Child Afflicted With Putana Graha And Sheeta Putana Graha

By Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa, B.A.M.S

Grahas are psychosomatic diseases afflicting children due to evil forces. Graha is a name given to the planets or unseen organisms. It was believed that some unknown and invisible entities would produce a few diseases and they were called Graha’s.
When compared with the modern day diseases the Graha’s can be compared to the micro-organisms like viruses, bacteria etc. Graha’s were said to bother the children more than the adults.

Table of Contents

Signs and symptoms of Putana Graha

Vomiting
Tremors
Stupor
Child keeps awakened at nights / sleeplessness
Hiccough
Distension of belly
Diarrhea
Thirst
Obstruction to passage of urine
Looseness of the body parts
Stiffness of the body
Goose bumps
Foul smell resembling that of a crow emanating from the body of the afflicted child

Signs and Symptoms according to Master Sushruta

Looseness of the body parts
The child sleeps comfortably during the day time, but not at night
Diarrhea
Smell of the body is similar to that of a crow
Troubled by vomiting
Goose bumps
Thirst

Symptoms mentioned in Yogaratnakara treatise –

Diarrhea
Fever
Thirst
Oblique gaze
Child weeps constantly
Sleeplessness
The child looks agitated / frightened
Read – Symptoms That Hint Towards Different Diseases In Babies

Sanskrit Verses

Modern Correlation

The symptoms found in the child afflicted by Pootana Graha resemble those of epidemic diarrhea in children. Diarrhea is anyways mentioned by all authors. The other symptoms seem to be the symptoms of dehydration.
Read – 37 Ayurveda Home Remedies For Diarrhea And Dysentery

Ayurvedic Treatment

1. Internal medication

Madhura Dravya Siddha Ghrita Pana – Ghee processed with sweet tasting herbs should be given for oral consumption.

Tugakshiryadi Ghrita Prashana – Ghee processed with the below mentioned ingredients should be given for drinking –

Tugakshiri – Bambusa arundinacea
Kushta – Saussurea lappa
Talisa patra – leaves of Abies webbiana
Khadira – Acacia catechu
Sandalwood – Santalum album
Syandana – Ogeinia dalbergioides
Madhura Varga Dravya – herbs belonging to sweet tasting herbs

2. External measures

a. Anointment

Hingvadi Kalka Lepa – Paste of the below mentioned ingredients should be applied on the body of the afflicted child –

Hingu – asafetida
Vacha – Acorus calamus
Kadamba – Neolamarckia cadamba
Kushta – Saussurea lappa
Ela dwaya – big and small varieties of cardamom
Devadaru – Cedrus deodara

b. Massage

Kushtadi Taila – Oil processed with the below mentioned ingredients should be used for giving massage –

Kushta – Saussurea lappa
Sarjarasa – Vateria indica
Vacha – Acorus calamus
Durva – Cynodon dactylon
Amalaki – Emblica officinalis
Manashila – realgar
Read – 7 Methodical Positions for Oil Massage And Ubtan

Vachadi Taila – Oil prepared with the below mentioned herbs should be used for providing massage to the body of the afflicted child –

Vacha – Acorus calamus
Brahmi – Bacopa monnieri
Durva – Cynodon dactylon
Haratala – Arsenic trisulfide
Manashila – Realgar
Kushta – Saussurea lappa
Sarjarasa – Vateria indica
Read – Oil Massage To Baby: Precautions, Method, Ayurvedic Oil Combinations

c. Parishechana – showering

Kapitthadi Kwatha – Decoction prepared with the leaves of the below mentioned herbs should be added with fragrant herbs and used for showering and bathing the child –

Kapittha – Limonia acidissima
Shirisha – Albizia lebbeck
Nyagrodha – Ficus bengalensis
Bilwa – Aegle marmelos
Eranda – Ricinus communis
Bakula – Mimusops elengi
Dhava – Anogeissus latifolia
Vamsha – Bambusa bambos
Agnimantha – Clerodendrum phlomidis

Kapotavankadi Kashaya – Showering should be done with the decoction of the below mentioned herbs –

Kapotavanka – Bacopa monnieri
Shyonaka – Oroxylum indicum
Varuna – Crataeva nurvula
Paribhadra – Erythrina indica
Sariva – Hemidesmus indicus

Read – Digestion Problem In Babies: Treatment And Remedies

d. Fumigation

Eladi Dhupa – Fumigation should be given with the below mentioned herbs

Ela dwaya – big and small varieties of cardamom
Kushta – Saussurea lappa
Vacha – Acorus calamus
Hingu – asafetida
Devadaru – Cedrus deodara
Kadamba – Neolamarckia cadamba

Gandha Nakulyadi – Fumigation with below mentioned ingredients taken together

Gandhanakuli – Rauvolfia serpentine / Pluchea lanceolata
Kumbhika – Careya abrorea
Badara majja – fruit pulp of Indian jujube
Karkatasthi – shell or crust of a crab
Sarshapa – mustard
Ghrita – ghee

Read – Which Ayurvedic Medicines Are Not Safe For Children? How To Know?

