Subject Of (The Nature, Virtue, Etc. Of) Animal Poisons (Jangama-Visha-VijnáNiya)
अथातो जङ्गमविषविज्ञानीयं कल्पं व्याख्यास्यामः ||१||
यथोवाच भगवान् धन्वन्तरिः ||२||
जङ्गमस्य विषस्योक्तान्यधिष्ठानानि षोडश |
समासेन मया यानि विस्तरस्तेषु वक्ष्यते ||३||
We have briefly said before that there are sixteen situations of poison in the bodies of venomous animals.
Now we shall deal with them in detail.
Locations: -
An animal poison is usually situated in the following parts, viz;
तत्र, दृष्टिनिःश्वासदंष्ट्रानखमूत्रपुरीषशुक्रलालार्तवमुखसन्दंश- विशर्धिततुण्डास्थिपित्तशूकशवानीति ||४||
- the sight,
- breath,
- teeth,
- nails,
- urine,
- stool,
- semen,
- saliva,
- menstrual blood,
- stings,
- belching *,
- anus,
- bones,
- bile,
- bristles (Suka) and
- in the dead body of an animal.
* Vriddha-Vágbhata reads Alaji-S'onite in place of "Visardhita."
Of these
तत्र, दृष्टिनिःश्वासविषा दिव्याः सर्पाः,
- the venom of celestial serpents lies in their sight and breath,
भौमास्तु दंष्ट्राविषाः,
- that of the terrestrial ones in their fangs
मार्जारश्ववानरमकरमण्डूकपाकमत्स्यगोधाशम्बूकप्रचलाकगृहगोधिकाचतुष्पादकीटास्तथाऽन्ये दंष्ट्रानखविषाः,
- while that of cats, dogs, monkeys, Makara (alligators?), Frogs, Páka-matsyas (a kind of insect), lizards (Godha), mollusks (Snails), Prachalákas (a kind of insect), domestic lizards, four-legged insects and of any other species of flies such as mosquitoes, etc., lies in their teeth and nails.
चिपिटपिच्चिटककषायवासिकसर्षपकतोटकवर्चःकीटकौण्डिन्यकाः शकृन्मूत्रविषाः,
- The venom of a Chipita, Pichchataka, Kasháya-vásika, Sarshapa-vásika, Totaka, Varchah-kita, Kaun-dilyaka and such-like insects lies in their urine and excreta.
मूषिकाः शुक्रविषाः,
- The poison of a mouse or rat lies in its semen,
- while that of a Lutá (spider) lies in its saliva, urine, excreta, fangs, nails, semen and menstrual fluid (ovum).
- The venom of a scorpion, Visvambhara, Rájiva-fish, Uchchitinga (cricket) and a sea-scorpion lies in their saliva.
- The venom of a Chitra-s'irah, Saráva, Kurdisata, Dáruka, Arimedaka and Sáriká-mukha, lies in their fangs, belching, stool and urine.
- The venom of a fly, a Kanabha and leeches lies in their fangs.
- The poison lies in the bones of an animal killed by any poison, as well as in those of a snake, a Varati and a fish *.
शकुलीमत्स्यरक्तराजिवरकी(टी)मत्स्याश्च पित्तविषाः,
- The poison lies in the bile of a Sakuli, a Rakta-ráji and a Cháraki fish.
- The poison lies in the bristles (Suka) and the head of a Sukshma-tunda, an Uchchitinga (cricket), a wasp, a centipede (Satapadi), a Suka, a Vala bhika, a Sringi and a bee.
- The dead body of a snake or an insect is poisonous in itself.
- Animals not included in the above list should be deemed as belonging to the fang-venomed species i.e., the poison lies in their fangs.
Memorable Verses
भवन्ति चात्र-
राज्ञोऽरिदेशे रिपवस्तृणाम्बुमार्गान्नधूमश्वसनान् विषेण |
- The enemies of a sovereign poison the pastures, water, roads, food-stuffs and smoke (Dhuma) of their country and even charge the atmosphere with poison in the event of his making incursions into their country.
- The poisonous nature of the foregoing things should be ascertained from the following features and should be duly purified (before use).
दुष्टं जलं पिच्छिलमुग्रगन्धि फेनान्वितं राजिभिरावृतं च |
मण्डूकमत्स्यं म्रियते विहङ्गा मत्ताश्च सानूपचरा भ्रमन्ति ||७||
A sheet of poisoned water
- becomes slimy,
- strong-smelling,
- frothy
- and marked with (black-coloured) lines on the surface
- Frogs and fish living in the water die without any apparent cause.
- Birds and beasts that live (in the water and) on its shores roam about wildly in confusion (from the effects of poison),
मज्जन्ति ये चात्र नराश्वनागास्ते छर्दिमोहज्वरदाहशोफान् |
ऋ(ग)च्छन्ति तेषामपहृत्य दोषान् दुष्टं जलं शोधयितुं यतेत ||८||
- and a man, a horse or an elephant, by bathing in this (poisoned) water is afflicted with vomiting, fainting, fever, a burning sensation and swelling of the limbs.
- These disorders (in men and animals) should be immediately attended to and remedied and no pains should be spared to purify such poisoned water.
दग्ध्वा सराजद्रुमसोमवल्कांस्तद्भस्म शीतं वितरेत् सरःसु ||९||
- The cold ashes, of Dhava, As'va-karna, Asana, Páribhadra, Pátalá, Siddhaka, Mokshaka, Rája-druma and Somavalka burnt together,
- should be cast into the poisoned pool or tank,
- whereby its water would be purified;
भस्माञ्जलिं चापि घटे निधाय विशोधयेदीप्सितमेवमम्भः |१०|
- as an alternative, an Anjali-measure (half a seer) of the said ashes cast in a Ghata-measure * (sixty-four seers) of the required water would lead to its purification.
* Jejjata explains 'Ghata' as a pitcher, i.e., a pitcher-ful of water.
क्षितिप्रदेशं विषदूषितं तु शिलातलं तीर्थमथेरिणं वा ||१०||
स्पृशन्ति गात्रेण तु येन येन गोवाजिनागोष्ट्रखरा नरा वा |
तच्छूनतां यात्यथ दह्यते च विशीर्यते रोमनखं तथैव ||११||
A poisoned ground or stone-slab, landing stage or desert country
- gives rise to swellings in those parts of the bodies of men, bullocks, horses, asses, camels and elephants
- that may chance to come in contact with them.
- In such cases a burning sensation is felt in the affected parts
- and the hair and nails (of these parts) fall off.
तत्राप्यनन्तां सह सर्वगन्धैः पिष्ट्वा सुराभिर्विनियोज्य मार्गम् |
सिञ्चेत् पयोभिः सुमृदन्वतैस्तं विडङ्गपाठाकटभीजलैर्वा ||१२||
- In these cases, the poisoned surface should be purified by sprinkling it over with a solution of Ananta and Sarva-gandha (the scented drugs) dissolved in wine (Sura) †,
- or with (an adequate quantity of) black clay ‡ dissolved in water
- or with the decoction of Vidanga, Páthá, and Katabhi.
† Dallana holds that the use of the plural number here in सुराभिःmeans that honey, treacle, etc. should also be used with wine.
‡ Dallana says that some read ' earth of an ant-hill' in place of 'black clay for its anti-poisonous properties.
Poisoned hay or fodder or any other poisoned foodstuff
तृणेषु भक्तेषु च दूषितेषु सीदन्ति मूर्च्छन्ति वमन्ति चान्ये |
विड्भेदमृच्छन्त्यथवा म्रियन्ते तेषां चिकित्सां प्रणयेद्यथोक्ताम् ||१३||
produces
- lassitude,
- fainting,
- vomiting,
- diarrhoea
- or even death (of the animal partaking thereof).
- Such cases should be treated with proper anti-poisonous medicines according to the indications of each case.
विषापहैर्वाऽप्यगदैर्विलिप्य वाद्यानि चित्राण्यपि वादयेत |
- As an alternative, drums and other musical instruments smeared with plasters of anti-poisonous compounds (Agadas.) * should be beaten and sounded (round them).
तारः सुतारः ससुरेन्द्रगोपः सर्वैश्च तुल्यः कुरुविन्दभागः ||१४||
पित्तेन युक्तः कपिलान्वयेन वाद्यप्रलेपो विहितः प्रशस्तः |
- Equal parts of silver (Tára), mercury (Sutára) and Indra-Gopa insects with Kuru-Vinda † equal in weight to that of the entire preceding compound,
- pasted with the bile of a Kapila (brown) cow, should be used as a paste over the musical instruments (in such cases).
