The 38th chapter of Uttara Sthanam of Ashtanga Hridayam is named as ‘Mushika Alarka Visha Pratishedha’. This chapter deals with the explanation of ‘Treatment of poison of mouse and dog’.
The topics covered in this chapter include –
- Mushika Bheda – Kinds of mice / rats
- Mushika Shukra Lakshana – Symptoms from contact of semen
- Symptoms of incurable stage
- Symptoms of bad prognosis
- Alarka – Rabid Dog
- Recognizing the bites of other animals
- Features of bites with and without poison
- Features of biting animal developing in those bitten
- Jalasantrasa
- Mushikavisha Chikitsa – treatment of rat bite
- Agaradhumadi Lepa
- Palindyadi Lepa
- Nilinyadi Kwatha for emesis
- Koshatakyadi Dadhi for emesis
- Vachadi Yoga
- Trivritadi Yoga for purgation
- Shirishasaradi Yoga for Shirovirechana
- Kapitta yoga, Tanduliyaka Ghrita, Nishadi Ghrita recipes
- Sinduvaryadi Kwatha
- Other recipes for rat poison
- Sinduvaradi Agada
- Time of aggravation of rat poison remaining in the body
- Dushivisha Chikitsa
- Alarkadamsha Chikitsa – treatment of rabid dog bite
- Use of Ankola
- Use of precious stones
- Features of scratches caused by nails and teeth
- Somavalkadi Lepa
Pledge by the author(s)
अथातो मूषिकालर्कविषप्रतिषेध व्याख्यास्याम: ।
इति ह स्माहुरात्रेयादयो महर्षय: ।
After having offered prayers to the God, henceforth we are going to explain the chapter pertaining to the explanation of ‘Treatment of poison of mouse and (rabid) dogs’. Thus, say (pledge) Atreya and other sages.
Mushika Bheda: Kinds of mice / rats
लालनश्चपलः पुत्रो हसिरश्चिक्किरोऽजिरः ।
कषायदन्तः कुलकः कोकिलः कपिलोऽसितः ॥ १ ॥
अरुणः शबरः श्वेतः कपोतः पलितोन्दुरः ।
छुच्छुन्दरो रसालाख्यो दशाष्टौ चेति मूषिकाः ॥ २ ॥
Lalana, chapala, putra, hasira, chikkira, ajira, kashayadanta, kulaka, kokila, kapila, asita, aruna, shabara, shvetha, kapota, palitondura, chuchundara and rasala these are 18 kinds of mice/rats.
शुक्रं पतति यत्रैषां शुक्रदिग्धैः स्पृशन्ति वा ।
यदङ्गमङ्गैस्तत्रास्रे दूषिते पाण्डुतां गते ॥ ३ ॥
ग्रन्थयः श्वयथुः कोठो मण्डलानि भ्रमोऽरुचिः ।
शीतज्वरोऽतिरुक् सादो वेपथुः पर्वभेदनम् ॥ ४ ॥
रोमहर्षः स्रुतिर्मूर्छा दीर्घकालानुबन्धनम् ।
श्लेष्मानुबद्धबह्वाखुपोतकच्छर्दनं सतृट् ॥ ५ ॥
The part of the body which comes in contact with their semen directly or through cloth contaminated by its semen, there the blood becomes vitiated and attains paleness (white); small nodules, swelling, rashes and pigmented patches appear, accompanied with dizziness, loss of taste/appetite, cold and fever, severe pain, debility, rigors, cutting pain in the joints, horripilation, bleeding, fainting, persistence of symptoms for long time, vomiting of Kapha associated with plenty of masses resembling rats and thirst.
Mushika visha Lakshana: Symptoms of poison of rat
व्यवाय्याखुविषं कृच्छ्रं भूयो भूयश्च कुप्यति ।
Poison of mice is vyavaayi (spreads all over the body quickly), difficult to cure, gets aggravated often.
