the following:—

(1) entrance of smoke into the month and the nostrils; (2) the rasa or chyle (i.e., the essence of the food digested in the stomach) moving upwards by the pressure of gas formed in the stomach, (3) excess of physical or mental exercise, (4) eating of food devoid of animal fat, (5) entrance of food info wrong places by hasty swallowing, and (6) suppression of calls of nature including sneezing. Thus deranged, prana vayu follows the udana vayu (i.e., the wind which governs the brain), is vitiated by kapha and pitta, causes sounds resembling those caused by broken bell-metal, and comes out abruptly through the mouth mixed with phlegm. This is what is meant by kasa (cough). There are five different kinds of cough, viz. that caused by each of the following;—an abnormal excess of (a) vayu, (b) pitta, and (c) kapha, (d) ulcers, and (e) consumption. Cough, if neglected, becomes gradually malignant and leads ultimately to consumption. This disease is preceded by a sensation felt in the throat and mouth of being pricked with the ears, as it were, of barley and difficulty in swallowing food.

Treatment of Cough (kasa).

Some simple herbal remedies.

(1) Juice of ginger mixed with a little of honey is to be drunk for the cure of asthma, cough, catarrh, and excess of phlegm.

(2) Juice of vasaka leaves, extracted after heating them by puta by a mild heat, cooled, and mixed with powdered pippali and a few drops of honey, if taken daily for some time, can cure cough (kasa), however malignant.

(3) A ball, made of powdered leaves of bhringaraja, mixed with honey, and put into the mouth, can put a stop to cough and flatulence.

(4) Cough is cured by the drinking of a few drops of the leaves of arka and eranda, combined, (mixed, of couse, with a few drops of honey). Smoking of the dried roots of danti or nirgundi may also serve the same purpose.

Smoking for the cure of cough (kasa).

(1) Equal quantities of realger, orpiment, jastimadhu, jatamansi, musta, and fruits of ingudi are to be rubbed together, A little of this powder is to be set fire to and smoked, as usnal, Milk, mixed with molasses, should be drunk after smoking. Smoking in this way, for three days, cures even such a malignant cough as cannot be cured by other remedies.

(2) Leaves of badari, smeared with realger, pestled with water, and then dried, are to be set fire to and smoked, as usual. Milk is to be drunk after smoking in this way. Smoking in this way cures all sorts of cough (kasa).

(3) One part, each, of bark of arka, realger, and trikatu (all powdered very fine) are to be mixed together. A little of this powder is to be set fire to and smoked, as usual. Milk or water is to be drunk and betel leaves to be chewed, after smoking. This cures all sorts of cough.

(4) Powdered bark of brinjals (egg-fruits) is to be subjected to bhavana with maricha, realger, and milk of arka, and dried. A little of this powder is to be set fire to and smoked. This cures asthma and cough.

Iatro chemical remedies in cough (kasa).

Kasa-kalanala rasa.

One part of purified mercury, two parts, each, of sulphur and copper, ten parts of maricha, four parts of mica, and one part of aconite are to be rubbed with some sour vegetable juice. Dose, six raktis, each, to be taken with a little of honey and skin of bibhitaka fruit. This medicine cures cough (kasa) due to an abnormal excess of vayu only,

Purandara rasa.

One part of mercury and two parts of sulphur are to be rubbed together to form a kajjali or black powder with which is to be mixed one part, each, of trikatu and triphala. The compound, thus prepared, is to be subjected to bhavana with goat’s milk, and made into pills, two raktis in weight each, to be taken with a few drops of honey and a little of ginger juice. Cold water is to be drunk just after taking this pill.

This medicine cures cough, asthma, and loss of power of digestion. If it is taken for a long time, it acts as a very good aphrodisiac.

Chandramrita rasa.

Ohe tola, each, of mercury, sulphur, and iron, four tolas of borax, two tolas of maricha, and one tola, each, of trikatu, triphala, chavya, dhanya, jira, and rock-salt are to be rubbed together with goat’s milk, and made into pills, nine raktis in weight, each, to be taken with the juice of any one of the following:—red or blue utpala (water lily), kulatha-grams, milk of goat, munditika, and kesharaja. This medicine cures all sorts of cough, spitting of blood, fever with asthma, thirst, heating sensation, giddiness, loss of appetite, enlargement of spleen, gulma, diseases affecting the belly, anaha, worms, anemia, and jirna (remittent) fever. A decoction of the following is to be drank after taking the medicine:—basaka (leaves or bark), guruchi, bhargi, musta, and kantakari.

Kasantaka rasa.

One part, each, of mercery, sulphur, aconite, shalaparni, and dhanya, and five parts of maricha are to be rubbed together, and made into pills, four raktis in weight, each, to be taken with honey. This medicine cures cough.

Kasa-kuthara rasa.

Equal quantities of cinnabar, maricha, trikatu, sulphur, and borax are to be rubbed together, and made into pills, two raktis in weight, each. This medicine cures cough, and head diseases.

Kasa-samhara-bhairava rasa.

One tola, each, of mercury, sulphur, copper, mica, conch shell, borax, iron, maricha, kustha, talisha, jatiphala, and lavanga are to be rubbed together and subjected to bhavana with one tola, in weight, of the juice of the leaves of each of the following, in succession:—mandukaparni, kesharaja, nirgundi, kakamachi, dronapuspi, shalaparni, grisma-sundara, bhargi, haritaki, and vasaka. Pills are then to be made, five raktis in weight, each, to be taken with a few drops of honey and the decoction of the following:—basaka, shunthi, and kantakari. This medicine cures cough, asthma, and aversion to food. It increases strength, beauty, and power of digestion.

Pitta-kasantaka rasa.

Equal quantities of copper, mica, and lode-stone are to be rubbed together, for one day, with the juice of the bark of kasamarda and amlabetasa, and made into pills, twelve raktis in weight, each, This medicine cures, in three days, cough due to an excess of pitta only. It also cures asthma, dullness of the digesting heat, and consumption.

Amrtiakara rasa.

Equal quantities of mercury, sulphur, iron, borax, rasna, hiranga, triphala, devadaru, chitraka roots, guruchi, padma wood, honey, and aconite are to be rubbed together with water and made into pills, two raktis in weight, each. This medicine cures cough due to an excess of vayu.

Mahakaleshvara rasa.

One part, each, of iron, tin, copper, mica, mercury, sulphur, copper pyrites, cinnabar, aconite, jatiphala, lavanga, guratvak, ela, naga-keshara, seeds of dhutura, and croton seeds, and three parts of maricha are to be rubbed together in a mortar by means of an iron rod. The compound is then to be subjected to bhavana, for twenty one times, With the juice of the leaves of bhanga, and made into pills, one rakti in weight, each, to be taken with honey and juice of ginger. This medicine cures five kinds of cough, consumption, asthma, sannipatika fever, loss of consciousness, and throat diseases.

Kalapriya rasa.

Equal quantities of mercury, sulphur, iron, aconite, vidanga, nagakeshara, musta, ela, roots pippali, renuka, trikatu, triphala, chitraka roots, purified croton seeds, and double their quantity of molasses are to be rubbed together, and taken in the morning in a dose equal in size to a croton seed. This medicine cures cough, asthma, consumption, gulma, prameha (spermatorrhoea), chronic fever, indigestion, chronic diarrhoea, colic, anemia, pain in the heart, diseases due to the abnormal excess of vayu, diseases (such as stiffness, pain) affecting the neck, aversion to food, diarrhoea, and ailments following closely upon child-birth.

Pashupata rasa.

One tola, each, of mercury, sulphur, mica, iron, copper, orpiment, aconite, realger, the three ksaras (viz. javaksara, harjiksara, and borax), seeds of dhustura, and maricha are o be mixed together, and subjected to bhavana with one tola of the juice of each, of the following:—jayanti, chitraka, mana, ghantakarna, manduki, bhanga, bhringa-raja, kesha-raja, ginger, and nirgundi. Pills are then to be made, two raktis in weight, each. This medicine cures five different kinds of cough, asthma, diseases due to an abnormal excess of kapha and vayu, anaha (intestinal obstruction), constipation, slowness of the digesting heat, aversion to food, swelling due to anemia, diseases affecting the belly, anemia, and jaundice. It is nutritive and cures senile decay. Diet should be fish, jangala meat, and those items of food-stuff which are sweet, nutritive, and prepared with clarified butter (except fish which should be prepared with a few drops of oil only). It should on no account be acrid in taste (such as pungents, bitters, sours, etc.).

Bhagottara rasa.

One part of mercury, two parts of sulphur, three parts of pippali, four parts of haritaki, five parts of bibhitaki, six parts of vasaka, and seven parts of bhargi are to be mixed together and subjected to bhavana for twenty one times with the decoction of the bark of babbula. The compound is then to be rubbed with honey and made into pills, one tola in weight, each, to be taken with a few drops of honey, and a little of powdered pippali, in the morning once a day. Decoction of kantakari is to be drank after taking the medicine. This medicine cures asthma and cough.

Shringarabhra rasa.

Eight tolas of incinerated mica, one fourth tola, each, of camphor, jatikosa, balaka, gaja-pippali, tejapatra, lavanga, jatamanshi, talishpatra, guratvak, pollens of nagakeshara flower, dhataki flower; one eighth tola, each, of haritaki, amalaki, bibhitaki, and trikatu; half a tola, each, of ela, jatiphala, and sulphur, and one fourth of a tola of mercury are to be mixed in the usual way, rubbed together with water, and made into pills of the size, each, of a. fully developed and boiled chanaka gram (which, roughly speaking, is about three raktis in weight.) Four such pills are to be taken together every morning with a little of ginger and betel-leaf, and a little of water is to be drunk there-after. This medicine cures the following:—bhasmakagni (or unusually intense hunger), fever, diseases affecting the belly, consumption, cough (kasa), asthma, swelling of the body due to anemia, eye diseases; spermatorrhoea, obesity, vomiting, colic, amlapitta (acidity and biliousness), thirst, gulma (a kind of tumour in the abdomen), anemia, hemoptysis, diseases due to toxin and poison, pinasa (chronic catarrh), enlargement of spleen, etc. It is nutritive, strengthening, and aphrodisiac. Pot-herbs and sours are to be given up for sometime after commencement of taking this medicine, but no such restrictions in diet are to be followed afterwards.

Sarvabhauma-rasa.

If gold or iron (in adequate quantities, i.e. say, in one twelfth part of the whole thing) is mixed with shringarabhra, it is called sarvabhauma-rasa.

Brihat-Shringarabhra rasa.

One tola, each, of mercury, sulphur, borax, nagakeshara, camphor, jatikosha, lavanga, tejapatra, and gold; four tolas of incinerated mercury; two tolas, each, of talishapatra, musta, kustha, jatamansi, guratvak, dhataki flower, ela, trikatu, triphala, and gajapippali are to be rubbed together with the decoction of pippali, and made into pills, twelve raktis in weight, each, to be taken in the morning with honey and guratvak. This medicine cures slowness of the digesting heat, aversion to food, anemia, jaundice, udara rogas, swelling of the body due to anemia, anaha (intestinal obstruction), fever, grahani (chronic diarrhoea), asthma, cough, consumption, etc. It increases strength, beauty, and power of digestion. Prolonged use of this medicine makes a man free from all diseases.

Damaranandabhra.

Pour tolas of mica, incinerated with the juice or decoction of amalaki, are to be rubbed with four tolas of the juice of each of the following, in succession: kantakari, roots of vasaka, shala-parni, roots of bilva, shyonaka, patali, prishniparni, bhargi, ginger, roots of chitraka, roots of pippali, gokshura, chabya, apamarga, and banari. Dose, half a rakti a day, This medicine cures all sorts of cough, diseases affecting the voice, hemorrhage from the lungs, hiccough, fever, asthma, and almost all the other diseases.

Vijaya-bhairava rasa.

One part, each, of mercury, sulphur, iron, aconite, mica, orpiment, vidanga, renuka, musta, ela, roots of pippali, nagakeshara, trikatu, triphala, roots of chitraka, purified croton seeds, and thirty two parts of molasses are to be rubbed together, and made into pills, six raktis in weight each, to be taken in the morning with a few drops of honey. This medicine, cures cough, asthma, consumption, gulma, spermatorrea, chronic fever, indigestion, chronic diarrhoea, anemia, pain in the heart and in the abdomen due to a derangement of the wind, all the diseases due to an abnormal excess of vayu and weakening the nervous system, and gala-graha (stiffness of the neck and some other diseases partially paralysing the neck, tongue, and the throat).

