Treatment of diseases of the vagina (Yoni) in Ashtanga Hridyam

 YONI VYAPAT CHIKITSA
(Treatment of diseases of the Vagina) 

"Yoni Vyapat Chikitsa" translates to "treatment of female genital diseases" in the context of Ayurveda. It encompasses a variety of Ayurvedic therapies for various gynecological issues, including those related to the vagina and uterus. 

Treatment of vataja yoni vyapat

In diseases of the vagina of vata origin-oletion, sudation, enema and such other therapies, which mitigate vata are highly valuable, especially in those which are caused by vata. 22.

Without the aggravation of vata, the vagina does not get disordered in women; hence that should be won over (mitigated) first and the others treated next. 23.

The woman should given either bala taila (chapter 21), misraka sneha (chapter 14), sukumara ghrita (chapter 14 of chikitsasthana) to drink ( as internal oletion therapy). The vagina should be anointed with fats given fomentation and then the distortions corrected by the hand, the curved one should be straightened, narrowed one widened, protruded, one pushed back; a displaced vagina is like a foreign body itself to the woman. 24-26a.

Emesis and other purificatory therapies should be administered in mild way for women. After proper purification, the remaining treatments such as enema, anointing, bathing with decoction, application of paste and wearing diapers (medicated) should be adopted. 26b-27.

Medicated ghee should be prepared by cooking one prastha of ghee along with (the decoction and) paste of kasmarya, triphala, draksa kasamarda, the two nisa, guduci, sairyaka, abhiru, sukanasa, punarnava and parusaka-each one aksa in quantity; this consumed orally cures diseases of the vagina and effectively helps the formation of the embryo. 28-29. 

Vaca, upakuncika, ajaji, krsna, vrsaka, saindhava, ajamoda, yavaksara, sarkara and citraka are macerated in prasanna (scum of beer) fried in ghee and consumed for the cure of pain of the vagina and flanks. heart diseases, abdominal tumour and haemorrhoids. 30-31.

Vrsaka, root of matulunga and madayantika should be consumed along with wine added with salt or krsna and upakuncika may be consumed similarly. 32.

Milk boiled with rasna, svadamstra and vrsaka relieves pain. 33a. 

Decoction of guduci, triphala and danti is suitable for bathing (the vagina). 33b.

Diaper (piece of cotton cloth) soaked in oil prepared with nata, vartakini, kustha, saindhava and amaradaru, kept in the vaginal relieves pain. 34. 

Treatment of pittaja yoni vyapat

For diseases of the vagina by pitta aggravation, bathing, anointing, keeping diaper and other pitta mitigating terapies should be done in cold state and medicated ghee recipes used for oleation therapy. 35. 

Satavari ghrita

The milky juice taken out by the pounding four tula of roots of satavari is cooked with one adhaka of ghee, adding the paste of drugs of jivaniya gana (chapter 15 of Sutrasthana), satavari, mrdvika, parusaka, priyala, the two bala and madhuka, After it cools, eight pala each of honey and pippali ten pala of sugar are added and stored. Consumed in doses of one picu (aksa) it cures diseases of the vagina, menstrual blood, semen, is an aphrodisiac; helps to beget male children, cures wound, consumption, bleeding disease, cough, dyspnoea, halimaka, (severe jaundice), gout herpes, pain of the heart and head, epilepsy, facial paralysis, tetanus, intoxication and insanity. 36-40.

Ghee prepared with milk cooked in the same (above) manner with drugs of jivaniya gana (chapter 15 of Sutrasthana) helps conception and best suited for diseases of pitta origin. 41. 

In two drona of decoction of bala, one adhaka of ghee and oil (together) along with four parts of milk and paste of krsna, kakanasa, sita, jivanti, ksirakakoli, sthira, vira, rddhi, jivaka, payasya sravani, mudgaparni, piluparni, and masaparni—all are cooked together and medicated oil prepared. This consumed daily cures diseases caused by vata and pitta and helps conception. 

