• मूर्ध्नि तैल – मूर्ध्नि means Head

                                   तैल means oil

• मूर्ध्नि तैल is a treatment that which administered over the head with medicated oil.
• मास्तिष्क्य is the treatment which is beneficial to the मस्तक or शिरस्.

      मस्तिष्कहितत्वान्मास्तिष्कं स्नेहपिचुधारणम्।

• मास्तिष्क्य can be considered as मूर्ध्नि तैल.

मूर्ध्नि तैल

अभ्यङ्गसेकपिचवो बस्तिश्चेति चतुर्विधम्।

मूर्ध्नि तैलं बहुगुणं तद्विद्यादुत्तरोत्तरम्॥

                             (A.H.Su 22/23-24)

मूर्ध्नि तैल is of 4 types they are:

• अभ्यङ्ग
• सेक
• पिचु
• बस्ति

Each successive one being more effective.

मूर्धतैलं पुनश्चतुर्धा भिद्यते।

अभ्यङ्ग परिषेक: पिचुर्बस्तिरिति।

यथोत्तरं ते बलिन:।      ( A.S.Su.31/16)

अभ्यङ्गपरिषेकश्च पिचुर्बस्तिरिति क्रमात्।

मूर्धतैल चतुर्धा स्याद्बलवच्च यथोत्तरम्॥        (Sha. U 11/121)

Introduction

नित्यं स्नेहार्द्रशिरसः शिरःशूलं न जायते| 

न खालित्यं न पालित्यं न केशाः प्रपतन्ति च|| 

बलं शिरःकपालानां विशेषेणाभिवर्धते| 

दृढमूलाश्च दीर्घाश्च कृष्णाः केशा भवन्ति च|| 

इन्द्रियाणि प्रसीदन्ति सुत्वग्भवति चाननम् | 

निद्रालाभः सुखं च स्यान्मूर्ध्नि तैलनिषेवणात्||         (Cha. Su 5/81-83)

 शिरोगतांस्तथा रोगाञ्छिरो अभ्यङ्गो अपकर्षति।

 केशानां मार्दवं दैर्ध्यं बहुत्वं स्निग्धकृष्णताम्।

 करोति शिरसस्तृप्तिं सुत्वक्कमपि चाननम्।

 सन्तर्पणं चेन्द्रियाणां शिरस: प्रतिपूरणम्॥         (Su. Chi 24/25)

  तत्राभ्यङ्ग: प्रयोक्तव्यो रौक्ष्यकण्डूमलादिषु॥       (A.H. Su 22/24)

      शिरोऽभ्यङ्ग  should be used in cases of dryness, itching and dirtiness.

   शिर:श्रवणपादेषु तं विशेषेण शीलयेत्।       (A.H. Su. 2/9)

 Abhyaṅga should be done specially to the head, ear and feet.

स केश्य: शीलितो मूर्ध्नि कपालेन्द्रियतर्पण:॥     (A.S.Su 3/59)                             

Śiro abhyaṅga is good for केश, कपालास्थि and it is इन्द्रिय तर्पक.

पूर्वकर्म

Materials required

• तैल – 50ml
• Vessel – 2
• Towel – 1
• Therapist – 1
• Stove
• Cotton
• Stool
• Oil should be heated indirectly by hot water bath.

प्रधान कर्म

• Ask the patient sit on the chair.
• The oil with optimum temperature should be applied to anterior fontanelle and then whole scalp.
• Karṇa abhyaṅga should be done before the śiro abhyaṅga.
• There are 20 steps for śiro abhyaṅga, each step 1 minute.
• Shampooing: After the application of oil over the scalp, with the fingers of both hands in circular manner stroke with mild pressure from the lateral sides to medially and downwards.
• Rubbing: Rubbing with the tip of the finger of both the hands from the lateral side to medially and downwards.
• Small circle strokes: Small circular rotation anterior to posterior starts from the lateral side above the ear to medially.
• Sliding from front to back with fingertips.
• Kneading
• Front to back locking and side to side locking
• Diagonally pressing
• Tapping with ulnar border
• Cupping
• 1-2 circle and kneading
• Zig Zag with thumb
• Tapping with fist
• Neck massage
• Pulling the tuft of hairs
• Circular massage over the forehead and drag through the sides to back of neck.
• Tapping with hands together
• Tapping with inter locked hands
• Fingers spread out slide the hands to back
• Rubbing
• Shampooing

पश्चात् कर्म

• Ask the patient to take rest for 15 minutes.
• Then patient can take śirosnāna with Luke warm water.

