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-
Bull. Ind. Inst. Hist. Med. Vol. XXXVI - 2006.
pp
167
to 174
HISTORICAL EVIDENCES ON MEDICO LEGAL
AUTOPSY AND TOXICOLOGICAL DESCRIPTIONS IN
KAUrILYA'S ARTHASASTRA
Goli Penchala Prasad*, G. Babu*
&
G.K. Swamy**
ABSTRACT
Kau(i/ya's Arrhssiistrs deals mainly the an of government, duties
of Kings, ministers, officials and methods of diplomacy. It also deals with
branches of internal and foreign policies, civil, military, commercial, fiscal,
judicial etc. By name and popularity of the book, scholars believe this as
seed of political science and Economics. Surprisingly, it also has the
descriptions of many
Ayurveda
herbs, metals, herbomineral preparations
and poisonous substances. This book also deals with medico legal autopsy
and Toxicology. The main aim of this article is to highlight the descriptions
of forensic medicines and toxicology.
About the text
It is believed that
Ksutily»,
whose name was
Visnugupts
and popular as
Cinsky»
(the son of
CaIJakya)
wrote this
Arthssiistrs.
This article is mainly based on the
Kau[jJya's
Atthsssstrs,
translated by R Shamasastry. In the prefaces of
I
st to 5th edition of this text,
the translator Dr. R Shamasastry tried to clarify the uncertainty regarding the name of
the author and the time of the text. Kamandaka and Dandi quotations support the time of
this treatise some where between 321 and 300 B.C. These quotations also support the
authorship of
Visnugupte.
According to
Kedsmbsri
the author of
Arthessstrs
was
Ksutilys
and according to
Manu Dhsrmsssstrs, Csnskys
had written this
Arthssiistrs.
Though there are some controversies regarding the name of the author and time of
this text, translator R Samsastry tried his level best in providing proper support for
naming this text as
Keutilye's Arthessstre
as the original available manuscript
*
Research officers (Ay).
**
Asst. Director-in-charge. Regional Research Institute.
Ist Floor. Indira Gandhi Municipal Statium Complex. Bandar Road. Labbipet,
Vijayawada - 520 010
168
Bull. Ind. Inst. Hist. Med. Vol. XXXVI - 2006
contains the name of Ksutilye at the end of each of the hundred and fifty chapters of the
work. Still there is controversy regarding the exact time of this text. If views of many
scholars are concluded, it can be kept some where in between 3
rd
century B.C. to 3
rll
century A.D. This translated original text contains 15 books (Basic discussions of the
text), 150 chapters, 180 sections and 6000 SI6kas (Thirty two syllables are considered
as one SI6ka).
Medico Legal Descriptions
In modern Forensic medicines much importance has been given to medico legal
autopsy and causes of Death. In modern system of medicine it is called as Thanatology
(which deals with death and its causes). In the same way in
Ksutilys's Artbsssstrs
in
Book IV
(4th
division of the text) under the heading of removal of thorns, in chapter no
VII "Examinations of sudden death" was described in detail. In this chapter it is mentioned
that in cases of sudden death, the corpse shall be smeared over with oil and later examined.
As it is mentioned in Thanatology of modern forensic medicine many medico legal
aspects of causes of death were dealt in this text. Some of those are:-
Any person whose corpse is tainted with mucus and urine, with organs inflated
with wind, with hands and legs swollen, with eyes open, and with neck marked with
ligatures, may be regarded as having been killed by suffocation and suppression of
breathing.
Any person with contracted arms and thighs may be regarded as having been
killed by hanging.
Dead person with swollen hands, legs and belly, with sunken eyes and inflated
navel, may be regarded as having been killed by hanging.
Dead person with stiffened rectum and eyes, with tongue bitten between the
teeth, and with belly swollen may be considered as having been killed by drowning.
Dead person, wetted with blood and with limbs wounded and broken, may be
regarded as having been killed with sticks or ropes.
Dead person with fractures and broken limbs may be regarded as having been
thrown down.
•...
Medico Legal Autopsy in Kau!i/ya's Arthasastra - Prasad et al
169
Dead person with dark coloured hands, legs teeth and nails with loose skin, hairs
fallen, flesh reduced and with face bedaubed with foam and saliva, may be regarded as
having been poisoned.
Dead person of similar description with marks of a bleeding bite may be considered
as having been bitten by serpents and other poisonous creatures.
Dead person with body spread and dress thrown out after excessive vomiting
and purging may be considered as having been killed by the administration of the juice
of the Madana (Randia spinosa) plant.
It is also mentioned death due to anyone of the above causes is, sometimes
under the fear of punishment, made to appear as having been brought about by voluntary
hanging, by causing marks of ligature round the neck.
In death due to poison, the undigested portion of meal may be examined in milk.
or the same extracted from the belly and thrown on fire may, if it makes "Citcita" sound
and assumes the rainbow colour, be declared as poisoned.
