Chapter 16 - Symptoms and treatment of Trishna (thirst)

An abnormal excess of pitta (caused by the agencies mentioned in page 138), combined with an abnormal excess of vayu, caused by such agencies as fear, physical exertion, and loss of strength, accumulate in the upper part of the body and affect the palate, and thus gives rise to an intense thirst (trishna). The fluid-carrying passages in the system, polluted by the three dashas, may also give rise to thirst.

Treatment of Thirst: Simple Remedies.

(1) Decoction of the leaves or bark, or kernel of stones of mango and jambu fruits, mixed with honey, puts a stop to vomiting and thirst.

(2) Decoction of dhanya mixed with sugar, and drunk in the morning, cures thirst.

(3) Kernel of matulunga mixed with honey and juice of pomegranates, kept in the mouth, for gargling, cures thirst.

(4) A little of honey, as much as is contained in the hollow of the palm, is to be kept in the mouth, for pacification of thirst and heating sensation.

Iatro-chemical remedies.

Mina-dhvaja rasa.

One part of mercury, two parts of sulphur, three parts of camphor, four parts of shilajatu, five parts of ushira, six parts of maricha, and seven parts of sugar are to be rubbed together, and: made into pills, three raktis in weight, each, to be taken with a few drops of clarified butter—cold water procured on the day before is to be drunk after taking this medicine.

Mahasa-gara rasa.

Equal quantities of copper, tin, mercury, and copper-sulphate are to be rubbed together and subjected to bhavana with the juice of the hanging shoots of banian tree. Dose, three raktis, each. Four tolas of the decoction of the barks of mango and jambu, mixed with a few drops of honey, are to be drunk after taking this medicine. A little of powdered pippali, mixed with honey, is also to be licked, after lying down upon a cool bed. This medicine cures thirst (trishna).

Kumudeshvara rasa.

Two parts of copper, and one part of tin are to be rubbed together and subjected to bhavana with the decoction of jastimadhu. This medicine cures vomiting and thirst (trishna), if taken in doses of three raktis, each, with the accompaniment given below. One fifth tola, each, of white sandal, shariba, musta, small ela, nagakeshara, and one tola of fried paddy, devoid of husks, are to be boiled, as usual, with thirty two tolas of water which is to be reduced thus to sixteen tolas. This decoction is to be cooled and mixed with a little of sugar and honey.

Diet and deeds salutary in thirst:—

Suitable medicines, baths, steeping, suitable drugs for gargling and wetting the mouth, burning the two nerves in the lower part of the tongue by means of a piece of turmeric burnt by the wicker of a small lamp lighted with vegetable oil; kodrava and shali rice, peya (rice boiled with fourteen times its weight of water and turned semi-solid), bilepi (rice boiled with four times its weight of water and almost devoid of watery portion), fried paddy divested of husks and then reduced to powder, paste prepared from boiled rice, game fowl, sugar, raga, sharaba (see page 117), soup of fried mudga, masura, or chanaka grams, banana flower, powdered sesamum prepared with sugar or molasses, grapes, leaves of parpata, kapittha, kola, tamarind, kusmanda, upodika (pudina, in Bengal), dates, pomegranates, amalaki, karkati, lemon fruit, lime fruit, karamarda, matulunga, cow’s milk, flower of madhuka, balaka, bitters, sweets, water contained in a tender palm fruit, cold water, cocoanut water, sugar or molasses dissolved with water, honey, cold water of tanks, shatapuspi, nagakeshara, ela, jatiphala, haritaki, dhanya, borax, camphor, sandal paste dissolved with water, moon's rays, cold air, embrace with dear wife smeared with sandal paste, wearing of gems and ornaments, and cold unguents.

Diet and deeds injurious in thirst:—

Drinking or eating of fatty articles, application of collyrium in the eyes, fomentation, smoking, physical exercise, use of snuff, exposure to sun’s rays, cleansing the teeth with sticks, heavy food, sours, saline food, astringents, pungents, sexual intercourse, impure water, and food acrid in taste.