GHṚTA

• General knowledge of Ghṛta

घृतगुणः एवं विशेषः

यावज्जीवेत् सुखं जीवेत्, ऋणं कृत्वा घृतं पिबेत्, भस्मीभूतस्य देहस्य पुनरागमनं कुतः । (Charvaka darshana)

 As long as you live, live happily. Just take a debt to buy ghee and consume it. Once this human body is perished or destroyed into ashes, it never re-emerges.

Ghee is one among the jaṅgāmasneha and it is the best sneha dravya.

Properties, qualIties and Indications of Cow’s ghee

Ghee is one among the jaṅgāmasneha and It is the best sneha dravya.

तत्र धीस्मृतिमेधादिकाङ्क्षिणां शस्यते घृतम्॥८॥   – अ.हृ.१६/८

Ghṛta (ghee) is indicated to the persons, who desire to improve their intelligence, recollection, knowledge and digestive power etc.

Etymology

From घृ (ghṛ, “to rub, to ceremonially anoint, to sprinkle”) +‎ –त

(-ta, verbal adjective suffix). Cognate with Ancient Greek.

Adjective

•  घृत • (ghṛtá)

Importance

तत्रापि चोत्तमं सर्पिः संस्कारस्यानुवर्तनात्॥२॥          

माधुर्यादविदाहित्त्वाज्जन्माद्येव च शीलनात्।      अ.हृ.१६/ २

Ghee is the best Sneha Dravya because of its ability to acquire the properties of other drugs which is processed, of its sweet taste, not producing burning sensation during digestion, and of being partaken from the beginning of life.

Classification of घृत– ghee

घृतमपिद्विविधंक्षीरोत्थंदध्युत्थं॥- सु.चि. ३१/४ डल्हन

क्षीरमन्थात्समुद्भूतनवनीतोत्थितम्घृतंक्षीरघृतम्॥    – सु.सू.४५/१०५

One is obtained from cream of milk and the other is obtained from butter.

क्षीरघृतं पुनः संग्राहिरक्तपित्तभ्रममूर्च्छाप्रशमनं नेत्ररोगहितं।

क्षीरघृतं is good for bleeding disease, fainting, dizziness, and eye diseases. It is संग्राहि in nature.

सर्पिःसर्वस्नेहोत्तमं मतम्॥

घृतं पित्तानिलहरं रसशुक्रोजसानां हितं॥  – अ.हृ.सू

घृतं वातपित्तप्रशमनानं अग्रयं।                   – च.सू.२५/४०

Ghṛta – ghee/clarified butter:

Old ghee is a laxative, pungent after digestion, mitigates all the three doṣas, cures fainting, intoxication, insanity, enlargement of abdomen, fever,  homicidal poisoning,  consumption,  epilepsy,  diseases of vagina,  ears,  eyes and head,  relieves pain,  kindles digestion and useful in therapies like enema,  nasal medication and filling the eyes.

Old ghee cures blindness, dyspnoea, rhinitis, fever, cough, fainting, leprosy, insanity, seizure by evil spirits and leprosy.

Ghee which is old by 111 years is known as Kumbha sarpi it is used for tarpaṇa, śrāma, pāṇḍu roga, kāmalā, netra vikāra, rājayakṣma, gives to bāla and vṛddha, is praśasta in āmavikāra, viṣūcikā, vibandha, madātyaya, jvara, mandāgni. It mitigates kapha and vāta, bestows strength, auspiciousness, improves intelligence, cures blindness especially, destroys all kinds of demons and is extolled by highly beneficial.

