Sushruta Samhita Kalpasthana Chapter 6 Duñdubhisvanīya Kalpa (Sounding the Drums)

The 6th chapter of Kalpasthana of Sushruta Samhita is named as Duñdubhisvanīya Kalpa Adhyaya. This chapter deals with Sounding the Drums.

अथातो दुन्दुभिस्वनीयं कल्पं व्याख्यास्यामः ||१||
यथोवाच भगवान् धन्वन्तरिः ||२||

We will now expound the chapter named Duñdubhisvanīya – sounding the drum (smeared with anti poisonous drugs); as revealed by the venerable Dhanvantari.

Kşāra agada

धवाश्वकर्णशिरीषतिनिशपलाशपिचुमर्दपाटलिपारिभद्रकाम्रोदुम्बरकरहाटकार्जुनककुभसर्ज- कपीतनश्लेष्मातकाङ्कोठामलकप्रग्रहकुटजशमीकपित्थाश्मन्तकार्कचिरबिल्वमहावृक्षारुष्करारलु- मधुकमधुशिग्रुशाकगोजीमूर्वाभूर्जतिल्वकेक्षुरकगोपघोण्टारिमेदानां भस्मान्याहृत्य गवां मूत्रेण क्षारकल्पेन परिस्राव्य विपचेत्, दद्याच्चात्र पिप्पलीमूलतण्डुलीयकवराङ्गचोचमञ्जिष्ठाकरञ्जिकाहस्तिपिप्पलीमरिचविडङ्गगृहधूमानन्ता- सोमसरलाबाह्लीकगुहाकोशाम्रश्वेतसर्षपवरुणलवणप्लक्षनिचुलकवञ्जुलवक्रालवर्धमानपुत्रश्रेणी- सप्तपर्णटुण्टुकैलवालुकनागदन्त्यतिविषाभयाभद्रदारुकुष्ठहरिद्रावचाचूर्णानि लोहानां च समभागानि, ततः क्षारवदागतपाकमवतार्य लोहकुम्भे निदध्यात् ||३||
अनेन दुन्दुभिं लिम्पेत् पताकां तोरणानि च |
श्रवणाद्दर्शनात् स्पर्शात् विषात् सम्प्रतिमुच्यते ||४||
एष क्षारागदो नाम शर्करास्वश्मरीषु च |
अर्शःसु वातगुल्मेषु कासशूलोदरेषु च ||५||
अजीर्णे ग्रहणीदोषे भक्तद्वेषे च दारुणे |
शोफे सर्वसरे चापि देयः श्वासे च दारुणे ||६||
सदा सर्वविषार्तानां सर्वथैवोपयुज्यते |
एष तक्षकमुख्यानामपि दर्पाङ्कुशोऽगदः ||७||

Below mentioned herbs should be burnt and their ashes collected –

– Dhava,

– Asvakarna,

– Sirisa,

– Tinisa,

– palasa,

– Picumarda,

– Patali,

– Paribhadraka,

– Amra,

– Udumbara,

– Karahataka,

– Arjuna,

– Kakubha,

– Sarja,

– Kapittha,

– Slesmataka,

– Ankota,

– Amalaka,

– Pragraha,

– Kutaja,

– Sami,

– Kapittha,

– Asmantaka,

– Arka,

– Cirabilva,

– Sami,

– Mahavrksa,

– Aruskara,

– Aralu,

– Madhuka,

– Madhusigru,

– Saka,

– Goji,

– Murva,

– Bhurja,

– Tilvaka,

– Iksuraka,

– Gopa,

– Ghonta and

– Arimeda

The resultant ash should be dissolved in cow’s urine and these contents should be boiled following the method of preparation of ksara – alkali.

Then, powder of equal quantity of the below mentioned herbs is prepared –

– Pippalimula,

– Tanduliyaka,

– Varanga,

– Coca,

– Manjistha,

– Karanjika,

– Hastippippali,

– Marica,

– Vidanga,

– Grhadhuma,

– Anantasoma,

– Sarala,

– Bahlika,

– Guha,

– Kosamra,

– Sveta Sarsapa,

– Varuna,

– Lavana,

– Plaksa,

– Nicula,

– Vanjula,

– Vakra,

– Ala,

– Vardhamana,

– Putrasreni,

– Saptaparna,

– Tuntuka,

– Elavaluka,

– Nnagadanti,

– Ativisa,

– Abhaya,

– Bhadradaru,

– Kustha,

– Haridra,

– Vaca,

– Loha

This powder is also added to the solution of ash and cooked until it attains the nature of ksara – alkali. Later, it is removed from the oven and put into an iron pot and preserved well.

This medicine should be smeared on the drums, flags and buntings.

