Atharvaveda and Charaka Samhita
by Laxmi Maji | 2021 | 143,541 words
This page relates ‘Gynaecology and Pediatrics in the Atharvaveda’ 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.
Gynaecology and Pediatrics in the Atharvaveda
Bacā medicine is mentioned in the Atharva-Pariśiṣṭa. It cures many diseases in children such as-stomach swelling, indigestion etc. If Bacā is chewed by children teeth come out quickly. Putting Bacā in the crushed mouth stops the cough.
Gynaecology is mentioned in the Atharvaveda. To relieve gynaecological diseases, Atharvaveda mentions medicines like Apāmārga i.e., Ciraciṭā, Laṭajīrā, Ciṃcīḍā etc.[1] According to Western scholars, these drugs are used for menstruation or menorrhagia. In the Maitrāyaṇī Saṃhitā, there is a reference to Upavāka. According to Western scholars, this medicine is used to strengthen the vagina after delivery. Also, in the Atharvaveda, there is a reference to Udumvara, Plakṣa. Plakṣa or Pākara tree is a killer of diseases like vaginal diseases, vaginitis, inflammation, acne and anaemia. In the Atharvaveda, there is a reference to Baja i.e., white mustard. White and black mustard protect the womb, contracts the womb and kills the worms of the womb. There are provisions to prevent both pregnancies. Vaginal diseases are mentioned in the Atharvaveda. Vetasa, Banyan tree and Śāla are used to cure vaginal diseases[2].
The Atharvaveda mentions vaginal-worms and contraceptive worms. To cure this disease of Atharvaveda, there is a tendency to apply herbs like Brahmavṛkṣa, Gūlara, Agni, Citraka, Pṛśniparṇī, Aśvattha, and Nyagrodha, etc.[3] Māṣaparṇī or Pṛśniparṇī is called Abortion-worms Prevention Medicine. According to Keśava in Kauśika Sūtra, the above medicine is a valuable medicine for women who suffer from miscarriage[4].
In the Atharvaveda speaks of the following medicines for the establishment of the womb e.g.-Uttānaparṇā or Pāṭhā, Nībibhārya, Pṛśniparṇī, Saṃskandha etc. According to Kauśika Sūtra, speaks of the application of Kuṣṭha medicine to stabilize the womb. The Atharva Veda mentions the use of Śigru, Srekaparṇa, etc., for abortion. Bamboo leaves are said to be used medicinally to correct menstruation or menstruation[5]. The Ṛgveda speaks of the application of the Śālmali tree. The Atharvaveda speaks of the application of Parṇamaṇi, Palāśa or Ḍhāka tree in cases of Rakta-pradara.
In the Atharvaveda, a complete sūkta describes a woman so that she can give birth to a child happily[6]. The child should be born in the tenth month[7]. It is believed that the womb is the abode of gods. Therefore, care must be taken for the safety of the womb. The Atharvaveda describes the duties of a midwife. The Atharvaveda mentions the application of Baja and Piṅga medicines to cure obstetric diseases[8]. The Atharvaveda mentions Daśabṛkṣa or Daśamūla medicines to cure arthritis. It cleans the stomach and eliminates obstetric diseases. In the Atharvaveda, Apāmārga has been called quality medicine. The root of the apāmārga is used to cure the child from Stambhana disease. Algae mentioned in the Atharvaveda is also used as a medicine for uterine distortion.
The Atharvaveda provides information about medical procedures of Mūḍhagarbha[9]. Childlessness is called infertility. Atharvaveda mentions the disease of infertility[10]. According to the Atharvaveda, if the root of the apāmārga is crushed and drunk with the milk of one-coloured cow, the womb becomes stable and a long-lived child is produced. Besides, there is a reference to Ṛṣabhaka medicine in Atharvaveda. Infertility can be cured by crushing the Ṛṣabhaka medicine mixed and then drink it with rainwater. Rainwater has been called the means of gaining a son[11]. In the Atharvaveda, if there is a Pippalī tree on top of the Śamī tree and if you eat the leaves of that Pippalī tree, you will have a son[12]. Lākṣā medicine also provides fertility to the young lady and newlyweds. In the Atharvaveda, it is said to hold a Śatavāra Maṇi and Audumbara Maṇi is required for having a son. The Śvetapuṣpā Kaṇṭakārī is called Lakṣmaṇā medicine. There is a provision for the consumption of Śvetapuṣpā Kaṇṭakārī for the benefit of the son.
Pippalī medicine is mentioned in the Atharvaveda. This medicine is crushed with stones and its paste is applied on the breasts to produce excessive milk. Also, Arundhatī medicine is applied to increase milk. In the Atharvaveda, for increasing the milk of animals, provision has been made to hold Audumbara Maṇi. The Atharvaveda also mentions the roots of Bisa i.e., lotus tuber and root of lotus, which increase milk production and destroy haemoptysis[13].
