Dr. Gyan Chand K. Morya, MD (Ay.

PhD. Scholar, Dept. of Dravyaguna,

FOA, IMS, BHU

ऱेखन कमम (LEKHANA)

इिि ििख धािे कर्मममिि यत्प्रत्प्येन िनष्पन्नम् । ििख न्यि्।।

िेख्य िेिखिव्यम् िेखनीयम् (शब्दकल्पद्रुम भाग 4)

ििख्यिेऽन्यिा ल्युट िेखन साधने मुख्याधारं िेखनीञ्ज।। (वाचस्पत्प्यम्)

The term ‘Lekhana’ is derived from the root word the root word ‘Likh’
(ििख) and‘Nyat’ (न्यि्). ‘Likh’ which means to write, to remove, to scrap, to
scratch, to furrow of, to tear up. Suffix ‘Nyat’ is added to it to form Lekhana,
Hence the meaning becomes hurting, scraping etc.

Acharya Charak has described lekhana as karma and its therapeutic utility
for the first time.

मुस्िकु ष्ठहररद्रादारुहररद्रावचािििवषाकटु रोिहिीिचत्रकिचरिबल्वहैमवत्प्य

इिि दशेमािन िेखनीयािन भविन्ि (CS.Su.4.8.3)

First ever the term ‘lekhana’ has been used by Lekhaniye Mahakashya. Ten herbal
drug has been enumerated under this group. While explaining the term ‘Lekhaniye’
Yogindranath sen said that-
िेखनम् कशमनं िस्मै िहिं िेखनीयम्। (योगगन्द्र नाथ सेन)

DEFINITION:

धािून् मिान् वा देहस्य िवशोष्योल्िेख्येच्च यि्।

िेखनं िद्यथा क्षौद्रं नीरमुष्िं वचा यवााः।। (शारङ्गधर पुवम खण्ड.4.10)

First ever textbook, which has described Lekhana property. That drug which will
reduces or scrapes away the unwanted dhatus (tissues) and malas (metabolic
wastes) is known as lekhana. i.e. Kshaudra, Ushna jala, vacha, yava.

Bhavprakash has also followed the lekhana paribhasa as per Sarangdhar.

धािून्मािान् वा देहस्य िवशोष्योल्िेखयेच्च यि्।

िेखनं िद्यथा क्षौद्रं नीरमुष्िं वचा यवााः।। (भाव प्रकश ऩुवम खण्ड.6.224)

The two commentaries given on the definition of the Lekhana Karma-

यद् द्रव्यं धािुन् रसादीन् मिान् वा…..।

यवा इिि बहुवचनग्रहिेनैवम् गुििविशष्टा अन्येऽिप बोद्धव्यााः। (आढ़मल्ि टीका 4.10)

यद्द्रव्यं देहस्थानं धािुन्मिािन्वशोष्य शुष्कं कृ त्प्वा िेखयेि्

स्थूिस्य कृ शादद कारयेि् िल्िेखनम्। (काशीराम टीका 4.10)

Adhhmala commentator of Sharangdhar Samhita has trying to describe that-

lekhana drug is working by absorption of the Rasadi Dhatu and Mala. Yava depict
the all lekhana drugs and property like Yava should be considered as prototype.
Kashiram commentator of Sharangdhar Samhita, has also trying to explain
the lekhana karma. Those drugs which drying and absorbing the Dhatu and Malas
of the body and slimming the body of obese individual is considered as called
lekhana.
िेखनं देहे उपिेपाददकान् भावान् िविछिनिि (इन्दु)

In commentary on Ashtang Hridaya, Indu has described Lekhana is a

process which removes uplepadi bhava i.e. Kapha Dosha, Guru, Snigdh, Picchila
Guna and Medo Dhatu and Mala are also the uplepadi bhava in the body.

िेखनं कफमेदसोाःI

िेखनं पििीकरिं; (डल्हि)

Dalhana has used Pattali karanam term, which denotes the sliminess property or
causes sliminess in the body of Sthula (obese) and also which pacify the increased
Meda Dhatu and Kapha Mala.

ऱेखन (शस्त्रकमम):

पाटनं व्यधनं चैव िेदनं िेखनं……..षिववधं शस्त्रकमम िि् (CS.Ci.25.55)

Lekhan as a Karma (procedure) has been enumerated in Shadvidh karma of

Sashtra karma.