The sound, sight and touch of this would destroy poisons (and its effect).

This formulation is known as Ksara Agada. It is beneficial in the treatment of the below mentioned conditions –

– urinary gravel

– urinary calculus,

– piles,

– abdominal tumour of vata origin,

– cough, pain and

– enlargement of abdomen,

– indigestion,

– duodenal disease,

– aversion to food,

– dropsy,

– ulceration of the mouth and

– severe dyspnoea

This Agada can be used in all manners and in treating all kinds of poisons. It has the capacity to even defeat the pride of all the snakes headed by Taksaka snake.

Kalyāņaka ghrta

विडङ्गत्रिफलादन्तीभद्रदारुहरेणवः |
तालीशपत्रमञ्जिष्ठाकेशरोत्पलपद्मकम् ||८||
दाडिमं मालतीपुष्पं रजन्यौ सारिवे स्थिरे |
प्रियङ्गुस्तगरं कुष्ठं बृहत्यौ चैलवालुकम् ||९||
सचन्दनगवाक्षीभिरेतैः सिद्धं विषापहम् |
सर्पिः कल्याणकं ह्येतद्ग्रहापस्मारनाशनम् ||१०||
पाण्ड्वामयगरश्वासमन्दाग्निज्वरकासनुत् |
शोषिणामल्पशुक्राणां वन्ध्यानां च प्रशस्यते ||११||

Decoction and paste of the below mentioned herbs is prepared –

– Vidanga,

– Triphala,

– Danti,

– Bhadradaru,

– Harenu,

– Talisapatra,

– Manjistha,

– Kesara,

– Utpala,

– Padmaka,

– Dadima,

– Malatipuspa,

– two Rajani,

– two Sariva,

– two Sthira,

– Priyangu,

– Tagara,

– Kustha,

– two Brhati,

– Elavaluka,

– Candana and

– Gavakshi

With this decoction and paste, medicated ghee is cooked and prepared. This medicated ghee is known as Kalyanaka Sarpi or Kalyanaka Ghrta.

Benefits –

It destroys poisons. It also cures the below mentioned conditions –

– possession by evil spirits,

– epilepsy,

– anaemia,

– homicidal poison,

– dyspnoea,

– poor digestive power,

– fever,

– cough,

It is praised for its special use in treating consumption, less of semen and sterility in women.

Amrta ghrta

अपामार्गस्य बीजानि शिरीषस्य च माषकान् |
श्वेते द्वे काकमाचीं च गवां मूत्रेण पेषयेत् ||१२||
सर्पिरेतैस्तु संसिद्धं विषसंशमनं परम् |
अमृतं नाम विख्यातमपि सञ्जीवयेन्मृतम् ||१३||

One masa of the below mentioned are macerated in cow’s urine –

– seeds of apamarga,

– seeds of sirisa,

– two kinds of sveta (katabhi) and

– kakamaci

With this, ghee is cooked and the medicated ghee is prepared. This ghee is popular by the name Amrta Ghrta.

Benefits – It is the best formulation to mitigate poison. It restores even a dead man to life.

Mahāsugandhi agada

चन्दनागुरुणी कुष्ठं तगरं तिलपर्णिकम् |
प्रपौण्डरीकं नलदं सरलं देवदारु च ||१४||
भद्रश्रियं यवफलां भार्गी नीलीं सुगन्धिकाम् |
कालेयकं पद्मकं च मधुकं नागरं जटाम् ||१५||
पुन्नागैलैलवालूनि गैरिकं ध्यामकं बलाम् |
तोयं सर्जरसं मांसीं शतपुष्पां हरेणुकाम् ||१६||
तालीशपत्रं क्षुद्रैलां प्रियङ्गुं सकुटन्नटम् |
शिलापुष्पं सशैलेयं पत्रं कालानुसारिवाम् ||१७||
कटुत्रिकं शीतशिवं काश्मर्यं कटुरोहिणीम् |
सोमराजीमतिविषां पृथ्विकामिन्द्रवारुणीम् ||१८||
उशीरं वरुणं मुस्तं कुस्तुम्बुरु नखं तथा |
श्वेते हरिद्रे स्थौणेयं लाक्षां च लवणानि च ||१९||
कुमुदोत्पलपद्मानि पुष्पं चापि तथाऽर्कजम् |
चम्पकाशोकसुमनस्तिल्वकप्रसवानि च ||२०||
पाटलीशाल्मलीशैलुशिरीषाणां तथैव च |
कुसुमं तृणमूल्याश्च सुरभीसिन्धुवारजम् ||२१||
धवाश्वकर्णपार्थानां पुष्पाणि तिनिशस्य च |
गुग्गुलुं कुङ्कुमं बिम्बीं सर्पाक्षीं गन्धनाकुलीम् ||२२||
एतत् सम्भृत्य सम्भारं सूक्ष्मचूर्णानि कारयेत् |
गोपित्तमधुसर्पिर्भिर्युक्तं शृङ्गे निधापयेत् ||२३||
भग्नस्कन्धं विवृताक्षं मृत्योर्दंष्ट्रान्तरं गतम् |
अनेनागदमुख्येन मनुष्यं पुनराहरेत् ||२४||
एषोऽग्निकल्पं दुर्वारं क्रुद्धस्यामिततेजसः |
विषं नागपतेर्हन्यात् प्रसभं वासुकेरपि ||२५||
महासुगन्धिनामाऽयं पञ्चाशीत्यङ्गसंयुतः |
राजाऽगदानां सर्वेषां राज्ञो हस्ते भवेत् सदा ||२६||
स्नातानुलिप्तस्तु नृपो भवेत् सर्वजनप्रियः |
भ्राजिष्णुतां च लभते [९] शत्रुमध्यगतोऽपि सन् ||२७||