Lakshmi-vinoda rasa.

Two tolas of calamine, and four tolas, each, of mercury, orpiment, tin, copper, mica, lodestone. and bell-metal, are to be rubbed together and subjected to bhavana, for three times, with the juice of kesharaja, and for several times (say, seven times) with the juice of kulattha grams. With this compound is to be mixed one tola, each, of the following: ela, jatiphala, tejapatra, lavanga, jamani, jira, trikatu, triphala, tagarapadika, guratvak, and vanshalochana. The whole thing is then to be again subjected to bhavana with the juices of kesharaja and kulattha. Pills are then to be made, two raktis in weight each, to be taken with cold water. This medicine cures cough with spitting of blood and ulcers in the lungs, asthma, fever, jaundice, anemia, swelling due to anemia, colic, spermatorrhea, piles, thirst, and aversion to food. This medicine increases strength and beauty. Diet, fish, meat, or milk. The following are to be avoided for sometime after commencement of the medicine:—pot-herbs, sours, fried articles, and exposure to heat of fire.

Nirjara rasa.

One part, each, of mercury, sulphur, iron, aconite, guratvak, copper, tin, and mica, and two parts, each, of bhadra-musta, trikata, vidanga, naga-keshara, renuka, amalaka, and roots of pippali are to be robbed together and subjected to bhavana with the juice or decoction of gajapippali. Pills are then to be made, two raktis in weight, each. This medicine cures cough (kasa), asthma, piles, fistula, pain in the heart and the sides, diseases affecting the ear, kapalika, chronic diarrhoea, udara-roga, spermatorrhea, and stone disease. No restriction is to be observed in regard of diet, etc.

Lavanadi Lauha.

One part, each, of lavanga, katphala, kustha, jamani, trikatu, roots of chitraka, roots of pippali, bark Of roots of vasaka, kantakari, chavya, karkata-shringi, chaturjata (guratwak, tejapatra, ela, and nagakeshara, combined in equal quantities), haritaki, shathi, kakkola, musta, iron, mica, and javakshara, and nineteen parts of sugar are to be mixed together and kept in a pot smeared with clarified butter. (Dose, one fourth of a tola, to be taken with a few drops of honey). This medicine cures all sorts of cough due to vayu and kapha, hemoptysis, cough due to consumption, and asthma, It increases nutrition, strength, beauty, and power of digestion.

Vasanta-tilaka ram.

One tola of gold, two tolas of mica, three tolas of iron, four tolas of mercury incinerated, two tolas of tin, two tolas of pearls, and two tolas of corals are to be rubbed together with the juices of gokshura, vasaka, and ikshu (sugar cane). The compound is then to be dried, put inside two earthen basins, and heated by the third kind of Valuka-yantra, for twenty one hours. When cooled, the compound is to be taken out and rubbed with (four tolas, each, of) musk and camphor, (Dose, one rakti, each, to be taken twice or thrice, a day). This medicine cures cough, asthma, an abnormal excess of one or more of the three dosas, anemia, consumption, heart disease, and fever. This is nutritive and destroyer of senile decay.

Those who are unable to incinerate mercury may, in its place, make use of rasa-sindura which, to some entent, serves the purpose of the former.

Chatustaya rasa.

Equal quantities of copper, steel, iron, and mica are to be rubbed together with the juices or decoctions of leaves of vasaka, kasamarda, triphala, and amla-vetasa, and made into pills, one rakti in weight, each. This medicine cures cough.

Pista-tara rasa.

Two parts of silver, rubbed with an equal quantity of realger, and mixed with one part of orpiment are, to be rubbed together for six hours with the juice of leaves of vasaka and decoction of gokshura. The compound is then to be dried, put inside a crucible, the mouth of which is to be duly closed. The crucible is then to be heated by means of the Valuka-yantra. When cooled, the medicine is to be taken out, and made into pills, two raktis in weight, each, to be taken with a few drops of honey and a little of powdered trikatu and roots of nirgundi.

Ratnakarandaka rasa.

