Photo: unknown / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Sarso Pili सरसों पीली
Brassica campestris
Part used: Seed
| Rasa (taste) | Tikta (Bitter), Kashaya (Astringent) |
|---|---|
| Guna (qualities) | Laghu (Light), Ruksha (Dry) |
| Virya (potency) | Ushna (Hot) |
| Vipaka | Katu (Pungent) |
| Dosha | Balances Kapha & Vata |
| Prabhava | Classical systemic action |
Key takeaways
- Botanical name: Brassica campestris
- Part used: Seed
- Dosha action: Balances Kapha & Vata
- Typical dose: Seed powder 500 mg – 2 g per day internally within a compound.
Sarso Pili in other languages
Introduction
Sarso Pili is yellow mustard (Brassica campestris), grown across northern India for its oil and its pungent seed. It is Sarshapa in the classical texts.
Ayurveda uses the seed as a sharp, heating Kapha-clearing drug — applied externally in poultices for pain and swelling, and used internally in small quantity for digestion and worms.
Classification
Family Brassicaceae. The seed and its expressed oil are officinal. Rasa: Katu, Tikta. Guna: Laghu, Ruksha, Tikshna. Virya: Ushna. Vipaka: Katu. Doshaghnata: pacifies Kapha and Vata; strongly aggravates Pitta.
Uses & benefits
Applied externally as a paste or poultice for joint pain, muscular stiffness and swelling, and the oil is used in massage. Internally the seed is used in small quantity in poor appetite, worms and skin disease. In this catalogue it appears in Mahayograj Guggulu.
Sarshapa in poultices
The classical external use: a mustard paste over a painful joint or a congested chest, producing warmth and counter-irritation.
Sarshapa for digestion and worms
Used internally in small quantity as a Deepana and Krimighna drug, within compound preparations.
Dosage — how much to take
Seed powder 500 mg – 2 g per day internally within a compound. Externally as a poultice, applied for a limited period only.
Dosage varies with age, constitution and condition — confirm with a qualified Vaidya.
Traditional uses — questions answered from the classical texts
Answers are drawn from the citations and properties recorded for this drug. No chapter-and-verse reference appears that the record does not carry.
Which classical texts describe Sarso Pili?
The citations held for Sarso Pili in this catalogue are: Charaka Samhita (Sutrasthana — external applications); Bhavaprakasha Nighantu (Haritakyadi Varga — Sarshapa).
What does the Charaka Samhita record about Sarso Pili?
Mustard used in poultices and medicated oils. Reference: Charaka Samhita — Sutrasthana — external applications.
What does the Bhavaprakasha Nighantu record about Sarso Pili?
Katu rasa, ushna virya; kaphahara, used externally in shotha. Reference: Bhavaprakasha Nighantu — Haritakyadi Varga — Sarshapa.
What is Sarso Pili traditionally used for in Ayurveda?
Applied externally as a paste or poultice for joint pain, muscular stiffness and swelling, and the oil is used in massage. Internally the seed is used in small quantity in poor appetite, worms and skin disease. In this catalogue it appears in Mahayograj Guggulu.
What are the Ayurvedic properties of Sarso Pili?
Rasa Tikta (Bitter), Kashaya (Astringent), Guna Laghu (Light), Ruksha (Dry), Virya Ushna (Hot), Vipaka Katu (Pungent). Dosha action: Balances Kapha & Vata. Prabhava: Classical systemic action.
Why is Sarso Pili classified the way it is?
In dravya-guna a drug's dosha action follows from its taste, qualities, potency and post-digestive effect. Sarso Pili carries Ushna (Hot) virya and Katu (Pungent) vipaka, which together give the recorded action: Balances Kapha & Vata.
Which part of Sarso Pili is used medicinally?
The part used is Seed.
How much Sarso Pili is taken, and how?
Seed powder 500 mg – 2 g per day internally within a compound. Externally as a poultice, applied for a limited period only. Dosage varies with age, constitution and condition — confirm it with a qualified Vaidya.
When should Sarso Pili be avoided?
A mustard poultice left on too long causes chemical burns and blistering — apply for minutes, not hours, and never to broken skin or on a child without supervision. Internally it strongly aggravates Pitta; avoid in hyperacidity and ulcer. Note that mustard oil high in erucic acid is restricted as an edible oil in some countries, though it remains standard in Indian cooking and massage.
Where does Sarso Pili grow?
Cultivated extensively across northern India as a winter oilseed, chiefly in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana.
Classical references
- Bhavaprakasha Nighantu — Haritakyadi Varga — Sarshapa
Katu rasa, ushna virya; kaphahara, used externally in shotha. - Charaka Samhita — Sutrasthana — external applications
Mustard used in poultices and medicated oils.
Safety & precautions
A mustard poultice left on too long causes chemical burns and blistering — apply for minutes, not hours, and never to broken skin or on a child without supervision. Internally it strongly aggravates Pitta; avoid in hyperacidity and ulcer. Note that mustard oil high in erucic acid is restricted as an edible oil in some countries, though it remains standard in Indian cooking and massage.
Where it grows
Cultivated extensively across northern India as a winter oilseed, chiefly in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana.
Frequently asked questions
How long can a mustard poultice stay on?
Minutes rather than hours. Left too long it causes chemical burns and blistering, and it should never be applied to broken skin.
Is mustard oil safe for massage?
It is the standard massage oil across much of India. Some people find it irritating on sensitive skin, so a patch test is sensible.
