927 Moondie.--A. Raderyoos. "Spheranthus Indicus." It is also called Tuppodenie, so denominated from its being used in penance; if any one preserves a constant respect for this, he will become the peculiar favorite of Heaven. It is also called Srawanie; this name is derived from the circumstance of its bearing fruit in the month Srawun. The leaf is somewhat like the mint, the flower round or globulated, and of a rose-color; it has a sweet smell, and is a medicine of great virtue. It is sweet and a little bitter, but very much so during digestion; it is hot, light; increases understanding; is vermifuge; useful in boils and eruptions of an obstinate nature; is pungent; cures pains in the parts of generation of the female, marasmus, gonorrhoea, and disorders of bile. If the plant be pulled out by the root before it flowers, and dried in the shade, and ate with wheat flour, cow's ghee, and sugar, it will restore and preserve youth, and prevent the hair from becoming grey; and if pounded and often used in powder, it will be found peculiarly tonic. If its seed be ate with sugar, it will preserve health to the extreme of old age. An old man is said to have eaten a preparation of this for a year constantly: the strength of youth was restored to him, and he lived to the age of 205 years. The physicians of India declare this to be the basis of the Elixir VitÊ. If the plant is taken before it flowers, and is bruised and eaten with ghee and honey, both the strength and appearance of youth will be preserved. Indeed, the extent of its virtues is only known to the most scientific of physicians. If its flowers are eaten for 40 days, the same effect will be produced; and the root used without intermission for a year, incalculable benefit will be the result. If the root and leaves be bruised and eaten for three days, with cow's milk and honey, it will be found highly aphrodisiac. If one of the seeds be swallowed without water, the eye-sight will be preserved, and no affection of the eyes will take place for a year. If two are swallowed, the eye-sight will be preserved for two years, and so on. I used it myself in my infancy, or early days, and have preserved my sight in a wonderful manner. My uncle used the distilled water of this, in depression of the spirits, and as a cardiac, with great success: he sometimes distilled from equal parts of this and Gowjeban, at other times with other cardiac medicines. If half a masha of the oil of this be ate with Paan in the cold weather, it will produce a genial warmth over the body; it will also remove affections from cold, and be found aphrodisiac. The oil is thus procured: