011 A discussion about the impact of CURD (yogurt) on our body, as per ancient Ancient Indian Native Medical Texts

- December 15, 2018

This is in continuation of my post No. 1065 at my blog problemsoftelugus.blogspot.com. Link for those who are interested to study it: Click here if you wish to go to 1065 at problemsoftelugu.blogspot.com. That post, dealt with extensively and intensively with different types of curds, and their beneficial/detrimental effects on human bodies (Indian bodies which are heated by 45 degrees summer heat and cooled by drenching monsoons?), according to the Ancient Indian Traditional Medical Treatise Sarangadhara samhita. Curd (yogurt) is a dairy food. It is obtained and consumed in Indian homes on daily basis, by fermenting milk for about 12 hours, by adding a little of previous day's curd, to milk at room temperature. Going back to mythology, I am unable to trace anything about consumption of curd in Valmiki Ramayana, by Ramayana characters or its citizens or the Citizens of Kishkindha or Lanka. There are some references to liquor, meat, wine made from honey etc. My readers who may be more conversant with Valmiki Ramayan can, if they wish to point out anything, they can add their comments below. As far as VyAsa MahAbhagavata is concerned, Curd is an associate-accompaniment of milk and butter, in Lord Krishna's childhood and is a part of his reveries with Gopa Gopika (cowherd) children. For this reason only, in Telugu language, we have the phrase pAlu-perugulu (milk and curd), which are like twins in Indian Nutrition. Now, the above Sanskrit verse, printed in Telugu Script, with gist in Telugu Language, is from the Ancient Indian Traditional Medicinal Treatise 'parahita samhita' , Vol. 1 dealing with General Concepts. Author SrinAtha Pandita (some believe he is also known as 'SrIkAnta'. According to an estimate, he lived in 12th Century circa, CE.

To start with, English Gist of the, Telugu above picture which is an Extract from page 243 of parahita samhita.

Milk is to be boiled to half its volume. When the milk reaches room temperature, (a little say 1/2 tea spoonful) buttermilk / mAdi-phala fruit (botanical name: citrus medica linn, commonly known as Citron), is added to start setting of curd.

ybrao-a-donkey's note: Though this 12th Century treatise says that Citron is added to milk to make curd, in 21st Century India, I am unable to trace this practice. We can start trying now.

Then, a new earthen pot is taken.

Then dried root powder of 'citra mUlam' (Botanical name: Plumbato Zeylanica or English: Leadwort), is applied to the inner bottom of the new earthen pot. Thereafter the above milk+buttermilk (or mAdiphala) is poured into the pot. Next, a fully ripe stone apple fruit fresh pulp is mixed to the milk. The pot is closed, and kept still for 6 prahAr time period (1 yAma or prahAr or jhAmu in Telugu = approx. 2 1/2 hours), 6 yAmas = about 15 hours, for the setting of the curd. If the setting of the curd is allowed to continued beyond 6 yAmas i.e. 12/15 hours, it will become sour. A curd allowed to set for 6 yAmams i.e.15 hours, will be beneficial-congenial to health.

If the curd is used without waiting for 6 yAmams, the curd will still retain some form of milk, and it will have an intermediate form (i.e. milk+curd). It is called 'mandakam'. It is equal to poison (Sanskrit and Telugu: visha tulyam). It is (likely to be) detrimental to health.

To continue adding / deleting / editing.