Bull. Ind. Inst. Hist. Med. Vol. XX pp. 95 to 105

SALIENT FEATURES OF DHANVANTARI, A LESS-KNOWN AYURVEDIC TREATISE

D. SURESH KUMAR*

ABSTRACT

Salient features of a less-known ayurvedic treatise. Dhanvantari are reported in this communication. Occurance of some iatrochemical formulations ascribed to Charaka. Dhanvantari and Krishnatreya is a special feature of this text. Clear instructions are given in this treatise on the pre-treatment of patients, types of adjuvants, bio-activators and post-prandial drinks to be administered with the medicines and dietary restrictions. As phirangaroga and ashthastha- napariksha are described, it can be concluded that Dhanvantari was composed in 16 or 17 century A.D. Some inter-relationships of the Dhanvantari School of Ayufveda and Tamil medicine are also discussed, implying the need for a re-examination of the concepts of the history of Avurveda

Introduction lar. As Ohanvantari is a less-known ayurvedic text, an attempt is made in literature contains a this communication to highlight some sizeable number of treatises on Ayur- of its salient features, which qualify it for further study. veda. Drawing inspiration from the classical compositions of the Atreva Plan of the text and Dhanvantari schools of thought. many scholars contributed compendia, The author does not reveal his translations of which are avai lable in identity anywhere in the text. Before the regional languages. During the starting the classification of fevers, course of a literature survey we came he invokes the blessings of Pafica- across the Malayalam version of one nana. a terrifying ferm of Siva. The such text entitled Dhanvantaru.", It concluding stanzas, typical of many was originally published in 1938 with Sanskrit texts are missing in Dhan- the sitikandhiva commentary of Kavu;i- vantari, which ends with the recipe gal Nilakentha Pill ai. a Sanskrit scho- of a cosmetic formulation (2:440**).

*Department of Physiology. International Institute 01 . Ramanthapuram. Coimbatore-Bd l 045. India.

'**Volume and Page numbers. 96 Bull. Ind. Inst. Hist. Med. Vol. XX

The opening chapter of the text of these diseases were first reported deals with omens, diagnostic techni- in post-Vaqbhat a texts like Gadani- ques, interpretation of dreams, signs graha, Parvavaratnamala. Rasaratna- of imminent death, qualities of land, kara etc+. characteristics of vegetable drugs and definition of weights and measures. Diagnosis of diseases This is followed by cl sss ificatlon of For identification of diseases the diseases and guidelines for their author recommends the asthasthana- treatment. After describing the cha- pariksa or examination of pulse (nadi). racteristics of each subgroup of the urine (miitra). feces (mala), tongue disease, the author enumerates the (jihva), eyes (netra), general appea- single drug remedies, compound rance (rupa). voice (sebda) and skin herbal formulations and iatrochemical (sparse) of the patient. NaQiparik~a preparations useful in its management. is believed to have been adopted from There are 129 such chapters which Tamil medicines and mutrapariksa begin with the classification of fevers was first described in Avurveua by (jvararoqanidana) and end with treat- Vangasena in Cikitsasarasamqraha ment of sexual debility (vajikarana). dating from 11 century A. D. 4 As the There is no chapter on rejuvenation rudiments of the concept of asthas- (r asav ana). The author presents the thanapank sa are traceable in Kavastha medical knowledge as if Dhanvantari Camund f's .Jvaratlrnir abhaskara of narrates it to Siva. 16 century', Dhanvantari can be assigned to 16 or 17 century. This is Classifications of diseases supported by the observation that in the ohalasruti of Brhadvidvadhara- The nosoloqical aspects of Dhan- bhr arn, Ksudhavatlqut ika Mflhiigulma- vantari are based mostly on Miidhava- ka lfin alar as am. Hasavanamrtaloham nida na". However.