• Purāṇa and Prapurāṇa – acts like amṛta and can be used for nasya, netrapūraṇa, abhyaṅga, vasti, pāna and can be used for all karmas.
• 1 yr old ghṛta   – Abhiṣyanda & tridoṣanāśaka
• 4 yr old ghṛta   – Abhisyanda completely decreases
• 5 yr old ghṛta   – Kaṣāya rasa as anurasa
• 10yr old ghṛta   – Kaṭurasa and laghu >10yr old ghṛta
• Kumbha ghṛta- rakśoghna
• Mahā ghṛta  – śreṣṭha ghṛta

TAILA

Tila Taila guṇa:

तैलंस्वयोनिवत् तत्र मुख्यं तीक्ष्णं व्यवायी च

त्वक्दोषहृत्चक्चुष्यं सूक्षमोष्णं कफकृन्न च ५५

कृशानां बंहणायालं स्थूलानां कर्षणाय |

बद्धविट्कं कृमिघ्नं संस्कारात् सर्व रोगजित्||      – Ah.Su.16

सर्वेषां तैलजातानां तिलतैलं विशिष्यते।

बलार्थे स्नेहने चाग्र्यमैरण्डं तु विरेचने॥१२॥.    च.सू.१३/१२

Oils are generally similar to their source (oil seed). Sesame oil is the most important among all oils.

Sesame oil is Tvak doṣanut – cleanses and detoxifies skin Cakṣuṣya – good for eyes Sūkṣma– pierces into deep tissues Uṣṇa – hot, bālances Kapha useful for both obese and emaciated people. Useful to relieve constipation and worm infestation. When it is processed with other herbs, it is very beneficial in various disease

मारुतघ्नं न च श्लेष्मवर्धनं बलवर्धनं ।

त्वच्यं उष्णं स्थिरकरं तैलं योनिविशोधनम्॥      – च.सू.१३/२५

Tila Taila, (oil of tila- sesame seeds) is fire-like in properties, hot in potency, penetrating, sweet in taste and taste after digestion, stoutening, nourishing, spreading throughout the body quickly, entering through minute pores, dry, heavy, (hard for digestion), laxative, causes looseness of the joints; is aphrodisiac, cleanses the skin promotes intelligence, softness, stability of muscles, colour and strength of the body, removes obstruction of urine, scarification.

It has bitter and astringent as secondary tastes, is digestive, decreases vāta and kapha kills worms, causes thinness of structures, produces pitta, subsides pain of the vagina, head and ears purifies (clears) the uterus, tila taila (sesame oil) is best suited for pouring over (bathing) the body parts, anointing, immersing the body or its Parts in oil etc in conditions such as different kinds of fractures like chinna (broken) bhinna (split) viddha (punctured) utpiṣṭa (crushed) cyuta (dislocated) mathita (twisted) kṣata (bruised) piccita (flattened) and sphaṭita (chipped off) burns caused by alkalies and fire, loosening (ptosis), tearing of the joints, hard hit on the joint and impacted fractures of the joints; bites by wild animals, etc.

Indications of tila tailaṃ:

ग्रन्थिनाडीकृमीश्लेष्ममेदोमारुतरोगिषु।

कृमिकोष्ठानिलाविद्धाः प्रवृद्धकफमेदसः।

पिबेयुस्तैलसात्स्या ये तैलं दार्ढ्यार्थिनस्तुये॥          – Sa. Su.1/13

Taila taila should be consumed by persons who are having kapha or medovṛddhi, loose plumpy abdomen and throat, those who suffer from vāta vitiation, vāta prakṛti, those who desire strength, slimness, lightness, sturdiness, steadiness (of the body parts), tender or smooth skin, those who have worms in the GI tract, those who are afflicted with sinus ulcer, and those who are accustomed to the oil intake. It is yoni śodhana.

तद्वस्तिषु पानेषु नस्ये कांक्षि पुरणे।। अन्नपानविधीचापिप्रयोज्यंवातशान्तये॥११॥

It may also be used for enema therapy, oleation therapy, nasal medication, filling the ears and along with foods and drinks for the purpose of mitigating aggravation of vāta. The taila obtained from tila seeds is called tila tailaṃ.

