Deer

Harina/Mriga (Deer/Venison) meat is considered one of the best meats in Ayurveda. It is the lightest of all meats, easy to digest, and balances all three doshas. Being from a Jangala (dry-land/forest) animal, it is particularly recommended for convalescent patients and those with weak digestion. Deer meat is dry, light and cooling. It acts as an absorbent and appetizer. It is recommended in conditions of diarrhea, fever and general debility. Among all animal meats, deer meat is considered the most sattvic and healthiest. Various types of deer are described — Ena (antelope), Kuranga (blackbuck), Harina (spotted deer), etc., each with slight variations in properties. Verses: 7-10.

• Tridoshahara (balances all three doshas)
• Grahi (absorbent)
• Deepana (appetizer)

Mamsa varga – (group of meats) ह रणैणकुर ग गोकण म ृगमात ृकाः शशश बरचा कशरभा या म ृगाः म ृताः Mriga varga (deer etc) :Harina (antelope, fawn) Kuranga (type of deer), Arksa (white footed antelope) Gokarna (Deer antelop), Mrigamatrika (Red coloured hare like deer), Shasha ( rabbit), Shambara (deer with branched horns), Charushka (gazelle) sarabha (eight footed animal) Etc.

— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Annaswaroopa Food

These are different kinds of deer, antelope and bucks.

— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Annaswaroopa Food

(Kukkuta) Chicken and Spotted deer should not be taken along with curds Uncooked meat along with bile radish along with black gram Sheep meat along with leaves of Kusumba herb Germinated grains along with Bisa Lakucha Phala along with black gram soup (masha supa) Banana along with butter milk is not recommended Curds along with Tala phala (Palm date) Pippali, Maricha and honey Kakamachi along with jaggery Black pepper along with fish or during digestion of fish - 33-36.

— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Anna Raksha Vidhi

For example, the prakriti of black gram or pork is heavy, while that of green gram or deer meat is light.

— Charaka Samhita, Vimana Sthana — Specific Medical Principles, Chapter 1: Taste Assessment (Rasa Vimana / रस विमान)

On the west of the altar, the priest should take his seat on an undamaged cotton cushion or on the skin of a white bull, if he is officiating on behalf of a brahmana patron, on the skin of a tiger or bull if kshatriya, and on the skin of a deer or a ram, in case of a vaisya.

— Charaka Samhita, Sharira Sthana — Human Body & Embryology, Chapter 8: Guidelines for Lineage (Jatisutriya Sharira / जातिसूत्रीय शरीर)

He may also take the soup of eggs of sparrow or (preparations) of the blood of goat or wild animals (like deer, etc).

— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 11: Chest Injury and Emaciation Treatment (Kshatakshina Chikitsa / क्षतक्षीणचिकित्सा)

The physician should use vishana (deer horn) in vata dominance, jalauka (Hirudinea medicinalis) in pitta dominance and alabu (lagenaria siceraria) in kapha dominance for blood letting or physician should perform siravyadha (blood letting through vein) promptly from the adjacent vein to the affected part, without which rakta kleda (putrifying blood content) gives rise to decomposed skin, flesh and ligaments.

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

mamsa rasa of ina (antelope), shikhi (peacock), avi (porcupine), lava (common quail), taittira (partridge), parsha (spotted deer) are the remedies in cases of poison.

— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 23: Poison Treatment (Visha Chikitsa / विषचिकित्सा)

Feed the patient goat meat broth, or Vaishkira (gallinaceous bird) broth, or deer meat broth, with Shali rice, Shashtika rice in small quantity, or Masura (lentils).

— Sharangadhara Samhita, Uttara Khanda, Chapter 4: Virechana Vidhi (Purgation Therapy)

The Basti bag (bladder) may be from deer, goat, pig, cow, or buffalo.

— Sharangadhara Samhita, Uttara Khanda, Chapter 5: Sneha Basti Vidhi (Oil Enema Therapy)

Deer horn (harina-shringa) calcined by the Puta method, ground and taken with cow's ghee — even severe pain in the heart and back subsides quickly.

— Sharangadhara Samhita, Parishishtam, Chapter 2: Diseases of the Heart (Hridroga Adhikara)

Harina-shringa bhasma (calcined deer antler) with ghee is a traditional remedy for cardiac and thoracic pain.

— Sharangadhara Samhita, Parishishtam, Chapter 2: Diseases of the Heart (Hridroga Adhikara)

Old red rice, arid-land deer and birds, soup of Kulthi (Macrotyloma uniflorum) and green gram (Vigna radiata), pointed gourd, and banana fruit (Musa paradisiaca) are wholesome.

— Sharangadhara Samhita, Parishishtam, Chapter 35: Diet for Heart Disease (Hridroga Pathyapathyam)

The mouths/tips of the instruments generally resemble the mouths of various animals — wild beasts (vyala), deer (mriga), birds (pakshi), etc.

— Sushruta Samhita, Sutra Sthana, Chapter 7: Yantra Vidhi Adhyaya - Blunt Instruments

Kalapuchcha, Kuranga (deer), and Mrigamatrika -- their meat should be given for meat-habituated fever patients.

— Sushruta Samhita, Uttara Tantra, Chapter 39: Jvarapratishedha

Specific animals described include: ena (deer) — light, sweet, cool, beneficial in all doshas.

— Sushruta Samhita, Sutra Sthana, Chapter 46: Annapana-vidhi Adhyaya - On Food and Drink

The type called Rishyajihva is rough and resembles the tongue of a Rishya (Deer) in shape and colour.

— Sushruta Samhita, Nidana Sthana, Chapter 5: Kushtham Nidanam - Cutaneous Affections (Skin Diseases)

A Prishata (a species of spotted deer) sheds tears and a monkey passes stools.

— Sushruta Samhita, Kalpa Sthana, Chapter 1: Annapana-Raksha-Kalpa