Page:The Surgical Instruments of the Hindus Vol 1.djvu/10

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PREFACE.

we learn that when Parīkṣit, the king of the Kurus, became certain of his approaching death by snake-bite, due to a curse uttered by a sage, he tried to protect himself by the constant attendance of a number of physicians, who were well supplied with antidotes.[1] Again it is stated that when the great warrior Bhīṣma was wounded in war, the skillful army surgeons came to him with the necessary medical and surgical appliances to treat his wounds.[2] From the Mohāvāgga, we learn that Jīvaka, the personal physician of Buddha, practised cranial surgery with success.[3] In the Mālavikāgnimitra, we find the use of charms—a signet

  1. संमन्त्र्य मन्त्रिभिश्चैव स तथा मन्त्रतत्त्ववित्।
    प्रासादं कारयामास एकस्तम्भं सुरक्षितं।
    रक्षाञ्च विदधे तत्र भिषजश्चौषधानि च।
    ब्राह्मणान्मन्त्रसिद्धांश्व सर्ब्बतो वैन्ययोजयत्।

    Mahābhārata, Adi Parva, Ch. 42.

  2. उपातिष्ठन्नथो वैद्याः शल्योद्धरणकोविदाः।
    सर्ब्बोपकरणैर्युक्ताः कुशलैः साधु शिक्षिताः।
    तान् दृष्ट्वा जान्हवीपुत्त्रः प्रोवाच तनयं तव।
    धनं दत्त्वा विसृज्यन्तां पूजयित्वा चिकित्सकाः।
    एवं गते मयेदानीं वैद्यैः कार्य्यमिहास्ति किं।
    क्षत्त्रधर्म्मे प्रशस्तां हि प्राप्तोऽस्मि परमां गतिं।
    नैष धर्म्मो महीपालाः शरतल्पगतस्य मे।
    एभिरेव शरैश्चाहं दग्धव्योऽस्मि नराधिपाः।
    तच्छुत्वा वचनं तस्य पुत्त्रो दुर्य्यौधनस्तव।
    वैद्यान् विसर्ज्जयामास पूजयित्वा यथाऽर्हतः।

    Mahābhārata, Bhīṣma Parva, Ch. 121,
    Vs. 5745–5750. (A.S.B. Ed.)

  3. Mohāvāgga, VIII. 1.18.