Six raktis in weight, each, of the essence of earth worms, essence of mica, load stone, gold, copper, silver, pearls, gems, copper-pyrites, and vaikranta (garnet) are to he rubbed together with one fourth of a tola of lapis lazuli and with the juice of amlavetasa. The compound is then to be confined in a crucible, and burnt in a kosthi-yantra, by means of a bellows, for twelve hours. This act of rubbing with amlavetasa and heating by means of a bellows is to be performed for one hundred times. The product is then to be powdered and mixed with half a tola of incinerated pearls and one and one fourth tola of maricha. (Bose, one rakti, a day), to be taken with, a little of honey and clarified butter. This medicine cures asthma, fever, grahani, cough (kasa), hiccough, colic, waste, mahodara, and leprosy. This is nutritive and increaser of power of digestion.

One part of mercury, one part of sulphur, three parts of copper, five parts of maricha, four parts of mica, one part of aconite, and one part of bhutankusha (chhikkani) are to be rubbed together with some sour vegetable juice (such as lime juice), for three hours. Pills are then to be made, six raktis in weight, each, to be taken with honey and powdered bibhitaki. This medicine cures cough due to an abnormal excess of vayu only.

Bolabaddha rasa.

One part, each, of incinerated mercury and aconite, two parts of sulphur, and one part, each, of bola, orpiment, safron, devadali, copper-pyrites, haridra (turmeric), kantakari, javakshara, alkali prepared from langali, rock-salt, and madhuka-sara (sugar-like essence of madhuka or mahua(?) flower) are to be rubbed together for seven days with the juice of ginger, and made into pills, six raktis in weight, each, (to be taken with a few drops of honey). This medicine cures cough due to abnormal excess of phlegm.

One part of mercury, two parts of sulphur, three parts of pippali, four parts of haritaki, five parts of bibhitaki, and six parts of roots of vasaka are to be mixed together and subjected to bhavana, for twenty one times, with the decoction of the bark of babbula. (Dose, one fourth of a tola) to be taken with a few drops of honey. This medicine cures cough.

Svayamagni rasa.

One part, each, of trikatu, triphala, ela, jatiphala, lavanga, and five parts of Agni rasa (described above) are to be mixed together, and taken every morning in doses of half a, tola, a day, with honey.

Equal quantities of mercury, sulphur, copper, mica, pippali, slmnthi, maricha, kattrina, and aconite are to be mixed together. This medicine cures cough, etc.

Deeds and diet salutary in cough.

Fomentation, purgation, vomiting, smoking herbal preparations specially prescribed (see page 60), snuff, spitting, taking of pungents, bitters, and astringents, eating in moderate quantities, shali rice, sastika rice, wheat, rice prepared from the seeds of shyama and kodrava grass, barley, banari seeds, soup of masa, mudga, and kulattha grams, meat juice, liquor, clarified butter of long standing, goat’s milk, clarified butter prepared from goat’s milk, vastuka, leaves of kakamachi, brinjals, green raddish, kantakari, kasamarda (especially its. flowers), jivanti, sunisanna, grapes, bimbi, matulunga fruit, roots of lotus, vasaka leaves, small ela, cow’s urine, garlics, trikatu, warm water, and honey.

Deeds and diet injurious in cough (kasa).

Application of douche, snuff, letting out of Mood, physical exercise, cleaning of the teeth by robbing, exposure to the sun’s rays, impure air, dust, walking, articles of food-stuff not easily digestible, those which are termed vidahi (see page 7 Vol. IV), and all sorts of coarse food, not softened with butter or clarified butter; suppression of calls of nature and of belching, yawning, coughing (kasa), and vomiting; fish, tubers in general, mustard seeds, gourds (alabu), upodika, impure food, water, and other drinks; articles of food stuff incongenial by combination, and those which are heavy and cold.

Conclusion:

Rasasastra category This concludes ‘Symptoms and treatment of Kasa (cough)’ included in Bhudeb Mookerjee Rasa Jala Nidhi, vol 5: Initiation, Mercury and Laboratory. The text includes treatments, recipes and remedies and is categorised as Rasa Shastra: an important branch of Ayurveda that specialises in medicinal/ herbal chemistry, alchemy and mineralogy, for the purpose of prolonging and preserving life.

Like what you read? Consider supporting this website: