Taila varga—group of oils and other fats)

Tailas (oils) are generally similar (in properties) to their source (oil seed), of them the chief is that of tila (sesamum).
Oil of sesamum possesses the properties like penetrating deep into the tissues, and spreading throughout the body fast; it produces diseases of the skin, is bad to the eyes, capa We of entering into even minute pores, hot in potency, hot increasing kapha, it makes lean persons fatty and fat persons lean, is constipating, kills worms; with appropriate processing, it cures all diseases. 55—56.
ln ancient times in. India, oil of sesamum was the chief edible oil and used both for cooking’ as well as for the treatment of diseases. lhe term ‘taila’ specially means the olt of tila (sesamum) and used in that sensd itself at all p!ace, in all the ancient books of Ayurveda (and even of sanskrit Iitei ature ) unless specified differently. The use of sesa
mum oil for cooking is gradually becoming less in recent times and oil of groundnuts (peanuts), cocoanut, mustard, rape seeds, soyabean, sunflower etc. have been brought to use. En the context of yurveda, it is sesamum oil only that should be used for internal administration of medicated oils. Many other kinds of oils of medicinal value are described further on.
Oil of Eranda—(castor oil) :—

Castor oil is bitter, pungent and sweet in taste, sara (laxative), hard to digest, cures enlargement of the scrotum, (hernia), abdominal tumors, diseases caused by văta and kapha, enlargement of abdomen, interrnittant fevers, pain and swellings of the waist, genitals, abdomen and back, is capable of penetrati1g deep, hot in potency and bad in smell.
Oil of red variety of castor seeds is still more penetrating, hot in potency and sticky and has a bad smell.
Notes :—Castor oil is used for medicinal purposes to produce purgzdon to relieve pains and reduce swelling ec. it is an efficient Văahara drug (rnitigaLs the increased văta) and so very useful in many diseases.

Sarsapa taila—(mustard oil)

Sarapa taila (mustard oil) is pungent, hot in potency, penetrating deep, mitigates (reduces) kapha, semen and anila (vta), easily digestable, produces bleeding diseases, rashes on the skin, leprosy and other skin diseases, haemorrhoids, ulcers, and worms (bacteria etc.).
Aka taila (oil of vibhitaka)
Aka taila—oil obtained from seeds of vibhitaka is sweet, cold in potency good for the hair, hard to digest, mtigatcs pitta and aniLa (văta).

lVimba taila—(neem oil) :—
ui oU
Nimba taila is not very hot (slightly hot) in potency, bitter, destroys woi ms (becteria, etc.) leprosy and other skin diseases and mitigates kapha. 60.
Uma—kusumbha taila—(linseed oil and s7ffiower oil)
Taila of umâ (linseed) and kusumbha are hot in potency, produce diseases of the skin, aggravate kapha and pitta.
V
mamsa- meda.r—.(muscle-fat, marrow arid fat) :—

Vasä (muscle-fat) and majja (bone-marrow) mitigate väta, cause increase of strength, pitta and kapha and similar in properties with the meat of animals from which they are obtained. Even the fat should also be understood as simil4r to them (muscle-fat and marrow).