in heart disease and Crataeva nurvala Botanical Aspects Buch.- Ham. ( ) in urolithiasis was first recommended by Cakrapani- Due to interaction with Greco- Arabic and Chinese medicines, many da tte",". Occurrence of recipes of new plants were incorporated into several simple formulations is a mar- the ayurvedic pharrnacopoeia re. Aloe ked feature of this text. barbadensis Mill (kumari). Crinum latifo/ium L. (sudarsana): Cretan Mercurial preparations tiglium L (j aipala), Echinops echino- tus Roxb. (ustrakanr ak a) and Papaver Dhanvantari recommends nume- somiferum L (ahiph.'na) are some rous mercurial preparations in the such plants found in the formulae of treatment of almost all diseases. Dhanvantari Interestingly, Cannabis Many of the formulations are attribu- sativa L. (bhauqa) occurs in 15 ted to Candraniitha. Gahananatha, formuiations, 11 of which are aphor- Nltvanatha, Visvanatha and other disiacs. iatrochemists who flourished in the medieval periods Table 1 lists the references to such formulae. Interes- tingly enough, some mercurials are Dhanvantari describes phiranqa- ascribed to Asvinikurnar a. Caraka, roga (syphilis) first reported in Dhanvantari, Kr!?J)atreya, , Siva Ayurveda by Bhavarnishra'". Verses and Visnu. These observations are from Bhavapraka- a are obviously significant in the wake of absence of reproduced with little variation to references to mercurials in present describe the aetiology, prognosis and day versions of Su-rut a Sal1;hila and secondary and afflictions of the Caraka Sarnhita . disease (2:199-201). Rasakarpur a, Saptasa livat i and a few powders It is generally believed that mercu- including that of Smilax china L. rial preparations are administered (copacini) are indicated exactly as in without considering the destabilisa- Bhavaprakasa (2 : 206- 208). lion of the tridosa '. However, Dhan- vantari is replete with references to Influence of tantra and other many mercurials which are indicated religious elements in specific d6~a states. This suqgests that attempts were made by later Elements of tantra and other authors to integrate iatrochemistry religious practices are found in Dhan- with classical avurvedic doctrines. References to such formulae are pro- vantari. Some ex a.nples are cited vided in Table 2. below. 98 Bull. Ind. /nst. Hist. Med. Vol. XX

1) Amrtankuraloham is to be consu- before consuming Sulavajril)! vati med after paying homage to the (1: 423-424). deities, spiritual masters and the learned (1: 374-376). 10) All diseases will be cured if Trail6kyacintama1)irasal11 is consumed 2) A!?tadasasatikaprasari1)i tailarn is while performing pu]a of Sri effective only if consumed after and Surva (1: 368- 369). performing Visnupuja (1: 344-346). 11) Human urine is recommended as 3) Candraprabhavati is especially an adjuvant for administering Bhiita- effective if consumed after performing bhairavarasam (1: 299·300). Sharma Sivapiija (1: 163-165). (1984) is of the opinion that use of human urine is related to tantrik

4) of Ravi (Sun) and Guru rites' I. (Jupiter) should be performed on an auspicious day before consuming Discussion and Conclusions Catus arnalohain (1: 425-426). On the whole Dhanvantari seems 5) Navikacur nam should be consumed to have been composed in the in the early morning while meditating post-Bhavamishra period, apparently on the form of (1: 136- with the intention of serving as a 137) comprehensive guide to practitioners. It gives clear instructions on the 6) Before starting the preparation of pre-treatment of patients, types of Sankhadravaka one should perform adjuvants. bioactivators and post- Y6ginipuja and Bhairavapuja accor- prandial drinks (anupana) to be admi- ding to established procedures (2: 97- nistered with the medicines, dietary 98). restrictions and precautions to be taken with mercurials. 7) Pflja of Sarvanqasundararasam and Vi ivesvararasam should be performed Interestingly, the text contains before consuming the same (1: 217, some information which should serve 381-382). as stimuli for further research on the history of Ayurveda. The celestial 8) The aphrodisiac (Satavarim6dakal11 twins- Asvinikurnara. Caraka, Dhan- should be consumed after performing vantari and Krsnatreva are said to ~ivap\!ja and Dhanvantaripuja (2: have designed some iatrochemical 409-410) . preparations (Table 1). In this context it may be mentioned that Todaranan- 9) Piija of Ganapati. Y6gisvari, Siva, da's Ayurvedasaukhya contains passa- Vi~IlU and Surva should be performed ges on pulse examination ascribed in Salient Features of Dhanvantari-Suresh Kumar 99

