Re: Kautilya's Arthashastra, translated by R. Shamasastry
Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2016 4:28 am
CHAPTER IV. REMEDIES AGAINST THE INJURIES OF ONE'S OWN ARMY.
WITH regard to remedies against poisons and poisonous compounds applied by an enemy against one's own army or people:--
When the things that are meant for the king's use, inclusive of the limbs of women, as well as the things of the army are washed in the tepid water prepared from the decoction of sleshmátaki (sebesten or cordia myk), kapi (emblica officinalis), madanti (?), danta (ivory), satha (Citron tree), gojigi (gojihva ?--elephantophus scaber), visha (aconitum ferox), pátali (bignonia suave olens), bala (lida cardifolia et rombifolia), syonáka (bignonia indica), punarnava (?), sveta (andropogon aciculatum), and tagara (tabernæmontana coronaria), mixed with chandana (sandal) and the blood of salávriki (jackal), it removes the bad effects of poison.
The mixture prepared from the biles of prishata (red-spotted deer), nakula (mongoose), nílakantha (peacock), and godhá (alligator), with charcoal powder (mashíráji), combined with the sprouts (agra) of sinduvára (vitex trifolia), tagara (tabernæmontana coronaria, varuna) (teriandium indicum), tandulíyaka (amaranthus polygamus), and sataparva (convolvulus repens) together with pindítaka (vangueria spinosa) removes the effects of the mixture of madana.
Among the decoctions of the roots of srigála (bignonia indica), vinna (?), madana, sinduvára (vitex trifolia), tagara (tabernæmontana coronaria), and valli, (a creeper ?), any one or all mixed with milk removes, when drunk, the effects of the mixture of madana.
The stinking oil extracted from kaidarya (vangueria spinosa) removes madness.
The mixture prepared from priyangu (panic seed) and naktamála (galedupa arborea) removes, when applied through the nose, leprosy.
The mixture prepared from kushtha (costus) and lodhra (symplocus) removes consumption.
The mixture prepared from katuphala (glelina arborea), dravanti (anthericum tuberosum), and vilanga (a kind of seed) removes, when applied through the nose, headache and other diseases of the head.
The application of the mixture prepared from priyangu (panic seed), manjishtha (rubia manjit), tagara (tabernæmontana coronaria), lákshárasa (the juice or essence of lac) madhuka (?), haridrá (turmeric), and kshaudra (honey) to persons who have fallen senseless by being beaten by a rope, by falling into water, or by eating poison, or by being whipped, or by falling, resuscitates them.
The proportion of a dose is as much as an aksha (?) to men; twice as much to cows and horses; and four times as much to elephants and camels.
A round ball (mani) prepared from the above mixture and containing gold (rukma) in its centre, removes the the effects due to any kind of poison.
A round ball (mani) prepared from the wood of asvattha (holy fig tree) growing wound round with the plants such as jívantí (a medicinal plant), sveta (andropogan aciculatum) the flower of mushkaka (a species of tree), and vanadáka (epidendrum tesseloides), removes the effects due to any kind of poison.
* The sound of trumpets painted with the above mixture destroys poison; whoever looks at a flag or banner besmeared with the above mixture will get rid of poison.
* Having applied these remedies to secure the safety of himself and his army, a king should make use of poisonous smokes and other mixtures to vitiate water against his enemy.
[Thus ends Chapter IV, "Remedies against the Injuries of One's Own Army," in Book XIV, "Secret Means," of the Arthasástra of Kautilya. End of the hundred and forty-ninth chapter from the beginning. With this, ends the fourteenth Book “Secret Means,” of the Arthasástra of Kautilya.]
WITH regard to remedies against poisons and poisonous compounds applied by an enemy against one's own army or people:--
When the things that are meant for the king's use, inclusive of the limbs of women, as well as the things of the army are washed in the tepid water prepared from the decoction of sleshmátaki (sebesten or cordia myk), kapi (emblica officinalis), madanti (?), danta (ivory), satha (Citron tree), gojigi (gojihva ?--elephantophus scaber), visha (aconitum ferox), pátali (bignonia suave olens), bala (lida cardifolia et rombifolia), syonáka (bignonia indica), punarnava (?), sveta (andropogon aciculatum), and tagara (tabernæmontana coronaria), mixed with chandana (sandal) and the blood of salávriki (jackal), it removes the bad effects of poison.
The mixture prepared from the biles of prishata (red-spotted deer), nakula (mongoose), nílakantha (peacock), and godhá (alligator), with charcoal powder (mashíráji), combined with the sprouts (agra) of sinduvára (vitex trifolia), tagara (tabernæmontana coronaria, varuna) (teriandium indicum), tandulíyaka (amaranthus polygamus), and sataparva (convolvulus repens) together with pindítaka (vangueria spinosa) removes the effects of the mixture of madana.
Among the decoctions of the roots of srigála (bignonia indica), vinna (?), madana, sinduvára (vitex trifolia), tagara (tabernæmontana coronaria), and valli, (a creeper ?), any one or all mixed with milk removes, when drunk, the effects of the mixture of madana.
The stinking oil extracted from kaidarya (vangueria spinosa) removes madness.
The mixture prepared from priyangu (panic seed) and naktamála (galedupa arborea) removes, when applied through the nose, leprosy.
The mixture prepared from kushtha (costus) and lodhra (symplocus) removes consumption.
The mixture prepared from katuphala (glelina arborea), dravanti (anthericum tuberosum), and vilanga (a kind of seed) removes, when applied through the nose, headache and other diseases of the head.
The application of the mixture prepared from priyangu (panic seed), manjishtha (rubia manjit), tagara (tabernæmontana coronaria), lákshárasa (the juice or essence of lac) madhuka (?), haridrá (turmeric), and kshaudra (honey) to persons who have fallen senseless by being beaten by a rope, by falling into water, or by eating poison, or by being whipped, or by falling, resuscitates them.
The proportion of a dose is as much as an aksha (?) to men; twice as much to cows and horses; and four times as much to elephants and camels.
A round ball (mani) prepared from the above mixture and containing gold (rukma) in its centre, removes the the effects due to any kind of poison.
A round ball (mani) prepared from the wood of asvattha (holy fig tree) growing wound round with the plants such as jívantí (a medicinal plant), sveta (andropogan aciculatum) the flower of mushkaka (a species of tree), and vanadáka (epidendrum tesseloides), removes the effects due to any kind of poison.
* The sound of trumpets painted with the above mixture destroys poison; whoever looks at a flag or banner besmeared with the above mixture will get rid of poison.
* Having applied these remedies to secure the safety of himself and his army, a king should make use of poisonous smokes and other mixtures to vitiate water against his enemy.
[Thus ends Chapter IV, "Remedies against the Injuries of One's Own Army," in Book XIV, "Secret Means," of the Arthasástra of Kautilya. End of the hundred and forty-ninth chapter from the beginning. With this, ends the fourteenth Book “Secret Means,” of the Arthasástra of Kautilya.]