THE AYUR-VEDA SA'STRA ON OPIUM.

Bt S. M. Das, m.b.

Ayur-veda, derived from dyus, meaning life, and vid, to know, is a general term for tlie science by which everything concerning life is known. It was said to have been written as an

appendix to the Atharva Veda, by Brahma, the creator. But no mortal eye has as yet met its thousand chapters and hundred thousand slokas. The two famous commentaries, known as Charaka and Susruta, supposed by Indian tradition to

have been written about the 9th B. C.,1 and next

in point of age tlie Niddna by Madhava Kara show no trace of any knowledge whatever of

opium on the part of the ancient Hindus. Pro- fessor Wilson is of opinion

" that the Charaka, the Susruta, and the treatise called Niddna were translated and studied by the Arabians in the days of Harun and Mansur (A. D. 773)." So the Niddna must have been written before the middle of the 8th century at the latest. Chakradatta-

Sangraha, a companion volume to the Niddna, deals with a variety of vegetable drugs, as well as mercury, which was just then coming into use, but it does not mention opium. It is a popular mistake that opium was first mentioned in Bhdva- prakasa. But the oldest work in which we find it mentioned is Rdja-nirghantu which means " The King of Vocabularies." It was said to have

originated from Dhanvantari, the Surgeon of Heaven, but it was in reality compiled by Pandit Nara Simha of Cashmere, about 600 years ago. The Pandit mentions Madana Pala's medical

work; so he must have lived after the Pala

dynasty. Ho describes opium thus :?

sfwirw to u vJ

Aphenam khaskhasa-raso niphenam ch-ahiphenakam Aphonam sannipata-ghnam vpshyam valyaka-mohadam.

Rdja-nirghantu

"

Aplien, khaskhasarasa, niphen, and ahiphen are synonyms. Aphen cures concurrent derange- ment of the three humours, increases sexual and muscular powers and produces stupification of the brain."

The next book which mentions the properties of opium is Bhdvaprakdsa, written 300 years ago by Bhuva Miara, the distinguished physician of Benares. Ho says that opium is similar in its

properties to poppy capsules. The properties of the latter are described thus :?

mfa fa# i

Syat khakhasa-phal-odbhfttarp valkalarp Sitalarp lagliu Grahi tiktaip kasayancha batakrit kaphakasahrit Dhiitunam soshakarp rukshaip madakrit bahmbarddhanam Muhur-mohakaraip. ruchyaip. sevanat puipatva-nasanam.

Bhavaprakdia.

" The capsules of the poppy are cooling, as-

tringent, of a bitter and styptic taste, act (inju- riously) on the nervous system {lit., on the airy humour, cure (derangements of) the phlegmatic humour and cough, light (of digestion), dry up the elements, promoting talkativeness, aro dry (i.e., not fatty) intoxicating, bring on loss of

consciousness at intervals, increase the appetite, and, used as an articlo of diet, bring on im-

potency."

1 They were demonstrably not then composed. Their ape is not exactly known, but Dr. Hoernld informs us that there is no reason to suppose that thoy were composed before the commencement of the Christian era, probably considerably later.?Ed. I. M. G.

April 1894.J AYUR-YEDA SASTRA ON OPIUM. 129

Bhava Misra calls opium (vyavdyi), " faqfTfa? (bikdsi) and (madakrit). He

explains gnrrfa thus :?

3JIWTfw 3tT*} l <N

57^Tfq rf^ V1TT II

Purvam vyapyakliilam kayam tatah p&kan-cha gachchhati Vyavayi tad yatha blianga phenau-ch-aliisamudbhavam. " That which, first of all, diffuses throughout

the whole body and is afterwards absorbed, is

called vyavayi, such as bhang* and opium."

Vyavayi cha vikasi syat. " That which is vyavdyi is vikdsi." Vikdsi is explained thus :?

fsjfWT^r Sfcf ^rctfiT rftj I J

"

Sandhi-bandhan-stu sithilan yat karoti vikasi tat

Yisoshyaujas-cha dhatubhyo. " That which causes the joints to be relaxed

and dries up the vital power of the elements is

(called) Vikdsi [i.e., paralyser). Madalcrit or Madakari is explained thus :?

*rf^r sr

fWtJUH WT* ? J

Buddhim lumpati yat dravyaip madalcdri tad uchyate Tamoguna pradhdnafi-cha. " That which destrbys the intellect and in-

duces vicious propensities is called madakari." No other Hindu medical work describes the

properties of opium so fully. It was first men- tioned COO years ago in the Rdja-nirghantu evi- dently during the Mahomedan period; and then after the effects of its use had been watched for a period of three centuries, it was described fully by Bhava Misra in the terms mentioned above. The date of the compilation of the Widvaprakasa is ascertained from the fact that the author men- tions chohchini as a cure for syphilis, which he terms Phiranga-roga, or European disease, as the disease was imported by the Portuguese. "

According to Fluckiger and Hanbury, the use of this drug as a remedy for syphilis was made known to the Portuguese at Gr.oa by Chinese traders about A. D. 1538." 2

The later compilations, such as, Rasendra-sdra- sangraha, Bhaishajya-ratndvali, and Bhaishajya- tantra, prescribe opium in diarrhoea, dysentery, and anasarca. The Amritasdgara recommends two-grain pills of camphor and musk, each one part, and opium and mace, each four parts, in diabetes. Sdrangadhar prescribes a poultice made of poppy seeds with milk in porrigo of the scalp. This author describes a powder made of

opium, red sandalwood, &c., in the following terms :?

^T^tnf ti fafa II

S'ukra-stambha-karam cliurnam pumsam ananda-karakam. Narxnam pritijananam seveta nisi kamukah.

This powder which promotes the retention of the semen, and (thus) causes pleasure to men and engenders love in women, should be taken at night by one who is intent on sexual enjoy- ment.

No divine origin of opium seems to have been invented by the old writers, as was done by Rdjavallabha, in the case of siddhi, or Indian hemp.

3 Dr. Dutt's Hindu Materia Medica, Introduction, page xi.

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