Atharvaveda and Charaka Samhita
by Laxmi Maji | 2021 | 143,541 words
This page relates ‘5a. Worm infestation (Krimi) 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.
5a. Worm infestation (Kṛmi) in the Atharvaveda
All living organisms including plants and mammals can be infected by diseases caused by parasites. The parasitic diseases are caused by–amoebiasis, ascariasis, babesiosis, Chagas disease, clonorchiasis, cryptosporidiosis, diphyllobothriasis, dracunculiasis, echinococcosis, elephantiasis, enterobiasis, fascioliasis, fasciolopsiasis, filariasis, giardiasis, gnathostomiasis, hymenolepiasis, isosporiasis, Katayama fever, leishmaniasis, Lyme disease, malaria, metagonimiasis, myiasis, onchocerciasis, pediculosis, scabies, schistosomiasis, sleeping sickness, strongyloidiasis, taeniasis, toxocariasis, toxoplasmosis, trichinosis and trichuriasis. The scientist identified parasites such as Ascaris lumbricoides, Balantidium coli, Cestoda, Entamoeba histolytica, Fasciola hepatica, Giardia lamblia, Hookworm, Leishmania, Liver fluke, Loa-loa, Pinworm, Plasmodium falciparum, Schistosoma, Strongyloides stercoralis, Tapeworm, Toxoplasma gondii, Trypanosoma, Whipworm and Wuchereria bancrofti[1].
In the Vedas, pathogens are called Worms. There are two types worms namely Dṛṣṭa and Adṛṣṭa[2]. Worms can be anywhere anybody. Such as intestine, head, back etc.[3] In Atharvaveda, various types of worm disease enter the body along with food items. The bacteria of this disease enter the body with milk, curd, raw and cooked food, agricultural food, and water etc.[4] The worm enters into the body due to some causes of intercourse contact[5]. Such diseases have been called Jāyānya or Jāyenya[6]. The symptoms of worm infestation as described in Mādhava Nidāna are fever discolouration of body, pain heartache, depression vertigo, disliking of food and diarrhoea[7].
In Atharvaveda, there are provisions of three specific charms to cast spells against worm related diseases. The first two charms are generally used for adult patients but the third one is specifically applied against worms in children.
In the Sūkta of II.31, it is described that the great mill-stone belongs to Lord Indra and it is the crusher of every worm to be crushed together as Khalva-grains with mill-stone[8]. In the next hymn, it is said that all the seen and unseen worms have been bruised and the algaṇḍūs, the śalunas, the worms are ground up with the spell[9]. The crusher is like a great deadly weapon with which the worms are hit hard and if any of them are left would be destroyed with the spell[10]. The next hymn said that the worm residing in the ribs and other worms are destroyed with the spell[11]. The following hymn says that the worms living in the mountains, in the woods, in the herbs, in the cattle, in the water and our body should be crushed hard[12].
In the first hymn in the Sūkta 32 of II, pray the Sun or Āditya to smite upon the worms while rising and destroy the worms with its rays the worms that are within the cow[13]. In the next hymn the worms of many forms i.e., four-eyed, the variegated the whitish should be crushed thoroughly[14]. The worms would be slain like Kaṇva, like Jamadagni and of Agastya[15]. The king of all worms, the chief of all worms, the mother of all worms, the brother and sister of all worms are crushed to death[16]. All the neighbours or veśas, and the further neighbours of all worms are destroyed completely[17]. In the concluding hymn, spells are cast to crush up the two horns of the worms with which it attacks and split its receptacle which is its poison holder[18].
In the Sūkta of V.23, the heaven is prayed to work in the body on the earth in the divine Sarasvatī and both in Indra and Agni to grind up the worm[19]. In the hymn lord Indra is prayed and requested to destroy all kinds of worms in the boy with the help of the formidable spell[20]. The worm that creeps about his eyes, in his nostrils and to the midst of teeth they grind up[21]. The different forms of worms like black, red, brown, browneared, the vulture and the cuckoo are crushed. The worm was white and black and irrespective of all forms-are grind up[22]. The Sun is the slayer of all seen and unseen worms slaughtering all worms. The worms including yevāṣās, the kaṣkaṣās, the stirrers etc., are crushed. The yevāṣa are ground and smashed like Khalva-grains in a millstone. The three-headed, the tree humped, the variegated the whitish worms crushed the ribs of it. The worms like Kaṇva, Jamadagni, and Agastya are mashed together. The king of the worms and the prime of them have been Slaughtered along with its mother, brother and sister. All the neighbours of the worm are slaughtered. The head of the worms and the female worms are smashed and their mouths are burned with fire[23].
By reciting the II.31 with the oblation of Khalvaṅga, algaṇḍū and Hanana mixed with ghee is offered. The young worms are stuck around a dark-spotted arrow from the right to the left roasting in fire using worms as fire woodturning face to the south, dust is thrown and spilt all over the patient body with the help of the left hand. According to will in case of the worms in children recitation of V.23 with using Karīra instead of the rite of the arrow[24]. The performer then places the child on the lap of his mother facing the west of the five, heating the lease of a pestle with batter. The child is then applied with a mixture of Śigruparṇa and butter. The dried roots of Uśīra burned while reciting. Thus, the child is purified with Twenty-one Uśīra roots[25].
In four kāṇḍa of sūkta thirty-seven of the first hymn, a specific plant or herb is invoked and praised by saying that it is the herb with which the Atharvans and also Kāśyapa, Kaṇva and Agastya had slain the demons. Here demons refer to diseases[26]. In another hymn, the specific plant is praised by saying that with this plant Apsaras and Gandharvas and demons are expelled. Here the plant is addressed as 'Goat horned one'[27]. In the next hymn, Apsaras are identified and expelled with the help of the herbs like Gulgulu, Pīlā, Naladī, Aukṣagandhi, and Pramandanī[28]. This hymn is addressed to the Apsaras stating that their presence has been recognized with the help of great trees with crests like Aśvattha, Nyagrodha[29]. The next hymn also addresses the Apsaras in the similar fashions by the station that their presence has been identified with their green and whitish swings and with the sound of cymbals and lutes[30].
In the next hymn Arāṭakī, the goat horned, the sharp horned, the mighty herb is praised to have expelled disease[31]. In the next hymn the crested dancing Gandharva, the lord of the Apsarā whose testicles are split and penis is bound[32]. In another hymn, Indra is described to have destroyed the oblation-eating, Avakā-eating Gandharvas with his missiles, countless arrows made of iron[33]. The next hymn also describes how Indra destroys the oblation eating, Avakā eating Gandharvas with the help of his golden arrows[34]. In the next hymn, the same herb is praised for destroying the Avakā eating being, the Piśācas[35]. This hymn Gandharva assumes the shape of a dog, ape and handsome young men cure the women and seduce them then these Gandharvas are expelled with the herb[36]. In the next hymn, the mortal ones like wives and husbands are requested to run away[37].
Finally, it can be said that in the Atharvaveda, Agni has been told to destroy the disease and worm and it is said to be an excellent doctor[38]. In the Atharvaveda, it is said to be an exterminator of the Sun[39]. The rays of the Sun destroy the worms in the same way, as the stones are crushed[40]. Yajña Samidhā has been called deworming[41]. Yajña has been called the best remedy for deworming. In the Atharvaveda, Bacā medicine is called anthelmintic[42]. Bacā is another name for Ūgragandhā[43]. According to Atharvaveda, four sages namely Atri, Kaṇva, Jamadagni and Agastya rules destroy worms. They discovered some herbs that quickly destroyed vermin. In the Atharvaveda Anjana Maṇi, Jaṅgiḍa Maṇi, Pratisara Maṇi and Śatavāra Maṇi have been described as an insecticide. In the Atharvaveda, these drugs have been called vermin destroyers such as Karīra, Kuṣṭha, Gulgulu, Tārṣṭāgha, Śamī, Sarṣapa, Pṛśniparṇi[44]. Its root and branch are anthelmintic. In Atharvaveda, the following medicines are deworming such as Gulgulu, Pīlā, Naladī, Aukṣagandhi, Pramandanī[45]. Ajaśṛṅgī is called deworming[46]. The Meṣaśṛṅgī is called Ajaśṛṅgī. The fruits of this tree are deworming and detoxifying. Upavāka or Upavākā medicine is mentioned in Maitrāyaṇī Saṃhitā etc.[47] it is best medicine for stomach worms.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Mādhava-Nidāna of Mādhavakara with the Commentary Madhukoṣa by Vijayarakṣita & Śrīkaṇṭhadatta, Brahmanand Tripathi(ed.), trans. Kanjiv Lochan, Varanasi, Chaukhamba Surbharati Prakashan, 2018, p. 229.
