UG Module 5 - Lesson 4

VIRECHANA KARMA

EXPLANATORY NOTES

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE OF SINGLE AND COMPOUND VIRECHANA DRUGS

General knowledge of Śyāmā trivṛt kalpa

Botanical Name: Operculina turpethum

Family: Convolvulaceae

Synonyms:

त्रिभण्डी त्रिवृता चैव  श्यामा कूटरणा तथा|

सर्वानुभूतिः सुवहा  शब्दैः पर्यायवाचकैः|| (Cha. Ka. 7/4)

Tribhaṇḍi, trivṛt, śyāma, kūṭaraṇa, sarvānubhūti, suvaha.

Properties:

कषाया मधुरा रूक्षा विपाके कटुका  सा|

कफपित्तप्रशमनी रौक्ष्याच्चानिलकोपनी||
सेदानीमौषधैर्युक्ता वातपित्तकफापहैः|
कल्पवैशेष्यमासाद्य  सर्वरोगहरा भवेत्|| (Cha. Ka. 7/5-6)

Rasa –       Kaṣāya, madhura
Guṇa –       Laghu, rūkṣa, tīkṣṇa

Vīrya –       Uṣṇa

Vipāka –       Kaṭu

Karma –    Kaphapitta praśamana, sukha virecaka

Types –      Śyāma and aruṇa

Collection and Preservation:

गुणवत्यां तयोर्भूमौ जातं मूलं समुद्धरेत्|
उपोष्य प्रयतः शुक्ले शुक्लवासाः समाहितः||
गम्भीरानुगतं श्लक्ष्णमतिर्यग्विसृतं  यत्|
तद्विपाट्योद्धरेद्गर्भं त्वचं शुष्कां निधापयेत्|| (Cha. Ka. 7/10-11)

The roots of trivṛt should be uprooted carefully in Śukla muhūrta, by wearing a Śukla vāsa (cloth), and should be more concentrated. The roots which are deeply penetrated and which are smooth and not spreading sideways should be collected. By splitting these roots, the pith should be removed and the bark of the root should be collected. The root bark should be dried properly and stored appropriately.

Preparations:

एकोऽम्लादिभिरष्टौ  दश द्वौ सैन्धवादिभिः|
मूत्रेऽष्टादश  द्वौ जीवकादौ चतुर्दश||७७||
क्षीरादौ सप्त लेहेऽष्टौ चत्वारः सितयाऽपि |
पानकादिषु पञ्चैव षडृतौ पञ्च मोदकाः||७८||
चत्वारश्च घृते क्षीरे द्वौ चूर्णे तर्पणे तथा|
द्वौ मद्ये काञ्जिके द्वौ  दशान्ये षाडवादिषु||७९||
श्यामायास्त्रिवृतायाश्च कल्पेऽस्मिन् समुदाहृतम्|
शतं दशोत्तरं सिद्धं योगानां परमर्षिणा||८०|| (Cha. Ka. 7/77-80)

Total 110 formulations were mentioned for śyāmā trivṛt. 9 Preparations with amlādi rasa, 12 Preparations with saindhava lavaṇa, 18 Preparations with gomūtra, 2 Preparations by adding yaṣṭīmadhu, 14 Preparations with jīvaka, 7 Preparations with kṣīra, 8 Lehya preparations, 4 Sitā preparations, 5 Pāna preparations, 6 Ṛtu wise preparations

5 Modaka preparations, 4  Ghṛta kṣīra prepations, 1 Cūrṇa preparation, Tarpaṇa preparation, 2 Madya preparation, 2 Kāñjika preparation, 10 Ṣāḍava preparation.

general knowledge of caturaṅgula kalpa

Botanical Name: Cassia Fistula

Family: Leguminosae

Synonyms:

आरग्वधो राजवृक्षः शम्पाकश्चतुरङ्गुलः|
प्रग्रहः कृतमालश्च कर्णिकारोऽवघातकः|| (Cha. Ka. 8/3)

Āragvadha, rājavṛkṣa, śampāka, caturaṅgula, pragraha, kṛtamāla, karṇikā, avaghātaka.

