Charaka Siddhisthana Chapter 10 - Basti Siddhi

This article explains the 10th chapter of siddhisthana of Charaka samhita called 'Basti Siddhi Adhyaya'. In this chapter, effective recipes of medicated enema have been explained.

Table of Contents

Prologue

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athato bastisiddhim vyakhyasyamah||1||
iti ha smaha bhagavanatreya||2||

We shall now explore the chapter Basti Siddhi Adhyaya - "Effective Recipes of medicated Enema". Thus, said Lord Atreya. [1-2]

Dialogue

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siddhanam bastinam sastanam tesu tesu rogesu|
srnvagnivesa ! gadatah siddhim siddhipradam bhisajam||3||

O! Agnivesha, listen to the discourses on effective and useful recipes of Basti for various diseases which bestow success upon the successful physicians. [3]

Importance of Basti

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baladosakalarogaprakrtih pravibhajya yojitah samyak svaih svairausadhavargaih svan svan roganniyacchanti||4||
karmanyadbastisamam na vidyate sighrasukhavisodhitvat| asvapatarpanatarpanayogacca niratyayatvacca||5||

If Basti is administered appropriately keeping in view the strength of the patient, Doshas involved in the causation of diseases, nature of the diseases, physical constitution of the patient and the properties of different groups of drugs prescribed for different diseases, it would cure these ailments.
No therapeutic measure other than Basti, cleanses the body quickly and easily, causes depletion and nourishment instantaneously, and is free from any adverse effect. [4-5]

Superiority of Basti in Comparison to Virechana

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satyapi dosaharatve katutiksnosnadi bhesajadanat| duhkhodgarotklesahrdyatvakostharuja vireke syuh||6||
avirecyau sisuvrddhau tavapraptaprahinadhatubalau| asthapanameva tayoh sarvarthakrduttamam karma||7||
balavarnaharsamardavagatrasnehannrnam dadatyasu|8|

Virechana (including Vamana) therapy no doubt, causes elimination of Doshas; but it involves intake of recipes, ingredients of which are pungent, sharp, hot etc., these ingredients cause unpleasantness, eructation, nausea, cardiac discomfort and pain in the gastrointestinal tract.
Infants have immaturity of tissues and less strength. There is diminution of tissues and reduction of strength in old people. For both these categories of patients, viz, infants and old persons, purgation therapy is contraindicated.

Asthapana Basti can, however, be given to both these types of patients which are excellent both for the elimination of Doshas and nourishment of the body. It instantaneously promotes strength, complexion, sense of exhilaration and tenderness as well as unctuousness of the body. [6- 1/2 8]
Read: Basti Chikitsa: Benefits, Routes, Types, Indications, Equipment

Three types of Basti

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anuvasanam niruhascottarabastisca sa trividhah||8|| sakhavatartanam sakuncitastabdhabhagnarugnanam |
vitsangadhmanaruciparikartirugadisu ca sastah||9|| usnartanam sitanchitartanam tatha sukhosnamsca|
tadyogyausadhayuktan bastin santarkya viniyujyat||10||

Basti is of three types and are as follows:
Anuvasana (enema given with oil and such other unctuous ingredients);
Niruha (enema given with decoction, etc., added with oil etc) and
Uttara Basti (urethral and vaginal douche)
These different forms of medicated enema are useful in the following categories of ailments:
Afflictions of the exterior (limbs) of the body by the aggravated Vata;
For those who are suffering from contractures, stiffness, fractures and pain and
Obstruction to the passage of faeces, flatulence, anorexia, sawing pain, aching pain etc
For the patients afflicted with diseases caused by heat, cooling recipes are used for enema. For those afflicted with diseases caused by cold, lukewarm recipes of enema are administered.
After determining the exact requirement of the patient, enema is administered with recipes containing appropriate, viz hot or cold ingredients. [8 1/2 - 10]

