౭. యంత్రవిధ్యధ్యాయః

Meaning of the commentary

Parinaha denotes roundness or girth. The word 'mouth' applies separately to earthworm, snake's hood, arrow's rear end and fishhook, with two instruments of each shape. Sharapunkha is the part of an arrow where it is fitted to the bowstring, and badisha is a fishhook. The four uses follow the same order. Eshana is searching for pus and similar material in deep suppuration and related conditions. Vyuhana is lifting upward, in connection with extracting a foreign body cut and made to protrude; some explain it as following along with the handle. A masuradala is a split, huskless portion of a lentil, and a slightly inclined tip is one bent a little. The six cotton-capped instruments have tips wrapped in cotton for wiping. Darvi is a wooden spoon, and khallamukha means a recessed working face. Jambava ends resemble the jambu fruit. The kola-stone comparison refers to the size of a split kernel of the badara stone; its centre is hollowed and its edge sharp. The anjana instrument is round with the measure of a kalaya pea and has a bud-like end at each extremity. Its length is eight angulas, as stated in Shalakya. Even when forms resemble one another, the use determines why two, six or another number of instruments are specified among the earthworm-ended through hook-ended shalakas.

Meaning of the commentary

Upayantras are aids associated with instruments; others call them lesser instruments. Rajju is a cord made of munja or similar material, and venika is plaited from three strands. Charmanta is a piece of hide. Some instead read varmanta, where varma means armour. Valkala is bark such as that of palasha or udumbara, used in binding devices for fractures and similar conditions. Lata is a spreading creeper, locally veli, and vastra is cloth. Ashthila is explained as an elongated rounded stone. Others explain the term through a blacksmith's elongated rounded iron implement, with ashthilashma being a stone of that shape. The mallet, made of wood or similar material, is for moving a foreign body embedded in bone. Tala applies separately to the hand and foot. Ashvakataka is a horse's bridle or bit fitting, and shakha a tree branch; their uses are deferred to the chapter on removing foreign bodies. Spitting expels shleshma and similar material. Pravahana includes producing vomiting, purgation and tears, respectively in relation to kapha, pitta and foreign material such as dust in the eye. Harsha means satisfaction or joy. Ayaskanta is a special stone, divided into akarshaka, dravaka, chumbaka and bhramaka types. The concluding iti marks the end of the instrument list. Natural processes, ripening and wiping, which help remove unattached foreign bodies, are included under these auxiliary aids and therefore are not separately listed. For example, pravahana also encompasses tears, sneezing and related expulsive processes.