VASĀ

ग्राम्यानपौदकानांचवसामेदोमज्जानोगुरूष्णमधुरावातघ्नाःजाङ्गलेफक्रव्यादादीनांलघुशीतकषाया

क्तपित्तघ्नाः, प्रतुदविष्किराणांश्लेष्मध्नाः।ततलवसामेदोमज्जानोयथोत्तरंगुरुविपाकावातहराश्च।।

 Su.Ch. १३१

Vasā (muscle fat), medas (fat) and majjä (bone marrow) of animals and birds living in houses, in marshy regions and in water- are heavy, (hard digestion), hot in potency, sweet and mitigate vāta; that of animals of desert regions, single hooved and carnivorous etc. are light (easily digestible, old in potency, astringent, mitigate rakta and pitta; that of pratuda and viṣkirakind of birds, mitigate kapha, ghrta (ghee), taila (oil) Vasā (muscle fat) medas (fat) and majjā(bone marrow) are guruvipāka (sweet after digestion) in successive order and mitigate vāta also.

 Properties, QualIties and indication of muscle fat. [वसागुणविशेषः]

शुद्धमांसस्नेहवसा |                              – सु.चि. ३४/४

वसामांसस्नेहः -च.पा

वसामज्जाचवतघ्नौबलपित्तकफप्रदः|

मांसानुगुनस्वरूपव्चविध्यान्मेदोपिताविव ||

बैलुकिसौकारीपाकहंसजाकुकुडोध्भव |

वसास्रेष्टास्ववर्गेषुकुम्भीरहिशोध्भाव |

काकद्गुवसातद्वत्कारण्ड्दोथाचनिन्दिता ||

शाखादमेदसाम्छागंहास्तिनंचवरावरे | – अ.स.सू.६/106

वसा मज्जा च वातघ्ननॊ वातपित्तकफप्रदौ |

मांसानुग स्वरूपो च विद्यान् मेदो अपि ताविव ||

Vasā (muscle-fat) and majjā(bone-marrow) and fat mitigate Vāta, cause increase of strength, Pitta and Kapha and similar properties with the meat of animals from which they are obtained. Vasā and majjā both mitigate vāta, increase pitta and kapha. Improves strength. They are similar in properties with the muscle from which they are taken out even body fat has the similar in properties.

The muscle fat derived from bailuki (type of fish), saukari (pig), paakahaṃsa (swan), and of the kukkuṭa (cock), are the best in those groups. but that of kumbhīra (crocodile), Māhiṣa (buffalo), kakāmadgu (black water hen) and kāraṇḍa (water duck) are bad in their groups.

Out of animals which feed on plants the body fat of goats is the best and that of elephants is worst.

मधुरो बृंहणो वृष्यो बल्यो मज्जा तथा वसा |

यथासत्वं तु शैत्योष्णे वसामज्जनो विनिर्देशेत् ||   च.सू .२७/२९५

Muscle fat and marrow are sweet in taste, nourishing, aphrodisiac and strength promoting. their potencies, viz-hot and coldness are to be determined according to the nature of the animal from which they are collected.

यथासत्वमितियः प्राणिआनूपादिरुष्णतस्योष्ण: यस्तुप्राणीजाङ्गलादि: शीतस्यशीतइत्यर्थ: सामन्यतस्तुवसामज्जोअनुष्णशीतत्वंयथाभवतितथास्नेहाध्ययेएवप्रोक्तं. Chakrapani

If an animal inhabits marshy land, its muscle fat and marrow will be hot in potency. on the other hand, the muscle fat and marrow of an animal inhibiting arid land are cold in potency.

MAJJĀ

दीप्ताग्नयःक्लेशसहाघस्मराःस्नेहसेविनः।

वातार्तःक्रूरकोष्ठश्चस्नेह्यामज्जानमाप्नुयुः॥  –च.सू.13/5

The bone marrow is prescribed for those who have strong digestive power, those who can withstand stress and strain, those who are accustomed to eating too much of food, those accustomed to the intake of unctuous substances. Those afflicted with vāta and those with hard bowel. चरक ads, It is good for शुक्र.

Majjā is the heaviest substance of all snehana dravya’s hence the quantity should be very specific and careful administration is essential. That is the reason why It is indicated in krūra koṣṭha, dīpta agni, ghasmara etc.