 Duration: 20 minutes

Contraindication:

वर्ज्योऽभ्यङ्ग: कफग्रस्तकृतसंशुद्ध्यजीर्णिभि:।

                                                                                    (A.H.Su. 2/9)

Mode of action

• Abhyaṅga Dhātupuṣṭi

तत्रास्थाञ्छमयेद्रोगान् वातपित्तकफात्मकान्॥   (Dalhana on Su.Chi.24/30)

• The तिर्यक् धमनी’s are 4 and again it is divided into शत and सहस्र प्रकार.
• These धमनी’s are like जाल. The धमनी मुख is attached to रोमकूप through which the स्वेद वहन takes place.
• By doing अभ्यङ्ग, परिषेक, अवगाहन, आलेपन through the धमनी s the वीर्य of the औषध will enters the शरीर after undergoing pāka by bhrājaka pitta and it nourishes the धातु and does रोग शमन.

It does संतर्पण both inside and outside the body.

Introduction                                                            

  Continuous pouring of decoction, oil or other liquids over the forehead is called  शिरसेक.

  पर्याय – धारा, सेक, परिषेक, अवसेक, सेचन, प्रसेचन

  शिरसेक can be done with कषाय, क्षीर, तक्र, इक्षुरस,घृत, तैल.

 Indications

 अरूंषिकाशिरस्तोददाहपाकव्रणेषु तु।

  परिषेक:……….॥            (A.H.Su 22/25)

Benefits of tailadhāra

• स्थैर्यं वाङ्मनसो: शरीर बलमप्याहारकांक्षा धृति

माधुर्यं वचसस्त्वचोऽपि मृदुता नेत्रे प्रकाशोऽगद:।

शुक्रासृक्परिपोषणं रतरतिदीर्घायुरल्पोष्णता

सुस्वप्नं घृततैलसेचनगुणेनास्तीति जाग्रत् सुखम्॥ (धाराकल्प १९)

• स्थैर्य वाक् and मनस्
• Increases the शरीर बल
• आहार आकांक्षा
• धृति
• वाक् माधुर्यत
• त्वक् मृदुत
• नेत्र प्रकाश
• Nourishes शुक्र and असृक्
• दीर्घायु
• सुख स्वप्न

धारापात्र

    स्वर्णाद्युत्तमलोहजस्तु करको मृत्सम्भवो वाऽत्र

    तन्नालाग्रन्तु कनिष्टिकांगुलि परिणाहोन्मितं रोगिण:।

    द्विप्रस्थप्रमितो विधाय इति वा मध्यस्थरन्ध्रादधो

    गच्छद्वर्तिरथोर्ध्वलम्ब्यपि घट: कार्य: शिरस्सेचने॥  (धाराकल्प ६)                                          

• धारापात्र is made up of स्वर्ण, उत्तम लोह, स्पटिक, मृत्तिक.
• 5-6 inches depth with wide open mouth, round at the base.
• Capacity of holding is २ प्रस्थ.
• According to śiraḥsekadividhi 3
• There should be a hole in the center of the vessel measuring the size of the कनिष्ठिक अङ्गुलि of the रोगि.
• Varti should be suspended from the hole through that drava dravya is made to flow in a stream over the forehead of the patient.
• In ancient days, plantain leaf is cut into round shape and its diameter should be less than the diameter of the dhāra patra.
• A hole should be made in the center of the leaf.
• The leaf should be heated to direct fire and it should be place in the vessel.
• Place one serrated coconut shell in upside down position with one of its eye opened.
• A small stick should be placed horizontally above the coconut shell and a varti should be passed through the eye of the coconut shell and one end should be tied to the stick.

Drava dravyas used for dhāra

• In केवल वात : चतु: स्नेह or तिल तैल
• पित्त रक्त : गोघृत and तिल तैल in equal proportions.
• In रक्त – पित्त associated with वात : गोघृत and तिल तैल in equal proportions.
• In कफ associated with वात : 2 parts of तिल तैल and 1 part of गोघृत.

Diseased condition dhāra can be done with the sneha which is prepared out of respective

vyādhi śamana  auṣadha .

In svastha, dhāra can be done with the combination of taila and ghṛta, even for abhyaṅga.

How to use dhāra dravya for many days

• क्षीर and other fresh substance should be discarded after one use.
• धान्याम्ल and स्नेह can be used for 3 days.
• स्नेह can be used for first 3 days then fresh स्नेह has to be used for next 3 days. On the 7^th day, intially used स्नेह and later 3 days स्नेह are mixed and used.

