Usira

Usira.

Virana

Virana,

Vern. Benά, Beng. Khas, Hind.

The root of this plant is well known as the Khas khas root of which tatis or door screens are made for watering during the hot weather. It is described as cooling, refrigerent, stomachic and useful in pyrexia, thirst, inflammation, irritability of stomach, etc. It enters into the composition of several cooling medicines, as for example the preparation called Shadanga paniya, (see Cyperus rotundus). A weak infusion of the root is sometimes used as a febrifuge drink.

Externally it is used in a variety of ways. A paste of the root is rubbed on the skin to relieve oppressive heat or burning of the body. This use of the drug appears to have been popular with the ancients. Kalidassa in his drama called Sakuntala alludes to it as will appear from the passage quoted below.2

Andropogon Muricatus Retz Sans 776

An aromatic cooling bath is prepared by adding to a tub of water the following substances in fine powder, namely, root of Andropo-gon muricatus, Pavonia odorata (bάlά), red sandal wood, and a fragrant wood called padma kάshtha.1 The same medicines are reduced to a thin emulsion with water and applied to the skin.2