Ashtanga Hrudaya Sutra Sthana Chapter 23: Ashchotana Anjana Vidhim Adhyayam (Procedure of Eye Salve/Collyrium Therapies)

The 23rd chapter of Sutrasthanam of Ashtanga Hridayam is named as Ashchotana anjana Vidhi Adhyayam. This chapter deals with the detailed procedure of administration of Aschotana (eye drops) and Anjana therapies (eye salve/collyrium therapies).

अथातो आश्चोतनाञ्जनविधिमध्यायं व्याख्यास्याम: इति ह स्माहुरात्रेयादयो महर्षय:॥
Atreya and other sages pledge that henceforth they will be explaining the chapter named Ashchotana anjana vidhim adhyaya (pertaining to inhalation of herbal therapeutic smoke).

Effects of very hot, very cold, excessively used, inadequately used eye drops

अत्युष्णतीक्ष्णं रुग्रागदृङ्नाशायाक्षिसेचनम् ।
अतिशीतं तु कुरुते निस्तोदस्तम्भवेदनाः ॥ ५ ॥
कषायवर्त्मतां घर्षं कृच्छ्रादुन्मेषणं बहु ।
विकारवृद्धिमत्यल्पं संरम्भमपरिस्रुतम् ॥ ६ ॥
Very hot and strong medicinal eye drops lead to manifestation of pain, redness and loss of vision.
Too cold eye drops cause pricking pain, loss of movements/stiffness of the eyes and pain.
Excessive use of eye drops produces roughness of the lids, friction and difficulty in opening the eyelids.
Inadequate/less use of eye drops causes worsening of the diseases, increase of redness of the eyes and absence of lacrimation.

Mode of action of eye drops

गत्वा सन्धिशिरोघ्राणमुखस्रोतांसि भेषजम् ।
ऊर्ध्वगान् नयने न्यस्तं अपवर्तयते मलान् ॥ ७ ॥
The medicines instilled into the eye, entering into the channels of the joints, head, nose and face, eliminates the imbalanced doshas which have been accumulated and localized in the upper portion of the body.

Indications for Anjana (collyrium/eye salve)

अथाञ्जनं शुद्धतनोर्नेत्रमात्राश्रये मले ।
पक्वलिङ्गेऽल्पशोफातिकण्डूपैच्छिल्यलक्षिते ॥ ८ ॥
मन्दघर्षाश्रुरागेऽक्ष्णि प्रयोज्यं घनदूषिके ।
आर्ते पित्तकफासृग्भिर्मारुतेन विशेषतः ॥ ९ ॥
Application of anjana is beneficial in the below mentioned conditions –
the person who has undergone purification of his body by undergoing cleansing treatments like vamana, virechana etc.,
in whom the doshas are localized only in the eyes,
when the signs of fully ripened state of doshas like, presence of slight edema, severe itching and sliminess are found,
in presence of mild friction, excess lacrimation and redness in the eyes,
when the excretions of the eye are thick
and in persons who are troubled by vitiated Pitta, Kapha, blood and especially by Vata imbalance.

Types of Anjana

लेखनं रोपणं दृष्टिप्रसादनमिति त्रिधा ।
अञ्जनं
Anjana is of three types, they are –
lekhana – scraping/scarifying,
ropana – healing
drishti prasadana – soothing to the eyes (that which makes the vision clear).

Lekhana Anjana (Scraping type of collyrium)

लेखनं तत्र कषायाम्लपटूषणैः ॥ १० ॥
Among these, the lekhana anjana is prepared from herbs having astringent, sour and salt tastes and hot potency.

Ropana Anjana (Healing type of collyrium)

रोपणं तिक्तकैर्द्रव्यैः
The ropana anjana are prepared from bitter herbs.

Prasadana Anjana (Soothing/vision clearing type of collyrium)

स्वादुशीतैः प्रसादनम् ।
The prasadana Anjana is prepared from herbs having sweet taste and cold potency.

Pratyanjana (Counter-acting collyrium)

तीक्ष्णाञ्जनाभिसन्तप्ते नयने तत् प्रसादनम् ॥ ११ ॥
प्रयुज्यमानं लभते प्रत्यञ्जनसमाह्वयम् ।
For the eyes afflicted by side effects of teekshna Anjana (strong collyrium) the soothing collyrium are used. Such collyriums administered in the eyes to counteract the effects of the other collyriums are called Pratyanjana i.e., counter-acting collyrium/eye salve.