Powder of the below mentioned ingredients is prepared –

– Candana,

– aguru,

– kustha,

– tagara,

– tilaparnikā,

– prapaundarika,

– nalada,

– sarala,

– devadāru,

– bhadraśrī,

– yavaphala,

– bhārñgī,

– nīlī,

– sugandhaka (sarpa sugandhā),

– káleyaka,

– padmaka,

– madhuka,

– nāgara,

– jatā,

– punnāga,

– elavāluka,

– gairika,

– dhyāmaka,

– balā,

– toya,

– sarjarasa,

– māmsī,

– satapuşpa,

– hareņuka,

– tālisapatra,

– ksudraila,

– priyañgu,

– kuțannata,

– ſilāpușpa,

– śaileya,

– patra,

– kālānusāriva,

– kațutrikasitaśiva,

– kāșmarya,

– kațurohiņī,

– somarājī,

– ativişā,

– prthvīka,

– iñdravāruni,

– uśīra,

– varuņa,

– mustā,

– kustumburu,

– nakha,

– the two śvetā,

– two haridrā,

– sthauņeyaka,

– laksa,

– all lavanas,

– flowers of kumuda, utpala, padma, arka, campaka, asoka, sumanā, tilvaka, patali, Salmali, selu, Sirisa, trnamula, surabhi, sindhuvāra, dhava, asvakarna, pārtha and tinisa,

– guggulu,

– kumkuma,

– bimbi,

– sarpāksi and

– gandhanākuli

This powder is added with gopitta (gorochana – bile of cow), honey and ghee.

This is filled into a cow’s horn and preserved.

This is known as Mahasugandhi Agada.

This is administered to the person having his shoulders bent and open and also to those who are in the jaws of death.

This agada is considered to be the chief of all agadas. It brings a man on death bed back to life.

This agada is powerful like fire. It is unavoidable in poisons. It is said to destroy the poison of the king of snakes and even the poison of Vasuki, the celestial serpent.

This agada, as explained above, is prepared with fifty herbs. It is the chief of all agadas i.e. anti-poisonous formulations. It is worn by the kings on their hand after bath and unguents. It always makes the king beloved to his subjects and bestows on him, brilliance and radiance though he is amidst his enemies.

उष्णवर्ज्यो विधिः कार्यो विषार्तानां विजानता |
मुक्त्वा कीटविषं तद्धि शीतेनाभिप्रवर्धते ||२८||

All treatments devoid of heat should be administered to the persons suffering from the effects of poison i.e. only cold treatments and comforts should be given to these patients. Kitavisa i.e. poison of insects is the only exception for this rule. This is because this poison would exacerbate greatly with cold.

Pathyāpathya – suitable and unsuitable things

अन्नपानविधावुक्तमुपधार्य शुभाशुभम् |
शुभं देयं विषार्तेभ्यो विरुद्धेभ्यश्च वारयेत् ||२९||
फाणितं शिग्रुसौवीरमजीर्णाध्यशनं तथा |
वर्जयेच्च समासेन नवधान्यादिकं गणम् ||३०||
दिवास्वप्नं व्यवायं च व्यायामं क्रोधमातपम् |
सुरातिलकुलत्थांश्च वर्जयेद्धि विषातुरः ||३१||

Now I shall tell you about suitable and rejectable foods, and listen to the same.

Only suitable foods shall be given to the poisoned persons and all incompatible foods and things shall be avoided.

The poisoned person should avoid –

– phanita – molasses,

– sigru,

– sauvira – fermented gruels,

– indigestion,

– overeating of freshly harvested grains,

– day sleep,

– copulation,

– physical exercises,

– anger,