Contra-indications

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bastinna brmhaniyan dadyad vyadhisu visodhaniyesu| medasvino visodhya ye'pi narah kusthamehartah||11||
na ksinaksatadurbalamurcchitakrsasuskadehanam| yunjadvisodhaniyan dosanibaddhayuso ye ca||12||

Nourishing types of medicated enema should not be given in the following conditions:
o Diseases requiring elimination of aggravated Doshas
o Patients with adiposity even if they are otherwise suitable for elimination therapies and
o Patients suffering from Kustha (obstinate skin diseases including leprosy) and Meha - urinary tract disorders, diabetes (obstinate urinary diseases including diabetes)
o Shodhana Basti - Eliminative (evacuative) type of medicated enema should not be given to the patients suffering from consumption, phthisis, weakness, fainting and emaciation as well as dryness of the body. This type of enema is also contraindicated for patients whose life is sustained because of the retention of faeces. [11-12]
Read: Mode Of Action Of Basti Panchakarma Treatment

Different ingredients for various ailments

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vajikarane'srkpittayosca madhughrtapayoyuktah| sastah satailamutraranalalavanasca kaphavate||13||
yunjaddravyani bastisvamlam mutram payah suram kvathan| avirodhaddhatunam rasayonitvacca jalamusnam||14||

o For aphrodisiac effects, for the treatment of diseases caused by Rakta (vitiated blood) and pitta, the recipe of enema containing honey, ghee and milk is useful.
o Recipes of enema containing Til oil, cow's urine, Aranala (vinegar) and salt are useful for the diseases caused by aggravated Kapha and Vata.
o In the recipe of enema, ingredients like Amla (sour drinks), cow's urine, cow's milk, alcohol and decoctions which are not antagonistic to Dhatus (Doshas and tissue elements responsible for the causation of the diseases) are appropriately added. Similarly, water which is the source of nourishment (rasa-Yoni) is added to the recipe when it is warm. [13-14]

Ingredients for Avapa

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suradarusatahvailakusthamadhukapippalimadhusnehah| urdhvanulomabhagah sasarsapah sarkara lavanam||15||
avapa bastinamatah prayojyani yesu yani syuh| yuktani saha kasayaistanyuttaratah pravaksyami||16||

Suradaru (Devadaru), Satahva, Ela - Cardamom, Kustha, Madhuka, Pippali - Long pepper fruit - Piper longum, madhu (honey), sneha (fats like oil and ghee), drugs which are urdhvabhagahara (cause upward motion in the gastrointestinal tract), mustard, sugar and salt - these are to be used (individually or all together) added as avapa (ingredients which are added later to the recipe in small quantity) in recipes for enema.
From amongst these ingredients which are to be added along with type of Decoction and to which type of enema recipe will be described later. [15-16]

Strong and mild enemas

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cirajatakathinabalesu vyadhisu tiksna viparyaye mrdavah| saprativapakasaya yojyastvanuvasananiruhah||17||

For chronic, obstinate and serious types of diseases, recipes containing Prativapa (ingredients added later) and decoctions of strong action ingredients are used for Anuvasana (unctuous types of enema) and Niruha (evacuative type of enema). For other types of diseases (which are of recent origin, which are easily amenable to therapeutics and which are of mild nature) ingredients having only mild effects are used. [17]

Basti for Vata, Pitta and Kapha

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ardhaslokairatah siddhan nanavyadhisu sarvasah| bastin viryasamairbhagairyatharhalodananchrnu||18||
bilvo'gnimanthah syonakah kasmaryah patalistatha| salaparni prsniparni brhatyau vardhamanakah||19||
yavah kulatthah kolani sthira ceti trayo'nile| sasyante sacatuhsnehah pisitasya rasanvitah||20||
nalavanjulavanirasatapatrani saivalam| manjistha sariva'nanta payasya madhuyastika||21||
candanam padmakosiram tungam te paittike trayah| sasarkaraksaudraghrtah saksira bastayo hitah||22||
arkastathaiva calarka ekasthila punarnava| haridra triphala mustam pitadaru kutannatam||23||
pippalyascitrakasceti trayaste slesmarogisu | saksaraksaudragomutra natisnehanvita hitah||24||

Now, listen to the comprehensive description of effective basti recipes for different diseases, each one of which is described in half (one line) of the following verses. These recipes contain drugs which are harmonious in potency and proportion. In addition, Alodanas or Avapas (ingredients which are added later to the recipe) for each group are also described.

