Hot Water

Ushna Jala (hot/boiled water) is one of the most therapeutically important preparations. Freshly boiled water is light, appetizing, digestive, and alleviates Vata and Kapha doshas. It cleanses the urinary bladder and is beneficial in conditions of indigestion, cold, cough, fever, and Ama (metabolic toxins). Water boiled and then cooled (Shrita-Sheeta Jala) has different properties - it does not aggravate Pitta like fresh hot water but retains some lightness. Water reduced to half, one-quarter, or one-eighth by boiling has progressively stronger therapeutic properties. Verses 19a-b.

• Deepana (appetizing)
• Pachana (digestive)
• Vata-Kapha shamaka (alleviates Vata and Kapha)
• Basti-shodhana (bladder-cleansing)

15 Ushnajala-hot water drinking benefits द पनं पाचनं क यं लघू णं बि तशोधनम ् १६ ह मा माना नल ले मस यः शु नव वरे कासामपीनस वासपा व ु च श यते १७ Hot water Deepana – stimulates hunger, Pachana – helps digestion, Kantya – good for the throat, Laghu – easily to digest, Basti shodhana – cleanses the urinary bladder, Relieves Hidhma – relives hiccup, Adhmana – flatulence, Anila – aggravation of Vata Shleshma – aggravation of Kapha It is ideal on the days of Panchakarma therapy Navajvara – fever o

— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Drava Vigyaniya Drinkables

35 अ व ृ तौ तु पाययेत ् उ णा बु, वेदयेद य पा णतापेन चोदरम ् If bouts of purgation do not commence, he should drink hot water and his abdomen should be fomented with warmed with palms of the hand.

— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Vamana Virechana Vidhi

सव तदे कतः उ णा बुकु भीबा पेण त तं खजसमाहतम ् य ब तौ णये पायौ ना यु णशीतलम ् ना ति न धं न वा नात छसा ं ना तती णं न वा मद ृ ु ं नोना तमा ं नापटु ना त च लवणं त वद लं च All these are then mixed together, churned well with a churner and made warm by keeping its container either in hot water or by steam from a pot.

— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Vasti Vidhi Enema

He should then be made to lie – on a cot in a room devoid of breeze, the parts above his shoulders should be given fomentation (mild sweating) once again, He is made to lie straight with his face upwards, extending his arms and legs, the medicine slightly warmed with the help of hot water, should be taken either in a tube or soaked in a piece of cloth, and instilled into each nostril alternately, keeping the other one closed.

— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Nasya Vidhi Nasal

स प नमी यते ने े त ता भु वला यतम ् Keeping the eyelids closed, medicated herbal ghee, which is liquefied by heating in hot water bed, should be poured into the well up to the level of tips of the eye lashes.

— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Tarpana Putpaka Vidhi

Agnivesha then questioned Atreya, “Lord! Why do physicians prescribe hot water to the patients suffering from fever in preference to cold water, although one knows that the dosha (humor) which causes fevers is relieved by sheetala-dravya (cold articles)’ Lord Atreya replied, “Physicians, after assessing the patient’s constitution, etiology of the disease, place and time advise hot beverages to the patient with a view to help them with their digestion.

— Charaka Samhita, Vimana Sthana — Specific Medical Principles, Chapter 3: Epidemics & Community Health (Janapadodhvansaniya Vimana / जनपदोध्वंसनीय विमान)

Powders of haritaki, rock salt, amalaka, jaggery, vacha, vidanga, haridra, pippali and dry ginger should be taken with hot water by adequately oleated and fomented individuals.

— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 1: Rejuvenation Therapy (Rasayana Chikitsa / रसायन चिकित्सा)

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)

Add leaves of vāsā, arka, karanja, sigru, kashmarya and holy basil in hot water and take sudation with this tolerably hot water.

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

If the patient suffers from edema and pain in the peri-anal region, and if there is suppression of the digestive power, then he should be treated with the combination of powder of trikatu [(Sunthi (Zingiber officinale), pippali (Piper longum)and maricha (Piper nigrum)], pippalimool (Piper longum), patha (Cissampelos parrira), hingu (Ferula narthex), chitraka (Plumbago Zylanica), sauvarchala (one kind of salt), pushkarmool(Inula racemosa), jeera (Cuminum cyminum), Pulp af bilva (Aegle marmelos),

— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 14: Hemorrhoids Treatment (Arsha Chikitsa / अर्शचिकित्सा)

That which dries up and scrapes away the Dhatus or waste materials of the body — that is Lekhana (scraping), like honey-water, hot water, Vacha (Acorus calamus), and Yava (barley).

— Sharangadhara Samhita, Purva Khanda, Chapter 4: Dipana-Pachana Adikathanam (Digestive Actions etc.)

Phanta Kalpana (hot infusion preparation): the drug should be coarsely powdered and placed in hot water.

— Sharangadhara Samhita, Madhyama Khanda, Chapter 1: Svarasadikalpana (Svarasa, Kalka, Kvatha, etc.)

When there is doubt about indigestion of Sneha, the person should drink hot water.

— Sharangadhara Samhita, Uttara Khanda, Chapter 1: Snehapana Vidhi (Oleation Therapy)

A broad woolen cloth soaked in very hot water, and then sprinkled with cooling water mixed with Shrivasa (pine resin/camphor) drops (should be applied).

— Sharangadhara Samhita, Parishishtam, Chapter 20: Sunstroke (Anshughata)

Immersion of the lower body in hot water (sitz bath) is beneficial.

— Sharangadhara Samhita, Parishishtam, Chapter 24: Uterine/Placental Diseases (Jarayu Roga)

Before undertaking any of these operations, the physician should first arrange the following materials: Instruments (yantra), sharp surgical tools (shastra), caustics (kshara), fire/cautery (agni), metal probes/rods (shalaka), leeches (jalauka), gourds (labu), bottles (jamba), cotton swabs (vaishti-pichu), threads/sutures (sutra-prota), leaves (patra), bandages (patta), honey (madhu), ghee (ghrita), animal fat (vasa), milk (payas), oil (taila), soothing collyria (tarpana), decoctions (kashaya),

— Sushruta Samhita, Sutra Sthana, Chapter 5: Agropaharaniya Adhyaya - Surgical Instruments and Procedures

Hot water (ushna-udaka) is always wholesome;

— Sushruta Samhita, Sutra Sthana, Chapter 45: Dravadravya-vidhi Adhyaya - On Liquid Substances

Honey mixed with hot water is fatal like poison.

— Sushruta Samhita, Sutra Sthana, Chapter 45: Dravadravya-vidhi Adhyaya - On Liquid Substances

non-suppurated stages plastered with pastes of Manahs'ila, Haritala, Kushtha and Deva-daru Chipya (infected nail bed) Affected part washed with hot water, incarcerated pus cut away with knife;

— Sushruta Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana, Chapter 20: Kshudra-Roga Chikitsa

Patient anointed with oil, fomented with hot water.

— Sushruta Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana, Chapter 37: Treatment with Sneha-Vasti (continued)