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Vol. XXI, 1997
WATER TREATMENT IN....
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of a particular disease like vranaphotakādi). In this hymn also mud is referred as a curative item and hence mud therapy is quite evident from this'. In the third kānda, the priest describes the ksetriya (inherited) diseases. In this context, the powers of water is referred to. The waters verily are healers (remedial) the waters disease-expelling, cures all diseases. May they relieve you from ksetriya 10. Commenting upon this Sāyaṇācārya narrates the importance of the curative power of water. He says : Apa eva khalu bheșajāḥ bhesajabhūtāḥ abhișekapānādinā rogāpanodanena sukhahetavaḥ. Tathā āpa eva ausadhirūpeņa parinatāḥ. Amīvacātanīḥ - amīvacātanyaḥ rogāņām nāśayitryaḥ. Apa eva visvasya sarvasya rogasya bhesajāh ausadhāntaravad na kasyacideva rogasya bhesajam kintu sarvesāmapītyarthaḥ. Not only this, he further clarifies the medicinal importance of water as follows : Apāṁ bheşajarūpatvam anyatra spastam āmnātam. Apsu me somo abravid antarvisvāni bhesajā. (Rg. 1.23.20) The hymn VI. 91.31 describes exactly the same idea of the curative power of water. It is said : The waters verily are remedial, the waters are diseaseexpelling, the waters are remedial of everything, let them make remedy for you. In a different context, the Atharvavedic poet-priest praises the water as god and requests it to be kind towards the person who sufferes from various diseases. By invoking water in these mantras, he propitiates it and then invokes it to remove all the diseases. There is a reference to the effect that water cures heart disease. He seems to know that the water which flows from the snowy mountain i.e. Himālayas and the water coming from different corners (of the Himalayas) assemble in the Sindhu, and hence he prays that may heavenly water indeed grant him the cure for heart-ache!2. Regarding eye-diseases and pain in the foot also there is some discussion. "The pain that burns my eyes and which hurts in my heels, my front feet, may the waters remove all that among the physicians the most excellent physician 13.” Here water is personified and invoked to work as an active physician who carefully and positively removes all the diseases from the body. There are in the AV. descriptions of invocations of mantras regarding the restoration of perfect health. In the cases of those who suffer from diseases, the poet-priest invokes and prays the respective deities and utters some mantras for