पूर्वकर्म:

Materials required:

तैल – 1.5 litre                                    Vessel – 3

धारापात्र                                              Bowl – 1

द्रोणि                                                  Cotton pad

Therapist – 1                                     Gauze piece

Śirodhāra stand

Towel

Stove

• Śiroabhyaṅga should be done before dhāra.
• Ask the patient to lie down on the droṇi.
• Body should be covered.
• Plug ears with cotton.
• 12 inch long and 2 inch width gauze piece should be folded twice and place it 2 aṅgula above the eyes.
• Eyes should be covered with cotton pad.
• Keep a small pillow below the neck.

प्रधान कर्म:

• Śirodhāra pātra is appropriately tied to the stand of droṇi.
• Its height should be fixed such that the oil should fall from a height of 4 aṅgula in a continuous stream.
• The hole of the dhāra pātra is blocked with the thumb finger.
• The dravadravya should be heated just above the body temperature.
• The prepared dhāradrava is now poured into the pātra and after positioning the vessel, the block is gradually removed.
• A continuous stream of oil should be allowed to fall over the forehead.
• Uniform oscillation is required for uniform dhāra.
• Simultaneous massage with other hand should also be done.
• The oil should be recollected from the droṇi, reheated and poured back into the dhārapatra.

DURATION: 45minutes

पश्चात् कर्म:

• Gauze, cotton pad kept over the eyes and ear plug should be removed and head should be wiped off with the towel.

सेचन काल

    रूक्षे पित्तयुतेऽनिले च परम: कालो मुहूर्तद्वयं

    सार्द्धं तत्र तदर्द्धमात्र उदित: स्निग्धे कफोन्मिश्रिते।

    यावत्स्वेदसमुद्भवो भवति तत्तावन्निवर्त्तेत वा ॥ (धाराकल्प २२)

Introduction

• पिचु: प्लोत: तूलवस्त्रादि तैलाक्तधारणम्॥ (Sam)
• पिचु:प्लोत:स त तैले तूलपटलं निषिच्य शिरसि देय इति पिचुसंज्ञ:। (A.H)

 Picu means the piece of (तूलपटलं) cotton cloth is immersed in taila and placed over the scalp.

कचान्ते चेलखण्डेन वेष्टितस्य सुखं पिचून्।

तैलाक्तानननतिस्रावान् सप्त च द्वादशाङ्गुलान्॥

मात्रासहस्रान्तरितमेकैकं मूर्धिन् धारयेत्। (हृदयप्रिय)

• A strap of cloth is tied around the head along the margin of hairs.
• A square piece of cotton cloth of the size of 12 aṅgula is soaked in sneha dravya and placed over the head.

The picu is replaced with fresh soaked one at a regular interval of 1000 mātrākāla for a total of seven times.

Indication

   पिचु: केशशातस्फुटन धूपने ।

   नेत्रस्तम्भे च………….॥          (A.H.Su. 22/25)

पूर्वकर्म

• Preparation of पिचु:
• Approximately 3 inches square, quarter inch thick cotton pad is wrapped in gauze and then cut into round shape.

 प्रधान कर्म

• Ask the patient to sit comfortably over the chair.
• Oil 10ml is heated indirectly to make it lukewarm, dip the cotton pad in the oil. Keep the cotton pad over the vertex
• Allow it undisturbed for 30-60 minutes.

 पश्चात् कर्म

• Ask the patient to take rest for some time and then may be allowed to take bath.

Introduction

• The oil poured on to the head and to remain there for a certain period of time with the help of leather cap.

Indication

      बस्तिस्तु प्रसुप्त्यर्दितजागरे।

   नासास्यशोषे तिमिरे शिरोरोगे च दारुणे॥      (A.H.Su 22/26)

   शिरोबस्तिर्जयत्येष शिरोरोगं मरुद्भवम्।

   हनुमन्याक्षिकर्णार्तिमर्दितं मूर्धकम्पनम्॥      (चक्रदत्त)

Śirovasti reduces vātaja śiroroga, hanu manya akṣikarṇa śūla, arditha and śirokampa.

