AH-Su-Chapter 21: Dhumpana धुमपान Medicated Smoking

जत्रूर्ध्व कफवतोत्ध विकाराणामजन्मने

उच्छेदाय च जातानां पिबेत्धूमं सदाआत्मवान् १

The person who wishes to take care of his health should inhale herbal smoke daily to treat or to prevent the onset of diseases of the parts above the shoulders, arising from – increases of kapha and Vata. 1

Types of Dhumapana –

स्निग्धो  मध्यः स तीक्षणस्य वाते वातकफे कफे
योज्यः
स्निग्धो वाते
मध्यःवातकफे
तीक्षणस्य कफे

Snigdha Dhuma – lubricating, also known as Mrudu (Soft) / Prayogika – useful in Vata imbalance.

Madhya Dhuma – medium – useful in Vata and Kapha imbalance. Also known as Shamana Dhuma

Teekshna Dhuma – strong, useful in Kapha imbalance. Also known as Virechana dhuma (Purifying). 2

Dhuma Anarhah- person unsuitable for inhalation -

न  रक्तपित्तार्ति विरिक्तोदरमेहिषु
तिमिरोर्ध्वानिलाध्मानरोहिणीदत्तबस्तिषु
मत्स्यमध्यदूधिक्षीरक्षोउद्रस्नेहविषाशिषु
शिरस्याभिहते पाण्डुरोगे जागरिते निशि

Inhalation of smoke should not be done for persons who are suffering from
Raktapitta- bleeding disease,
Virikta – who has undergone Virechana therapy,
Udara – ascites, intestinal obstruction
Meha – diabetes, urinary tract disorders
Timira – blindness,
Urdhwa Anila – upward movement of Vata,
Adhmana – Flatulence, bloating
Rohini- a serious disease of the throat, diphtheria,
Datta Basti – who have been administered enema,
who have just eaten fish, wine, curds, milk, honey, fats and poison;
who are injured in the head,
Pandu- anemia and
Jagarita – those who have kept awake at night. 2a – 3a

Side effects of herbal smoking -

रक्तपित्तान्ध्य बाधिर्य तृट् मूर्छा मद मोहकृत् ॥४॥ धूमो अकाले अतिपीतो वा तत्र शीत विधिर्हित: । 

Doing Dhumapana at improper time or in excess leads to
Rakta pitta- bleeding disease,
Andhya – blindness,
Badhirya – deafness,
Trut – excessive thirst
Murcha – fainting, loss of consciousness
Mada, Moha – delusion
For this cold regimen should be adopted. 5

Treatment 

तत्र शीतो विधिर्हितः

cold regimen is the ideal treatment

Dhumapana Kala- proper time for inhalation -

Indication for Mridu Dhuma –

क्षुतजृम्भितविण्मूत्रस्त्रीसेवाशस्त्रकर्मणाम्
हासस्य दन्त काष्ठस्य धुममन्ते पिबेन्मृदुम्

Mild, lubricating smoke should be inhaled
Kshut – at the end of sneezing,
Jrumbhita – yawing,
Vit – defecation,
Mutra – urination
Striseva – copulation,
shastrakarma – surgical operation,
Hasya – bouts of laughing
Dantakashta – use of tooth brush.

Indication for Madhyama Dhuma –

कालेष्वेषु निशाहारनावनान्ते च मध्यमम्

Medium strength smoke should be inhaled
at the end of the night,
end of the meals and
end of Nasya therapy,

Virechana Dhuma –

निद्रानस्योन्जनस्नानच्छर्दितान्ते विरेचनम्

purgative, strong smoke should be inhaled
Nidra – at the end of sleep,
Nasya – at the end of Nasya treatment
Anjana – After applying collyrium
Snana – After bath and
Chardi – After vomiting. 5-6

Dhuma yantra- smoking apparatus -

बस्तिनेत्रसमद्रव्यं त्रिकोशं कारयेत् ऋजु
मूलाग्रेअन्गुष्ठकोलास्थिप्रवेशं धुमनेत्रकम्

The smoke apparatus should be prepared from the same material as of enema nozzle (from metals like gold, silver, iron etc);
It should have three chambers
It should be straight
It should permit the entry of the thumb and a Kolasthi- seed of jujube fruit through orifices at this root and  tip respectively. 7

The length of the tube should be
24 Angula (width of one knuckle) for Mrudu (soft, Sneha) Dhuma
32 Angula  for medium Dhuma and
40 Angula for strong Virechana Dhuma. 8

Pramanam प्रमाणं

तीक्ष्णस्नेहनमध्येषु त्रीणि चत्वारि पञ्च च
अङ्गुलानां क्रमात्पातुः प्रमाणे नाष्टकानि तत्
तीक्ष्णं  - 3 x  8
स्नेहनं - 4 x 8
मध्यं -   5 x 8 

Dhumapana Vidhi – made of inhalation -

ऋजूपविष्ट  विवृतास्यस्त्रिपर्ययम्
पिधाय च्छिद्रमेकैकं  धूमं नासिकया पिबेत्

The patient should sit straight, attentive, with his mouth open and inhale the smoke through each nostril alternatively,
While inhaling from one nostril, he should close the other.
Inhalation should be done thrice – inhaling the smoke and letting it out together form one bout;
three such bouts should be done each time. 9

Dhuma acording to movement of dosha

प्राक् पिबेन्नासयोत्क्लिष्टे दोषे घ्राणशिरोगते 

Smoke should be inhaled through the nose first if the imbalanced Doshas are localized in the nose and head.

उत्क्लेशनार्थं वक्त्रेण,

If Dosha from nose and head are not coming out, but are adhering, inhalation should be done first through the mouth to make them move; and later through the nose.