Many other autopsy descriptions were mentioned in this text.
Toxicological descriptions
Toxicology is the science dealing with properties, actions, toxicity, fatal dose,
detection, estimation and treatment of poisons. Forensic toxicology deals with medical
and legal aspect of harmful effects of these poisonous substances on Human beings.
Poison is a substance (solid, liquid or gas), which if introduced in the living body, or
brought into contact with any part there off will produce ill health or death by its
constitutional or local effects or both. In this text in Book XIV chapter
I,
under the
heading of means to injury an enemy, many poisonous substances formulations and
their actions were mentioned. Some of those are
Smoke made by burning the powder (prepared from the carcass) of animals like
Citra
(?),
Bheks
(?),
Kaundinyaka ("),
Krksns
(Perdix sylvatika),
Peticskusts
(?)
and
Satapadi (Centipede) causes instantaneous death.
170
Bull. Ind. Inst. Hist. Med. Vol.XXXVI -
2006
Smoke made by burning the powder of animals like Uccidinga (crab), Kambali,
Krkslsss
(lizard) with the powder of the bark of Ssteksnd« (Phyalis fiexuosa) or animals
like Grhagaulika (small lizard), Andhahika (blind snake), Krkanthaka (a kind of
partridge), Piitikit» ( a stinking insect) and Gomsrik« (") combined with the juice of
Bhsllstsks (Semecarpus anacardium) and Valgaka
(?)
causes instantaneous death.
Any of the above insects may be heated with a black snake and Priysngu
(Calicarpa
macrophylla) and reduced to powder. This mixture, when burnt, causes instantaneous
death.
The powder prepared from the roots of
Dhsmsrgsvs
(Luffa cylindrica) and
Ystudbsn«
(?)
mixed with the powder of the flower of Bhallataka (Semecarpus anacardium)
causes, when administered, death in the course of half a month. The root of Vyaghara
(Cassiafistula) reduced to powder with the flower of Bhsllstsk« (Semecarpus anacardium)
mixed with the essence of an insect (Kita) causes, when administered, death in the
course of a month.
The smoke caused by burning the powder of Setskerdams
(?)
Uchichidinga (crab),
Ksrsvirs
(Nerium odorum),
Kstutumbi
(Largenaria sicerariai and fish, together with
chaff of the grains of Madana (Randia spinosa) and
Kodrsvs
(Paspalam scrobiculatum),
or with the chaff of the seeds of
Hsstiksms
(Leea macrophylla) and Paliisa (Butea
monosperma) destroys animal life as far as it is carried off by the wind.
The smoke caused by burning the powder of Piitikit« (a stinging insect), fish,
Katutumbi, the bark of Satakardama
(?),
and Indrsgop« (the insect cochineal), or the
powder of Putikits,
Ksudrsrsls
(the resin of the plant, Shorea robusta) and Hemsvidsrs'T),
mixed with the powder of the hoof and horn of a goat, causes blindness.
The smoke caused by burning the leaves of Putfkaranja (Caesalpenia crista) yellow
arsenic, realgar, the seed of Guii]« (Abrus precatorius), the chaff of the seeds of red
cotton, Asphote (Careya
arboreai,
Kbscbe
and the dung and urine of a cow, causes
blindness.
-
Medico Legal Autopsy in Kauttlya's Arthasastra - Prasad et al 171
The smoke caused by burning the powder made of the mixture of the dung and
urine of pigeons, frogs, tlesh-eating animals, elephants, men and boars, the chaff and
powder of barley mixed with Kiisis« (green sulphate of iron), rice, the seeds of cotton.
Kutaja iHolarrhena antidvsentericai and
K().~ataki
(Luffa pentandra), cow's urine, the
root of Bhandi tClerodendrum infrotunatumi the powder of Nimba
(Az.adirachta indica).
Sigr (Moringa
ptervgosperma), Phanirjaka ( a kind of Tulasi plant), Ksibs Pilu ( ripe
Salvadora persicas and Bhanga (Cannabis sativa), the skin of a snake and fish, and the
powder of the nails and tusk of an elephant, all mixed with the chaff of Mudana and
Kodrava tPaspalam scrobiculatumv or with the chaff of the seed of Hsstiksrns and
Pa/if.~a
causes instantaneous death wherever the smoke is carried off by the wind.
The ointment prepared by mixing the excretion of
Sifrika
(rnaina}, Kupots (pigeon).
Baku (crane), and
Bifliika
(a kind of small crane) with the milk of
Mankil:~-j(Hyperunll/(:ra
morunga),
Pi/uka
and
Snuhi
(Euphorbia) causes blindness and poisons the water.
