Page:Sushruta Samhita Vol 1.djvu/442

338 hills cropping up at intervals thereon, and which is covered with growths of weeds and under-shrubs, and is endued with a dark soil, kept moist and sappy by the percolation of invisible (subterranean) water, should be looked upon as permeated with the essential properties of sky (Akashaguna).

According to certain authorities, the roots, leaves, bark, milky exudations, essence and fruits (seeds) of medicinal plants and herbs, should be respectively culled in the early part of the rains (Pravrit) and in the rainy season proper (Varsha), autumn, (Sharat), fore- winter (Hemanta), spring (Vasanta) and summer (Grishma). But we cannot subscribe to that opinion inasmuch as the nature or essential temperament of the earth is both cool (Saumya) and hot (Agneya). Accordingly drugs of cooling virtues should be culled during the cold seasons of the year, and the heat- making ones in the hot season, as they do not become divested of their native virtues at those seasons of the year. Medicinal plants of cooling virtues, which are grown on a soil of cool temperament and are culled during the cool seasons of the year, become intensely sweet, cooling and glossy. These remarks hold good of other medicinal plants and herbs.

Herbs of purgative properties, which are grown on a soil permeated with the specific virtues of water or earth matter, should be culled as the most effective of their kind. Similarly, herbs of emetic virtues should