Caraka '. Such evidences evidences suggest that the school cast doubt on the va liditv of the had links with Tamil medicine. opinion of some medica I historians that iatrochemistry and pulse exami- Dwarakanath remarks that a nation were later introductions to scholar of the Dhanvantari School Ayurveda due to its interaction with was the guru of Konkanavar. the 16 exponents of Chinese, Greco-Arabic century ascetic revered in the Tamil and Tamil rnedicinesv.!-. How such medical tradition". i5. A Tamil medical elements disappeared from the original treatise entitled Tanvantari Vaityam versions of the classics needs to be is still in use and formulae of many investigated. Painstaking study of mercurials like .Jvaracintarnanirasam the extent medical literature of Arabic, and Piratapalankesverakkulikai are Pali. Persian, Sanskrit, Tamil and present in it!". Konkanavars guru was Tibetan languages is required to solve said to have been an accomplished some of these riddles. tantrik!" and interestingly many elements of tantr a are available in In the chapter on the nosology of Dhanvantari as well. While references antavrddhi, the author states that to Caraka, Susruta or Vagbhala are "as suggested by Susruta and others, missing in Tamil medical works, vardhma afflicts persons who had some texts of the system contain recovered from an attack of phiranqa- introductory verses paying tribute r6ga (2:128-129). This suggests that to Dhanvantati. The tanvantari a phirangaroga - like malady might vanakkarn (homage to Dhanvantari) have been known to ancient authors. in Teraiar Makakarisal is a proof Such a statement is meaningful in of it!". the light of the fact that the recently- described AIDS is very much compa- Not many texts on therapeutics rable to a clinical condition that are attributed to Dhanvantari. How- stems from diminution of 6jas and ever, Kamat refers to Dhanvantari the resulting vitiation of vata and Grantha and Dhanvantari Pancaka pitta. even though a specific name in the appendix to his study of was not assigned to the clinical the Dhanvantariya Niqhantu 18, One entity18,14. Dhanvantari Cikitsarnavam is reported to be in the Orissa State Museum, Considering all the internal Bhubaneshvar !", It will be interesting evidences it can be concluded that to ascertain whether these texts have Dhanvantari was composed by an any characteristics in common with anonymous scholar of the Dhanvantari Dhanvantari, the subject of the prsant School of Ayurveda. Many secondary study, 100 Bull. Ind. /nst. Hist. Med. Voi. XX

TABLE 1

IATROCHEMICAL FORMULATIONS ATTRIBUTED TO HISTORICAL AND MYTHOLOGICAL PERSONALITIES

No. Name of personality to whom Name of Formula Reference the formula is ascribed

1. Asvinikumara Kusdheraksasatailam 2 : 235- 236 2. Candranadha Sricandramrtaloharrr" 1 : 235-236 3. Candranadha Sulavajrlnjvatl 1 : 423-424 4. Candranadha SirasuladrivajrarasaTfl 2 : 376 5. Caraka S6manatharasaTfl 2 : 79-80 6. Dhanvantari Mrtyuiijayal6haTfl 2 : 109-110 7. Gahananadha Srinrpativallabham 1 145-146 8. Gahananadha Krimidhalijalaplavetasem 1: 183-184 9. Gahenanadha Kasasamharabheiravarasam t : 229 10. Gahananadha GulmakalanalarasaTfl 2 : 26-27 11. Gahananadha Aqnikumaraloham 2 : 108 12. Gahanananda PraQavaliabharssaTfl 1 : 191-192 13. Gahanananda Pranavallabharasarn" 2: 32-33, 109 14. Gahanananda Hasarnrtarasarp 1 : 202 15. Gahanananda TarakesvararasaTfl 2 : 57 16. Gahananandanadha Candrasurvatmakarasam 1: 193-194 17. Gahananandanadha Gulrnasardularasam 2 : 32 18. Gahananandenadha Kalana larasam 1 : 181-182 19. Gahananandanadha Kancanabhrakalp 1 : 220 2~ Gahananandanidha S6mc';vararasaTfl 2 : 76· 77, 85-86 21. Gahaninandanadha Vatevidbvamsanarasam 1 365- 366 22. Krsnitreya Caturmukharas am 1 318-319 23. Kr~T.\atreya Y5gefidrarasaTfl 1 320 24. Narada Laksmivildsara sam 1 : 103-105 25. Nitvan atha Gulmavejr inivatlka 2 : 29 26 Snrva Ksudhasaqarerasam 1 177 27. Vi~11U •. Nit\ 6dayarasam 1 238-239 .. . 28. Vi~vanatha Vis\(csvararasaql 1 381-382

"Contains no mercury. « Salient Features of Dhenv,---enteri=Sur esh Kumar 101 TABLE 2 IATROCHEMICAL FORMULATIONS INDICATED IN SPECIFIC D(»)A STATES

