The Effects Of The Winds

Now we shall describe the effects of the winds on the body, (as they blow from the dfferent quarters of the heaven).

The East Wind

The East wind, which is cool and sweet in its potency, is heavy and charged with salt; it aggravates blood and Pittam and gives rise to an acid digestive reaction. It specially aggravates the disease in a patient suffering from a wound or an ulcer, or from the effect of any poison, and affects persons of Shleshmala temperament. It is highly efficacious to fatigued persons, as well as to those of a Vatala (nervous) temperament, or who are afflicted with any sort of Kaphaja disease; though it increases the slimy secretion in their ulcers if there be any.

The South Wind

The South wind is light, sweet (produces the same soothing effect on the organism like a thing of sweet taste) and is followed by an astringent after-taste (Anurasa) being antacid in its reaction. It is the best of winds, gives vigour to the eyes, increases the strength, and soothes the blood and the Pittam without aggravating the bodily Vayu.

* Different Reading - In a child or in a man of voracious appetite.

The West Wind

The West wind is pure, non-slimy, dry, rough to the perception, and keen. It absorbs the albumen or oily principle of the body. It absorbs or dries up fat and Kapham, produces a parched condition in the body when exposed to it, and speedily diminishes the strength of a person.

The North Wind

The North wind is cold, crisp, mild, of a sweet taste terminating in an astringent one. It does not in any way enrage or agitate the deranged bodily humours. In healthy subjects it increases the strength and the running secretions from the different orfices of the body (such as the nostrils etc.). It proves extremely salutary to patients suffering from consumption, cachexia and the effects of poison.

Thus ends the twentieth Chapter of the Sutrasthanam in the Sushruta samhita which treats of salutary and nonsalutary effects of the regimen.