Compiled by London swaminathan

Article No.1910; Dated 4 June 2015.

Uploaded at London time: 20-03

Vedic literature has lot of references to herbal therapy. There are a few references to hot water therapy and honey therapy. Honey is considered a magico-medicinal power substance. Before they were bound around the neck of a patient, amulets were put in sour milk and honey for three days (Kausika Sutra 26-15)

To a patient suffering from dropsy (An old term for the swelling of soft tissues due to the accumulation of excess water). The physician gave a drink of half water and half butter milk mixed with honey. The drink was consecrated with the Atharva Veda (6-96)

Hot Water Therapy

Sometimes hot water was used for curing certain dieases. It was used in the case of fever (Kausika Sutra 26-25). When somebody was bitten by a snake, the wound was washed with hot water, along with the recital of the Atharva Veda (5-13-5) and (Kausika Sutra 29-9). In the case of the swelling of the neck, sprinkling of hot water consecrated with the Atharva Veda (7-74) was required according to (Kausika Sutra 32-10).

For the sake of an easy delivery, an offering was to be performed with the Atharaveda (1-11-1) then the remnants of the offering were poured into hot water, which was sprinkled on the pregnant woman (Kausika Sutra 33-1)

My comments: Even today honey and hot water are used in medical treatments, but not in the way mentioned above

Source: A Cultural Index to Vedic Literature, Edited by N N Bhattacharya.