Anjana Shalaka (Collyrium apparatus)

दशाङ्गुला तनुर्मध्ये शलाका मुकुलानना ॥ १२ ॥
प्रशस्ता लेखने ताम्री रोपणे काललोहजा ।
अङ्गुली च सुवर्णोत्था रूप्यजा च प्रसादने ॥ १३ ॥
A shalaka or metal rod, 10 angulas (finger width) in length, thin in the middle, with its tip resembling a flower is best suited to be used as a collyrium applicator. For application of scraping collyrium, the applicator made of copper should be used. For application of healing collyrium, the applicator made up of iron or finger itself shall be used. For applying a soothing/vision clearing type of collyrium, the applicator made of gold or silver should be used.

Types of Anjana based on materials used

पिण्डो रसक्रिया चूर्णस्त्रिधैवाञ्जनकल्पना ।
गुरौ मध्ये लघौ दोषे तां क्रमेण प्रयोजयेत् ॥ १४ ॥
The Anjana preparations are only of three types
pinda – used in pill form,
rasakriya – used in form of gel, confection (semisolid obtained after boiling the decoction until most of its liquid has been evaporated)
choorna – used in the form of powder
They should be used in
profound imbalance of doshas (pill form),
moderate imbalance of doshas (confection form) and
mild imbalance of doshas (powder form) respectively.

Dose of pinda and rasakriya types of Anjana (pill and confection type of collyriums)

हरेणुमात्रा पिण्डस्य वेल्लमात्रा रसक्रिया ।
तीक्ष्णस्य द्विगुणं तस्य मृदुनः
The quantity of pinda anjana prepared from strong herbs is one harenu. The quantity of pinda anjana prepared from mild herbs is twice that of the pill form, i.e., 2 harenu. The quantity of rasakriya anjana is equal to that of vella (Embelia ribes).

Dose of churna Anjana (powder form of collyriums)

चूर्णितस्य च ॥ १५ ॥
द्वे शलाके तु तीक्ष्णस्य तिस्रस्तदितरस्य च ।
The quantity of anjana used in the form of powder shall be two rods full when strong acting herbs are used and three rods full in case when mild herbs are used.

Wrong and right time for application of Anjana

निशि स्वप्ने न मध्याह्ने म्लाने नोष्णगभस्तिभिः ॥ १६ ॥
अक्षिरोगाय दोषाः स्युर्वर्धितोत्पीडितद्रुताः ।
प्रातः सायं च तच्छान्त्यै व्यभ्रेऽर्केऽतोऽञ्जयेत् सदा ॥ १७ ॥
Application of Anjana should not be done at nights, during sleep, during afternoon and when the eyes are fatigued by strong rays of the sun. If collyrium is done during these times, the doshas get increased, spread to the other sites and get liquefied, leading to manifestation of diseases of the eyes.
So, in order to mitigate the doshas, collyrium should be applied always either in the morning time or in the evening time when the sun is not present.

Contraindication of teekshna anjana application during day time

वदन्त्यन्ये तु न दिवा प्रयोज्यं तीक्ष्णमञ्जनम् ।
विरेकदुर्बलं चक्षुरादित्यं प्राप्य सीदति ॥ १८ ॥
Some experts say that strong collyriums should not be applied during day time, because the eyes which have become weak following the purgation treatment given using strong herbs, will be further debilitated by the presence of the sun during day time.

Benefits of sleep on eye health

स्वप्नेन रात्रौ कालस्य सौम्यत्वेन च तर्पिता ।
शीतसात्म्या दृगाग्नेयी स्थिरतां लभते पुनः ॥ १९ ॥
The eye being naturally predominant in the fire element and habituated to cold comforts, will regain its strength/stability yet again, after good sleep and being nourished by the coolant nature of the night.

Conditions for usage of lekhaneeya and teekshna Anjanas

अत्युद्रिक्ते बलासे तु लेखनीयेऽथवा गदे ।
काममह्न्यपि नात्युष्णे तीक्ष्णमक्ष्णि प्रयोजयेत् ॥ २० ॥
The lekhaneeya Anjana shall be used in conditions of extreme increase of Kapha or in diseases requiring scraping treatments and teekshna anjana can be applied to the eyes even during day time, if desired, only if the day is not hot.

Predominance of fire element in eyes

अश्मनो जन्म लोहस्य तत एव च तीक्ष्णता ।
उपघातोऽपि तेनैव तथा नेत्रस्य तेजसः ॥ २१ ॥
The metals take their origin from their ores, similarly from the ores itself (the metals derive) their sharpness, bluntness etc. features. In the same way, the power and features and destruction of eyes are derived from the fire element itself.

Effect of Anjana in cold conditions

न रात्रावपि शीतेऽति नेत्रे तीक्ष्णाञ्जनं हितम् ।
दोषमस्रावयेत् स्तब्धं कण्डूजाड्यादिकारि तत् ॥ २२ ॥
When there is severe cold, application of strong collyrium into the eye is not good even during night, because it does not cause elimination of the doshas from the eyes. Instead, it produces stiffness, itching, inactivity etc.

