Mastu

Mastu (whey/curd water) is the liquid that separates from the solid portion of curd. It is lighter than both curd and buttermilk. It is sour-astringent in taste, light, appetizing, and absorbent. It is beneficial in Grahani (IBS), Atisara (diarrhea), and conditions of weak Agni. The text considers Mastu a lighter alternative to Takra (buttermilk) for persons who cannot tolerate even buttermilk due to extremely weak digestion.

• Deepana (appetizing)
• Grahi (absorbent)
• Rochana (relishing)
• Laghu (light to digest)

Meat of animals of desert-like lands, soup of pulses , wine prepared from grapes and fermented decoctions, which are old or mastu (whey, thin water or curds) processed with more of Sochal salt and powder of panchakola, should be used.

— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Ritucharya adhyaya Seasonal

29-32 Takra –(Fat-less buttermilk):त ं लघु कषाया लं द पनं कफवातिजत ् ३३ शोफोदराश हणीदोषमू ल हगु मघ त ृ याप गरपा हा चः वामयान ् जयेत ् ३४ Takra (butter milk) - churned curds Laghu – easy to digest Kashaya, amla – sour, astringent, Deepana – improves digestion strength Kaphavatjit – balances Kapha and Vata Useful in Shopha – inflammatory conditions Udara – ascites Arsha – hemorrhoids Grahani – malabsorption syndrome Mutradosha, Mutragraha – urine infection, dysuria Aruchi – anorexia Pleeha

— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Drava Vigyaniya Drinkables

नीला राजी रसे , ता ा ीरे , दध न यते शयावा, आपीता सता त े , घ ृते पानीयसि नभा म तु न या कपोताभा, राजी कृ णा तष ु ोदके काल म या भसोः, ौ े ह र तैले अ णोपमः पाकः फलानामामानां प वानां प रकोथनम ् याणामा शु काणां यातां म ृद ूनां क ठनानां च भवे मा य य फु टत यामम डलता व वं ला न ववणते पश वपययः ला नग धा तरो वः े, शदनं त तुप मणाम ् धातम ु ौि तकका ठा मर ना दषु मला तता नेह पश भाहा नः, स भ वं तु म ृ मये Neela Raji Rase – Blue lines appear in meat soup, Tamra ksheere - coppery red lines in mil

— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Anna Raksha Vidhi

Warm water is ideal after-drink for foods which are starchy, Mastu – Supernatent liquid of curds (whey), Takra (diluted buttermilk) Amla kanjika (fermented gruel);

— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Food habits &

13 Putpaka Dravyas भूशय सहानूपमेदोम जवसा मषैः नेहनं पयसा प टैःजीवनीयै च क पयेत ् Snehana Putapaka is done by making use of fat, marrow, muscle fat and juice of meat of animals which live in burrows (Bhushaya), which bite (Prasaha) – cut their food, cow, horse, ass etc, and those which live in Marshy lands (Anupa), or with drugs of Jivaneeya gana- (chapter 15) macerated with milk- 14 म ृगप य ु मांसमु ताय ता सै धवैः ोतोजराश खफेन आलैलखानं म तक ु ि कतैः Lekhana Putapaka is by making use of M

— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Tarpana Putpaka Vidhi

024 Kg of kurchika-mastu (prepared by adding hot water in paneer) and boil on cow-dung fire till one-third remains and then filter.

— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 12: Edema Treatment (Shvayathu Chikitsa / श्वयथुचिकित्सा)

024 Kg natural-mastu (prepared by adding water in curd), 4 kg of sugar-candy and put in a pitcher lined with paste of chitraka and pippali and leave this pot at a high-open place for 10 days for fermentation to prepare arishta.

— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 12: Edema Treatment (Shvayathu Chikitsa / श्वयथुचिकित्सा)

One prastha (768g) of powder of nagara (Zingiber officinale), haritaki (Terminalia chebula), vibhitaki (Terminalia belerica) and amalaki (Emblica officinalis) is added with 1/2 adhaki (1536g) of cow’s ghee, 1/2 adhaki (1536g) of taila (oil extracted from seeds of Sesamum indicum) and 1 adhaki (3073g) of mastu (liquid separated from curd ).

— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 13: Abdominal Diseases Treatment (Udara Chikitsa / उदरचिकित्सा)

Make paste of panchamoola (bilva, shyonaka, gambhari, patala and gambharika), abhaya, trikatu, pippalimoola, saindhava, rasna, two kshara (sarjika and yavakshara), ajaji, vidanga and sati and prepare medicated ghee with sukta, juice of matulunga and ardraka, suṣkamoolaka, kolambu, chukrika, pomengranate, butter milk, mastu (supplement liquid portion in the curd/yoghurt), suramanda (indigenous beer beverage prepared from fermented cereals) sauviraka (acidic fermented liquid obtained from wheat),

— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 15: Digestive Disorders Treatment (Grahani Chikitsa / ग्रहणीचिकित्सा)

as also in amla dadhi (sour curd), dadhi mastu (whey), shukta (vinegars), sura (type of liquor) and sauviraka (type of wine);

— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 21: Erysipelas Treatment (Visarpa Chikitsa / विसर्पचिकित्सा)

One Shana dose should be given with Mastu (whey), Takra (buttermilk), or Sura and Asava (fermented preparations).

— Sharangadhara Samhita, Madhyama Khanda, Chapter 6: Churnakalpana (Powder Preparations - Extended)