Ath Beheth Mangusawa of the Hela Weda Athpotha

This is part of our series on using Sri Lanka’s herbs for everyday use for better health. We will be using diverse books and advice from indigenous doctors for this series. For the first weeks, until we complete much of the book, we will focus on the publication Hela Weda Athputha authored by Ayurveda Shasthri, Ayurveda Doctor Palitha Shri Gagana Arachchige and published by Dilmah Conservation. In the past weeks we focused on Kenda varieties for diverse medicinal use.

http://www.ft.lk/harmony_page/Entering-the-world-of-Sri-Lankan-kenda-broth/10523-706934

http://www.ft.lk/harmony_page/Entering-the-world-of-Sri-Lankan-kenda-broth/10523-707275

http://www.ft.lk/harmony_page/Entering-the-world-of-Sri-Lankan-kenda-broth/10523-705604

http://www.ft.lk/harmony_page/Entering-the-world-of-Sri-Lankan-kenda-broth/10523-705276

 

We also featured easy to administer home remedies for minor ailments mentioned in the book under the theme Ath Beheth Manjusawa.

http://www.ft.lk/harmony_page/Ath-Beheth-Mangusawa-of-the-Hela-Weda-Athpotha/10523-708584

http://www.ft.lk/harmony_page/Kola-kenda-broth-and-Ath-Beheth-Mangusawa-of-Hela-Weda-

Athpotha/10523-707616

Below is the continuing series on the Ath Beheth Manjusawa (cures that could be prepared and 

administered for minor ailments prior to seeking medical treatment):

Sarshapadi Thailaya

To be obtained from an Ayurveda/Traditional medicine pharmacy.

Used as treatment for phlegm related asthma/wheezing, swelling of joints accompanied by pain caused by Vatha complications.

Manner of use: Applying to the necessary locations. 

Kola Shleshma Thailaya

Used as treatment for restriction of lungs due to phlegm of small children, tonsils, wheezing and cough related ailments. 

Manner of use: Applying to the throat, sides of the throat and chest. 

Iriwedhadhi Thailaya 

Used as a treatment for the swelling of gums, bleeding from the gums and related ailments connected to mouth.

Manner of use: Applying to the gums. 

Dashanga Lepaya 

Used for pain in the joints and swelling, swelling of the body and for sting-related poisonous infections. 

Manner of use: Apply to the location with the juice of Siyambala leaves which has been grinded the traditional way. 

Lakshadi Thailaya 

To be used on any part of the body that has been bruised due to an accident such as a fall and resulting in joint pain. 

Manner of use: Apply to the location with bee honey. 

We now translate and feature the section of the book that is connected with head-related ailments such as headaches. We feature below the introduction to this section as mentioned in the book:

A current most common ailment are headaches that many are afflicted with. There are many causes for different types of headaches that are generally connected with stress levels we face in daily life and connected with emotions such as sadness, being overworked, psychological issues, walking in the sun. There are also very serious headaches connected with dizziness, vomiting, delusion including inability to face sunlight, for which one should consult a doctor. 

Here, in the Ayurvedic way, we can separate the headaches we get into four sections: 1. Caused by Vatha 2. Caused by Pitha 3. Caused by phlegm (connected with Kapha) and 4. Caused by psychological issues. 

Following are the symptoms of headaches caused by Vatha connected ailments: 

• Tightness in the back of the neck. 
• Increase of the headaches during the night.
• Where one cannot give a specific reason for the headaches.
• Having some relief after the head is tightly bound by a cloth and kept. 

Following is the Athbeheth treatment for headaches caused by Vatha:

• Take five grams of each of the following: Roots of the Babila plant, Beli tree roots, dried ginger (SiddhiInguru), boiled in water of 8 cups (200ml per cup) until it is heated to the point of one cup which has to be drunk half in the morning and half in the evening. 

The following remedies include:

• Grinding young shoots of the Nika tree, Young shoots of the Beli tree with Ghee and applying on the forehead as paste and bound by cloth/plaster.
• Drinking water that has been boiled with Heen Araththa, coriander and Thippili roots. 
• Grind the traditional way to a paste with warm water Wadha Kaha and Heen Aratha ala (tuber) and bind the paste on the forehead.
• Take Yaki Narang leaves and boil it for the purpose of vapor inhalation (Dhum Alleema in Sinhalese). 

How to identify Pitha-related headaches:

• Intense heat around the head area.
• Burning sensation of the eyes and nose.
• The habit of drinking alcohol. 
• The headaches decreasing at night time. 

The following is the Athbeheth treatment for headaches caused by Pitha:

• Grind Spinach leaves, place on forehead and bind with cloth or plaster.
• Take Hathawariya tubors crushed and grinded with cow’s milk and place on forehead, binding with a cloth or a plaster.
• Make a small thawili pottani, (filling a cloth with herbs and placing it repeatedly on forehead) with the following herbs:

Siyambala leaves 

Kohomba leaves 

Amu Kaha

Garlic 

Small onions thinly sliced 

All this above tie up in a clean cloth and boil/steam and place on forehead repeatedly.

(Cont. next week.)

(SV)