Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan Tarpana Putpaka Vidhi

Tarpana-putpaka Vidhi is the 23rd chapter of Ashtanga Hrudaya Sutrasthana, written by Acharya Vagbhata, son of Vaidyapathi Simhagupta Adhyaya.Let us learn about two main Ayurveda eye care treatments – Tarpana and Putapaka, their indication, uses etc

The chapter name is Tarpana Putapaka vidhi Adhyaya Tarpana and Putapaka refers to two eye therapies.

1. Tarpana vidhi –

Indication of tarpana therapy-

who have purified both head by nasya and body by vamana, virecana and vasti are fit for tarpana therapy.

When the patient eyes are strained, stiff, dried, rough or injured

In patients of increase of Vata and Pitta;

In condition of Madarosis(loss of eyelashes)

In clouded unclear vision;

In patients of – diseases like

Krchronmilla –difficulty in opening eyes

Shiraharsha, Shirotpata – redness and hemorrhage

Tama – darkness in front of eyes

Arjuna,Syanda, Mantha, Anyato Vata, Vataparyaya, and Sukraka;

Proper time for tarpana–

Temperate season is suitable time for tarpana therapy.

Morning or evening is more suitable Time for Tarpana therapy.

Procedure of Tarpana Therapy–

• A wall is constructed with the paste prepared from Yava (barley) and Masha (black gram) Around eye socket –resembling a well to a height of two Angula –finger breadth.
• Keeping the eyelids closed, medicated herbal ghee, which is liquefied by heating in hot water bed, should be poured into the well up to the level of tips of the eye lashes.
• Condition for Using Vasa (Muscle Fat) instead of Ghee
• In diseases like Naktandhya (night blindness), Vatatimira, Krichradodha etc. muscle fat should be used instead of ghee.
• The patient should then be asked to open his eyes slowly and retain the drug.

Matrakala (Time of Retention)-

•  for the diseases of Vartma( eye lids)-100 Matralala
•  for the diseases of Sandhi  (fornices)-300 Matrakala
•  for the diseases of Sita (sclera)-500 Matrakala
• for diseases caused by Pitta-600 Matrakala
• for the diseases of Asita(cornea)-700 Matrakala
• for the diseases of Drishti( pupil and retina)-800 Matrakala
• for the disease Adhimanta-1000 Matrakala
• for the disease caused by Vata imbalance-1000 Matrakala
• for diseases of aggaravated Kapha and also for healthy person-500 Matrakala

These are the time for retaining the drug.

After tarapana-

•  sneha/fat material should be removed through a hole done at the outer canthus
• Inhalation of smoke (herbal smoking)
• The person to advise not to look directly bright objects or the bright sky.

Tarpana days – 

• Tarpana therapy should be done daily in diseases of Vata origin.
• It should be done on alternative days in diseases of Pitta.
• In diseases of kapha  and the healthy persons Tarpana therapy should  be done an interval of two days.

Features of Adequate Tarpana-

Prakasha Kshamata( Good eye health) – Ability to withstand bright light

Vishada – clarity in vision

Laghu lochana –feeling of lightness in eyes.

Features of Inadequate Tarpana-

Opposite of adequate tarpana are the symptoms of inadequate Tarpana .

Features of Excessive Tarpana–

Heaviness

Indistinct vision

Excessive oiliness

Lacrimation

Itching,stickiness and aggravation of doshas especially Kapha dosha.

Appearance  of Kapha vikaras and pain is the symptom of Excess Tarpana.

Contraindication-

Tarpan and Putpaka should not be administered to those who are unfit for nasya

2. Putapaka Vidhi-

After tarpana therapy eyes become fatigued. So In order to restore the strength to the eyes, Putapaka therapy should be done in diseases mentioned earlier.

Types Of Putapaka –

• Snehana putapaka (with fat) –

Snehana Putapaka is good for Vata imbalance disorder. It is done by making use of fat, marrow, muscle fat and juice of meat of animals which live in burrows (Bhushaya), which bite (Prasaha) – cut their food, cow and horse etc.

In addition, which live in Marshy lands or with drugs of Jivaneeya gana macerated with milk.

• Lekhana Putapaka (scraping type) –

Lekhana Putapaka is good for Vata – Kapha imbalance disorder. It is by making use of Mastu (whey), water of yoghurt macerated with the paste of liver of animal and birds, pearls, ash of iron and copper, Saindhava lawana , Shankha (ash of conch shell), Phena- (sea foam), cuttlefish, Srotonjana (Antimony sulphide) and arsenic trisulphid (hartala).

• Prasadana Putapaka (soothing) –

Prasadana Putapaka is used in weakness of the eyes, vision, in disorders of Vata Pitta and Rakta and for the healthy person.

It  is by the use of cow milk / breast milk macerated with the liver, marrow, Muscle fat, Muscle of intestines and heart of animals and birds and drugs of sweet taste, and mixed with ghee

Putapaka Kalpana (Preparation Method)-

1. The meat of animals and drugs should be made into balls of size of Bael fruit(Bilva) or 1 pala (48 grams)in quantity .
2. Should be wrapped in leaves of Urubuka, Vata or Amboja
3. Smeared with fats
4. The given a coating of mud.
5. dry it, when dried, they are placed inside the fire, of wood of Dhava or Dhavana or of dried crow dung.
6. cooked till the balls become fire like red in appearance.
7. After they cool off, the paste of drugs is taken out and juice is extracted from it.
8. The juice should be used for Tarpana procedure, as explained above.

Maatra Kala –

The juice (Swarasa) should be retained for a period of 200 – 300 Matra Kala.

1. lekhana – 200
2. Snehana- 200
3. Prasadana – 300

Temperature Of Drug- 

Juice(swarasa) should be Lukewarm for the Snehana and Lekhana and cold (sheet) for Prasadana.

Inhalation of drug should be done At the end of procedure ( lekhana and snehana putapaka).

Contraindication-

• The patient who has undergone Tarpana and Putapaka therapies should adhere to healthy foods and activities for double the number of days of Nasya therapy.
•  During nights the patient should bind the eyes with a pad of flowers like Mallika and Malati, (Jasmine varieties)