Properties & Indication:

ज्वरहृद्रोगवातासृगुदावर्तादिरोगिषु|
राजवृक्षोऽधिकं पथ्यो मृदुर्मधुरशीतलः||
बाले वृद्धे क्षते क्षीणे सुकुमारे  मानवे|
योज्यो मृद्वनपायित्वाद्विशेषाच्चतुरङ्गुलः|| (Cha. Ka. 8/4-5)

Rasa – Madhura

Guṇa – Guru, mṛdu, snigdha

Vīrya – Śīta

Vipāka – Madhura

Doṣaḥgnata – Vātakapha hara.

Caturaṅgula is a drug of choice for bla, vṛddha, sukumra, uraḥkṣata, kṣīṇa due to its mṛdu guṇa and anapāyitvata (harmlessness/safe).

Collection and Preservation:

फलकाले फलं तस्य ग्राह्यं परिणतं  यत्|
तेषं गुणवतां भारं  सिकतासु निधापयेत्||
सप्तरात्रात् समुद्धृत्य शोषयेदातपे भिषक्|
ततो मज्जानमुद्धृत्य शुचौ भाण्डे निधापयेत्| (Cha. Ka. 8/6-7)

During the appropriate fruiting season, the matured fruits should be collected. These in large quantity are taken and covered with sand for seven days. On the eighth day it should be taken out from the sand and dried in the sun. The pulp of these fruits should be taken out and stored in a clean jar.

Formulations:

द्राक्षारसे सुरासीध्वोर्दध्नि चामलकीरसे|
सौवीरके कषाये  त्रिवृतो बिल्वकस्य  ||
लेहेऽरिष्टे घृते द्वे  योगा द्वादश कीर्तिताः|
चतुरङ्गुलकल्पेऽस्मिन् सुकुमाराः सुखोदयाः|| (Cha. Ka. 8/17-18)

Total 12 preparations were mentioned for caturaṅgula. 1 Drākṣā rasa preparation, 1 Surā preparation, 1 Sīdhu preparation, 1 Dadhi preparation, 1 Āmalakīrasa preparation, 1 Sauvīraka preparation, 1 Trivṛt Kaṣāya preparation, 1 Bilva Kaṣāya preparation, 1 Lehya preparation, 1 Ariṣṭa preparation, 2 Ghṛta preparation.

general knowledge of TILVAKA KALPA

Botanical Name: Symplocos Racemosa.

Family: Styraceae/ symplocaceae.

Synonyms:

तिल्वकस्तु मतो लोध्रो बृहत्पत्रस्तिरीटकः| (Cha. Ka. 9/3)

It is known by the names: lodhra, bṛhatpatrā and tirīṭaka

Processing:

तस्य मूलत्वचं शुष्कामन्तर्वल्कलवर्जिताम्||
चूर्णयेत्तु त्रिधा कृत्वा द्वौ भागौ श्चोतयेत्ततः|
लोध्रस्यैव कषायेण तृतीयं तेन भावयेत्||
भागं तं दशमूलस्य पुनः क्वाथेन भावयेत्|
शुष्कं चूर्णं पुनः कृत्वा तत ऊर्ध्वं प्रयोजयेत्|| (Cha. Ka. 9/3-5)

The dry root bark of tilvaka which is free from its inner layer should be pounded and made to three parts. The inner part of the root bark is not useful in recipes due to its hardness in nature. That is why it is removed. Two parts of this powder should be added with water and strained by the process of percolation. With this liquid the third part of the powder of tilvaka should be soaked. After this the powder should be again soaked with the kaṣāya of daśamūla. This should be dried and made to a powder again and used in formulations.

Properties:

Rasa – Kaṣāya, tikta

Guṇa – Laghu, rūkṣa

Vīrya – Śīta

Vipāka – Kaṭu

Karma – Pittahara, tridoṣahara

Formulations:

पञ्च दध्यादिभिस्त्वेका सुरा सौवीरकेण |
एकोऽरिष्टस्तथा योग एकः कम्पिल्लकेन ||
लेहास्त्रयो घृतेनापि चत्वारः सम्प्रकीर्तिताः|
योगास्ते लोध्रमूलानां कल्पे षोडश दर्शिताः|| (Cha. Ka. 8/17-18)

Total 16 formulations were mentioned for tilvaka. 1 Dadhi takra recipe, 1 Surā  manda recipe, 1 Mūtra preparation, 1 Badara sīdhu recipe, 1 Āmalakī svarasa recipe, 1 Surā recipe, 1 Sauvīraka recipe, 1 Ariṣṭa preparation, 1 Recipe taken with kampillaka, 3 Lehya preparation, 4 Ghṛta preparation.

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE OF sudhā kalpa

Botanical Name: Eurphobia Nerilifolia

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Synonyms:

 नाम्ना स्नुग्गुडा नन्दा सुधा निस्त्रिंशपत्रकः|||| (Cha. Ka. 10/8)

Snuk, guda, nanda, Sudhā and nistrimsa-patraka are the synonyms.

Method of Collection:

तौ विपाट्याहरेत् क्षीरं शस्त्रेण मतिमान् भिषक्|
द्विवर्षं वा त्रिवर्षं वा शिशिरान्ते विशेषतः||| |(Cha. Ka. 10/9)

A wise physician should do the incision with the help of a sharp instrument to collect the milky latex. The tree should be two to three years old, and the milk should be collected specially at the end of śiśira ṛtu.

Properties:

Rasa – Kaṭu

Guṇa – Laghu, tīkṣṇa, snigdha

Vīrya – Uṣṇa

Vipāka – Kaṭu.

Karma – Kaphavāta śāmaka

Varities:

द्विविधः  मतोऽल्पैश्च बहुभिश्चैव कण्टकैः||
सुतीक्ष्णैः कण्टकैरल्पैः प्रवरो बहुकण्टकः| (Cha. Ka. 10/7)

Two types- small with numerous thorns, and other with less and sharp thorns. The one having numerous thorns is better than the other.

Therapeutic effect:

पाण्डुरोगोदरे गुल्मे कुष्ठे दूषीविषार्दिते|
श्वयथौ मधुमेहे  दोषविभ्रान्तचेतसि||
रोगैरेवंविधैर्ग्रस्तं ज्ञात्वा सप्राणमातुरम्|
प्रयोजयेन्महावृक्षं सम्यक्  ह्यवचारितः||
सद्यो हरति दोषाणां महान्तमपि सञ्चयम्| (Cha. Ka. 10/5-7)

Indicated in pāṇḍu, udara, gulma, kuṣṭha, dūṣīviṣa, śvayathu, madhumeha, unmāda. In these conditions sudhā can be administered if the individual is strong. The properly administered sudhā can expel out the excessively accumulated morbid doṣas immediately.

Formulations:

सौवीरकादिभिः सप्त सर्पिषा  रसेन |
पानकं घ्रेयलेहौ  योगा यूषादिभिस्त्रयः||२१||
द्वौ शुष्कमत्स्यमांसाभ्यां सुरैका द्वे  सर्पिषी|
महावृक्षस्य योगास्ते विंशतिः समुदाहृताः||२२|| (Cha. Ka. 10/21-22)

Total 20 formulations were mentioned in sudhā kalpa. 7 Sauvīraka preparations, 1 Ghṛta preparation, 1 Māmsarasa preparation, 1 Pānaka preparation, 1 Dhūpana preparation, 1 Lehya preparation, 1 Śāka rasa preparation, 1 Māmsa rasa preparation, 1 Ghṛta preparation, 1 Śuṣka matsya preparation, 1 Śuṣka māmsa preparation, 1 Surā  preparation, 2 Ghṛta preparation.

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE OF saptalā śaṅkhinī kalpa

Botanical Name: Euphorbia pilosa

                               Euphorbia dracanculoides

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Properties:

Rasa – Tikta

Guṇa – Rūkṣa, tīkṣṇa, bhedana, vikashi

Karma – Pittahara

Synonyms:

सप्तला चर्मसाह्वा  बहुफेनरसा  सा|
शङ्खिनी तिक्तला चैव यवतिक्ताऽक्षि(क्ष)पीडकः|||| (Cha. Ka. 11/3)

Synonyms of saptalā are carmasāhva and bahuphenarasa. For śaṅkhinī – tiktalā, yavatikta, and akṣipiḍaka are synonyms.

