Journallnd.lnst.Hist.Med. Vol.XXXVII - 2007.

pp 1 to 8

BIOGRAPHY OF NARAHARI-
THE AUTHOR OF RAJA-NIGHANTU

P.V.V. Prasad* & A. Narayana**

ABSTRACT
Narahari Pundits, who was the son of iSvarasiiri and resident of
Kashmir was an erudite scholar of all branches of Sanskrit learning and was
also well versed in regional languages of Karnataka, Maharastra and Andhra.
His work Raja·Nigha1J{U is also known as Nighsntu Raja or Abbidtuins
Ciitjamapi. His date may be placed in 17th century A.D. i.e. after Bhsvemisre.
Some of the new and more interesting plants added are, Brehmedsndl,
Dhiimrapatra, Eksvirs, Hsstisundi, Jsmbu, Jhendu, Samudraphaia, SvetamiJ,
Sveta, Vrscika etc. Thus information about Narahari and his work is presented
in this article.

Introduction
M'ghaIJ(u is indispensable equipment for practicing physician. It is said that "The
physician without Ni'ghaIJ(u would come to ridicule, like a scholar without grammar and
an archer without practice".
Nighsntu is vocabulary, glossary; 'A collection of names' (Name-Ssngrshsl,
according to Hemachandra. Its original significance was a list of Vedic words like
Aupamanyava and Yssks.
R/:fja-NighaIJru is also known as Ni'ghaIJru Raja or Abhidhiina CiitjiimaIJi. It is the
largest extant lexicon of materia medica. It deals with the names and properties of medicinal
substances, as well as with a series of related subjects. Its author is Nsrsbsri Psndits,
who was the son of !svarasiiri and resident of Kashmir. He was an erudite scholar of all
branches of Sanskrit learning and was also well versed in regional languages of Karnataka,
Maharashtra and Andhra.

*Assistant Director (Ay), **Director, Indian Institute of History of Medicine, Osmania

Medical College Building, Putlibowli, Hyderabad 500095
2 Journal Ind. Inst. Hist. Med. Vol.XXXVII - 2007

About the author

Author in the colophon to his work introduces himself as Nsrahsri, Nsrasimbs,

Nrhsri and Nrsimbe and as son of Isverssari. He belongs to a Kashmiri royal family of
Somsnsndscsrys and took part in war like activities. In the prefatory verses Narahari
says that he wrote this book incorporating in it the synonyms of drugs prevalent in
Karnataka and Maharashtra. This statement proves that his ancestors or himself had
migrated from Kashmir and settled in Northern part of Karnataka. His favorite deities
were Siva and Psrvsti. There is reason to believe this that the author might have taken to
the life of an ascetic in a Saiva Mutt. Details of these facts are yet to be explored.
Additional information is found in the colophons of some other manuscripts that, Nsrshsri
was the son of Isvsrssuri a physician who was also called Csndesvsrs and the disciple of
Amrtessnsnds who belonged to the Si~yaparampara of Somsnsnds. He was a resident of
Simhapura in Kashmir.

Nsrsbsri is credited with two more medical works, Gunssiirsssmuccsye and the
Vsgbhstsnendsns. But it is believed that the latter is by different Nsrshsri.

Date

The date of the work is hard to ascertain, but 17thcentury has been suggested as
the probable date. The terminus post quem of Raja Nigha{1{u can be deduced from the
sources mentioned by the author. Latest is the Madsnpsla M"gha{1{u,composed in 1375
A.D. Nsrshsri referred Msdsnpsls, hence his date must be after 14th century A.D. His
date must also be posterior to Bhavaprakasa because drugs like Ksrptirs Tsils, Jha{19Uetc
were mentioned in it. There is a verse which is identical found in Raja M"gha{1{uand
Bhsvsprskes«. It might had been borrowed by Narahari hence he may be placed in 17th
century A.D. i. e. posterior to Bbsvsmisrs. The terminus ante quem is provided by quotations
in two works dating from the 17thcentury, BhanujIDlk~ila's commentary on the Amarskose
(I" half of the 17thcentury) and Raghunatha's Bhojsnskutuhsls.

