Metrical Texts

Of the purgative roots, the roots of reddish Trivrita should be deemed the most effective. The barks of Tilvaka and the fruit known as Haritaki are the most potent of all purgative barks and fruits. Similarly, the oil of castor seeds (Eranda-Taila), the expressed juice of Karavellika and the milky exudations of Sudha plant are the most effective of all such purgative oils, expressed juices and milky exudations of plants, etc. These drugs or substances form the principal purgative remedies (in our pharmacy), and we shall discuss the mode of their administration in successive order.

A purgative remedy consisting of the sound and matured roots of Trivritam, soaked in the expressed juice of the principal purgative drugs and subsequently pulverised and mixed with a considerable quantity of Saindhava salt and powdered Nagara, should be administered through the medium of curd or sour rice gruel, etc. to a patient, suffering from a disease due to the derangement of the bodily Vayu.

The same powder mixed with modifications of sugarcane juice (such as treacle, sugar etc.), 01 with decoctions of drugs belonging to the Madhuradi group (Kakolyadi-gana), or with milk, should be prescribed for a patient laid up with Pittaja distemper. ' In diseases due to the deranged action of the Kapham the same powder should be administered with a decoction of Guduchi, Arishta or Triphala, or with the addition of pulverised Vyosha and cow's urine.

One part of the same powder (Trivrit), mixed with one part of old treacle and the drugs known as Trivarnaka, and Tryushana, should be administered for purgative purposes in a disease (due to the concerted action of the deranged Vayu and Kapham). As an alternative, a Prastha mea sure (four seers) of the decoction of the Trivrit roots, mixed with a Kudava measure (half a seer) of their paste, and a Karsha (two tolas) weight of Saindhava salt and Nagara, and boiled together, and then formed into a condensed compound should be used; or one part of the paste of the same roots, mixed with half a part each of rock-salt and powdered Nagara, should be administered through the vehicle of cow's urine. A compound consisting of one part of each of the following drugs viz., powdered Trivrita roots, Nagara and Haritaki, and a half part of each of such drugs as powdered Maricha, Devadaru, Vidanga and ripe Puga nuts, mixed with rock-salt, and administered through the medium of cow's urine, should be considered as an effective purgative (in diseases of whatsoever type).

Powders of purgative drugs taken in adequate measures and soaked in their own juice should be boiled with their roots and made into pills (Gutika) with clarified butter and administered as occasion would arise. As an alternative, powders of purgative drugs pasted with clarified butter boiled with their roots should be made into boluses, and the intelligent physician should administer them through the medium of clarified butter, prepared as above, whenever necessary. A quantity * of treacle should be kept boiling over an oven, and a (halt part) of the puverised purgative roots should be cast into it, a little before it is completely boiled. Then the basin should be taken off the fire, and powders of aromatic drugs known as Trijata strewn over it, and the compound subsequently made into boluses (Gutika) of adequate size according to the requirements of the case under treatment.

One part of any of the pulverised purgative drugs (such as the Trivrit roots, etc.) should be boiled with four parts of their own decoction, and one part of powdered wheat steamed in the fumes of a separate quantity of a similar boiling decoction, should be pounded with a quantity of clarified butter boiled and prepared with the same decoction. Then having cooked a quantity of thin treacle in a separate utensil, powders of wheat and purgative drugs prepared as above, should be cast into it, immediately before being completely cooked, and the vessel should be taken down from the oven and allowed to cool. Then this confection (Modaka) should be perfumed with aromatic drugs and regarded as ready for use. In short, this purgative Modaka is good food as well.

* The quantity of old treacle should be equal to the aggregate weight of the other drugs in the compound under similar circumstances.