Atharvaveda and Charaka Samhita
by Laxmi Maji | 2021 | 143,541 words
This page relates ‘Treatment of Shotha disease’ 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 Śotha disease
Atharvaveda Examines the Śotha disease. Sores and Pain etc., are called Śotha. For the Remedy of Śotha Atharvaveda endorses the following medicines—Puṣkara, Puṣkaramūla, Plakṣa, Nyagrodha, Vaṃśa, and Varaṇa Trees, etc.[1] The Ṛgveda proclaims Śigru tree as the cure for Śotha[2] and for the medical rehabilitation of Pakṣaghāta, the Kauśika Sūtra rubricates VI.80[3]. The practice recommended is as follows: The paralysed part of the body is rubbed with earth taken from the foot-print of a dog while keeping the part in a quick motion. Then the part is fumigated by burning an insect taken from the dog. The hymn is to be recited while the whole performance is carried out.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
[2]:
parṇo vo vasatiṣkṛtā | (ṚV. -X/97/5); Acharya Vedanta Tirtha (ed.), Rigveda–Vol. 4, Delhi, Manoj Publication, 2012, p. 435.