िेखनम् ईषच्चममिवदारिं घषमिेन िेखनीयम् (गंगाधर)

In Jalpakalptaru commentary of Charak samhita, Gangadhar has described

lekhana as a extermal procedure. That drug which causes cracks in the skin by
rubbing the skin with it called Lekhan karma.

िच्च शस्त्रकमामऽष्टिवधं ;

िद्यथा- िेद्य,ं भेद्य,ं िेख्यं, वेध्यम्, एष्यम्, आहायं, िवस्राव्यं, सीव्यिमिि (SS.Su.5.5)

Lehana Karma as a surgical procedure enumerated under Astavidh Sashtrakarma

mentioned in the text.

िेखनमेषिमाहरिं (SS.Ci.1.8)

Lekhana karma as a surgical procedure is mentioned in Sashti upakrama.

ऱेखन बस्स्त्ि:

िवरूक्षिछिेदनीयानां च द्रव्यािां िविधवदुपयोगो व्यायामो िेखनबस्त्प्युपयोगश्चेिि

(SS.Su.15.32)
ित्रफिाक्वाथगोमूत्रक्षौद्रक्षारसमायुिााः,………. बस्ियो िेखनााः स्मृिााः (SS.Ci.38.82)

There is description of Lekhana basti for obese individuals.

TIME OF ADMINISTRATION:

िेखनाथं च भैषज्यं रभािे ित्प्समाहरे ि्।। (शारङ्गधर पुवम खण्ड.2.3)

For the achievement of lekhana property of drugs or for lekhana purposes drugs
should be used in the morning time.

PROPERTIES OF LEKHANA DRAVYA:

िेखनमिनिानिगुिभूियष्ठं; (SS.Su.41.10)

Lekhana drugs are having Vayu and Agni Mahabhuta.

यस्य िेखने शिताः साः खराः (हेमादद्र AH.Su.1.18)

Khara guna has the potential of Lekhana karma.

िघुस्िििपरीिाः स्याल्िेखनो रोपिस्िथा (SS.Su.46.519)

Laghu Guna has the potential of Lekhana karma.

िितो रसाः …….. िेखनाः (CS.Su.26.41)

Lekhana as a property of Tikta Rasa has been mentioned.

कषायाः सङ्ग्राहको रोपिाः स्िर्मभनाः शोधनो िेखनाः (SS.Su.42.10)

Lekhana as a property of Kasaya Rasa has been mentioned.

रसोऽर्मिाः ......िेिखिोष्िो ...... (BP.Pu.6.189)

कषायो ……िेखनाः ……. (BP.Pu.6.201)

As a property of Amla and Kashya Rasa, lekhana guna is described in

Mishraprakaran.
So the lekhana karma may be categorized or described in two aspect-

1. Direct aspect of Lekhana-

It is a one of the type of eight or six surgical procedure, which has been used in
Shalya karma. The procedure has been used for correction of outgrowth of tissue
i.e. Likhya vyadhi like Adhimansa, Kilasa, Kustha etc.

2. Indirect aspect of Lekhana-

It is the aspect that related to medicinal drugs, and by this property, have been used
in therapeutics i.e. Lekhaniye Mahakashya.

Probable mode of Lekhana Karma:

Other examples:

 िेखनाः शीिरिसको िहिाः शोफोदराशमसाम् (CS.Su.27.185)

 कटुक उष्िस्िीक्ष्िाः पाचनो िवियनाः शोधनो रोपिाः शोषिाः स्िर्मभनो िेखनाः (SS.Su.11.5)

 सििताः सुरिभाः शीिाः कपूमरो िघु िेखनाः (SS.Su.46.203)

 कफवािदििमघ्नं च िेखनं िपिकोपनम् …….. िविं गुरटकाह्वयम् (SS.Su.46.320)

 िाम्रं……िेखनं, िेखनं कांस्यं, त्रपु सीसं च िेखनम्, मियाः……िेखना (SS.Su.46.327-30)

 मािीकं िेख़नं हृद्यं नात्प्युष्िं मधुरं सरम् (AH.Su.5.72)

 धाना िवष्टिर्मभनी रूक्षा िपमिी िेखनी गुरुाः (AH.Su.6.38)

 रशस्िा, िेखने िाम्री, रोपिे काििोहजा (AH.Su.23.13)

 Bhavprakash Dhatvadi varga- Rupya bhasma, Loh bhasma, Tuttha bhasma, Kansya bhasma,
Shrotanjan, Kharpara.
 Saka varga-Bimbi
 Tail varga- Tila, Sarshapa taila.