Dhanvantari Vatika / धन्वन्तरि वाटिका

Botanical Name :- Commiphora mukul (Hook-ex.- Stocks)

English Name :- Indian Bedellium.

Hindi Name :- Gugal, Guggul

Family Name :- Burseraceae

Synonyms –

• Guggulu

• Devadhupa

• Jatayu

• Kausika

• Pura

• Kumbha

• Ulukhala

• Mahisaksa

• Palankasa – are synonyms

Types of Guggulu -

1. Mahisaksa

2. Mahanila

3. Kumuda

4. Padma

5. Hiranya – are the five kinds of Guggulu

Properties & Uses -

Mahisaksa has the colour of honey-bee or anjana (antimony sulphide), mahanila is similar to its name, kumuda resembles kumuda flower (white) in colour, padma resembles manikya (ruby red) hiranya is like gold in colour–these are their charactorestics. Mahisaksa and mahanila varieties are beneficial to elephants, kumuda and padma bestow health to horses, kanaka (hiranya) variety is best suited for man, some say that even mahisaksa is good for man.

Guggulu is vishada (non-unctuous), bitter, hot in potency, increases pitta, laxative, astringent, pungent in taste, pungent after digestion, causes dryness, easily digestible, unifies fractures, aphrodisiac, enters into minute pores, helps, voice, rejuvenator, increases digestive fire, is slimy, bestows strength mitigates kapha and vata, cures ulcers, scrofula, diseases of medas (fat), diabetes, urinary calculi, disease of vata, excess of moisture, leprosy (and some other skin diseases), rheumatism, eruptions, tumours, swellings, haemorrhoids, scrofula, worms(bacteria etc.) It mitigates vata by its sweet taste, pitta by its astringent taste and kapha by bitter taste, so guggulu mitigates all the doshas.

The fresh one is strengthening and aphrodisiac, where as the old one is greatly scarificant, fresh is unctuous like gold, resemble ripe fruit of jambu in colour (dark blue) has good smell and it slimy, old one is dry, emits bad smell, is devoid of normal colour and potency (properties).

The person who is consuming pura (guggulu as medicine) and desirous of its benefits should not indulge in strong sours (foods and drinks), uncooked foods, copulations, exertion, exposure to sunlight, drinking wine and anger.