The mixture of Yavaka
(Sa/i visess-
a kind of rice), the root of
Sa/a
(Shorea
robusta). the fruit of Madana, the leaves of
lifti
(nutmeg) and the urine of a man mixed
with the powder of the root of Plsk s« (fig tree), and
Vidilri
(Pueraria
tuberose)
as well
as the essence of the decoction of Musto ( a kind of poison), Udumbara (Glomerous fig
tree), and Kodrsvs iPaspalam scrohiculatumy or with decoction of Hsstikums and
Pa/ilsa
is termed as the juice of Madana
(MadafJi:J)'fJga).
The mixture of the powders of
Srilgi
(Pistacia integerrimai,
Gsumcvrkss
('I),
Kuntsksir)
(Solanum xunthocarpumy
and
Msyurs
peid:
cn
the powder of Gun/a
(Abrus
precatoriuss seeds,
LaiJgu/i
(Gloriosa superba [.
ViSa
Miilik»
0)
and lngudi
(Balanitis
aegvptiacai and the powder of Kurevtrs (Oleander),
Aksipiluks
(Careva
arborea),
Arka
(Calotropis) plant, and
Mrgamilrini
(?') combine with the decoction of Madana and
Kodrava or with that of Hastik
arn»
and Pslsss . is the Madana mixture
(Madanay()ga).
(Please note that remedies are also given in the following paras.)
These above two mixtures, poison the grass and water when those are applied to
them.
172
Bull. Ind. Inst.Hist. Med. Vol.XXXVI -
2006
The smoke caused by burning the mixture of the powders of
Krksns
(a
kind of
partridge),
Krkslsss
(lizard), Grbsgsuhk« (a small house-lizard), and Andhahika (a blind
snake), destroys the eyes and causes madness.
The smoke caused by burning the mixture of
Krkslsss
and Crhagaulika cuases
leprosy.
The smoke caused by burning the same mixture together with the entrails of
Citrabheka (a kind of frog of variegated colour) and Madhu (Honey), causes gonorrhea.
The same mixture mixed with human blood causes consumption.
The mixture of the powder of Mstrvshek:» (7), Jsluks (Leech), the tail of a peacock,
the eyes of a frog, and Pilu cause the disease known as VisilClka (Cholera").
The powder of Dusiviss (type of poison), Madana and Kodrava tPaspalam
scrobiculatumi, destroys the tongue.
The mixture of Psticskusths
(?),
Ksundinysks ("), Rsjsvrks«
(Cassia fistula),
Madhu puspa tBassia
latifoliai,
and Madhu (honey) causes fever.
The mixture prepared from the powder of the knot of the tongue of Bhasa (a
bird), and Nakula (Mungoose), reduced to a paste with the milk of a she-donkey, causes
both dumbness and deafness.
Remedies for Toxins
In book XIV (secret means) under chapter IV (Remedies against the injuries of
ones own army) some remedies (treatments) for poisonous substances and formulations
were mentioned. Some of those are:-
To remove bad effects or poisonous effect, the things of the army, are washed in
the tepid water prepared from the decoction of Sle,5mtitaka, (Cordia
myxa) Kapi
tLiquidamber orienta/is), Madanti (7), Dania (ivory), Satha (Citron tree), Gojigi (Gojihva
?Lamea asplenifoliai, Vi5a (Aconiturm
fe
rox) , Pstst» tSteriospermum suaviolens), Bala
(Sida cardifoliai, Syonaka tOroxylern indicumv, Punarnava (Boerhavia diffusai, Sveta
(Alhergia lucida) and Tagara (Valeriana
wallichiii,
mixedwith Candana (sandal) and
the blood of SiiJavTki (jackal), it removes the bad effects of poison.
Medico Legal Autopsy in Kauti/ya's Arthsssstre - Prasad et al
173
The mixture prepared from the biles of Prsst» (red spotted deer), Naku!a
(mongoose),
Nilskunttm
(peacock), and C(Jdha (alligator), with charcoal powder
(Ma,<;inJji),
combined with the sprouts
(Agru)
of
Sinduvsr»
(Vitex trifolia). Tagara,
varuna
tCrataeva nurvulu
i.
Tnnduliysk e (Amamthus polvgamusi, and Sstspsrv« (Bambusa
arundinaceaei together with Pindiks (7) removes the effects of the mixture of Madana
(/'vtadanayc)ga named poison).
Among the decoctions of the roots of
Srigala
vrinta ("),
Modana, Sinduvtiru.
Tagara, Vsruns and
Val/l(a
creeper"), anyone or all mixed with milk removes. when
drunk, the effects of the mixture of
Madana.
The striking oil extracted from Ksiderys tMurrava koenigii) removes madness.
The mixture prepared from
Pnj'iiilgu
(Callicarpa macrophyl/a) and
NiJktamiiliJ
(Pongamia
pinuata)
removes when applied through the nose, leprosy.
