In ancient times, the wise sages revealed potent remedies for ailments of body and mind. They spoke of a blend made from priyangu, neem, and trikatu, all ground together with cow's urine. This mixture, when applied as a nasal treatment, ointment, or body rub, brings relief. Its power is such that it dispels epilepsy, poisoning, insanity, wasting diseases, misfortune, and fever. Even fear caused by spirits is banished when this remedy is placed at the gates of palaces. Another preparation involves neem, kushta, two kinds of turmeric, shigru, mustard, devadaru, patola, and dhanya, all ground together with buttermilk. When one’s body, first anointed with oil, is rubbed with this mixture, skin diseases and leprosy vanish, and itching is soothed. There is also a recipe where rock salt, saindhava, alkali, black mustard, common salt, vid, iron rust, trivrit, and suran are cooked together with curd, cow’s urine, and milk over a gentle fire. The resulting powder, when taken with warm water, increases strength and enkindles the digestive fire. Whether digestion is complete or not, it allows one to partake of the finest meats and ghee. This medicine removes pain arising in the navel, urinary tract, abdominal masses, and spleen, and is especially effective for pain caused by indigestion. For cough, haritaki, amalaki, grapes, long pepper, kantakari, shringi, punarnava, and dry ginger are consumed and surely bring relief. For fever, haritaki, amalaki, grapes, patha, and vibhitaka, taken in equal measure with sugar, form a powerful remedy. Triphala, badara, grapes, and long pepper act as purgatives; haritaki with warm water and salt also serves this purpose. The sages even described the use of excreta, urine, flesh, hair, or blood from tortoise, fish, horse, buffalo, cow, jackal, monkey, cat, peacock, crow, boar, owl, and rooster. These, when offered as incense to those suffering from fever or madness, bring pacification. O Lord of Uma, these medicinal substances have been described; they destroy diseases as surely as Indra’s thunderbolt fells trees. Yet, the greatest medicine is the remembrance of Vishnu. Whether meditated upon, worshipped, or praised, Vishnu removes diseases, and no further deliberation is needed. Then Hari himself spoke: “I shall declare the auspicious Vaishnava armor, which removes all diseases, by which Shiva was once protected when he destroyed the demons. Having bowed to Vishnu, the Lord, the unborn, the ever-healthy, the imperishable, I bind this protective thread, invoking Janardana, which is unfailing and incomparable, and removes all suffering. May Vishnu protect me in front, Krishna guard my back, Hari shield my head, and Janardana safeguard my heart. May Hrishikesha protect my mind, Kesava my tongue, Vasudeva my eyes at dawn, and Sankarshana, the mighty one, my ears. May Pradyumna protect my nose, Aniruddha my skin, Vanamali guard the end of my throat, and Shrivatsa protect below. May the discus protect my left side, repelling demons; may the goddess Gada protect my right, warding off all asuras. May the mace shield my abdomen, the plough my back, the bow Sharnga protect above, and Nandaka guard my shanks. May the conch protect my heels, and the lotus both my feet; may Garuda always protect me for the accomplishment of all undertakings. May Varaha protect me in water, and Vamana in difficult places; may Narasimha guard me in the forest, and Kesava protect me on all sides. May the blessed Hiranyagarbha grant me gold; may Kapila, the teacher of Samkhya, bring balance to my bodily elements. May the resident of Shvetadvipa lead me to Shvetadvipa; may the slayer of Madhu and Kaitabha destroy all my enemies. May Vishnu always draw out sin from my body; may Hamsa, Matsya, and Kurma protect me in every direction. May Trivikrama cut away all my sins, and Narayana preserve my intellect. May Shesha grant me pure knowledge, destroying ignorance; may Vadavamukha annihilate the faults I have committed. May the Lord grant supreme happiness to my feet and head; may Dattatreya provide me with sons, cattle, and relatives. May Rama destroy all my enemies with his axe; may Dasharathi, the mighty-armed, always protect me, slayer of demons. May Rama, delight of the Yadavas, strike down my foes with his plough; may he who destroyed Pralamba, Kesi, Chanura, Putana, and Kamsa grant me the desires that Krishna had in his childhood. In visions, I see a man, dreadful with darkness and gloom—Krishna-shingala by name—terrifying as Death, holding a noose. Therefore, I have taken refuge in Achyuta, the lotus-eyed. I am blessed and forever fearless, for Hari, the Blessed Lord, is mine. Having meditated on Lord Narayana, the destroyer of all calamities, and having bound the Vaishnava armor, I move about upon the earth. I am invulnerable to all beings, for I am composed of all the gods, by the remembrance of Vishnu, the God of gods, of boundless radiance. May success always be mine as the mantra has been recited; whoever looks upon me with their eyes, and whomever I see with my eyes—may Vishnu bind the sight of all those corrupted by sin. The spokes of Vasudeva’s discus—may they cut down my sins and strike down those who seek to harm me. Among rakshasas, pisachas, in wildernesses and forests, in disputes, on royal roads, in gambling, and in quarrels; when crossing terrifying rivers, when life is in danger, in fires, in attacks by thieves, and for warding off all planetary afflictions—the protection of Vishnu prevails, granting safety and peace to all who remember him.