Nasya

It means nasal drug delivery or therapeutic administration of some substance through nose.

Description: It is one of the main purification procedures. In this procedure the medicine either in liquid form or in powder form is administered inside through the nose directly.

Nasya therapy (nasal errhines), indications and benefits

वर्षे वर्षेऽणुतैलं च कालेषु त्रिषु ना चरेत्||५६||

प्रावृट्शरद्वसन्तेषु गतमेघे नभस्तले| नस्यकर्म यथाकालं यो यथोक्तं निषेवते||५७||

न तस्य चक्षुर्न घ्राणं न श्रोत्रमुपहन्यते| न स्युः श्वेता न कपिलाः केशाः श्मश्रूणि वा पुनः||५८||

न च केशाः प्रमुच्यन्ते वर्धन्ते च विशेषतः| मन्यास्तम्भः शिरःशूलमर्दितं हनुसङ्ग्रहः||५९||

पीनसार्धावभेदौ च शिरःकम्पश्च शाम्यति| सिराः शिरःकपालानां सन्धयः स्नायुकण्डराः||६०||

नावनप्रीणिताश्चास्य लभन्तेऽभ्यधिकं बलम्| मुखं प्रसन्नोपचितं स्वरः स्निग्धः स्थिरो महान्||६१||

सर्वेन्द्रियाणां वैमल्यं बलं भवति चाधिकम्| न चास्य रोगाः सहसा प्रभवन्त्यूर्ध्वजत्रुजाः||६२||

जीर्यतश्चोत्तमाङ्गेषु जरा न लभते बलम्|६३|

One should take a course of anu taila every year, during three seasons, of the pre-rainy season, the autumn and the spring, when the sky is free from clouds. One, who practices nasya, per the prescribed method, at the proper time, will keep his sight, smell and hearing unimpaired. His hair and beard will never become white or grey; his hair will not fall off, rather will grow in abundance. Torticolis, head-ache, facial paralysis, lock-jaw, rhinitis, hemicranias and tremors of the head will be alleviated thereby. The nasya will nourish the blood vessels, joints, ligaments and tendons of cranium, giving them greater strength. The face will become cheerful and plump, the voice will become mellow, firm and stentorian, and all the senses will become clearer and strengthened considerably. Diseases related to head and neck would not attack him all of a sudden even though he might be aging. The effects of senility would not affect the head. [Cha.Su.5/56-63]

Anu taila (Preparation of Anu oil), its dose and method of administration

चन्दनागुरुणी पत्रं दार्वीत्वङ्मधुकं बलाम्||६३||

प्रपौण्डरीकं सूक्ष्मैलां विडङ्गं बिल्वमुत्पलम्| ह्रीबेरमभयं वन्यं त्वङ्मुस्तं सारिवां स्थिराम्||६४||

जीवन्तीं पृश्निपर्णीं च सुरदारु शतावरीम्| हरेणुं बृहतीं व्याघ्रीं सुरभीं पद्मकेशरम्||६५||

विपाचयेच्छतगुणे माहेन्द्रे विमलेऽम्भसि| तैलाद्दशगुणं शेषं कषायमवतारयेत्||६६||

तेन तैलं कषायेण दशकृत्वो विपाचयेत्| अथास्य दशमे पाके समांशं छागलं पयः||६७||

दद्यादेषोऽणुतैलस्य नावनीयस्य संविधिः| अस्य मात्रां प्रयुञ्जीत तैलस्यार्धपलोन्मिताम्||६८||

स्निग्धस्विन्नोत्तमाङ्गस्य पिचुना नावनैस्त्रिभिः| त्र्यहात्त्र्यहाच्च सप्ताहमेतत् कर्म समाचरेत्||६९||

निवातोष्णसमाचारी हिताशी नियतेन्द्रियः| तैलमेतत्त्रिदोषघ्नमिन्द्रियाणां बलप्रदम्||७०||

प्रयुञ्जानो यथाकालं यथोक्तानश्नुते गुणान्|७१|

Ingredients of Anu taila: Chanadana (Santalum album Linn.-Indian sandal wood), aguru (Aquilaria agalocha Rox.-eagle wood), patra (Cinnamomum tamala Nees.-cinnamom leaf), darvi(Berberis aristata DC-Indian barberry), madhuka (Glycyrrhiza glabra Linn.-liquorice), bala (Sida cordifolia Linn.-country mallow), prapaundarika (Nymphaea lotus Linn.-lotus rhizomes), sukshma ela (Elattaria cardamomum Maton -small cardamom), vidanga (Embelia ribes Burm.f.-false black pepper), bilva (Aegle marmelos Corr.-wood apple), utpala (Nymphaea caerulea Sav.-sacred blue lily), hribera(Coleus zeylanicus Benth.), abhayam(Vetiveria zizanioides), vanya(Cyperus tenniflorus-rush nut), twak (Cinnamomum tamala Nees.-cinnamom bark),musta (Cyperus rotendus Linn.- nut grass), sariva (Hemidesmus indicus R.B.-Indian sarsaparilla), sthira (Desmodium gangeticum DC-ticktrefoil), jivanti(Leptadenia reticulate W& A-cork swallow wart), prushniparni (Uraria picta Desv.-painted leaved uraria), deodar (cedrus deodara Loud.), shatavari (Asparagus racemosus Willd.-climbing asparagus), harenu (Pisum sativaum Linn.-fragrant piper), bruhati (Solanum indicum Linn.-Indian night shade), vyaghri (Solanum xanthocarpum Schrad-yellow berried night shade), surabhi (Pluchea lancolata Oliver & Hiern-Indian groundsel), padmakeshara (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.-lotus filaments)

Process of preparation: All the above herbs should be boiled with hundred times in volume of pure rain water. When the decoction is boiled down to ten-times the quantity of oil to be prepared, take it off from the fire. Take one-tenth of this decoction and mix it with equal quantity of oil, boil till only the oil remains. Repeat this process for ten times. At the tenth boiling add an equal quantity of goat’s milk. This is the prescribed method of preparing anu taila for the purpose of nasya.

Dose: Half pala (approximate 20 ml) of this oil should be administered.

Method of administration: After oleation and sudation of the head and face parts, one should drop the oil into the nostrils with a cotton swab, thrice every alternate day and for seven such days.

Precautions: The person shall reside in a place which is warm and free from draughts, taking wholesome food and observing self control. [Cha.Su.5/63-71]

Related chapters:

Matrashiteeya Adhyaya

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