3. Ritualistic measures

a. Bheshaja Dharana – wearing / tying medicaments

The below mentioned herbs shall be tied to the arms, waist, neck or head of the afflicted kid –

Kaka tinduka – Diospyros malabarica / Strychnos nuxvomica
Indravaruni – Citrullus colocynthis
Ivy gourd – Coccinia indica
Gunja – Abrus precatorius

b. Bali – Snana – Sacrifice and bathing

Various kinds of garlands, fish, cooked rice, soup of sesame, ground sesame should be sacrificed. The same things should be kept in a vessel and thrown in a deserted house.

In the deserted house itself, the child should be bathed with water sipped by someone else and the above said hymn should be chanted.

Sheeta Putana Graha

Signs and symptoms

Frightened
Repeated and excessive tremors
Child weeps a lot
Child remains detached
Sleeps a lot or appears sleepy always
Sounds from the abdomen
Frequent diarrhea

Symptoms as said in Ashtanga Sangraha

Tremors
Excessive weeping
Oblique gaze
Thirst
Sounds from abdomen
Diarrhea
Smell of meat or muscle fat emanated from the body of the child
One side of the body is cold whereas the other side of the body is hot
Read – Ayurvedic Care Of The Neonate: Initial Four Weeks

Symptoms enumerated in Yogaratnakara

Tremors
Cough
Emaciation
Eye disorders
Meaty smell from the body
Vomiting
Diarrhea

Sanskrit Verses

Modern Correlation

Shitapootana Graha is closely compared to choleric diarrhea. We can see that diarrhea has been mentioned by all authors in the description of the symptoms of the mentioned graha.

Cholera is an infectious disease that causes severe watery diarrhea. This eventually leads to dehydration. It is caused by eating food or drinking water contaminated with a bacterium called Vibrio cholerae.(Read more)

Ayurveda treatment

1. Internal medication

Rohinyadi Ghrita – Ghee processed with below ingredients is given orally

Rohini – Picrorhiza kurroa / Mallotus philippensis
Sarja – Vateria indica
Khadira – Acacia catechu
Palasha – Butea monosperma
Arjuna – bark of Terminalia chebula
Milk

Kashmaryadi Ghrita – Ghee processed with below ingredients is given orally

Kashmarya
Prishniparni – Uraria picta
Lodhra – Symplocos racemosa
Yashtimadhu – Glyzyrrhiza glabra
Madhura Varga Dravya – herbs predominantly having sweet taste
Milk
Read – Your Child Does Not Eat Well? Causes, Ayurveda Solutions

2. External measures

a. Anointment

Putana Grahokta Lepa – Paste prepared from the herbs mentioned in Putana Graha treatment shall be used as anointment in Sheeta Putana also –

Hingvadi Kalka Lepa

b. Parishechana – showering

The child should be given with shower using the decoction prepared with the below mentioned herbs –

Kapittha – Limonia acidissima
Suvaha – Operculina turpethum / Adiantum lunulatum / Vitex negundo
Bimbi – Coccinia indica
Bilwa – Aegle marmelos
Prachibalam
Nandi – Spathodea campanulata / Lagerstroemia microcarpa
Bhallataka – Semecarpus anacardium

Varunadi Kwatha

Decoction of the leaves of the below mentioned herbs may be used for sprinkling / showering and bathing the child –

Varuna – Crataeva nurvula
Kapittha – Limonia acidissima
Tulasi – Ocimum sanctum
Vamsha – Bambusa bambos
Bilwa – Aegle marmalos
Patala – Stereospermum suaveolens
Nandi – Spathodea campanulata / Lagerstroemia microcarpa?
Bhallataka – Semecarpus anacardium

c. Massage

Mustadi Taila – Massage should be given with oil prepared from the below mentioned ingredients –

Musta kalka – paste of Cyperus rotundus
Devadaru kalka – paste of Cedrus deodara
Kushta kalka – paste of Saussurea lappa
Sarpagandha kalka – paste of Rauvolfia serpentine
Cow’s urine
Goat’s urine
Read – Uses Of Animal Urine As Per Ayurveda

The same oil has been mentioned in Sushruta Samhita. Sarvagandha has been mentioned instead of Sarpagandha in this reference. Sarvagandha means all fragrance bearing herbs.

d. Fumigation

Grudhradi Dhupa -Fumigation should be given with the below mentioned ingredients –

Feces of vulture
Feces of owl
Bastagandha – clove basil
Skin of snake
Neem leaves
Licorice

3. Ritualistic measures

a. Bheshaja Dharana – wearing / tying medicaments

Lamba i.e. kind of bitter gourd or cucumber, Gunja and Kakatinduka i.e. Strychnos nuxvomica / Diospyros malabarica should be tied around the arms, wrist, neck or head of the afflicted child.

b. Tarpana – sacrifice

Dish prepared with green gram should be sacrificed in the flowing river to please Sheeta Putana Graha.