[2]:
[3]:
anvāntryaṃ śīrṣarṇyematho pārṣṭeyaṃ krimīn | (AV. -II/31/4); Veda Atharvaveda Saṃhitā, trans. Dilip Mukhopadhyaya, Kolkata, Aksaya Library, 2017, p. 258.
[4]:
AV. -V/29/1-15; Atharva-Veda-Saṃhitā along with Sāyaṇabhāṣya–Vol. -3, Ramswaroop Sharma Gaud (ed.), Varanasi, Chowkhamba Vidyabhawan, 2011, pp. 170-178.
[5]:
[6]:
[7]:
jvaro vivarṇatā śūlaṃ hṛdrogaḥ sadanaṃ bhramaḥ |
bhaktadveṣo'tisāraśca sañjātakrimilakṣaṇam || (Mā. Ni. –7/5); Mādhava-Nidāna of Mādhavakara with the Commentary Madhukoṣa by Vijayarakṣita & Śrīkaṇṭhadatta, Brahmanand Tripathi(ed.), trans. Kanjiv Lochan, Varanasi, Chaukhamba Surbharati Prakashan, 2018, p. 231.
[8]:
indrasya yā mahī dṛṣat krimerviśvasya tarhaṇī |
tayā pinaṣmi saṃ krimīn dṛṣadā khalvāṃ iva || (AV. –II.31.1);K. L. Joshi (ed.), Atharvaveda Saṃhitā -Vol. I, Delhi, Parimal Publication, 2015, p. 125.
[9]:
dṛṣṭamadṛṣṭamatṛhamatho kurūrumatṛham |
algaṇḍūntsarvāñchalunān krimīn vacasā jambhayāmasi || (AV. –II.31.2);Atharva-Veda-Saṃhitā along with Sāyaṇabhāṣya–Vol. -1, Ramswaroop Sharma Gaud (ed.), Varanasi, Chowkhamba Vidyabhawan, 2011, p. 630.
[10]:
algaṇḍū n hanmi mahatā vadhena dū nā adū nā arasā abhūvan |
śiṣṭānaśiṣṭān ni tirāmi vācā yathā krimīṇāṃ nakirucchiṣātai || (AV. –II.31.3);Veda Atharvaveda Saṃhitā, trans. Dilip Mukhopadhyaya, Kolkata, Aksaya Library, 2017, p. 258.
[11]:
anvāntryaṃ śīrṣarṇye'matho pāṣṭa?[?]yaṃ krimīn |
avaskavaṃ vyadhvaraṃ krimīn vacasā jambhayāmasi || (AV. –II.31.4);K. L. Joshi (ed.), Atharvaveda Saṃhitā–Vol. I, Delhi, Parimal Publication, 2015, p. 126.
[12]:
ye krimayaḥ parvateṣu vaneṣvoṣadhīṣu paśuṣvapsva'nta |
ye asmākaṃ tanvamāviviśuḥ sarvaṃ taddhanmi janima krimīṇām || (AV. –II.31.5); Atharva-Veda-Saṃhitā along with Sāyaṇabhāṣya–Vol. -1, Ramswaroop Sharma Gaud (ed.), Varanasi, Chowkhamba Vidyabhawan, 2011, p. 633.
[13]:
[14]:
viśvarūpaṃ caturakṣaṃ krimi sāraṅgamarjunam |
śṛṇāmyasya pṛṣṭīrapi vṛścāmi yacchiraḥ || (AV. –II.32.2);K. L. Joshi (ed.), Atharvaveda Saṃhitā–Vol. I, Delhi, Parimal Publication, 2015, p. 127.
[15]:
atrivad vaḥ krimayo hanmi kaṇvavajjamadagnivat |
agastyasya brahmaṇā saṃ pinaṣmyahaṃ krimīn || (AV. –II.32.3);Atharva-Veda-Saṃhitā along with Sāyaṇabhāṣya–Vol. -1, Ramswaroop Sharma Gaud (ed.), Varanasi, Chowkhamba Vidyabhawan, 2011, p. 636.
[16]:
hato rājā krimīṇāmutaiṣāṃ sthapatirhataḥ |
hato hatamātā krimirhatabhrātā hatasvasā || (AV. –II.32.4);Veda Atharvaveda Saṃhitā, trans. Dilip Mukhopadhyaya, Kolkata, Aksaya Library, 2017, p. 259.
[17]:
hatāso asya veśaso hatāsaḥ pariveśasaḥ |
atho ye kṣullakā iva sarve te krimayo hatāḥ || (AV. –II.32.5);K. L. Joshi (ed.), Atharvaveda Saṃhitā–Vol. I, Delhi, Parimal Publication, 2015, p. 128.
[18]:
pra te śṛṇāmi śṛṅge yābhyāṃ vitudāyasi |
bhinadmi te kuṣumbhaṃ yaste viṣadhānaḥ || (AV. –II.32.6);Atharva-Veda-Saṃhitā along with Sāyaṇabhāṣya–Vol. -1, Ramswaroop Sharma Gaud (ed.), Varanasi, Chowkhamba Vidyabhawan, 2011, p. 638.
[19]:
ote me dyāvāpṛthivī otā devī sarasvatī |
otau ma indraścāgniśca krimiṃ jambhayatāmiti || (AV. –V.23.1);Veda Atharvaveda Saṃhitā, trans. Dilip Mukhopadhyaya, Kolkata, Aksaya Library, 2017, p. 398.
[20]:
asyendra kumārasya krimīn dhanapate jahi |
hatā viśvā arātaya ugreṇa vacasā mama || (AV. –V.23.2);K. L. Joshi (ed.), Atharvaveda Saṃhitā–Vol. I, Delhi, Parimal Publication, 2015, p. 434.
[21]:
yo akṣyau parisarpati yo nāse parisarpati |
datāṃ yo madhyaṃ gacchati taṃ krimiṃ jambhayāmasi || (AV. –V.23.3);Atharva-Veda-Saṃhitā along with Sāyaṇabhāṣya–Vol. -3, Ramswaroop Sharma Gaud (ed.), Varanasi, Chowkhamba Vidyabhawan, 2011, p. 137.
[22]:
sarūpau dvau virūpau dvau kṛ ṣṇau dvau rohitau dvau |
babhuśca babhrukarṇaśca gṛdhraḥ kokaśca te hatāḥ || (AV. –V.23.4);Veda Atharvaveda Saṃhitā, trans. Dilip Mukhopadhyaya, Kolkata, Aksaya Library, 2017, p. 399.
[23]:
AV. –V.23.5-13; K. L. Joshi (ed.), Atharvaveda Saṃhitā–Vol. I, Delhi, Parimal Publication, 2015, pp. 434-436.