The mixture prepared from Kusth« iSaussurea lappa) and Lodhra (Svmplocas
raceniosa) removes consumption.
The mixture prepared from Ketuphsla
(Ll~tla
cvlindricay, Dravanti (Crown tigliunn
and
VilailgiJ ( VidiJilga-
Ernblia ribes") removes, when applied through the nose, headache
and other diseases of head.
The application of the mixture prepared from Privangu, ManjI:5tiw(Rubia cordifolla)
Tagara. Medhiik
s (Madhuka indica), Haridra (turmeric), and Kssudrs (honey) to
persons who have fallen senseless by being beaten by a rope, by falling into water, or by
eating poison, or by being whipped, or by falling, resuscitates them. A round ball
(Mal7I)
prepared from the above mixture and containing gold (Ruktna) in its centre, removes
the effects due to any kind of poison.
A round ball
(MiJl71)
prepared form the wood of
Asvstthe
(holy fig tree-Ficus
religiosai growing wound round with the plants such as Jivsnti tLeptadenia reticulatai.
SFc/a (Albizzia lucida). the flower of Musksks (Schrebera swieteniods), and Vsndsk«
iLoranthus longiflorusi, removes the effects due to any kind of poison. The sound of
trumpets painted with the above mixture destroys poison; whoever looks at a flag or
banner besmeared with the above mixture will get rid of poison.
174
Bull. Ind. Inst. Hist.Med. Vol. XXXVI - 2006
Discussion and conclusion
Basic seeds of medicine can be found in Vedas. Later in India the system of
medicine had its individual entity by the name of Ayurveds, the science of life. This
Ayurveda literature can be found in the subsequent Samhita grsnttuis. Cararka Samhita,
Susruts
ssmbits,
A$!ailga Hrdsys, A$!ariga Sailgraha etc ancient Ayurveds Granthas are
the available Ayurveda literature with different branches of medicines including Vl$a
vsrnuns (description of poisons) and Vl$acikitsa (Treatment of poisons). Simultaneously
many other ancient literatures like Parens, Upsnissd and
Itihsse
also has scattered literature
of medicine and its branches. This gives a rough idea about knowledge of those ancient
scholars on Ayurveda medicine. In the same way this ancient Kau!ilya's Arthssiistre also
has many descriptions related to medicine. Important thing is that many ancient Ayurveda
Samhita do not have the descriptions related to Autopsies or forensic medicine. Probably
this is the first text, which has these descriptions. If it is true, this text can be considered
as basic text for forensic medicine and Keutilys, the author of book, can be considered
as Father of Forensic medicine.
Like many Ayurveds granthas, this text also has description of some plants, animals,
metals that can be used as poisons as single drugs or formulations. Many of these
poisonous substances like Pencskustbs, Ksundinysks, Vissrnalik«, Mrgamaririi, Kambali,
Gomsriks, Yetudiuins
etc. are unknown and there is a need of research to identify the
same. This text also has the descriptions of treatments for many poisons. Along with
these forensic and toxicological descriptions this text also contains so many peculiar
yogas (formulations) different types of measurements, descriptions of different type's
herbs, metals and animals. It can be concluded that this is an ancient text with important
medical literature with all scopes for further study and research.
Acknowledgement
The author is highly thankful to Uttamavaidya Shree Pammi Satyanarayana sastry,
Managing trustee of Dr. Achanta Lakshmipathi Ayurveda library for providing this text
and library facilities. The author is also thankful to K.l.Lavanya Lakshmi, Lecturer
N.R.S. Govt. Ay. College for providing books related to this article.
Medico Legal Autopsy in Kau/!lya's Arthasastra - Prasad et al
175
REFERENCES
I. Bbsvsmisrs 2002
Bheveprsk
ss« Nigh sntu, commentary by K.C.
Chunekar, edited by G.S. Pandey; Chowkambha
Bharati Academy, Varanasi.
2. Damodar Reddy 1994 Agadaiantramu Visha Vignanamu; Andhra Pradesh
Ayurvedik Literature improvement Trust,
Hyderabad.
3. Kautilya 1967
Ksutily a's
Arth
s ss strs
translated by Maha
Mahopadyaya R.Shama Sastry, eighth edition;
Mysore printing and publishing house.
4. K.S Narayana Reddy 1995 The essentials of Forensic medicine and toxicology.
15
th
editor; K. Suguna devi printed by Omsai
Graphics, Narayanaguda, Hyderabad-27.
5. P.v. Sharma 1969 Drsvyugune Vignan, 2nd Edition; Chowkhamba
Sanskrit Series, Varanasi.
6. P.V.Sharma 1997 Dravyaguna Koss, l " Edition; Chankhambha
orientalia, Delhi- 110007.
176
Bull. Ind. Inst. Hist.Med. Vol.XXXVI - 2006
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