Therapeutic effect:

ते गुल्मगरहृद्रोगकुष्ठशोफोदरादिषु|
विकासितीक्ष्णरूक्षत्वाद्योज्ये श्लेष्माधिकेषु तु|||| (Cha. Ka. 11/4)

Due to the vikāsitva, tīkṣṇatva, rūkṣatva properties, they are essential in treating diseases like gulma, gara, hṛt roga, kuṣṭha, śopha, udara, and diseases caused by aggravated kapha.

Method of collection:

नातिशुष्कं फलं ग्राह्यं शङ्खिन्या निस्तुषीकृतम्|
सप्तलायाश्च मूलानि गृहीत्वा भाजने क्षिपेत्|||| (Cha. Ka. 11/5)

The fruits of śaṅkhinī  should be collected when these are not very dry and the outer skin is peeled off. The roots of saptalā should be collected for use. These are preserved in a pot.

Formulations:

कषाया दश षट् चैव षट् तैलेऽष्टौ  सर्पिषि|
पञ्च मद्ये त्रयो लेहा योगः कम्पिल्लके तथा||
सप्तलाशङ्खिनीभ्यां ते त्रिंशदुक्ता नवाधिकाः|
योगाः सिद्धाः समस्ताभ्यामेकशोऽपि  ते हिताः|| (Cha. Ka. 11/18-19)

Total 39 formulations were mentioned in saptalā śaṅkhinī kalpa. 16 Kaṣāya preparations, 6 Taila preparations, 8 Ghṛta preparations, 5 Sauvīraka and Tuṣodaka preparations, 3 Lehya preparation, 1 preparation with kampillaka.

general knowledge of dantī  dravantī kalpa

Dantī  Botanical Name: Baliospermum montanum

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Dravantī Botanical Name: Jatropha curcas

Family: Euphorbiaceae.

Synonyms:

दन्त्युदुम्बरपर्णी स्यान्निकुम्भोऽथ मुकूलकः|
द्रवन्ती नामतश्चित्रा न्यग्रोधी मूषिकाह्वया||
(
तथा मूषिकपर्णी चाप्युपचित्रा  शम्बरीप्रत्यक्श्रेणी सुतश्रेणी दन्ती ()ण्डा  कीर्तिता  (Cha. Ka. 12/3)

Synonyms of  dantī: uḍumbaraparṇī, nikumbha, and mukūlaka.

Synonyms of dravantī: citra, nyagrodhi and mūṣikāhvayā. (It is also known as mūṣikaparṇī, upacitra, śambarī, pratyakśreṇī,  dantī )

Parts to be Collected:

तयोर्मूलानि सङ्गृह्य स्थिराणि बहलानि |
हस्तिदन्तप्रकाराणि श्यावताम्राणि बुद्धिमान्|| (Cha. Ka. 12/4)

A wise physician should collect the roots of  dantī  and dravanti which are strong, having thick root bark resembling an elephant’s tusk. The roots of  dantī  should be dark brown. And those of dravanti should be coppery in colour.

Pocessing:

पिप्पलीमधुलिप्तानि स्वेदयेन्मृत्कुशान्तरे|
शोषयेदातपेऽग्न्यर्कौ हतो ह्येषां विकाशिताम्|| (Cha. Ka. 12/5)

The roots of dantī and dravantī  should be smeared with the paste of pippali and honey, and covered with kuśa. The bundle should be smeared with mud and fomented with steam. Thereafter the roots should be taken out and dried in the sun. By the exposure to the heat of the fire and sun, the vikāsī property is lessened.

Properties:

Rasa – Kaṭu

Guṇa – Guru, tīkṣṇa

Vīrya – Uṣṇa

Vipāka – Kaṭu

The roots of both  dantī  and dravanti have tīkṣṇa, uṣṇa, āsukari, vikāsī and guru properties. Causes the vilayana of two doṣas; kapha and pitta. Vata gets aggravated by these roots.