Description of Jhsndu (Tegetes erecta) is important as it is a clue to the date of

the Raja-Nigha{1{u, provided that, P. V. Sharma is right in his identification and his claim
that it was introduced into India at the end of the 16thcentury. P. Hymavathi views that
 Biography of Narahari - P V V Prasad et al. 3

the date of the author of the Riija-NighaIJ{u based on self conviction that Narahari was a
disciple of Srikantha Psndits, the Suddha Saive and medical author. She asserts that
Narahari or Nsrssimbs hailed from a Brebmsns family adhering to the Kashmir school of
Saivism, which was introduced in the Southern part of India after the establishment of
Mohammedan rule in the North. The date of Srikantha Pandita is 1300-1360 AD and the
fact that the Raja-NighaIJru is later than the Msdsnspsis Nighsnn: made her to conclude
that the former work must have been written shortly after the latter, towards the end of
the 14'h century. P. Hymavathi identifies Naraharls patron as Nsrssimbe -IV who ruled in
Kabnga between 1378-1409 A.D.

Absence of mention of opium decides its date to be earlier than 15,h century
A.D. But most of the historians consider 17'h century A.D. as the date of Nsrshsri.

The evidence available however, points to the fifteenth or sixteenth century as

the period of composition of the Raja-NighaIJ{u. The identity of JhaIJ9u and Himavalliand
the date of their introduction into India, may prove to be clues enabling us to narrow the
limits.

About the work

Raja-NighaIJ{u is also called Abhidtuins CudamaIJi; it is an elaborate work designed

to be a Compendium of the names and medicinal properties of substances
(Dravyabhidhana-GuIJasarhgraha).

It consists of about 3,300 verses arranged in twenty three Vargas (group) or

chapters. It procedes by an introduction followed by a section on Ekiirthss and Aneksrthss.
In his introduction he addresses a salutation to Lord Siva, Brahms, Indrs, the Asvins,
Atreya, Dhanvantari, Caraka and Susruts.

The work as admitted by the author, follows closely the views of Dhanvantariya-
Nighall{U (or Drevyiivsli), which was the first medical glossary and listed more than 370
medical flora (dravyas) and gave along with their names and synonyms, brief descriptions
of their pharmacological characteristics. It provided the model as well as the inspiration
for later glossaries.

L
4 Journal Ind. Inst. Hist.Med. Vol.XXXVII - 2007

The author Narahari declares to have collected all those names of medicinal
substances which are useful to a physician, regardless of their origin from Sanskrit,
Prakrit etc. He announced his intention to describe the drugs according to their traditional
usage, local names special characteristics, properties and names employed in foreign
countries. A short table of contents is found at the end of the introduction. The first few
chapters have no parallel in other NighaIJ!us.

Chapter one (Anilp/idi varga) carries 39 verses and is concerned with the
characteristics of the various types of country and soil, the deities presiding over the
types of soil, the characteristics and uses of trees and other kinds of plants and their
products as dependent on the type of soil they are growing on, the characteristics of
plants considered to be of the male, female or bisexual and the relationship between
parts of plants and the five Mshtibhtitss.

Chapter two {Dbsrsnyedi varga) deals with synonyms for earth, mountain, forest
etc. it also contains a list of Nsksstrs vrkss.

Chapters three to thirteen enumerates the names and properties of medicinal

substances arranged in the following groups; Guducyedi, Sat/ihv/idi, Psrpstsdi, PippaJy/idi,
Mtilsksdi, S/iJma/y/idi, Psribhsdrsdi, Ksrsvirsdi, Amredi, Csndsnsdi and Suvsmsdi.