Symptoms of incurable stage
मूर्छाङ्गशोफवैवर्ण्यक्लेदशब्दाश्रुतिज्वराः ॥ ६ ॥
शिरोगुरुत्वं लालासृक्छर्दिश्चासाध्यलक्षणम् ।
Fainting, swelling of the body, discoloration, exudation / moistness, loss of hearing, fever, feeling of heaviness of the head, excess of salivation and vomiting of blood are the symptoms of incurable stage.
Symptoms of bad prognosis
शूनबस्तिं विवर्णौष्ठमाख्वाभैर्ग्रन्थिभिश्चितम् ॥ ७ ॥
छुच्छुन्दरसगन्धं च वर्जयेदाखुदूषितम् ।
Swelling of the urinary bladder, discoloration of the lips, body covered with nodules resembling rats and emitting smell like that of rat such a patient suffering from rat bite should be rejected.
Alarka: Rabid Dog
शुनः श्लेष्मोल्बणा दोषाः सञ्ज्ञां सञ्ज्ञावहाश्रिताः ॥८॥
मुष्णन्तः कुर्वते क्षोभं धातूनामतिदारुणम् ।
लालावानन्धबधिरः सर्वतः सोऽभिधावति ॥ ९ ॥
स्रस्तपुच्छहनुस्कन्धः शिरोदुःखी नताननः ।
The doshas among which Kapha is predominant get aggravated, invade the samjna vaha srotas- (channels carrying sensation vis a vis nerves) and produce serious disorders where in destruction and agitation of the mind is seen and the tissues in the body of the dog. It runs all over the place with saliva dribbling, blind and deaf, with its tail, lower jaw and shoulders drooping (hanging loose), troubled in the head, with its face bent down.
Symptoms of Alarka / Rabid Dog bite
दंशस्तेन विदष्टस्य सुप्तं कृष्णं क्षरत्यसृक् ॥ १० ॥
हृच्छिरोरुग्ज्वरस्तम्भतृष्णामूर्छोद्भवोऽनु च ।
Bitten by such a dog, the person gets into stupor (or even unconsciousness), black colored blood flows from the site of bite, pain in the region of the heart and head, fever, rigidity of the body, thirst and fainting develop gradually.
Recognizing the bites of other animals
अनेनान्येऽपि बोद्धव्या व्याला दंष्ट्राप्रहारिणः ॥ ११ ॥
शृगालाश्वतराश्वर्क्षद्वीपिव्याघ्रवृकादयः ।
By these (symptoms), the bites of other biting animals such as the jackal, mule, horse, bear, panther, lion, wolf etc. should be recognized.
Features of bites with and without poison
कण्डूनिस्तोदवैवर्ण्यसुप्तिक्लेदज्वरभ्रमाः ॥ १२ ॥
विदाहरागरुक्पाकशोफग्रन्थिविकुञ्चनम् ।
दंशावदरणं स्फोटाः कर्णिका मण्डलानि च ॥ १३ ॥
सर्वत्र सविषे लिङ्गं विपरीतं तु निर्विषे ।
Itching, constant pain, discoloration, loss of sensation, exudation, fever, dizziness, burning sensation all over the body, red color, pain, ripening (suppuration), swelling, developing of the tumor and its receding, tearing of the site of bite, appearance of vesicles, ring like muscular growth and round rashes are the features of bites if poison is present in them; the opposite of these if poison is not present.
Features of biting animal developing in those bitten
दष्टो येन तु तच्चेष्टारुतं कुर्वन् विनश्यति ॥ १४ ॥
पश्यंस्तमेव चाकस्मादादर्शसलिलादिषु ।
The person imitates the animal in its actions and cry which has bitten him, sees them accidentally in the mirror, water etc. and dies.
Jalasantrasa
योऽद्भ्यस्त्रस्येददष्टोऽपि शब्दसंस्पर्शदर्शनैः ॥ १५ ॥
जलसन्त्रासनामानं दष्टं तमपि वर्जयेत् ।
That person who becomes afraid of water even by its sound, touch and sight, even though not bitten (by rabid dog etc.) is also designated as afflicted by Jalasantrasa and those bitten should be refused treatment.