Formulations:

दध्यादिषु त्रयः पञ्च प्रियालाद्यैस्त्रयो रसे|
स्नेहेषु वै त्रयो लेह्याः षट् चूर्णे त्वेक एव ||
इक्षावेकस्तथा मुद्गमांसानां  रसास्त्रयः|
यवाग्वादौ त्रयश्चैव उक्त उत्कारिकाविधौ||
एकश्च मोदके मद्ये चैकस्तत्क्वाथतैलके|
चूर्णमेकं पुनश्चैको मोदकः पञ्च चासवे||
एकः सौवीरकेऽथैको योगः स्यात्तु तुषोदके|
एका सुरैकः कम्पिल्ले तथा पञ्च घृते स्मृताः || (Cha. Ka. 12/36-39)

Total 48 formulations were explained in  dantī  dravantī kalpa. 3 Dadhi preparations, 4 Preparations with Priyāla, 3 Māmsa rasa preparations, 3 Ghṛta preparation, 6 Lehya preparation, 1 Cūrṇa preparation, 1 Ikṣu rasa preparation, 8 Mudga and māmsa rasa preparation, 3 Yavāgu preparation, 1 Utkārikā preparation, 1 Modaka preparation, 1 Surā  preparation, 1 Bhakṣya preparation, 1 Cūrṇa preparation, 1 Modaka preparation, 6 Āsava preparation, 1 Sauvīraka preparation, 1 Tuṣodaka preparation, 1 Surā  preparation, 1 Preparation with kampillaka.

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE OF ERAṆḌA                                                    

Botanical Name: Ricinus communis

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Synonyms:

Eraṇḍa, āmaṇḍaka, citra, gandharvahasta, pañcāṅgula, vardhamāna, dīrghadanta, vyaḍambaka.

Properties:

Rasa – Madhura, kaṭu, Kaṣāya anurasa

Guṇa – Tīkṣṇa

Vīrya –  Uṣṇa

Vipāka – Madhura

Karma – Dīpana, srotoviśodhana

Doṣaḥgnata – Vātakaphahara.

general knowledge of jayapāla

Botanical Name: Croton tiglium

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Synonyms: Dantībīja, tintiḍīphala

Properties:

Rasa – Kaṭu

Guṇa – Guru, tīkṣṇa,

Vīrya –  Uṣṇa

Vipāka – Kaṭu

Karma – Kaphavātahara, dīpana

Doṣaḥgnatha – Kaphavātahara

Some Preparations: Abhayāḍi vaṭī, Abhayāḍi modakam

general knowledge of kaṭuki

Botanical Name: Picrorhiza kurroa

Family: Scrophulariaceae

Synonyms:

Kaṭvī, kaṭuka, tiktā, kṛṣṇabheda, kaṭambhara, matsyasakalā, cakrāṅgī, śakulādanī, matsyapittā, kaṭurohiṇi.

Properties:

Rasa – Tikta

Guṇa – Rūkṣa, laghu

Vipāka – Kaṭu

Vīrya – Śīta

Doṣaḥghnata – Kaphapittahara.

IMPORTANT SLOKA

कषाया मधुरा रूक्षा विपाके कटुका  सा|

कफपित्तप्रशमनी रौक्ष्याच्चानिलकोपनी||
सेदानीमौषधैर्युक्ता वातपित्तकफापहैः|
कल्पवैशेष्यमासाद्य  सर्वरोगहरा भवेत्||            (Ch.Ka. 7/5-6)

Śyāmā trivṛt has kaṣāya, madhura rasa, laghu, rūkṣa, tīkṣṇa, uṣṇa vīrya kaṭu vipāka and is kaphapitta praśamana and sukha virecaka.

ज्वरहृद्रोगवातासृगुदावर्तादिरोगिषु|
राजवृक्षोऽधिकं पथ्यो मृदुर्मधुरशीतलः||
बाले वृद्धे क्षते क्षीणे सुकुमारे  मानवे|
योज्यो मृद्वनपायित्वाद्विशेषाच्चतुरङ्गुलः||               (Ch. Ka. 8/4-5)

Caturaṅgula is a drug having madhura rasa and guru, mṛdu, snigdha guṇa. It is indicated in jvara, hṛt roga, vātarakta and udāvarta. Caturaṅgula is a drug of choice for bāla (children), vṛddha, sukumāra, uraḥkṣata, kṣīṇa due to its mṛdu guṇa and anapāyitvata (harmlessness/safe).