[24]:
indrasya yā mahatī khalvaṅgānalāṇḍū n hananān ghṛtamiśrāñjuhoti | bālānkalmāṣe kāṇḍe savyaṃ pariveṣṭya saṃbhinatti | pratayati | ādadhāti | savyena dakṣiṇāmukhaḥ pāṃsūnupamathya pari kirati | saṃmṛdvāti | ādadhāti | ote ma iti karīramūlaṃ kāṇḍenaikadeśam | grāmātpāṃsūn | paścādagnermāturupasthe musalavudhnena navanītānvaktena triḥ pratīhāraṃ tāluni tāpayati | śigrubhirnavanītamiśraiḥ pradegdhi | ekaviṃśatimuśirāṇi bhinajhīti mantroktam | uśīrāṇi prayacchati | ekaviṃśatya sahāplāvayati || (Kau. Sūtra, -27.14-20; 29.20-26); Atharvavedīya–Kauśika Gṛhyasūtraṃ (Dārilakeśavayosaṃkṣiptaṭīkaya sahitaṃ), trans. Udayanarayana Sinha, Varanasi, Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series office, 2009, pp. 64-71.
[25]:
Dr. V. W. Karambelkar, The Atharva-Veda and The Āyur-Veda, Varanasi, Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series Office, 2003, pp. 153-154.
[26]:
tvayā pūrvamatharvāṇo jaghnū rakṣāṃsyoṣadhe |
tvayā jaghāna kaśyapastvayā kaṇvo agastyaḥ || (AV. –IV.37.1); K. L. Joshi (ed.), Atharvaveda Saṃhitā–Vol. I, Delhi, Parimal Publication, 2015, p. 348.
[27]:
tvayā vayamapsaraso gandharvāṃścātayāmahe |
ajaśṛṅ gyaja rakṣaḥ sarvān gandhena nāśaya || (AV. –IV.37.2); Atharva-Veda-Saṃhitā along with Sāyaṇabhāṣya–Vol. -2, Ramswaroop Sharma Gaud (ed.), Varanasi, Chowkhamba Vidyabhawan, 2011, p. 587.
[28]:
nadīṃ yantvapsaraso'pāṃ tāramavaścasam |
gulgulūḥ pīlā naladyaukṣagandhiḥ pramandanī |
tat paretāpsarasaḥ pratibuddhā abhūtana || (AV. –IV.37.3); Veda Atharvaveda Saṃhitā, trans. Dilip Mukhopadhyaya, Kolkata, Aksaya Library, 2017, p. 362.
[29]:
yatrāścatthā nyagrodhā mahāvṛkṣāḥ śikhaṇḍinaḥ |
tat paretāpsarasaḥ pratibuddhā abhūtana || (AV. –IV.37.4); K. L. Joshi (ed.), Atharvaveda Saṃhitā–Vol. I, Delhi, Parimal Publication, 2015, p. 350.
[30]:
[31]:
eyamagannoṣadhīnāṃ vīrudhāṃ vīryāvatī |
ajaśṛṅ gyarāṭakītīkṣṇaśṛṅgīvyṛṣatu || (AV. –IV.37.6); Veda Atharvaveda Saṃhitā, trans. Dilip Mukhopadhyaya, Kolkata, Aksaya Library, 2017, p. 362.
[32]:
ānṛtyataḥ śikhaṇḍino gandharvasyāpsarāpateḥ |
bhinadmi muṣkāvapi yāmi śepaḥ || (AV. –IV.37.7); K. L. Joshi (ed.), Atharvaveda Saṃhitā–Vol. I, Delhi, Parimal Publication, 2015, p. 351.
[33]:
bhīmā indrasya hetayaḥ śatamṛṣṭīrayasmayīḥ |
tābhirhaviradān gandharvānavakādān vyṛṣatu || (AV. –IV.37.8); Atharva-Veda-Saṃhitā along with Sāyaṇabhāṣya–Vol. -2, Ramswaroop Sharma Gaud (ed.), Varanasi, Chowkhamba Vidyabhawan, 2011, p. 602.
[34]:
bhīmā indrasya hetayaḥ śatamṛṣṭīrhiraṇyayīḥ |
tābhirhaviradān gandharvānavakādān vyṛṣatu || (AV. –IV.37.9); Veda Atharvaveda Saṃhitā, trans. Dilip Mukhopadhyaya, Kolkata, Aksaya Library, 2017, p. 362.