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
[2]:
[3]:
brahmaṇāgniḥ saṃvidāno rakṣohā bādhatāmitaḥ |
amīvā yaste garbhaṃ durṇāmā yonimāśaye ||
yaste garbhamamīvā durṇāmā yonimāśaye |
agniṣṭaṃ brahmaṇā saha niṣkavyādamanīnaśat ||
yaste hanti patayantaṃ niṣatsnuṃ yaḥ sarīsṛpam |
jātaṃ yaste jighāṃsati tamito nāśayāmasi ||
yaste ūrū viharatyantarā dampatī śaye |
yoniṃ yo antarārelhi tamito nāśayāmasi ||
yastvā bhrātā patirbhūtvā jāro bhūtvā nipadyate |
prajāṃ yaste jighāṃsati tamito nāśayāmasi ||
yastvā svapnena tamasā mohayitvā nipadyate |
prajāṃ yaste jighāṃsati tamito nāśayāmasi || (AV. –XX.96.11-16); Veda Atharvaveda Saṃhitā, trans. Dilip Mukhopadhyaya, Kolkata, Aksaya Library, 2017, pp. 1151-1152.
[4]:
[5]:
kṣetramiva vi mamustejanenaṃ ekaṃ pātramṛbhavo jehamānam |
upastutā upamaṃ nādhamānā amartyeṣu śrava icchāmānāḥ || (ṚV. -I/110/5); Acharya Vedanta Tirtha (ed.), Ṛgveda–Vol. 1, Delhi, Manoj Publication, 2012, p. 121.
[6]:
vaṣaṭ te pūṣannasmintsūtāvaryamā hotā kṛṇotu vedhāḥ |
sisratāṃ nāryṛtaprajātā vi parvāṇi jihatāṃ sūtavā u ||
catasro divaḥ pradiśaścatasro bhūmyā uta |
devā garbhaṃ samairayan taṃ vyūrṇuvantu sūtave ||
sūṣā vyūrṇotu vi yoniṃ hāpayāmasi |
śrathayā sūṣaṇe tvamava tvaṃ biṣkale sṛja ||
neva māṃse na pīvasi neva majjasvāhatam |
avaitu pṛśni śevalaṃ śune jarāyvattave'va jarāyu padyatām ||
vi te bhinadmi mehanaṃ vi yoni vi gavīnike |
vi mātaraṃ ca putraṃ ca vi kumāraṃ jarāyuṇāva jarāyu padyatām ||
yathā vāto yathā mano yathā patanti pakṣiṇaḥ |
evā tvaṃ daśamāsya sākaṃ jarāyuṇā patāva jarāyu padyatām || (AV. –I.11.1- 6); Veda Atharvaveda Saṃhitā, trans. Dilip Mukhopadhyaya, Kolkata, Aksaya Library, 2017, pp. 106- 112.
[7]:
yathā vāto yathā mano yathā patanti pakṣiṇaḥ |
evā tvaṃ daśamāsya sākaṃ jarāyuṇā patāva jarāyu padyatām || (AV. –I/11/6); Acarya Vedanta Tirtha (ed.), Atharvaveda–Vol.1, Delhi, Manoj Publication, 2012, p. 42.
[8]:
anujighraṃ pramṛśantaṃ kravyādamuta reriham |
arāyāñchvakiṣkiṇo bajaḥ piṅgo anīnaśat || (AV. –VIII/6/6); K. L. Joshi (ed.), Atharvaveda Saṃhitā–Vol. II, Delhi, Parimal Publication, 2015, p. 173.
[9]:
vi te bhinadmi mehanaṃ vi yoniṃ vi gavīnike |
vi mātaraṃ ca putraṃ ca vi kumāraṃ jarāyuṇāva jarāyu padyatām || (AV. –I/11/5); Atharva-Veda-Saṃhitā along with Sāyaṇabhāṣya–Vol.–1, Ramswaroop Sharma Gaud (ed.), Varanasi, Chowkhamba Vidyabhawan, 2011, p. 228.
[10]:
kṣudhāmāraṃ tṛṣṇāmāramagotāmanapatyatām |
apāmārga tvayā vayaṃ sarvaṃ tadapa mṛjmahe || (AV. –IV/17/6); Veda Atharvaveda Saṃhitā, trans. Dilip Mukhopadhyaya, Kolkata, Aksaya Library, 2017, p. 334.
[11]:
[12]:
śamīmaśvattha ārūḍhastatra puṃsuvanaṃ kṛtam |
tad vai putrasya vedanaṃ tat strīṣvā bharāmasi || (AV. –VI/11/1); K. L. Joshi (ed.), Atharvaveda Saṃhitā–Vol. I, Delhi, Parimal Publication, 2015, p. 480.
[13]:
eṣa yajñānāṃ vitato vahiṣṭho viṣṭāriṇaṃ paktvā divamā viveśa |
āṇḍīkaṃ kumudaṃ saṃ tanoti bisaṃ śālūkaṃ śaphakomulālī |
etāstvā dhārā upa yantu sarvāḥ svarge lokemadhumat pinvamānā upa tvā tiṣṭhantu puṣkariṇīḥ samantāḥ || (AV. –IV.34.5); Veda Atharvaveda Saṃhitā, trans. Dilip Mukhopadhyaya, Kolkata, Aksaya Library, 2017, p. 357.