Mushikavisha Chikitsa: Treatment of rat bite
आखुना दष्टमात्रस्य दंशं काण्डेन दाहयेत् ॥ १६ ॥
दर्पणेनाथवा तीव्ररुजा स्यात्कर्णिकाऽन्यथा ।
दग्धं विस्रावयेद्दंशं प्रच्छितं च प्रलेपयेत् ॥ १७ ॥
शिरीषरजनीवक्रकुङ्कुमामृतवल्लिभिः ।
The site of a bite bitten by the rat should be burnt either by the stem of a plant or a mirror (lens); if not done so there will be severe pain and development of a round muscular growth. After burning the wound it should be incised with a knife, fluid removedand applied with a paste of śirīṣa – Albizia lebbeck, rajanī – Curcuma longa, vakra – Valeriana wallichii, kuṅkuma – Crocus sativus and amṛtavalli – Tinospora cordifolia.
Agaradhumadi Lepa
अगारधूममञ्जिष्ठारजनीलवणोत्तमैः ॥ १८ ॥
लेपो जयत्याखुविषं कर्णिकायाश्च पातनः ।
Application of paste of kitchen soot, mañjiṣṭhā – Rubia cordifolia, rajanī – Curcuma longa, rock salt destroys poison of mice and makes the muscular growth fall off.
Palindyadi Lepa
ततोऽम्लैः क्षालयित्वाऽनु तोयैरनु च लेपयेत् ॥ १९ ॥
पालिन्दीश्वेतकटभीबिल्वमूलगुडूचिभिः ।
अन्यैश्च विषशोफघ्नैः सिरां वा मोक्षयेद्द्रुतम् ॥ २० ॥
Next, it should be washed with any sour liquid and applied with the paste of pālindī – Operculina turpethum, śvetakaṭabhī – Clitoria ternatea, bilvamūla – root of Aegle marmelos, and guḍūci – Tinospora cordifolia or other herbs which destroys poison and mitigate swelling; then the vein should be cut (to let out blood) urgently.
Nilinyadi Kwatha for emesis
छर्दनं नीलिनीक्वाथैः शुकाख्याङ्कोल्लयोरपि ।
Vomiting should be induced by administering the decoction of nīlinī – Indigofera tinctorea, śukākhya – Albizia lebbeck and or Alangium salvifolium.
Koshatakyadi Dadhi for emesis
कोशातक्याः शुकाख्यायाः फलं जीमूतकस्य च ॥ २१ ॥
मदनस्य च सञ्चूर्ण्य दध्ना पीत्वा विषं वमेत् ।
Poison should be got vomited out by drinking curds (yoghurt) added with powder of fruits of kośātakyāḥ – Luffa acutangula, śukākhyā – Albizia lebbeck, jīmūtaka – Luffa echinata and madana – Randia dumetorum
Vachadi Yoga
वचामदनजीमूतकुष्ठं वा मूत्रपेषितम् ॥ २२ ॥
पूर्वकल्पेन पातव्यं सर्वोन्दुरविषापहम् ।
vacā – Acorus calamus, madana – Randia dumetorum, jīmūta – Luffa echinata, and kuṣṭha – Saussurea lappa macerated with cow urine, consumed in the earlier method cures the poison of all kinds of rats.
Trivritadi Yoga for purgation
विरेचनं त्रिवृन्नीलीत्रिफलाकल्क इष्यते ॥ २३ ॥
Purgation is desirable by the administration of trivṛt – Operculina turpethum, nīlī – Indigofera tinctoria made into paste.
Shirishasaradi Yoga for Shirovirechana
शिरोविरेचने सारः शिरीषस्य फलानि च ।
अञ्जनं गोमयरसो व्योषसूक्ष्मरजोऽन्वितः ॥ २४ ॥
For purgation of the head, śirīṣasya sāraḥ – extract of Albizia lebbeck and phalaS –
Haritaki – Terminalia chebula
Vibhitaki – Terminalia bellerica
Amalaki – Emblica officinalis;
for use of collyrium juice of fresh cow dung mixed with fine powder of vyoṣa – vyosha –
Black pepper – Piper nigrum
Long pepper fruit – Piper longum
and
Ginger – Zingiber officinale are suitable.