No. Name of formulation Remarks Reference 1. Abhrakavat ika Cures pain of vata-k apha origin 1 : 138-139 2. Amrtaruavarn Cures atisara of single. double 1 : 126·127 or triple dosa combination 3. Arnrtarnavarasarn Cures kasa of vata origin 1 : 228 4 Brhadicchabhedirasarn Cures vitiation of kapha 2: 7-8 5. BrhalkaiicanabhrakarasaTfi Anupana to be selected on the 1 : 220-221 basis of dosakoparn 6. Gulmakalanalarasaql Cures vata gulma 2 : 26-27 7. HrdayarI)avarasalp. Cures kapha htdr6ga 2: 36 8. .Jvarakesartrasam Cures pitta jvara if administerd 1 : 102 with sugar 9. .Jverarirasam Cures kapha-pitta diseases 1 : 82 10. Kanakavatlvatl Cures arsas of vata or. kapha origin 1 162 11. Kancanabhrakarasalp. Cures kasa of kapha-pitta origin 1 212 12. Krimidhiilija lapl avarasem Kills worms of pitta or vata-pitta 1: 183·184 origin 13. LaghvanandarasaTfi Cures vata disease with giddiness : 195-196 and burning sensation 14. Laksmivilasarasam Cures vata-pitta jvara 1 : 103-105 15. L6kesvararas8ql Adjuvants and anupana are 1 : 217·219 recommended for diseases of vata, pitta or kapha origin 16. Madhyamasarvajvarahara· Cures jvara of vata. pitta, kapha 1: 107 16haTfi and sannipata origin 17. Mrtyunjayal6hsql Anuoana to be selected on the 2: 109-110 basis of d6sak6pam 18. Mrtyunjayarasaql Cures vata-pitta jvara if admini- 1: 100 stered with coconut water or sugar. Cures kapha jvara if administered in honey. 19. Palasiidivati Bhavana to be done in paiicapitta- 1 : 366-367 rasam if it is to be administered in pitta diseases. 20. PasaI)avajrarasaIII Anupana to be selected on the 2 : 65 basis of dosakopan: 21. Pittakaiiintakarasalp* Cures kasa of pitta origin 1 : 228-229 22. Pranavallabhar asam Dose is to be increased after 1: 191-192 assessing vitiatton of kapha 702 Bull. Ind. ln st, Hist. Med. Vol. XX

No. Name of formulation Remarks Reference

23. Rajamrgankarasarp Cures consumption of vata-kapha 213 origin 24. Sarvanqaaundararasarn Cures vata-pitta jvara and many 217 diseases of vata or kapha origin 25. Sarvanqasundararasam Cures piercing pain of kapha-vata 1 : 430-431 origin 26. Somesvsrerasam Cures vats prarneha 2: 76-77 27. Srikhanthavati ;;. Cures diseases of kapha-vata 1 : 364 origin 28. Svacchandabhairavam To be administered on the basis : 233-234 dosakoparn 29. Sva lparnrqan kam Anupana to be selected on the : 219-220 basis of do~ak5parp 30. Svas akuthar am Cures svasa, kas a and ksava of : 251 vata-kapha origin 31. Ttksnarnukharasam Cures pitta arsas if administered 1: 161-162 with sugar 32 Trallokvacintarnanirasam Honey & powder of Piper longum 1 : 368-369 l. are bioectivators if the medicine is to be administered in vata- kapha diseases. 33. Triputabhairavarasam" Also cures oedema due to va ta 1 97 34. Vaidvanathavati Adjuvant is to be selected on 1 98 the basis of do~ak5pa111 35. Vaidvanathavatlka Cures distresses of vata- kapha : 137-138 or kapha origin 36. Vatakulantakalll Anupana to be selected on the 1 : 300-301 basis of dosakoparn 37. Vidvadhatabhram Dose to be selected on the basis 1: 424-425 of do:;;akoparp 38. vidvadharatasam Cures kapha 9ulma 2 : 30-31 39. Y5gendrarasa111 Cures diseases of vata-pitta 1 : 320 origin

*Contains no mercury.

Acknowledgement Financial assistance provided by the AVR Educational Foundation of Avur- ve da, Coimbatore is gratefully acknowledged. Salient Features of Dhanvantari-Suresh Kumar 103

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