Ingredients for Vata
- Bilva - Bael - Aegle marmelos, AgniMantha, Syonaka, Kasmarya and Patali - Stereospermum suaveolens
- Salaparni, Prsniparni, Brhati, Kantakari - Yellow berried nightshade (whole plant) - Solanum xanthocarpum and Vardhamanaka (Eranda - Castor) and
- Yava, Kulattha, Kola and Sthira.
These three recipes are to be used as enema for Vatika diseases along with four types of fat (oil, ghee, muscle-fat and bone-marrow) and meat soup.

Ingredients for Pitta
Nala, Vanjula (vetsa), vanira (a type of Vetasa), Shatapatra and Saivala,
Manjistha, Sariva, Ananta, Payasya and yastimadhu and
Chandana, Padmaka, usira and tunga (punnaga).
The above mentioned three recipes prepared with milk are to be used as enema for Paittika type of diseases, along with sugar, honey and ghee.

Ingredients for Kapha
Arka, Alarka (mandara), ekasthika (Patha) and Punarnava, Haridra, Haritaki, Bibhitaka, Amalaki, Musta, Pitadaru and Kutannata (Kaivarta or Tagara) and Pippali and Chitraka.

Basti for colon-cleansing

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phalajimutakeksvakudhamargavakavatsakah | syama ca triphala caiva sthira danti dravantyapi||25||
prakirya codakirya ca nilini ksirini tatha| saptala sankhini lodhram phalam kampillakasya ca||26||
catvaro mutrasiddhaste pakvasayavisodhanah| (vyastairapi samastaisca caturyoga udahrtah )||27||

The following four recipes are to be boiled with cow's urine and used as enema for cleansing colon:
Phala, Jimuta, Iksvaku, Dhamargava and Vatsaka.
Syama, Haritaki, Bibhitaka, Amalaki, Sthira, Danti and Dravanti (a type of Danti); Prakirya (Karanja), Udakriya, Nilini (Nila-Vuhna or Nilanjanika) and Ksirini.
Saptala, Sankhini, Lodhra and fruit of Kampillaka
The four recipes illustrated above can be used separately or jointly. [25-27]

Basti for Promotion of Shukra and Mamsa

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kakoli ksirakakoli mudgaparni satavari| vidari madhuyastyahva srngatakakaseruke||28||
atmaguptaphalam masah sagodhuma yavastatha| jalajanupajam mamsamityete sukramamsalah ||29||
The following (four) enema- recipes help in the promotion of semen and muscle- tissue
Kakoli, Ksira-kakoli, Mudgaparni and satavari
Vidari, Madhuyasti, Srngataka and kaseruka
Fruit (seed) of Atmagupta, Masa, Godhuma and Yava and meat of aquatic and marshy land inhabiting animals [28-29]

Basti for Astringent Action

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jivanti cagnimanthasca dhatakipuspavatsakau| pragrahah khadirah kustham sami pinditako yavah||30||
priyangu raktamuli ca taruni svarnayuthika| vatadyah kimsukam lodhramiti sangrahika matah||31||
The following (four) enema- recipes help in producing astringent action:
Jivanti, Agnimantha, flower of Dhataki and Vatsaka
Pragraha, Khadira, Kustha, Sami, Pinditaka (madanaphala) and Yava;
Priyangu, Rakta-Muli (Samanga),Taruni (Aramataruni) or Nava Mallika and Svarna, Yuthika and Vata, etc (trees having latex), Kimsuka and lodhra [30-31]