Kapitta yoga, Tanduliyaka Ghrita, Nishadi Ghrita recipes
कपित्थगोमयरसो मधुमानवलेहनम् ।
तण्डुलीयकमूलेन सिद्धं पाने हितं घृतम् ॥ २५ ॥
द्विनिशाकटभीरक्तायष्ट्याह्वैर्वामृतान्वितैः ।
आस्फोतमूलसिद्धं वा पञ्चकापित्थमेव वा ॥ २६ ॥
kapittha – Limonia acidissima and juice of fresh cow dung mixed with honey is good for licking; ghee cooked with the root of taṇḍulīyaka – Amaranthus spinosus is suitable for drinking; or ghee prepared with the two nisha – Curcuma longa and Barberis aristate kaṭabhī – Clitoria ternatea, raktā yaṣṭi: vā – Rubia cordifolia and amṛta – Tinospora cordifolia, or that prepared with roots of āsphota – Calotropis gigantea or that prepared with five products (root, bark, leaves, flower and fruit) of kāpittha – Limonia acidissima is suitable for drinking.
Sinduvaryadi Kwatha
सिन्धुवारं नतं शिग्रुबिल्वमूलं पुनर्नवा ।
वचाश्वदंष्ट्राजीमूतमेषां क्वाथं समाक्षिकम् ॥ २७ ॥
पिबेच्छाल्योदनं दध्ना भुञ्जानो मूषिकार्दितः ।
तक्रेण शरपुङ्खाया बीजं सञ्चूर्ण्य वा पिबेत् ॥ २८ ॥
The person suffering from rat bite poison, should drink the decoction of sindhuvāra – Vitex negundo, nata – Valeriana wallicii, śigru – Moringa oleifera, bilvamūlaṃ – root of Aegle marmelos, punarnavā – Boerhavia diffusa, vacā – Acorus calamus, śvadaṃṣṭrā – Tribulus terrestris and jīmūta – Luffa echinata added with honey; partake boiled shali rice along with curds or drink the powder of seeds of śarapuṅkha – Tephrosia purpurea mixed with buttermilk.
Other recipes for rat poison
अङ्कोल्लमूलकल्को वा बस्तमूत्रेण कल्कितः ।
पानालेपनयोर्युक्तः सर्वाखुविषनाशनः ॥ २९ ॥
कपित्थमध्यतिलकतिलाङ्कोल्लजटाः पिबेत् ।
गवां मूत्रेण पयसा मञ्जरीं तिलकस्य वा ॥ ३० ॥
अथवा सैर्यकान् मूलं सक्षौद्रं तण्डुलाम्बुना ।
कटुकालाबुविन्यस्तं पीतं वाऽम्बु निशोषितम् ॥ ३१ ॥
Paste of root of aṅkolla – Alangium salvifolium made into a paste along with goat urine used for drinking and external application, destroys the poison of all varieties of rats. Or drink the paste of the marrow of kapittha – fruit of Limonia acidissima, tilaka – Wendlandia exerta, tila – Sesamum indicum, aṅkolla jaṭāḥ – and roots of Alangium salvifolium along with cow urine or paste of tilakasya mañjarīṃ vā – Wendlandia exerta – inflorescence along with milk. Or paste of roots of sairyakān – Barleria prionitis along with rice wash added with honey. Or drink the water put inside the shell of kaṭukālābu – Lagenaria siceraria fruit and kept overnight.
Sinduvaradi Agada
सिन्धुवारस्य मूलानि बिडालास्थि विषं नतम् ।
जलपिष्टोऽगदो हन्ति नस्याद्यैराखुजं विषम् ॥ ३२ ॥
Root of sindhuvāra – Vitex negundo, bones of the cat, viṣaṃ – Aconitum heterophyllum and natam – Valeriana wallicii, made into paste with water and used as nasal medication etc., this anti-poison destroys the poison of rats.
Time of aggravation of rat poison remaining in the body
सशेषं मूषिकविषं प्रकुप्यत्यभ्रदर्शने ।
यथायथं वा कालेषु दोषाणां वृद्धिहेतुषु ॥ ३३ ॥
Residue remaining inside the body of rat poison gets aggravated when the clouds accumulate in the sky or at such time when the doshas become increased by causes which increase them.
