Atharvaveda and Charaka Samhita
by Laxmi Maji | 2021 | 143,541 words
This page relates ‘Treatment to neutralize Poison� found in the study on diseases and remedies found in the Atharvaveda and Charaka-samhita. These texts deal with Ayurveda—the ancient Indian Science of life—which lays down the principles for keeping a sound health involving the use of herbs, roots and leaves. The Atharvaveda refers to one of the four Vedas (ancient Sanskrit texts encompassing all kinds of knowledge and science) containing many details on Ayurveda, which is here taken up for study.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Treatment to neutralize Poison
Atharva Veda is a charm against 貹ṣa-nāśana. There are several hymns in the Atharva Veda which are used by the ś첹 ūٰ for neutralising poison. These hymns are in honour of ղṣa첹, the mythical serpent deity. While reciting IV.6 in low voice, making obeisance to ղṣa첹 Vaiśāleya, the practising priest gives to the patient water to drink and sprinkles water over him. The same performance is repeated with water in which pieces of Krumuka are placed. The priest then sprinkles over the patient water warmed by quenching in it a heated old garment or a heated old skin of an antelope or a heated wisp or broom. A mixed drink is stirred using two arrows whose points are daubed with poison and turned upwards, in a water-vessel which has been smeared with the dregs of ghee. Then lumps of earth are broken into it while the hymn is being recited stanza by stanza. The mixture is given to the patient till he begins to vomit. Finally, the patient is given a yellow Curcuma to drink[1].
In another practice which is in continuation with the one just mentioned: The poison is confined with the second stanza of V.13 i.e.; a rope is fastened about the patient when stanza two is being recited. The priest walks about the patient towards the left and fastens a bunch of grass to the tuft of the patient’s hair. Finally, the patient is given to drink from a gourd which is then tied to the naval of the patient[2]. Atharvaveda -X.10 prescribes methods for removal of poison. In the practices connected with it the Paidva becomes the main element in the removal of poison[3].The process commences with the performance of the rites connected with IV.6. After which, having ground up Paidva the person, suffering from snakebite, puts the ground material in his right nostril with his right thumb. The patient is then rubbed from head to foot; the wounded part is heated with a torch; which is then flung at the serpent or in the direction of the serpent or on the spot where it had bitten the patient. If one is scared of serpents, one hides the Paidva in his attire. In connection with VI.12, the practices are repeated. However, in this case, the patient is given Madhiśībha [śī�] (honey mixture) before the healing ritual is undertaken[4]. The ants Upajīkā are supposed to be endowed with water having curative properties. At ś첹 ūٰ 31.26 in connection with VI.100, this particular water mixed with warm water is recommended as a solution with for plastering the body of the patient as well as an amulet of earth from the anthill[5].
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
brāhmaṇo jajña iti takṣakāyāñjali� k�tvā japannācamayatyabhyukṣati || kṛmukaśakala� saṃkṣudya dū?[?]rjaradajināvakarajvālena || sampātavatyudapātra ūrdhvaphalābhyā� digdhābhyā� manthamupamathya rayidhāraṇapiṇḍānanvṛca� prakīrya chardayate || � sarpiṣi pāyayati || (AV. –IV/7/2,3 for ś첹 ūٰ 28.1-4); Atharvavedīya–ś� Gṛhyasūtra� (Dārilakeśavayosa�-kṣiptaṭīkaya sahita�), trans. Udayanarayana Sinha, Varanasi, Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series office, 2009, p. 66.
[2]:
ś첹 ūٰ-29.1-14 in connection with V.13; Atharvavedīya–ś� Gṛhyasūtra� (Dārilakeśavayosa�-kṣiptaṭīkaya sahita�), trans. Udayanarayana Sinha, Varanasi, Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series office, 2009, pp. 68-69.
[3]:
uttamābhyāmādityamupatiṣṭhate || indrasya prathama iti takṣakāyetyuktam || paidva� prakarṣya dakṣiṇenāṅguṣṭhena dakṣiṇasyā� Բٲ� || ahibhaye sicyavagūhayati || aṅgādaṅgāditya prapadāt || daṃśmottamayā nitāpyāhimabhinirasyati || yato 岹ṣṭ� || (ś첹 ūٰ-32.20-25); Atharvavedīya–ś� Gṛhyasūtra� (Dārilakeśavayosa�-kṣiptaṭīkaya sahita�), trans. Udayanarayana Sinha, Varanasi, Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series office,2009, p. 77.
[4]:
貹峾پ madhu śībha� pāyayati || japaṃśca || (ś첹 ūٰ-29.28-29);Atharvavedīya–ś� Gṛhyasūtra� (Dārilakeśavayosa�-kṣiptaṭīkaya sahita�), trans. Udayanarayana Sinha, Varanasi, Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series office,2009, p. 70.
[5]: