Atharvaveda and Charaka Samhita
by Laxmi Maji | 2021 | 143,541 words
This page relates ‘Treatment of Upadamsha (syphilis)’ 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.
Treatment of Upadaṃśa (syphilis)
Upadaṃśa or Syphilis is a terrifying disease. It gives rise to an insatiable desire for sex. In Aṣṭāṅga Hṛdaya, the following reasons have been described for Upadaṃśa roga—non-consensual sex with women, copulation with animals etc.[1] In Atharvaveda, the following medicines have been prescribed as a treatment for this disease -Arka, Pītudāru, devadāru, Maṇḍūkī or Maṇḍūkaparṇī, soma, Srekaparṇa, Guggulu etc.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
strīvyavāyanivṛttasya sahasā bhajato'thavā |
doṣādhyuṣitasaṅkīrṇamalināṇujaḥpathām ||
anyayonimanicchantīmagamyāṃ navasūtikām |
dūṣitaṃ spṛśatastoyaṃ ratānteṣvapi naiva vā ||
vivardhayiṣayā tīkṣṇān pralepādīn prayacchataḥ |
muṣṭidantanakhotpīḍāviṣavacchū kapātanaiḥ ||
veganigrahadīrghātikharasparśavighaṭṭanaiḥ |
doṣā duṣṭā gatā guhyaṃ trayoviṃśatimāmayān ||
janayantyupaṃdaśādīn upadaṃśo'tra pañcadhā |
pṛthagdoṣaiḥ sarudhiraiḥ samastaiśca atra mārutāt || (Aṣṭā. H. –Uttarasthāna- 33/1-5); Aṣṭāṅga Hṛdayaṃ of Vāgbhaṭṭa Vol. III, trans. K. R. Srikantha Murthy, Varanasi, Chaukhambha Krishnadas Academy, 2018, pp. 305-306.