This section is from the book "The Sushruta Samhita", by Kaviraj Kunja Lal Bhishagratna. Also available from Amazon: The Sushruta Samhita.
The first seven of the all-healing Oshadi plants enumerated above should be culled by reciting the following Mantra: - "We appease thee with the holy energy and dignity of Mahendra, Ráma, Krishna and of the Brahma-nas and of cows, Exert your beneficial virtues for the good of mankind". The intelligent one should consecrate all these Oshadhis with this Mantra. The lazy, the impious, the ungrateful and the unbelieving invariably fail to see and secure the Soma plants, or the drugs possessed of similar virtues. The gods after having drunk the celestial ambrosia to their fill cast the residue to the Somas and kindred plants as well as to the moon, the lord of the Oshadhis. 10-A.
The Brahma-suvarchalá species (of the Oshadhis) is found to grow in and about the waters of the great river Indus and the lake Deva-sunda. The Aditya parnini species may be had in those two regions at the end of winter, and Gonasi and Ajagari at the beginning of the rains. The Karenu, the Kanya, the Chhatra, the Ati-chchhatrá, the Golomi, the Aja-lomi, and the Mahá-s'rávani varieties of the Oshadhis are found (in spring) in the lake of Kshudraka-Mánasa in Kashmir. The Krishna-sarpákhyá and the Gonasi species also are found in that locality during the spring. The S'veta-kápoti species is white coloured and is found to grow on the ant-hills which cover a space of three Yojanas on the other (viz, the western) side of the river Kaus'iki and to the east of the Sanjaya-nti. The Oshadhi of the Vegavati species grows on the Malaya hills and on the Nala-setu. 10-B.
Any one of these Oshadhis should be taken after a fast under the auspices of the full-moon in the month of Kártika. The regimen of diet and conduct is the same as laid down in connection with Soma-Rasáyana and the results have been already described to be the same, 10C.
The Soma as well all the other Oshadhi plants may be had on (the summits of) the Arvuda mountains whose cloud-rending summits are the favourite haunts of the gods and which abound in holy pools and fountains frequented by the gods, the Siddhas and the holy Rishis, and whose large hollow caves are reverberated with the thundering roars of lion and which are moated on all sides by swift coursing rivers, whose waters are perpetually tossed by sportive elephants of the forests and whose brows are effulgent with the lustres of various brilliant metals imbedded in their hearts. 10.
These ambrosial plants (as well as other drugs) are to be sought in the rivers, the holy forests and hermitages, as well as in lakes and on hills, since this world is a bed of gems and is known to hold priceless treasures in all places 11.
Thus ends the Thirtieth Chapter of the Chikitsita Sthánam in the Sus'ruta Samhitá which deals with the tonic remedies which have the power of removing the mental and physical distresses.
 
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