बलशुक्ररसश्लेष्ममेदोमज्जविवर्धनः।

मज्जाविशेषतोऽस्थ्नांचबलकृत्स्नेहने हितः॥  – च.सू १३/१७

वातातपाध्वभारस्त्रीव्यायामक्षीणधातुषु।

रूक्षक्लेशमात्यग्निवातावृतपथेषु च।  – अ.हृ.सू ३४/१०

Bone marrow is a type of spongy tissue in the center of bones. It’s most concentrated in the spine, hip, and thigh bones.

It contains stem cells that develop into red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets, which are involved in oxygen transportation, immune function, and blood clotting.

The bone marrow of animals like cows, lambs, caribou, and moose is commonly consumed in many types of cuisine.

Table showing indications of ghṛta, taila, vasā and majjā for easy understanding.

मिलितस्नेहनामानि – यमकं, त्रिवृत् & महास्नेहं

द्वाभ्यां त्रीभिश्चतुर्भिःतै: यमकत्रिवृतोमहान्||      – Bp.uk

द्वाभ्यांत्रिभिश्चतुर्भिस्तैर्यमकत्रिवृतोमहान्॥        – अ.स.सू. 25/7

द्वाभ्यां त्रीभिःचातुर्भिःतैःयमकत्रिवृतोमहान्||        – शा.स.उ.१/4

Combining two, three or all the four snehadravya are called yamaka Sneha, trivritsneha and mahāsneha respectively.

यमकस्नेहः – सर्पि+तैलं

सर्पि + वस

सर्पि +  मज्ज

तैल +  वस

तैल + मज्ज

वस + मज्ज

Eg : sukumāra ghṛta

त्रिवृत्स्नेहः- सर्पि+तैल+वस

सर्पि + तैल+मज्ज

तैल + वस+मज्ज

सर्पि + वस+मज्ज

Eg : Pañcasneham

द्वाभ्यां इति तैः द्वाभ्यांत्रिभिः चतुर्भिःयमकत्रिवृतः महानितिसंक्षाभवतितीशेषःद्वयोर्योगेयमकःत्रियाणांयोगेत्रिवृतःचतुर्गुणोयोगेमहानित्यर्तः॥

Aruna Dutta says mixing of any 2 sneha is yamaka and mixing of 3 is trivrt and all four together is called mahāsneha, whereas as Hemadri says – mixing taila and ghṛta is called yamaka. He emphasizes that only taila mixed with grta should be called as yamakam. He does not agree with mixing any 2 snehadravyas with yamakam. He also says mixing tailaṃ, ghṛtam and vasā is called trivṛt sneha not otherwise.

Parameshwar, the commentator of Bhava prakasha says mixing any 2 snehadravyas is yamakam, any three is trivrit and mixing all together (snehas) is called mahāan.

The word ‘KUZHAMBU’ denotes the substance, which is highly viscous in nature. In KUZHAMBU, tilatailaṃ, eraṇḍa tailaṃ & ghrta are commonly used. Some vṛddha vaidyas add nimba tailaṃ, in the place of eraṇḍa tailaṃ. In some places, varāha vasā (or) other vasā’s are used in the place of eraṇḍa tailaṃ. Kuzhambu is more viscous, heavy, and slimy in nature. Hence, it is highly useful in vāta rogas, where more rūkṣatva in the body is noticed. Kuzhambu is nothing but trivrit or yamaka sneha.

In Mukkoottu taila, eraṇḍa and ghṛta are commonly used.

In Pañcasneha ghṛta, vasā, taila, kerataila and eraṇḍa are commonly used.

महास्नेहं – Combined oily substances

Mahāsneha (महास्नेह) — A combination of all fat together is called mahāsneha

Mahāsneha is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms mahā and sneha (स्नेह).

सर्पि +तैल +वस+मज्ज combined together is called mahāsneha.

महास्नेहस्य फलम्

स्नेहनाजीवनावर्ण्याबलोपचयवर्धनाः।

स्नेहाह्येतेचविहितावातपित्तकफापहाः॥  च.सू. 1/55

Good for all 3 doṣas.it gives strength, clarity of mind, colour and complexion and it helps the person to live long.