Treatment of raktaja yoni vyapat 

By noticing the colour of the discharged blood, the increase of the secondary dosa should be determined in diseases of vagina arising from vitiation of blood and then treatment to stop the bleeding should be administered. 

Pushyanuga churna

Patha, kernel of seeds of jambu and amra, silodbheda, rasanjana, ambastha, salmalipiccha, samanga, bark of vatsaka, bahlika, bilva, ativisa, rodhra, toyada gairika, sunthi, madhuka, macika, rakta-candana, katphala, katvanga, vatsaka, ananta, dhataki, madhuka and arjuna-all these drugs are collected during pusya stellar constellation, converted to nice powder and consumed mixed with honey along with rice-wash. It cures haemorrhoids and diarrhoea which have bleeding, diseases caused by worms, (intestinal parasites) in children, diseases of the vagina, menstrual disorders which have blue, white, crimson and black coloured fluid discharge. This formula known as Pusyanuga curna and extolled by Atreya is beneficial. 45b-50a. 

Treatment of kaphaja yoni vyapat

In diseases of vagina vitiated by balasa (kapha), all the treatment should be with drugs which are dry and hot (in potency). 50b.

Medicated oil should be prepared with the (decoction of) dhataki, leaves of amalaka, srotoja, madhuka, utpala, seed of jambu and amra, kasisa, rodhra, katphala, tinduka, saurastrika, bark of dadima, tender fruits of udumbara— each one aksa added with two parts of goat’s urine, cow’s milk and one prastha of oil and cooked; this should be used for anointing, soaking the vaginal diaper and enema (vaginal douche) and by it, the vagina which is swollen, elevated, static (rigid) slimy, exudative, displaced, accompanied with eruptions and pain all get cured. 51-54a. 

Food prepared from yava (barley), abhayarista, sidhu, and oil should be used habitually, so also recipes of pippali, ayoraja and pathya mixed with honey. 54b-55a.

Powder of kasisa, triphala, kanksi seeds of amra and jambu and dhataki mixed with honey (and applied) causes dryness when the vagina is slimy (exudative). 55b-56a. 

Powder of palasa, dhataki, jambu, samanga, moca and sarjaja is desirable in bad smell, slimy and moistness of the vagina as a astringent powder; the decoction of drugs of aragvadhadi varga (chapter 15 of Sutrasthana) is good for bathing (the vagina). 56b-57.

In case of vagina being rigid and rough, it should be made soft by keeping a pad of vesavara (cooked meat) krsara (rice boiled with green gram) or payasa ( milk pudding ). 58.

In case of foul smell, use of decoction, oil, paste or powder of all fragrant drugs will help eliminate the foul smell. 59. 

In diseases caused by slesma (kapha) aggravation, enema with fluid having pungent taste and mixed with cow’s urine are suitable; in those caused by pitta (enema with fluids) having madhuka and milk are suitable and in those of vata origin (enema with fluids) having oil and sours. In diseases caused by all the dosas together, general line of treatment is suitable. 60-61a.

Thus, when the vagina becomes purified, the woman conceives the embryo, if the seed is not vitiated, is normal and the jiva (atma/soul) enters into it. 61b-62a.

The semen of the man, who has undergone the five purificatory therapies, should also be examined carefully by its colour and the aggravation of dosas determined. The vitiated (semen) then treated by therapies which mitigate the aggravated dosa. 62b-63a. 

Phala ghrita

Manjistha, kustha, tagara, triphala, sarkara, vaca, the two nisa, madhuka, meda, dipyaka, katurohini, payasya hingu, kakoli, vajigandha, satavari-each one aksa made into (decoction) and paste, added with one prastha of ghee, four parts of milk and medicated ghee cooked. It is very valuable in all disorders of the vagina and semen, it bestows longevity, nourisment, intellegence, auspiciousness and male children; known as Phalasarpis, it helps the woman to bear children when consumed during menstrual period. It is beneficial for those women whose children die prematurely and also for the pregnant; it is best to ward off Balagraha (disease of children) and promotes growth of their body. 63b-67.