Váta-Rakta With A Preponderance Of Kapha

Incases where the Kapha preponderates, the patient should be made to drink a potion consisting of a decoction of Haridrá and Amalaka, sweetened with honey; or a decoction of Triphalá, or a Kalka of Madhuka, S'ringavera, Haritaki and Tikta-rohmi mixed with honey. As an alternative, Haritaki and treacle with either cow's urine or water, should be given to him. The affected part or limb should be sprinkled or washed with cow's urine, oil, alkaline water, Surá, Sukta, or with a decoction of Kapha-destroying drugs. A hot decoction of the drugs constituting the Aragvadhádi group may be used with benefit in sprinkling the affected part. The body of the patient should be lubricated or anointed with clarified butter, boiled with the cream of milk-curd, cow's urine, wine, S'ukta and with the Kalka of Yashti-madku, Sárivá and Padma-káshtha. A plaster (Pradeha), composed of pounded sesamum, mustard seed, linseed and barley (taken in equal parts) and mixed and pasted with S'leskmátaka, Kapittha,Madhu-s'igru and cow's urine, and Yava-kshára should be applied (hot to the seat of the disease). 12-13;

The Five Pradehas

(1) A paste of white mustard seed, (2) that of sesamum and As'vagandhá,

(3) a similar paste of Piyála, S'elu and Kapittha bark,

(4) that of Madhu-sigru, Punarnavá and (51 a paste of Vyosha, Tiktá, Prithakparni and Vrihati, these five kinds of Pradehas should be separately pasted with alkaline water and (any of them) applied lukewarm to the affected locality. 14.

As an alternative, a plaster composed S'álaparni, Pris'nipami, Vrihati and Kantakári, pasted together with milk and mixed with Tarpana * should be applied (to the seat of the disease). In cases of Váta-Rakta involving the concerted action of two or three of the Doshas, the remedy consists in applying such drugs in combination as are possessed of the efficacy of subduing the action of each of them. 15.

Guda-Haritaki And Pippali-Vardhamana Yogas

Haritaki with treacle may be used in all types of Váta-Rakta. As an alternative, the patient should be enjoined to use Pippali, pasted with milk or water, every day (in the following way). † The number of Pippali should be increased by five or ten respectively on each successive day till the tenth day of its use; after which period the number of Pippali should be decreased (by a similar number) on each successive day till it is reduced to the original five or ten. The patient should live on a diet of milk and rice only (during the entire course of this treatement). This medicine which is known as the Pippali-Vardhamana ‡ proves efficacious in cases of Váta-Rakta, chronic fever (Vishama-Jvara), aversion to food, jaundice, enlarged spleen, piles, cough, asthma, oedema, phthysis, loss of appetite, heart-disease and ascitis. 16.

Clarified butter, cooked in milk with the paste of the drugs of the Jivaniya group, should be used in anointing (the body of the patient). A plaster, composed of Sahá, Sahadevá, Chandana, Murvá, Mustá, Piyála, S'atávari, Kas'eru, Padma-kástha Yashti-madhu, S'ata-pushpá (A. D. Vidári) and Kushtha, pasted together with milk and mixed with the cream of clarified butter, should be applied (hot) to the affected locality. A plaster composed of Saireyaka, Atanishaka, Valá, Ati-valá Jivanti and Sushavi, pasted together with the milk of a she-goat, should be likewise applied (to the seat of the disease). As an alternative, the diseased locality should be plastered with the pastes of Kás'marya, Yashti-madhu and Tarpana mixed together; or it should be treated with Pinda-Taila, prepared by cooking Madhu-chchhishta (bee's wax), Manjishthá, resin, and Ananta-mula in milk * (and oil taken together), 17-20.

* Flour of barley or fried grain, dissolved in water, is known as Tarpana.

† The dosage should begin originally with five or ten Pippalis according to the strength of the patient.

‡ Maharshi Charaka mentions this Yoga in the chapter on Rasáyana and prescribes it also in the treatement of Udara. Chakradatta mentions the use of this medicine in the treatment of liver and spleen and of fever.

In all cases of Váta-Rakta, old and matured clarified butter boiled with the expressed juice of Amalaka should be prescribed as drinks. The affected part should be washed or sprinkled with old and matured clarified butter, boiled with a decoction and paste (Kalka) of the drugs belonging to the Kákolyádi group, or with those of the Jivaniya group, or with the decoction of Sushavi, or of Káravellaka. The Valá-Taila † should be used for sprinkling and immersing purposes, and as drink and Vasti-karma (enemas).

Diet: - The diet should consist of articles made of old and matured S'áli or Shashtika rice, wheat or barley, taken with milk ‡ or with the soup of Mudga pulse or flesh of Jángala animals and devoid of any acid combination. * 21.

* Milk four times of oil should be taken.

† The "Valá-Taila" described in the medical treatment of Mudha-garbha, ch. XV.

‡ In the case of Váta-roga with preponderant Pitla, the patient should take the food with milk; in the preponderance of Váyu, with the soup of Jángala meat; and in the preponderance of Kapha, with Mudga-soup, devoid of any acid combination.

Frequent blood-letting should be resorted to and measures, such as, emetics, purgatives, Asthápana and Anuvásana should be adopted in cases of the aggravated Doshas † (involved in the case). 22.

Memorable Verses

A case of Vata- Rakta of recent growth, proves readily amenable to the remedial measures described before. Long-standing, i.e., chronic cases (of Váta-Rakta) are never perfectly cured, but can only be palliated. The application of poultices (Upanáha), of medicinal washes or sprinkles (Pari-sheka), hot-plasters, anointings (Abhyanga), spacious and comfortable bed-chambers which do not admit of too large an influx of air, shampooing, and the use of soft and pleasant beds and soft pillows, are chiefly recommended in a case of Váta-Rakta; whereas physical exercise, sexual intercourse, display of anger, the use of heat-making, saline, acid and difficultly digestible food and eatables producing effuse serus or slimy matter in the bodily channels, and sleep in the day-time (should be deemed extremely injurious and hence) should be studiously refrained from. 23.