Chapter fourteen to seventeen (P/iniy/idi varga, Ksirsdi varga, SaJy/idi varga,

Msmssdi varga) deals with articles of food, water, the sugarcane and its products, types
of sugar derived from other plants than the sugarcane, honey and alcoholic drinks; milk
and other dairy produce, K/iiiJika and similar products of acid fermentation, urines and
oils; grain and pulses; meat etc.

Chapter eighteen (Manu$y/idi varga) is about names of human beings, anatomical

terms and some related subjects.
Chapter nineteen (Sirhh/idi varga) is about the names and synonyms of forty
eight animals.

Chapter twenty (Rog/idi varga) is about names of diseases about medicinal

preparations, the tastes and their combinations etc. The two series of A$t/iJigas (eight
divisions) of Ayurveds are also mentioned here.
Biography of Narahari - P. II II Prasad et al. 5

Chapter twenty one (Sattvadi varga) is about three GUIJasand the character of
human beings dominated by one of these, the three Doses and the constitutions, weights
and measures, divisions of time, the quarters of the sky etc.

Chapter twenty two (Misrakadi varga) about groups of medicinal substances.

Three Lobss - Suvsrns (gold), Rajata ( silver), Tsmrs (copper)

Five Lohss - Above three and VaIiga (tin), Naga (lead)
Eight Lohss - Above five and Kents, Mundsks, Tiksnska (varieties of iron) are
added.
Msbsrssss - 8

Samanya rasas - 8
Kssre (alkali) 10 (derived from Sigru, Mulsks, Pales», Cukriks, Ardrsks, Nimbs,
Iksu, Saikluuika and Mociks] mentioned in this NighaIJ{u.

The work ends with Ekiirthes and Aneksrthas. The latter being divided into
groups of names having two up to eleven meanings.

The way of presentation of Raja-NighaIJ{u, especially that of the Prsstsvsrui and

the concluding verses of each varga is rather ornate. The arrangement of the medicinal
substances differs considerably from that found in the Dhanvantariya Nighantu apart
from the contents of a few Vargas notably the Satahvadi and Csndsnedi varga.

A conspicuous feature is the mention of the number of synonyms at the end of

each series. The Raja-Nigf.aIJ{udescribes more medicinal substances than the Dhanvantariya
NighaIJ{u and distinguishes a larger number of varieties. On the other hand a small number
of drugs included in the Dhanvantariya NighaIJ{u are absent in Raja-NighaIJ{u ego Svasari,
Ksssghni, Vijaya, Svetapu$pi, Girisindilra Va{asaugandhika, JalapippalJ etc.
Sources mentioned by the author of the Raja-NighaIJ{u in the introductory verses
are Dhanvantariya Nighsntu, the works of Madana and Hslsyudhs, the Visvsprskss«,
Amsrskoss and the Se$araja. Some more works referred to are Brhetsiitrs, Naradiya
(Tantra) and NarayaIJi.
6 Journal Ind. Inst. Hist. Med. Vol.XXXVI/-2007

Special features of R;qa-Nighaptu

It is understood that, the basis for this Nighentu is Dbsnvsnteri Nighentu,

Msdsnspsls NjghaIJ{u, HaJayudha, Vjsvaprakasa, Amsrskoss, Trikiindesese, Raja kose
etc. Mostly it is based on Dhsnvsntsriys-Nighsntu. Narahari was famous for his
contribution towards Ayurveda especially Drsvysgune, the Ayurvedic pharmacology.
Raja-MghaIJ{u was probably the first to accord the prime important place to the subject
of Drsvysguns and placed it ahead of all the branches of Ayurveda.
Dravyabhjdhanagadanjscayakayasaukhyam saJyadjbhiitavj$agrahabaJavajdyam
Vidyedrsseysnsvsrem dr(ihadehahetumayusruterdvjcaturamlhaha ssmbbub

-Raja-MghaIJ{u 20/58.