वाद्यस्य शब्देन हि यान्ति नाशं विषाणि घोराण्यपि यानि सन्ति ||१५||
- The sounds of such drums, etc. (pasted with such anti-poisonous drugs) are said to destroy the effects of even the most dreadful poison.
† 'Sariva' according to Dallana. 'Bhadra-musta' according to others.
Poisons Of The Atmosphere And Its Purification
धूमेऽनिले वा विषसम्प्रयुक्ते खगाः श्रमार्ताः प्रपतन्ति भूमौ |
- The dropping of birds from the skies to the earth below in a tired condition is a distinct indication of the wind and the smoke (of the atmosphere) being charged with poison.
कासप्रतिश्यायशिरोरुजश्च भवन्ति तीव्रा नयनामयाश्च ||१६||
- It is further attended with an attack of cough,
- catarrh,
- head ache,
- and of severe eye-diseases among persons inhaling the same wind and smoke.
लाक्षाहरिद्रातिविषाभयाब्दहरेणुकैलादलवक्रकुष्ठम् |
प्रियङ्गुकां चाप्यनले निधाय धूमानिलौ चापि विशोधयेत ||१७||
- In such cases the (poisoned) atmosphere should be purified by burning quantities of Lákshá, Haridrá, Ati-vishá, Abhayá, Abda (Musta), Renuka, Ela, Dala (Teja-Patra), Valka (cinnamon), Kushtha and Priangu in the open ground.
- The fumes of these drugs would purify the Anila (air) and the Dhuma (smoke) from the poison they had been charged with
Mythological origin of poison (Visha):
प्रजामिमामात्मयोनेर्ब्रह्मणः सृजतः किल |
अकरोदसुरो विघ्नं कैटभो नाम दर्पितः ||१८||
तस्य क्रुद्धस्य वै वक्त्राद्ब्रह्मणस्तेजसो निधेः |
क्रोधो विग्रहवान् भूत्वा निपपातातिदारुणः ||१९||
स तं ददाह गर्जन्तमन्तकाभं महाबलम् |
ततोऽसुरं घातयित्वा तत्तेजोऽवर्धताद्भुतम् ||२०||
ततो विषादो देवानामभवत्तं निरीक्ष्य वै |
विषादजननत्वाच्च विषमित्यभिधीयते ||२१||
ततः सृष्ट्वा प्रजाः शेषं तदा तं क्रोधमीश्वरः |
विन्यस्तवान् स भूतेषु स्थावरेषु चरेषु च ||२२||
- It is stated in the Scriptures that a demon named Kaitabha obstructed in various ways, the work of the self-origined Brahma when he was engaged in creating this world.
- At this the omnipotent god grew extremely wrathful.
- The vehement wrath of the god gradually swollen and inflamed, at last emanated in physical forms from his mouth and reduced the mighty, death-like, roaring fiend to ashes.
- But the energy of that terrific wrath went on increasing even after the destruction of the demon, at the sight of which the gods were greatly depressed in spirit.
- The term Visha (poison) is so called from the fact of its filling the gods with Visháda (depression of spirits).
- After that the god of creation, having finished his (self imposed) task of creating this world, cast that wrath both into the mobile and the immobile creations
- Just as the atmospheric water which is of imperceptible and undeveloped taste, acquires the specific taste of the ground or soil it falls upon, so it is the very nature of the (tasteless) Visha that it partakes of the specific taste (Rasa) of a thing or animal in which it exists.
Properties Of Poisons
यथाऽव्यक्तरसं तोयमन्तरीक्षान्महीगतम् |
तेषु तेषु प्रदेशेषु रसं तं तं नियच्छति ||२३||
एवमेव विषं यद्यद्द्रव्यं व्याप्यावतिष्ठते |
स्वभावादेव तं तस्य रसं समनुवर्तते ||२४||
तेषु तेषु प्रदेशेषु रसं तं तं नियच्छति ||२३||
एवमेव विषं यद्यद्द्रव्यं व्याप्यावतिष्ठते |
स्वभावादेव तं तस्य रसं समनुवर्तते ||२४||
- All the sharp and violent qualities are present in poison.