Dushivisha Chikitsa
तत्र सर्वे यथावस्थं प्रयोज्याः स्युरुपक्रमाः ।
यथास्वं ये च निर्दिष्टास्तथा दूषीविषापहाः ॥ ३४ ॥
At such time, all the treatments appropriate to the doshas should be administered and also those indicated in the treatment of dushivisha (Chapter 35 of Uttarasthana).
Alarkadamsha Chikitsa: Treatment of rabid dog bite
दंशं त्वलर्कदष्टस्य दग्धमुष्णेन सर्पिषा ।
प्रदिह्यादगदैस्तैस्तैः पुराणं च घृतं पिबेत् ॥ ३५ ॥
The site of a bite bitten by the rabid dog, should be burnt by hot ghee and covered with warm paste of agada (anti-poisonous recipe); old ghee should be given to drink.
Alarkadamsha Chikitsa: Treatment of rabid dog bite
अर्कक्षीरयुतं चास्य योज्यमाशु विरेचनम् ।
He should be given a purgative therapy quickly, mixing the milky sap of arka – Calotropis gigantea with the purgative herb.
Use of Ankola
अङ्कोल्लोत्तरमूलाम्बु त्रिपलं सहविःपलम् ॥ ३६ ॥
पिबेत्सधत्तूरफलां श्वेतां वाऽपि पुनर्नवाम् ।
Juice of root of aṅkolla – Alangium salvifolium spreading northwards, three pala (144 grams) in quantity mixed with one pala (48 grams) of ghee, or juice of fruit of śvetāṃ dhattūra vā -Datura stramonium, or punarnavā – Boerhavia diffusa with water should be consumed.
Alarkadamsha Chikitsa: Treatment of rabid dog bite
ऐकध्यं पललं तैलं रूपिकायाः पयो गुडः ॥ ३७ ॥
भिनत्ति विषमालर्कं घनवृन्दमिवानिलः ।
Dry meat or powder of fried sesame (Arunadatta), sesame oil milky sap of rūpikā – (arka) – Calotropis gigantea and jaggery all mixed together and consumed breaks (destroys) the poison of rabid dog just like wind breaks the clouds.
Use of precious stones
समन्त्रं सौषधीरत्नं स्नपनं च प्रयोजयेत् ॥ ३८ ॥
Wearing of herbs and precious stones and bathing fortified with mantra (sacred hymns) should be administered.
Features of scratches caused by nails and teeth
चतुष्पाद्भिर्द्विपाद्भिर्वा नखदन्तपरिक्षतम् ।
शूयते पच्यते रागज्वरस्रावरुजान्वितम् ॥ ३९ ॥
Scratches/abrasions/wounds caused by the nails and teeth of quadrupeds or bipeds, become swollen, undergo suppuration accompanied with the redness, fever, exudation and pain.
Somavalkadi Lepa
सोमवल्कोऽश्वकर्णश्च गोजिह्वा हंसपादिका ।
रजन्यौ गैरिकं लेपो नखदन्तविषापहः ॥ ४० ॥
Application of paste of somavalka – Acacia catechu, aśvakarṇaśca – Dipterocarpus turbinatus, gojihvā – Onosma bracteatum, haṃsapādikā – Adiantum lunulatum, rajanyau – the two rajani –
Haridra – Curcuma longa
Daruharidra – Berberis aristata
and red ochre wards off the poison of nails and teeth.
इति श्री वैद्यपति सिंहगुप्तसूनु श्रीमद्वाग्भटविरचितायामष्टाङ्गहृदयसंहितायां षष्ठे उत्तरस्थाने मूषिकालर्कविषप्रतिषेधो नामाष्टत्रिंशोऽध्याय: ॥ ३८ ॥
Thus, ends the chapter Mushika-alakra visha pratishedha- the thirty eighth in Uttarasthana of Ashtanga Hridaya Samhitha composed by Shrimad Vagbhata, son of Shri Vaidyapati Simhagupta.
Thus, ends the Damstra (visha) Chikitsa- the sixth branch of Ayurveda.