शिरोबस्ति विधि

   विधिस्तस्य निषण्णस्य पीठे जानुसमे मृदौ।

   शुद्धाक्तस्विन्नदेहस्य दिनान्ते गव्यमाहिषम्॥

   द्वादशाङ्गुलविस्तीर्णं चर्मपट्ट्ं शिर: समम्।

   आकर्णबन्धनस्थानं ललाटे वस्त्रवेष्टिते॥

   चैलवेणिकया बद्धवा माषकल्केन लेपयेत्।

   ततो यथाव्याधि शृतं स्नेहं कोष्णं निषेचयेत्॥

   ऊर्ध्व केशभुवो यावदङ्गुलम् धारयेच्च तम्।

                                                (A.H.Su.22/26-29)

• Position of patient:
  • निषण्णस्य – उपविष्टस्य नरस्य।
  • पीठेजानु तुल्ये
• To whom?
  • शुक्ताक्तस्विन्न देह पुरुष
  • शुक्त – वमनादिना, अक्त: – तैलादिना, स्विन्न:- स्वेदन
• Time of administration
  • दिनान्ते – अपराह्णे
• Shirobasti cap
  • चर्मपट्टं- गव्यं माहिषं वा
  • द्वादशाङ्गुल विस्तीर्णं
  • Circumference – शिरस्तुल्यं

• Shirobasti cap /चर्मपट्ट should be wrapped around the शिर, just above the  कर्ण and  वस्त्रवेष्टन  should be done around the ललाट.
• बाह्य and आभ्यन्तर भाग should be pasted with माष कल्क.
• दोष दूष्य अनुसार, व्याधि अनुसार सिद्ध स्नेह should be poured over the head to a height of 1 अङ्गुल over the scalp.

शिरोबस्ति धारण काल

आवक्त्रनासिको क्लेदाद्दशाष्टौ षट् चलादिषु॥

मात्रासहस्राण्यरुजे                  (A.H.Su.22/30-31)

शिरोबस्ति should be held till the secretion appears in the वक्त्र and नास  or till the pain subsides.

• वात व्याधि – १०००० मात्राकाल (53 minutes)
• पित्त विकार – ८००० मात्राकाल (43 minutes)
• कफ विकार – ६००० मात्राकाल (31minutes)
• अरुजे तु–स्वस्थवृत्ते – १००० मात्राकाल

In sushrutha samhita in the context of śirogata vāta, the śirovasti is advised to be retained for 1000 mātrākāla

• According to Chakradatta:

          Vātaja condition: till pain subsides

          Pittaja condition: 1 yāma

          Kaphaja condition: ½ yāma

Duration

………..परमं सप्ताहं तस्य सेवनम्|| (A.H.Su 22/31)

शिरोबस्ति can be done maximum for 7 days.

तस्मात्त्रीणि पञ्च सप्त वा ऽ हानि कार्य: शिरोबस्तिरित्यवतिष्ठते।                                                                               (अरुणदत्त)

Procedure

पूर्वकर्म

Requirements

• 2 piece thin cotton cloth
• माष चूर्ण 100 gm
• जल
• तैल 1litre
• Śirobasti cap

आतुर सिद्धत:

• Ask the patient to shave the head before one day of śirobasti.
• After evacaution of motion and voiding the urine, ask the patient sit over the chair for śirobasti.
• Māṣā kalka preparation: Approximately 50 gms of māṣā cūrṇa is taken in a vessel mixed with water and make paste but it should not be too thick.

प्रधान कर्म:

• Ask the patient to sit on a stool
• वस्त्रपट्ट is tied around the head which is smeared with माषाकल्क both the sides, covering the forehead.
• Śirobasti cap is fixed on head and small gaps are sealed with the help of māṣākalka.
• वस्त्रपट्ट is tied on the margin externally.
• A māṣārim should place inside the śirobasti cap to avoid the leakage.
• Ask the patient to sit erect and medicated oil is poured in the cap by squeezing a sponge soaked in oil till 1aṅgula from केशभूमि, oil should be warmer than the body temperature. The temperature of the oil should be maintained.
• Ask the patient to remain in same position till mucous discharge appears in the nose, mouth and eyes or sneha retained till the pain subsides.

पश्चात् कर्म

• After the completion of the desirable time duration, the oil is removed by using the sponge. Then remove the śirobasti cap.
• The scalp should be wiped with towel.

       त्वेकं स्कन्धादि मर्दयेत्।

    मुक्तस्नेहस्य …………….॥.  (A.H.Su.22/31)

          मर्दन  should be done over the शिर, स्कन्ध and ग्रीवा प्रदेश.

• Should follow उष्णोदक उपचार as mentioned after स्नेहपान.

 Properties of मूर्ध्नि तैल

अभ्यङ्गो विनिहन्ति रौक्ष्यमपि कण्डूं, दाहशोफव्रणक्लेदादीन् परिषेचनं, पिचुकचस्फोटादि चान्त्योऽनिलम्।

                                                                        (धाराकल्प ९)