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MATERIAL CULTURE
185
with the help of medicines, i.e. by prescribing those which were required for the pacification of the deranged elements and retaining those elements which were already in a state of aggravation.2 Medicine was given in various forms of powders (cunna), pills (gulika), oils (tella), ghệta and confection (like ghaya punna for gastic trouble) etc. The powder or oil of the padma or ut pala,eran da, nimba and matulunga, was prescribed for the diseases of vata, pitta and sanni pata respectively. The powder of ela (cardamom) and of the various substances included in the eladi group (eladigana) was recommended for the various diseases. Trikatu, a mixture of dry ginger, long pepper and black pepper worked as an antidote (agața) against diseases. There was also a type of pill (gulika) which could change the voice and complexion of a person.s
The oils like sata paka and sahasrapaka were highly prised and were beyond the means of ordinary citizens (dullabhad avva). The Jaina monks were allowed even to deviate from
1. "FHUD"_TOTAL FlArsifat 5 afegeTOTES....forrroi” fat sto TT
Fiat Etor at Tecla FT GETU-NG. 3, p. 417; also Sušrutasanhitā
Introduction, pp. L-lxi. 2. NC. 2, p. 316; BỊh. Vt, 2, p. 323. 3. "itu" 5514 20-NC. 1, p. 121. According to Sušruta, the group of
medicinal drugs known as Eladigara consists of the substances like Elā, Tagara, Tvak patra, Naga puspa, Priyangu, Agaru, Usira,
Kumkuma etc.-Susruta, Sūtrasthāna, XXVIII. 2. 4. NO. 1, p. 153. 5. Fl-qrafitoille Tfatte at aequoi ritet 557_NC. 3, p. 194, also
NC. 4, p. 116. 6. greitai par HEFANT-NC. 1, p. 153, also p. 121. According to
the Vitti on Brhatkalpa Bhāsyas the sata pāka and sahasrapäka oils were prepared either with a hundred or thousand medicinal drugs or by boiling one drug a hundred or a thousand times (Brh. V!. 5, p. 1591). Susruta in his Cikitsāsthāna gives an elaborate description of the various drugs required for making the sahasra paka and sata pāka oils, and of the hard and laborious process required for their preparation. For proper details see-Susruta, Cikitsästhāna, IV. 29 (Vol. II, pp. 293-94).
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