EAP810/23/6

Title in original script: ராமதேவர் கருக்கிடை சூத்திரம்

The manuscript is composed of a text whose the palm leaves are numbered from 1 to 122 and contain 474 verses; the leaf 85 is missing. There are 4 additional leaves, among them 2 at the beginning present some drawings and a yantiram (Citampara yantram) and two at the end with a drawing and a picture of a cakra (Citampara cakkaram; Citamparam is Civaṉ).The manuscript is in excellent condition; a few leaves are slightly damaged by larvae.

The text is entitled Ramatēvar Karukkiṭai. It is written in verses.

The text opens on a statement from the author, Ramatēvar: “After having analysed many texts written by cittarkaḷ, I give in this text, many important formulations. Details about vāta diseases, the eight actions, a collyrium to ward off evil spirit, a mantiram to ward off evil spirits and to mesmerise people by causing their death, a soap stone, and many other information are discussed by me in this text.”

The text provides information on different diseases with their clinical features and medicines to treat them, quite often complex. The formulations of medicines which are discussed are:

Oils: Kalluppu tailam, Māltēvi vitai tailam and Piṇṭa tailam.

Alkaline watery medicine: Veṭiyuppu ceyanīr.

Acid medicines: Pāvaṇāti tirāvakam.

Calcined red medicine prepared from metals and minerals: Ayacāra centūram and Aya cempu centūram.

Calcined white salt prepared from metals and minerals: Raca paṟpam; Cāra cuṇṇam, Turucu cuṇṇam, Kalluppu cuṇṇam and Tāḷaka cuṇṇam.

Medicinal beads: Cūta kaṭṭu, Raca kaṭṭu, Mūlikai uppu kaṭṭu, Cātiliṅka kaṭṭu, Pācāṇa kaṭṭu, Karuvaṅka kaṭṭu and Veṅkāra kaṭṭu.

Medicines prepared from soap stone (cavukāra veḷḷai) and egg yolks (aṇṭa vittai).

Medicines whose the category is not specified (maruntu) for treating delirium (caṉṉi tōṣam) and poisoning (viṣam).

The text describes some medicinal plants: Caesalpinia pulcherrima (mayilārai), Abelia chinensis (pulluruvi), Hiptage benghalensis (kallārai), Anisochilus carnosus (cūtamāmūli), Indigofera asphalathoides (civaṉār vēmpu), Datura metel (karu ūmattai), Cassia absus (karumpacalai), Ocimum tenuiflorum (karum tuḷaci), Smilax ovalifolia (kal tāmarai); as well as eight plants used to increase the longevity (aṣṭa kaṟpam).

The text presents the methods to detoxify lead (nāka) and copper (tāmiram), to realise the combination of iron and copper (ayaccempu), of iron and lead (aya nākam), and to make medicines using sublimation (pataṅka vittai).

Size of the manuscript: 27,5cm x 3,8cm. The palm leaves du manuscript are numbered from 1 to 122. There are 3 leaves placed at the beginning of manuscript with notes or drawings, a small leaf integrated between leaves numbered 24 and 25, as well as 2 leaves placed at the end with a yantiram or a drawing. The leaf 85 is missing. The manuscript is in excellent condition; a few leaves are slightly damaged by larvae.