- Hence poisons should be considered as aggravating and and deranging all the Doshas of the body.
विषे यस्माद्गुणाः सर्वे तीक्ष्णाः प्रायेण सन्ति हि |
विषं सर्वमतो ज्ञेयं सर्वदोषप्रकोपणम् ||२५||
ते तु वृत्तिं प्रकुपिता जहति स्वां विषार्दिताः |
नोपयाति विषं पाकमतः प्राणान् रुणद्धि च ||२६||
श्लेष्मणाऽऽवृतमार्गत्वादुच्छ्वासोऽस्य निरुध्यते |
विसञ्ज्ञः सति जीवेऽपि तस्मात्तिष्ठति मानवः ||२७||
- The Doshas aggravated and charged with poison forego their own specific functions.
- Hence poison can never be digested or assimilated in the system.
- It stops the power of inhaling.
- Expiration (exhalation of the breath) becomes impossible owing to the internal passages having been choked by the deranged Kapha.
- Consequently a poisoned person drops down in an unconscious state even when life is still present within his body.
Nature and Location of Snake-poison! -
शुक्रवत् सर्वसर्पाणां विषं सर्वशरीरगम् |
क्रुद्धानामेति चाङ्गेभ्यः शुक्रं निर्मन्थनादिव ||२८||
तेषां बडिशवद्दंष्ट्रास्तासु सज्जति चागतम् |
अनुद्वृत्ता विषं तस्मान्न मुञ्चन्ति च भोगिनः ||२९||
- The poison of a snake like the semen in an adult male lies diffused all through its organism.
- As semen is gathered up, dislodged and subsequently emitted through the urethra by being agitated (by contact with woman, etc.),
- so the poison in a snake is gathered up and secreted through the holes of its fangs under the conditions of anger and agitation.
- The fangs being hook-shaped, a snake cannot secrete its poison without lowering its hood just after a bite.
General Treatment Of Poisoning
यस्मादत्यर्थमुष्णं च तीक्ष्णं च पठितं विषम् |
अतः सर्वविषेषूक्तः परिषेकस्तु शीतलः ||३०||
Since a poison of whatever sort is extremely keen, sharp and heat-making in its potency,
- a copious sprinkling with cold water should be used in all cases of poisoning.
मन्दं कीटेषु नात्युष्णं बहुवातकफं विषम् |
अतः कीटविषे चापि स्वेदो न प्रतिषिध्यते ||३१||
- But since the poison of an insect is mild
- and not too much heat-making in its potency and
- as it engenders a large quantity of Váyu and Kapha in the organism.
कीटैर्दष्टानुग्रविषैः सर्पवत् समुपाचरेत् |३२|
- The poison of a venomed dart or of a snakebite courses through the whole organism of the victim but it is its nature that it returns to the place of hurt and bite respectively.
लौल्याद्विषान्वितं मांसं यः खादेन्मृतमात्रयोः ||३३||
- A man eating, from culpable gluttony, the flesh of such an animal, just dead (from the effects of poison), is afflicted with symptoms and diseases peculiar to the specific pathogenetic virtues of the poison with which the dead body is charged, and, in the long run, meets with his doom.
- Hence the flesh of an animal killed by a venomed dart or a snake bite (should be considered as fatal as the poison itself and) should not be taken immediately after its death.
- The flesh of such an animal, however, may be eaten after a period of forty eight minutes (Muhurta) from its death after the portions of the hurt and the bite have been removed.
Symptoms of taking poison internally ! -
सवातं गृहधूमाभं पुरीषं योऽतिसार्यते ||३५||
आध्मातोऽत्यर्थमुष्णास्रो विवर्णः सादपीडितः |
उद्वमत्यथ फेनं च विषपीतं तमादिशेत् ||३६||
- Whoever passes a black sooty stool with loud flatus,
- or sheds hot tears
- and drops down with agony,
- and whose complexion becomes discoloured and
- whose mouth becomes filled with foam,
- should be considered as afflicted with poison taken internally (Visha-pita).
न चास्य हृदयं वह्निर्विषजुष्टं दहत्यपि |
तद्धि स्थानं चेतनायाः स्वभावाद्व्याप्य तिष्ठति ||३७||
- The heart of such a man (dying from the effects of internal poisoning) cannot be burnt in fire;
- since the poison from its very nature lies extended in the whole viscera of the heart, the seat of cognition *.
