EAP810/23/11

Titles in original script:

நூல் 1: வைத்திய நூல்- 205நூல் 2: கருவூரார் சூத்திரம்- 250நூல் 3: ராமதேவர் சூத்திரம்- 500நூல் 4: சுந்தரானந்தர் அதீதம்;

The manuscript is composed of 4 texts, written in verses, among them three deals with medicine and one with yoga and mantiram. The manuscript is in average condition, as the palm leaves are more and less affected by larvae, some being very damaged.

Text 1- The text, entitled Vaittiyam- 205, contains palm leaves numbered from 1 to 39; the text is may be incomplete as 204 verses are written. The text describes mostly formulations of medicines and the raw materials that composed them. They concern complex formulations such as Kānta paṟpam, Vaṅka paṟpam (two methods), Kārīya paṟpam, Veḷḷi paṟpam, Taṅka paṟpam, Kantaka paṟpam and Vaṅka Centūram, as well as various oil formulations (tailam and eṇṇey).

Text 2- The text is composed of palm leaves numbered from 1 to 52; it is complete. Two leaves are numbered 18 and despite its title Karuvūrār Cūttiram- 250, the text has three additional verses. The text focuses on formulations of medicines, for which it provides information on measurement of raw materials and processes of calcination (puṭamiṭutal) as well as posology of these remedies with regard to diseases. The formulations exposed in this text are:

Wax-like medicines : Meḻuku and Taḷaka meḻuku,

Calcined white medicines prepared from metals and minerals: Vaṅka paṟpam; Taḷaka cuṇṇam, Vaḻalai cuṇṇam and Maṟappu cuṇṇam.

Calcined red medicines prepared from metals and minerals: Aya centūram and Liṅka centūram.

The text explains the techniques of detoxifying lead (nākam) and arsenic (pāṣāṇam) and of combining iron and copper (ayaccempu). It provides information on two medicinal plants, Smilax ovalifolia (kaltāmarai) and Nerium oleander (cevvaraḷi).

Text 3- The text, entitled Ramatēvar Cūttiram- 500, is composed of 19 palm leaves numbered from 1 to 18, two leaves are numbered 18; the text is incomplete. It describes some formulations of medicines, notably medicated oils (tailam) and calcined white medicine prepared from metals and minerals (pāṣāṇam), as well as a medicinal preparation based on soap stone (cavukāram).

Text 4- The text, incomplete, is formed by 18 palm leaves numbered from 1 to 17 and a broken leaf without number placed between leaves 7 and 8. It contains 73 verses. Entitled Cuntarāṉantār Atītam, it provides information on the practice of yoga as well as on the use of mantiraṅkaḷ to earn money and mesmerise people.

Size of the manuscript: 30,5cm x 3,3cm. The text 1 is composed of palm leaves numbered from 1 to 39; the text 2 is numbered from 1 to 52 (leaves 18 and 21 are double), the text 3 from 1 to 18 (leaf 18 is double) and the text 4 from 1 to 16 with an additional leaf, not numbered. A blank leaf is placed at the beginning of the manuscript. The state of the manuscript is average; the palm leaves being more and less affected by larvae, some very damaged.