नानौषधिसमवायात्त्रिदोषघ्नः , शुक्लत्वात् सौम्यः; तस्य सौम्यस्यापि सतो दहनपचनदारणादिशक्तिरविरुद्धा, आग्नेयौषधिगुणभूयिष्ठत्वात् कटुक उष्णस्तीक्ष्णः पाचनो विलयनः शोधनो रोपणः शोषणः स्तम्भनो लेखनः कृम्यामकफकुष्ठविषमेदसामुपहन्ता पुंस्त्वस्य चातिसेवितः ||५||
Meaning of the śloka
Because it combines several medicinal substances, kshara is described as countering all three doshas. Its white colour is associated with saumya qualities. This is not considered inconsistent with its power to burn, promote paka and split tissue, since properties of agneya medicines predominate. The text describes it as pungent, hot, sharp, promoting paka, dissolving, cleansing, healing, drying, checking discharge and scraping. It is said to counter krimi, ama, kapha, kushtha, poison and medas, but excessive use also impairs male reproductive capacity.
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Show commentary
क्षारगुणकर्माह- नानौषधिसमवायादित्यादि| समवायः संयोगः; यतोऽयं क्षारोऽनेकौषधिसमवायात्त्रिदोषघ्नः, अतः पित्तार्शःस्वपि यौगिकत्वमस्य| शुक्लत्वात् सौम्य इत्यस्याग्रे केचिदपिशब्दं लुप्तनिर्दिष्टं वर्णयन्ति, व्याख्यानयन्ति च- न केवलमुष्णः सौम्योऽपीति, तेनास्य वक्ष्यमाणमुष्णत्वमपि न विरुध्यते| दहनपचनदारणशक्तिरविरुद्धा हिमानीवत्| पाचन इति द्विविधोऽपि क्षारः; अत्र व्रणशोथस्य प्रतिसारणीयः पाचनः, अन्नाजीर्णस्य पानीयः| विलयनः शोफस्य वातकफभूयिष्टस्य| शोधनो दुष्टव्रणस्य, रोपणः शुद्धव्रणस्य, अत्र योगशक्तिप्रभावात्तिलयवकल्कवत् क्षारस्य शोधनरोपणत्वं न विरुध्यते; शोधन एवायं क्षारः, शुद्धस्तु व्रणः स्वयमेव रोहतीत्यन्ये; न हि शुद्धे व्रणे रोपणार्थं क्षारोऽवचार्यते सिरादिक्षणनभयात्, तस्मात् पारम्पर्येण रोपण इति; केचिदस्य रोपणत्वं न पठन्त्येव| शोषणो व्रणक्लेदस्य| स्तम्भनः शोणितातिप्रवृत्तेः| उपहन्तृशब्दः कृम्यादिभिः सह प्रत्येकं सम्बध्यते; कृमयो बाह्याभ्यन्तराः, तेषां द्विविधः क्षार उपहन्ता; आमः अपक्वरसः, मेदसः पानीय एवोपहन्ता; पुंस्त्वस्य शुक्रस्य||५||
Meaning of the commentary
Samavaya here means combination. The combination of several medicines explains the asserted action on all three doshas and hence suitability even in pittaja arshas. Some understand an unexpressed 'also' before the statement about white colour: kshara is not merely hot but also saumya, so the later attribution of heat is not contradictory. The coexistence of saumya character with burning, paka and splitting is compared with ice or snow. Both forms of kshara are called pachana: the externally applied form promotes paka in wound swelling, while the drinkable form acts on undigested food. Dissolving refers to swelling dominated by vata and kapha. Cleansing concerns an unhealthy wound; healing concerns a clean wound. One explanation allows both actions through the power of the preparation, as with sesame-and-barley paste. Others argue that kshara only cleanses and the clean wound then heals on its own; it is not applied to a clean wound for healing because of the danger of damaging vessels and similar structures. Healing is therefore an indirect effect in that interpretation. Some omit the description 'healing' entirely. Drying concerns wound moisture, and checking discharge concerns excessive bleeding. The expression 'countering' applies separately to each item in the following list. Krimi may be external or internal, corresponding to the two forms of kshara. Ama is incompletely processed rasa; only the drinkable form is said to counter medas. Pumstva is explained here as shukra.
Key terms
- saumyaH (saumyaḥ)
- A lunar or gentle character attributed here on the basis of white colour.
- pAcana (pācana)
- Promoting paka of wound swelling or processing undigested food, according to the form used.
- ropaNaH (ropaṇaḥ)
- Healing, which some commentators regard as indirect and others omit.
- puMstvasya (puṃstvasya)
- Male reproductive capacity, glossed here as shukra.