* In the Charaka Samhitá also we come across identical expressions of opinion as to the seat of poison in the dead body of an animal or man, dying from poison from a poisoned dart or snake-bite or from poison administered internally. See chapter xxiii (Symptoms And Medical Treatment Of Swellings (Sopha)), chikitsá-sthána - Charaka Samhitá.
Fatal Bites
A man bitten by a snake
अश्वत्थदेवायतनश्मशानवल्मीकसन्ध्यासु चतुष्पथेषु |
याम्ये सपित्र्ये परिवर्जनीया ऋक्षे नरा मर्मसु ये च दष्टाः ||३८||
- in any of the vulnerable parts of the body,
- or near (the root of) an As'vatthva tree,
- or a temple,
- at the cremation ground
- or on an ant-hill,
- or at the meeting of day and night,
- or at the crossings of roads
- or under the influence of the Bharani or Maghá asterisms (astral mansions)
दर्वीकराणां विषमाशुघाति सर्वाणि चोष्णे द्विगुणीभवन्ति |
- The poison of a hooded cobra (Darvri-kara, proves instantaneously fatal.
- All poisons become doubly strong and operative in summer (Ushna). †
अजीर्णपित्तातपपीडितेषु बालप्रमेहिष्वथ गर्भिणीषु ||३९||
वृद्धातुरक्षीणबुभुक्षितेषु रूक्षेषु भीरुष्वथ दुर्दिनेषु |४०|
- In cases of persons suffering from
- indigestion,
- urinary complaints,
- or from the effects of deranged Pitta or
- oppressed with the heat of the sun (sun-stroke)
- as well as infants, old men,
- invalids,
- emaciated persons,
- pregnant women,
- men of timid disposition,
- or of a dry temperament,
- or oppressed with hunger,
- or bitten on a cloudy day,
शस्त्रक्षते यस्य न रक्तमेति राज्यो लताभिश्च न सम्भवन्ति ||४०||
शीताभिरद्भिश्च न रोमहर्षो विषाभिभूतं परिवर्जयेत्तम् |
On the other hand, a snake bitten person,
- into whose body an incision is unattended with bleeding,
- or on whose body the strokes of lashes leave no marks,
- nor does horripilation appear even after a copious pouring of cold water on the body,
A case of snake-bite
जिह्वा सिता यस्य च केशशातो नासावभङ्गश्च सकण्ठभङ्गः ||४१||
कृष्णः सरक्तः श्वयथुश्च दंशे हन्वोः स्थिरत्वं च स वर्जनीयः |
- in which the tongue of the victim is found to be coated white
- and whose hair falls off (on the slightest pull),
- the bridge of whose nose becomes bent
- and the voice hoarse,
- where there is lockjaw
- and the appearance of a blackish-red swelling about the bite,
The case in which
वर्तिर्घना यस्य निरेति वक्त्राद्रक्तं स्रवेदूर्ध्वमधश्च यस्य ||४२||
दंष्ट्रानिपाताः सकलाश्च यस्य तं चापि वैद्यः परिवर्जयेत्तु |
- thick, long lumps of mucus are expectorated
- accompanied by bleeding from both the upward and the downward orifices of the body with distinct impression of all the fangs on the bitten part,
A case of snake-bite
उन्मत्तमत्यर्थमुपद्रुतं वा हीनस्वरं वाऽप्यथवा विवर्णम् ||४३||
सारिष्टमत्यर्थमवेगिनं च जह्यान्नरं तत्र न कर्म कुर्यात् ||४४||
- marked by the symptoms of an insane state like that of a drunkard
- and accompanied by severe distressing symptoms (Upadrava),
- as well as loss of voice and complexion
- and an absence of the circulation of blood *
- and by other fatal symptoms
* The text has "Avegi". Kártika explains it to mean "with suppression of the natural urgings, ie. of stool, urine, etc.
इति सुश्रुतसंहितायां कल्पस्थाने जङ्गमविषविज्ञानीयो नाम तृतीयोऽध्यायः ||३||
Thus ends the third Chapter of the Kalpa-Sthána in the Sus'ruta Samhitá which treats of animal poisons.
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