विपरीतं तु कण्ठगे

when the Doshas are localized in the throat – inhalation should be done in reverse order- first by the nose and later by the mouth.

The smoke inhaled (either from mouth or from nose) should be let out only through the mouth;

नासया द्रिग्विघातकृत्

if let out through the nose,

द्रिग्विघातकृत्

it produces loss of vision -10-11

Time

आक्षेपमोक्षैः पातव्यो धूमस्तु त्रिभिस्त्रिभिस्त्रिभिः

Smoking should be done thrice, with three times inhaling and three exhaling alternately.

अह्नः पिबेत्सकृत् स्निग्धं, द्विर्मध्यं , शोधनं परम्
त्रिश्चतुर्वा

Snigdha- lubricating, mild kind of smoke should be taken for only set of three inhalation and exhalations, during day time.

Madhya- medium kind – two sets of 3 inhales and exhales and

Shodhana- purgative, strong kind, 3 – 4 sets of 3 inhales and exhales.

Herbal smoking blends – Dhuma dravyani –

For Mridu- mild kind of smoke,

मृदौ तत्र द्रव्याण्यगुरुगुग्गुलु
मुस्तस्थौणेयशैलेयनलदोशीरवालकम्
वयङ्गकौन्तीमधुकबिल्वमज्जैलवालुकम्
श्रीवेष्टकं सर्जरसो ध्यामकं मदनं प्लवम्
शल्लकी कुंकुमं माषा यवाः कुन्दुरुकास्तिलाः
स्नेहः फलानां साराणां मेदो मज्जा वसा घृतम्

useful drugs are-Aguru, Guggulu, Musta, sthauneya, Shaileya, Nalada, Usheera, Valaka, Varanga, Kounti, Madhuka, Bilvamajja, elavaluka, Shrivestaka, Sarjarasa, Dhyamaka, Madana, Plava, Shallaki, Kumkuma, Masha, Yava, Kunduruka, Tila, oil obtained from fruits and pith of trees, fat, Marrow, muscle- fat and ghee. 13-15

For Shamana- Madyama, medium kind of smoke

शमने शल्लकी लाक्षा पृथ्वीका कमलोत्पलम्
न्यग्रोधोदुम्बराश्वत्थप्लक्षरोध्रत्वचः सिताः
यष्टिमधु सुवर्णत्वक् पद्मकं रक्तयष्टिका
गन्धाश्चाकुष्ठतगराः

useful drugs are - shallaki, Laksha,Prithvika, Kamala, Utpala, Barks of Nyagrodha, Udumbara, Asvattha, Plaksa and Rodhra; Sita, Yasthimadhu (licorice), Suvarnatwak, Padmaka, Raktayastika Kustha, tagara and other scents – perfumeries.

For Teekshna – strong, Purgative kind of smoke –

तीक्ष्णे ज्योतिष्मती निशा
दशमुलमानोह्वालं लाक्षा श्वेता फलत्रयम्
गन्धद्रव्याणि तीक्ष्णानि गणो मुर्ध्व विरेचनः

useful drugs are Jyotismati, Nisha (turmeric), Dashamula, Ala, Laksa, Shweta, Triphala, Substances which have strong smell and drugs of Murdha Virechana Gana- vide chapter 15, -13-18

Dhumavarti- preparation of smoke wick-

जले स्थितामहोरात्रमीषिकां द्वादशाङ्गुलाम्
पिष्टैर्धुमऔषधैरेवम् पञ्चकृत्वः प्रलेपयेत्
वर्तिरङ्गुष्ठकस्थुलो  यवमध्या यधा भवेत्
छाया शुष्कां विगर्भो तां स्नेहाभ्यक्तां यथायथम्
धुमनेत्रार्पितां पातुमग्निप्लुष्टां  प्रयोजयेत्

A reed (tall, grass like plant), twelve Angula in length, soaked in water for a day and night, should be wrapped in five layers-one over the other with a ribbon of cloth;
it is smeared with thin paste of drugs, its thickness being that of the middle portion of the thumb.
It should be dried in shade, removed of its reed, smeared with any suitable fat material (oil / ghee)
It should be inserted into the smoking tube, lit with fire and the smoke is inhaled. 19-20 ½

Kasaghna Dhuma- Antitussive smoke for cough –

शरावसंपुटच्छिद्रे नाडीं न्यस्य दशाङ्गुलां
अष्टाङ्गुलां वा वक्त्रेण कासवान् धुममापिबेत्

A tube either 10 or 8 Angula in length should be fixed to a hole made in a capsule of earthen  saucers and the person suffering from cough made to inhale smoke – through the tube. 21

Notes- A burning coal / charcoal is placed inside an earthen pot. Powder of herbs is sprinkled over it and covered with another vessel, having a hole at its center. A tube is connected to the hole, through which the smoke is inhaled.

Dhumapana Phala- benefits of smoke therapy-

कासः श्वासः पीनसो विस्वरत्वं पुतिर्गन्धः पाण्डुता केशदोषः
कर्णस्याक्षिस्रावकन्द्वर्तिजाड्यं तन्द्रा हिध्मा धुमपं न स्पृशान्ति २२

Cough, Dyspnoea, Rhinitis, Disorders of voice, bad smell – of the nose and mouth, pallor of the face, disorders of hairs; discharges, itching, pain and in activities – diminution or loss of function of the ears, mouth and eyes; stupor and hiccup do not affect the person who inhales smoke- habitually. 22

Thus ends the twenty first chapter called Dhumapana Vidhi in sutrasthana of Astanga hrudaya composed by Vaghata.