In twentieth chapter Narahari mentions the two series of the A${angas (eight
divisions) of Ayurveds viz Dravysbhidhsns (pharmacology), Gsdsniscsys (diagnostics),
Ksys (therapeutics), SaJya (surgery), Bhiita (psychotherapy), Graha, Vj$a (toxicology),
Belsvsidys (paediatrics) and places Drsvysguns in the first place. In the second series
Selys, SaJakya (diseases of head and neck), Keys, Bhiita, Vj$a, Baja, Rasayana
(rejuvenation therapy) and Vr$ya (aphrodisiacs) were mentioned.
NjghaIJ{u carries the classification of drugs, their description, synonyms varieties,
properties etc. and it is so elaborate. Drugs with equal properties are grouped and the
name of the group is based on important drug amongst them. For example, Gudiicyadj,
Csndsruidi etc.

Sthavara dravyas are classified into five categories viz. Vsnsspsti, Vsnaspetys,
Ksups, Valli, Aussdhi. Last one is again divided into male, female and unisexual.

The number of medicinal substances described in the Rifja-MghaIJ{u and absent

from the Dhenvsntsri Nighsnnr is too large to be enumerated. Some of the new and more
interesting plants added are, Brsbmsdsndi, Dhiimrapatra, Eksvirs, Hsstisundi, Jsmbu,
Jhendu, SamudraphaJa, SvetamJi, Sveta, Vrscik» etc.

New varieties added by the author of the Raja-MghaIJ{u to those described in the
Dhanvanfariya-NjghaIJ{u are also rather numerous. Some of these are, Brhst Jivanti
Biography of Narahari - P V V Prasad et al. 7

(a variety of livantJ), Ksidsrys (a variety of Nimbai, Ksrksti (a variety of Trepuss),

Tsmrekentsks (a variety of Khadirai, Vstspstri (a variety of Pa$ti(labhedaka), Vitkhsdirs
(a variety of Khadira). In chapter twenty two the A$tangas (eight divisions) of Ayurveds
were mentioned. Chapter twenty two enumerates three groups of Lohes (metals) etc.

This work has been printed at Anandasrama, Pune in 1925 and at Calcutta in
1933.

REFERENCES

I. Meulenbeld., GJ. 2000 A History of Indian Medical Literature

(Vol-IIIA); Egbert Forten, Groningen, The
Netherlands; pp 265-270.

2. Ramachandra Rao., S.K. 1985 Encyclopaedia of Indian Medicine (Vol-I)

Historical Perspective; Popular Prakashan,
Bombay; pp73, 74, 77 & 78.

3. Sharma, PV 1995 Introduction to Dra vyaguna (Indian

pharmacology) )'d Ed.; Chaukhambha

Orientalia, Varanasi, India; pp 133-134.

4. Srikantha Murthy, K.R. 1968 Luminaries ofIndian Medicine; Published by

the author; Mysore, India; pp 74.
8 Journal Ind.lnst.Hist.Med. Vol.XXXVI/-2007

~~~&Cfi~cfiT~(44)
-ql.cIT.cIT. >mlG~ 3RT '11{lliOI

~+fR~Hqlm~~~~~1fl~I~~~cfiT~fT
~TmT3D~~ ~ I~ CfI'1kCfl , ii~RI~ afu:~TcfiT ~ ~-ij HlSOllCl
~ I ~~"CfIl {11Jl H'CIO~~ ~N~ Iii fOl~~~ ~~\ifffiT~ I~
CfiR mcWrl!l~~~ ~\9eft ~TCfWft-ij-Rmfurf~~FT(;JT~ I·~~EP~-ij Cflkjqll ~

afR~~~~ijI&lG<Jl,~,~, ~~,~,~, fi4jsN)(1,

~~d 1k11,~~, ~~ anR"CfIlfiM kid i~<lpn:rr~ I 3ffi: ~$-ij~ afu:
~cw.f"Cfll~~1Tm~ I