________________
JULY, 1987
terized by the fact that over and above opium some other foreign drugs are found incorporated into its pharmacology as is evidenced in other Indian alchemical works. It is a well known historical fact that the Portuguese had fairly established themselves at Goa and some parts of India by the beginning of the sixteenth century, A.D.75 “As a result of intercourse of India with them that dreadful scourge the veneral diseasesyphilis (phiringiroga) made its appearance76 in India.”
Syphilis (Phiringiroga)" as mentioned in the Jaina and other Indian Ayurvedic works78 of the period “had now to be reckoned with and a new name had to be coined for it'°79 as phiringi or phiringiroga.
The Suvarna-Raupya-Siddhi-Sāstra and a Jaina MS. Vaidyaka Samgraha of an unknown author prescribe calomel (rasakarpūra)80 and kobcini 81 (kābābcini=china root, smilax china=ciniakapūr) for what is termed for the first time as phiringiroga or the disease of the Portuguese. "The use of this drug as a remedy for Syphilis, it is believed, was made known to the Portuguese at Goa by the Chinese traders about A.D. 1535.982
Both opium83 and mineral acids 84 are prescribed for many diseases. The Ayurvedic method of treatment has been described in the SuvarnaRaupya-Siddhi-Sāstra, etc. in detail as is evidenced in ample citations86 as found in other Indian Ayurvedic works.86
75 Hindu Chemistry, Dr. P. C. Ray, p. 162. 76 Ibid. 77 A Jaina MS. Vaidyaka Samgraha of an unknown author of the 18th Century A.D.
in the collection of Kalyanavijayaji, No. 2095, written in old Gujarati in the same collection No. 2093, now kept in the library of L. D. Institute of Indology, Ahmedabad-9, Gujarat, throws light upon this phiringivata (syphilis) and syphilitic cancre, etc. and their remedies, e.g. a the phiringivaya pratikara, -bodarasimgi, hirakasisa, katho, valuacali, dadimachali, samabhagacurna, lingacapei limgaroga jai, MS. No. 2095 (30994). Phiringivatasamadhi-rasakapura ta 1, katho ta 1, itachid anta ta 1, citraka ta 1, ciniyakapura ta 1, akolakaro ta 1. jaiphala ta 1, javanitri ta 1, sarva ausadha pisi nimbarasasu goli 14, kijai, prabhati, samdhai, dina, logala jai, dudh, bhat pathya,
MS. No. 2093. etc. 78 Arkaprakasa, Ravana ; Bhavaprakasa, Bhava Misra. 79 Hindu Chemistry, p. 162. 80 SRSS. ch. X. 1, Vaidyaka Samgraha (Phiringivatasamadhi). 81 Ibid., ch. VIII. 35 ; ch. IX. 68. 82 Hindu Chemistry, p. 162. 83 SRSS., ch. II. 30-31 ; ch. X. 26, etc.
4 Ibid. 85 Ibid., ch. IX, X. XIV, 8; 86 Carakasamhita; Susrutasamhita ; Kalyanakaraka, etc.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