[35]:
avakādānabhiśocānapsu jyotaya māmakān |
piśācān sarvānoṣadhe pra mṛṇīhi sahasva ca || (AV. –IV.37.10); K. L. Joshi (ed.), Atharvaveda Saṃhitā–Vol. I, Delhi, Parimal Publication, 2015, p. 352.
[36]:
śvevaikaḥ kapirivaikaḥ kumāraḥ sarvake śakaḥ | priyo dṛśa iva bhūtvā gandharvaḥ sacate striyastamito nāśayāmasi brahmaṇā vīryāvatā || (AV. –IV.37.11); Atharva- Veda-Saṃhitā along with Sāyaṇabhāṣya–Vol. -2, Ramswaroop Sharma Gaud (ed.), Varanasi, Chowkhamba Vidyabhawan, 2011, p. 604.
[37]:
jāyā id vo apsaraso gandharvāḥ patayo yūyam |
apa dhāvatāmartyā martyān mā sacadhvam || (AV. –IV.37.12); Acarya Vedanta Tirtha (ed.), Atharvaveda–Vol. 1, Delhi, Manoj Publication, 2012, p. 362.
[38]:
[39]:
ut purastāt sūrya eti viśvadṛṣṭo adṛṣṭahā |
dṛṣṭāṃśca ghnannadṛṣṭāṃśca savādṛśca pramṛṇan krimīn || (AV. –V.23.6); Veda Atharvaveda Saṃhitā, trans. Dilip Mukhopadhyaya, Kolkata, Aksaya Library, 2017, p. 399.
[40]:
udyannādityaḥ krimīn hantu nimrocan hantu raśmibhiḥ | (AV. –II.32.1); Atharva-Veda-Saṃhitā along with Sāyaṇabhāṣya–Vol. -3, Ramswaroop Sharma Gaud (ed.), Varanasi, Chowkhamba Vidyabhawan, 2011, p. 635.
[41]:
etāste agne samidhaḥ piśācajambhanīḥ | (AV. –V.29.14); K. L. Joshi (ed.), Atharvaveda Saṃhitā–Vol. I, Delhi, Parimal Publication, 2015, p. 459.
[42]:
krimīn vacasā jambhayāmasi || ______(AV. –II.31.2); Atharva-Veda-Saṃhitā along with Sāyaṇabhāṣya–Vol.–1, Ramswaroop Sharma Gaud (ed.), Varanasi, Chowkhamba Vidyabhawan, 2011, p. 630.
[43]:
vacogragandhā ṣaḍgranthā golomī śataparvvikā |
kṣudrapatrī ca........... Bhāva–Harītakyādivarga -1/98-100) Bhāvaprakāśa by Bhāvamiśra Vol. I, trans. Kalishachandra Sengupta, Vaidyacarya Kalikinkara Senasharma & Ayurvedacharya Satya Shekhara Bhattyacharya (eds.), Kolkata, Deepayan, 2000, p. 179.
[44]:
garbhādaṃ kaṇvaṃ nāśaya pṛśniparṇi sahasva ca | (AV. –II.25.3); K. L. Joshi (ed.), Atharvaveda Saṃhitā–Vol. I, Delhi, Parimal Publication, 2015, p. 111.
[45]:
gulgulūḥ pīlā naladyaukṣagandhiḥ pramandanī | (AV. –IV.37.3); Atharva-Veda-Saṃhitā along with Sāyaṇabhāṣya–Vol.–2, Ramswaroop Sharma Gaud (ed.), Varanasi, Chowkhamba Vidyabhawan, 2011, p. 558.
[46]:
ajaśṛṅ gyaja rakṣaḥ sarvān gandhena nāśaya || (AV. –IV.37.2); K. L. Joshi (ed.), Atharvaveda Saṃhitā–Vol. I, Delhi, Parimal Publication, 2015, p. 349.
[47]:
badarairupavākābhirbheṣajam | Maitrā. S.–3.11.2.