Anjana anarha (contraindications for collyrium/eye salve)

नाञ्जयेत् भीतवमितविरिक्ताशितवेगिते ।
क्रुद्धज्वरिततान्ताक्षिशिरोरुक्शोकजागरे ॥ २३ ॥
अदृष्टेऽर्के शिरःस्नाते पीतयोर्धूममद्ययोः ।
अजीर्णेऽग्न्यर्कसन्तप्ते दिवासुप्ते पिपासिते ॥ २४ ॥
Anjana should not be applied to the persons who are –
bheeta – in a state of fear,
vamita – those who have undergone emesis therapy,
virikta – those who have undergone purgation therapy,
ashita – those who have just consumed food,
vegita – during natural body urges like that of urine, feces, hunger etc,
kruddha – anger,
jvarita – those who are having fever,
tanta akshi – eye fatigue,
shiro ruk – headache,
shoka – grief, depressed,
jagara – loss of sleep,
adrishta arka – when the sun is not seen (totally covered with clouds),
shira snata – after head bath,
peeta dhooma – after inhalation of smoke,
madya – after drinking wine,
ajeerna – in presence of indigestion,
agni arka santapta – fatigued from exposure to fire and sun,
divasupta – after day sleeping,
pipasita – pipāsite – when thirsty.

Unsuitable Anjana

अतितीक्ष्णमृदुस्तोकबह्वच्छघनकर्कशम् ।
अत्यर्थशीतलं तप्तमञ्जनं नावचारयेत् ॥ २५ ॥
The Anjana which is very strong or very mild, which is very little in quantity or very large, which is too thin or very thick in consistency, or is very rough/coarse, which is too cold or too hot should not be used.

Procedures that need to be done after applying Anjana

अथानुमीलयन् दृष्टिं अन्तः सञ्चारयेच्छनैः ।
अञ्जिते वर्त्मनी किञ्चिच्चालयेच्चैवमञ्जनम् ॥ २६ ॥
तीक्ष्णं व्याप्नोति सहसा न चोन्मेषनिमेषणम् ।
निष्पीडनं च वर्त्मभ्यां क्षालनं वा समाचरेत् ॥ २७ ॥
After the administration of collyrium, the eyeball should not be moved up,
it should be rotated slowly within the socket. The eyelids should be moved slightly. By all these acts, the strong collyrium quickly spreads to all places in the eye. Opening and closing of eyelids, squeezing or washing of the eyelids should not be done.

Proper time to wash the eyes after applying Anjana

अपेतौषधसंरम्भं निर्वृतं नयनं यदा ।
व्याधिदोषर्तुयोग्याभिरद्भिः प्रक्षालयेत् तदा ॥ २८ ॥
After the cessation of the activity of the collyrium medicine, when the eyes have regained strength, the eyes should be washed with water, as suitable with respect to the diseases, doshas and seasons.

Method of washing the eyes after Anjana

दक्षिणाङ्गुष्ठकेनाक्षि ततो वामं सवाससा ।
ऊर्ध्ववर्त्मनि सङ्गृह्य शोध्यं वामेन चेतरत् ॥ २९ ॥
The physician should lift and hold the upper eyelid of the left eye of the patient with a piece of cloth, hold it with the help of his right thumb and fingers and wash the left eye of the patient with the help of his left hand he should wash the right eye of the patient.

Effects of not washing the eyes after the application of Anjana

वर्त्मप्राप्तोऽञ्जनात् दोषो रोगान् कुर्यादतोऽन्यथा ।
If not washed, the Anjana remaining in the eyelids, excites the doshas which in turn give rise to eye diseases.

Indications of teekshna Anjana or Teekshna Dhuma

कण्डूजाड्येऽञ्जनं तीक्ष्णं धूमं वा योजयेत् पुनः ॥ ३० ॥
When itching and inactivity are present following collyrium application, either a strong collyrium should be applied again or an inhalation of strong smoke of herbs should be done.

Remedy for eye fatigue caused by application of strong collyriums

तीक्ष्ण अञ्जन अभितप्ते तु चूर्णं प्रत्यञ्जनं हिमम्॥३० १/२॥
When the eyes get fatigued due to application of strong collyrium, a counter-eye salve which is in the form of powder and cold in effect should be applied.

इति श्री वैद्यपति सिंहगुप्त सूनु श्रीमत् वाग्भट विरचितायां अष्टाङ्गहृदय संहितायां सूत्रस्थान आश्चोतनाञ्जनविधिः नाम त्रयोविंशो अध्यायः॥२३॥
Thus ends the 23rd chapter of Ashtangahridaya Samhita Sutrasthana, named Aschotana Anjana Vidhim Adhyayam, written by Shrimad Vagbhata, son of Shri Vaidyapati Simhagupta.