Basti for Arresting Excessive Secretion

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parisrave srtam ksiram savrscirapunarnavam| akhuparnikaya va'pi tanduliyakayuktaya||32||

The following (two) enema - recipes arrest excessive secretion from the body:
Milk boiled with Vrischira and punarnava and
Milk boiled with Akhuparni and Tanduliyaka [32]

Enema- recipes for Burning -Syndrome

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kalankatakakandeksudarbhapotagaleksubhih| dahaghnah saghrtaksiro dvitiyascotpaladibhih||33||

The following enema- recipes cure daha (burning syndrome):
Milk or ghee cooked with kalankataka, kandeksu (Brhadiksu) and Darbha, Potagala (Hoggala) and Iksu and
Milk or ghee cooked with Utpala and such other drugs (flowers of aquatic plants like Nalina and Saugandhika) [33]

Basti for sawing pain

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karbudaradhakinipavidulaih ksirasadhitaih| bastih pradeyo bhisaja sitah samadhusarkarah||34||
parikarte tatha vrntaih sriparnikovidarajaih| (deyo bastih suvaidyaistu yathavadviditakriyaih)||35||

Milk cooked with Karbudara, Adhaki, Nipa and Vidula (Vetasa) is cooled, and added with honey as well as sugar. The physician should give enema with this recipe to cure Parikarika (sawing pain).
A wise and expert physician should be give the enema of milk cooked with the stalks of Sriparni and Kovidara which is cooled, and added with honey as well as sugar to cure Parikartika (swaging / cutting pain) [34-35]

Basti for Gripping Pain

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bastih salmalivrntanam ksirasiddho ghrtanvitah| hitah pravahane tadvadvestaih salmalikasya ca||36||

Milk is cooked with the stalks of Salmali, and added with ghee. This recipe when given as enema cures Pravahana (gripping pain).
Similarly, milk is cooked with the gum of Salmali, and added with ghee. Enema given with this recipe cures Pravahana(Gripping pain). [36]

Basti for correcting over-action of Basti

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asvavarohikakakanasarajakaserukaih|
siddhah ksire'tiyoge syuh ksaudranjanaghrtairyutah||37|| nyagrodhadyaiscaturbhisca tenaiva vidhina parah|38|

For correcting the complications caused by over-action (atiyoga) of Basti (medicated enema), the following two recipes for enema are useful:
Milk boiled with asvavarohika (Asvagandha, Asvakarna or iksuraka), Karkanasa and Rajakaseruka, and added with honey, Rasanjana (Daruharidra Ghana Kvatha) and ghee and
Milk boiled with Nyagrodha, (Udumbara, Asvatha and Plaksa), and added with honey, Rasanjana and ghee. [37- 1/2 38]

Basti for correcting Haemorrhage

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brhati ksirakakoli prsniparni satavari||38|| kasmaryabadaridurvastathosirapriyangavah|
jivadane srtau ksire dvau ghrtanjanasamyutau||39|| basti pradeyau bhisaja sitau samadhusarkarau|
go'vyajamahisiksirairjivaniyayutaistatha||40|| sasainadaksamarjaramahisavyajasonitaih|
sadyaskairmrditairbastirjivadane prasasyate||41||

For arresting haemorrhage, the following (three) recipes of enema are useful:
Milk boiled with Brhati, Ksirakakoli,Prsniparni and satavari and added with ghee, Anjana (Daruharidra Ghana Kvatha), honey and sugar. This is administered when cool
Milk boiled with Kasmarya, Badari, Durva, Usira and Priyangu and added with ghee, Anjana, honey and sugar. This should be administered when cool and
Milk of cow, sheep, goat or buffalo is added with the paste of Jivaniya group of drugs and the fresh blood of rabbit, deer, cock, cat, buffalo, sheep or goat. [38 1/2 - 41]

Basti for Rakta-Pitta and Prameha

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madhukamadhukadraksadurvakasmaryacandanaih| tenaiva vidhina bastirdeyah saksaudrasarkarah||42||
manjisthasarivanantapayasyamadhukaistatha| sarkaracandanadraksamadhudhatriphalotpalaih|
raktapitte, pramehe tu kasayah somavalkajah||43||

The recipe containing madooka, madhuka, Draksa, Durva, Kasmarya and Chandana is prepared in the above-mentioned manner by adding honey and sugar. This medicated enema [is useful for the treatment for rakta-pitta (an ailment characterised by bleeding from different parts of the body]
Following the above-mentioned procedure, enema is prepared of manjistha, Sariva, ananta, payasya, madhuka, sarkara (sugar), Chandana, Draksa, Madhu (honey), fruits of Dhatri and Utpala which is useful for the treatment of raktapitta.
For Prameha, enema with the decoction of soma-valka is useful. [42-43]

Basti for other Ailments

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gulmatisarodavartastambhasankucitadisu| sarvangaikangarogesu rogesvevamvidhesu ca||44||
yathasvairausadhaih siddhan bastin dadyadvicaksanah| purvoktena vidhanena kurvan yogan prthagvidhan||45||

For Gulma (tumour), Atisara (diarrhoea), Udavarta (upward movement of wind in abdomen), Stambha (stiffness of Limbs), Sankucita (contraction of limbs), sarvanga-roga (paralysis of the whole body), ekanga-Roga (paralysis of one limb) and for such other diseases, an expert physician should give basti (medicated enema) of effective recipes containing different types of drugs appropriate to each of these conditions prepared according to the methods described before. [44-45]

Epilogue

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tatra slokah-
trikastrayo'niladinam catuskascapare trayah| pakvasayavisuddhyartham vrsyah sangrahikastatha||46||
parisrave tatha dahe parikarte pravahane| satiyoge matau dvau dvau jivadane tatha trayah||47||
dvau raktapitte mehe ca ekatrimsacca sapta te| sulabhalpausadhaklesa bastayo gunavattamah||48||

To sum up:
In this chapter, thirty-seven excellent recipes containing small number of ingredients which are easily available and which have less of adverse effects are described as follows:
1-3. three recipes of enema for vatika diseases {vide verse nos. 19-20]
4-6. three recipes of enema for Paittika diseases [vide verse nos 21-22]
7-9. three recipes of enema for Kaphaja diseases {vide verse nos. 23-24]
10-13. four recipes of enema for cleansing the colon [vide verse nos. 25-27]
14-17. four recipes of enema for the promotion of virility (including those for promotion of seminal power) [vide verse nos. 28-29]
18-21. four recipes of enema with astringent effect [ vide verse nos. 30-31]
22-23. two recipes of enema for arresting excessive secretion; [vide verse no 32]
24-25. Two recipes of enema for curing burning syndrome; [ vide verse nos. 33]
26-27. two recipes of enema for curing sawing pain [vide verse nos. 34-35]
28-29. two recipes of enema for curing gripping pain [vide verse nos. 36]
30-31. two recipes of enema for correcting over-action (Ati-yoga) of Basti (medicated enema therapy) [ vide verse nos. 37 - 1/2 38]
32-34. three recipes of enema for arresting haemorrhage. [vide verse nos. [38 1/2 -41]
35-36. two recipes of enema for correcting rakta-Pitta (an ailment characterised by bleeding from different parts of the body) and [ vide verse nos. 42-43]
37. one recipe of enema for correcting meha (obstinate urinary including diabetes) [vide verse no. 43] [46-48]

Colophon

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ityagnivesakrte tantre carakapratisamskrte'prapte drdhabalasampuritesiddhisthane bastisiddhirnama dasamo'dhyayah||10||

Thus, ends tenth chapter of siddhi- section dealing with "Effective Recipes of Medicated Enema" of Agnivesha's work as redacted by Charaka, and because of its non-availability supplemented by Drdhabala.

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