Unfolding of Yog Chintamani in the Perspective of Plant Invasion in India

belong 57 genera 38 families of angiosperms. These alien floral elements are evaluated for their role in Indian economy, invasion and culture.


INTRODUCTION
Prior to Indian independence, many men of learning unfolded biodiversity of Indian sub-continent. They probed different regions and their efforts culminated in the publication of a monumental work 'Flora of British India' (Hooker, 1872(Hooker, -1897. We are also acknowledged with Vedic literature which divulged traditional, mythological and rational scientific treasure-trove. Most of the Sanskrit scripts contain, directly and indirectly, reckonable quantum of information about plant wealth of the bygone days. The ancient works inspired many Indians to write on utility of plants in different times. Their works are/were hand-written and have remained untouched. The present author extended analytical studies to reveal the plant-wealth incorporated in them. The author has engaged particularly in divulging alien flora in India from various ancient scripts and epics (Patil, 2017a;2018a,b;2019a,b,c,d;2020;Patil and Patil, 2019). On such treatise dealing with medicinal plants and their applications to better humanhealth is 'Yog Chintamani'. This hand-written script, to my knowledge, has yet remained in dark and has not been studied for any aspect embodied in it. The details of this hand-written manuscript (called 'Pothi') are: (i) Manuscript: It contains total 167 pages written on both sides on brown paper. It is 4.5 inch wide and 9.5 inch in length and wrapped in brown paper. 'Sanskrit Prakrit Vaidyak Yog Chinatamani' is a title on brown paper. The original script is deposited in Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune (Maharashtra: India). It is now also available in offset print form published by Itihasacharya V.K.Rajwade Sanshodhan Mandal, Dhule (Maharashtra: India). It is numbered as 731-31. Preface for this form is given by Shivaji N. Bhave dated 04. 05.1980. (ii) Author of Manuscript: It is authored by Harshakirti Suri. He was honoured for this contribution by the then ruler of Delhi (India), Selim Shah (1545-1553). It is written in Sanskrit as well as in Prakrit Languge. Prakrit is regarded earlier form of Marathi language. He was a Jain Muni (Sedge), a resident of Nagpur (Maharashtra). The author in preface stated that 'Yog Chintamani' is abstracted from earlier Ayurvedic texts viz., Charak and Susruta Samhita, and also incorporated his own wisdom. The title of manuscript contains two words, first 'Yog' and secondly 'Chintamani'. The first word is meant for purity of mind, however, the manuscript do not deal with 'Yoga'. The word 'Chintamani' means victory, victory over diseases. The treaty is thus an account on medicine. It contains Sanskrit, Prakrit and even some Marathi plant names, besides medicinal recipes, its administration and avoidances. Total 167 sub-titles are mentioned in the first nine pages indicative of subject-matter dealt in the main body of the manuscript. Interestingly, these 167 subtitled are completed only in 167 pages only.
Indian subcontinent has a rich heritage of biodiversity due to its variable geo-climate. However, some aliens have been introduced in this landmass intentionally and also reached negligently because of biotic interference (Patil, 2017a,b;2019a,b,c,d). During the course of time, these have been appropriated from utilitarian viewpoint and are also incorporated in ancient texts and literature. These texts are also sources of information about plant invasion.It is, therefore, this ancient script 'Yog Chintamani' is being presented from point of biological invasion.

METHODOLOGY
The offset print copy of Yog Chintamani (Suri Harshkirti, 1981) Table-I. The data accrued is critically assessed from the standpoint of plant invasion in Indian territory, besides their bearing on Indian bioculture and economy.

Background and earlier study
The term 'Biodiversity' gained currency more after the 'Earth Summit' (1992) held at Riode Janeiro (Brazil). World's biodiversity is being investigated at three levels viz., (i) Ecosystem, (ii) Species and (iii) Genetic/Genic. The composition and status of biodiversity of a region is not static. It goes on changing with time obviously due to biological invasions that take place, apart from the reason of abiotic factors. The biological invasions although are operated by introductions of certain species, it but affects biodiversity at the three different levels stated above. Biological invasions and dispersals of plant, animals or microbes usually go hand-in-hand depending upon the adaptive features of various organisms. Studies on Indian biodiversity were initiated before Indian independence by workers in various universities and Botanical Survey of India. There have been also special attention on alien flora elements. Nayar (1977), Maheshwari (1960Maheshwari ( , 1979 and Reddy (2008) evaluated alien plant taxa in India, based on research conducted in past. However, revealing alien plant species from ancient literary sources have largely remained untouched. The present author recently made a headway on this line as stated earlier.

Present investigation
The present attempt dealt with an ancient hand-written manuscript 'Yog Chintamani' authored by Harshkirti Suri, a Jain Muni (Sedge) and shed more light on this much neglected treatise. As many as 60 plant species are gleaned from this manuscript exotic in origin. They comprise total 57 genera and 38 angiospermic families. Of these, only seven species belong to monocotyledons from six genera and 03 families viz., Liliaceae, Arecaceae and Poaceae. Majority of alien species belong to dicotyledons (53 species, 51 genera and 35 families). Out of total 60 exotic species, herbaceous taxa play a major role (28 species) in medicine as documented by Harshkirti Suri (1981). Other taxa in descending order of medicinal utility are trees (15 species), shrubs (10 species) and lianas or climbers (07 species). It is to be noted that 36 species are found exclusively under cultivation on Indian landmass or even outside. Total 20 species run as wild exclusively, whereas few species (04) are either cultivated or even found naturalised in wild state e.g. Albizia lebbeck, Aloe vera, Tamarindus indica and Melia azaderach. The plant species which are recorded as cultivated are brought in India intentionally for various human needs as food grains, pulses, edible fruits, spices and condiments, ornamental or as live hedge, oil-yielders, shade trees, cosmetics, vegetable, narcotic or even used for religious purpose. All these cultigens and the wild ones invaded unintentionally, as a result of plant dispersal, find place in medicine.
There are a few exotic species which are referred by a common name which point out to different species e.g. Rui (Calotropis procera and Calotropis gigantea), Patha [(Cissampelos pareira and Cyclea paltata (Lam.) Hookf. & Thoms.] and different of Gossyipium as Kapasi or Kapus. Probably, these would have been used in ancient past for similar medicinal treatments.

Nativity
Interestingly, these exotic species are native of various continents, countries or certain geographical regions. They have been found belonging to different 28 native places. They are originally denizen nearly all regions of the world. Majority of species are from various parts of Asia (Excluding India) (18 species), Africa (15 species), Europe (13 species) and America (10 species). These are followed by Persia and Mediterranean region (05 species each), Afghanistan, Arabia and China (03 species). Other countries or regions represented are Baluchistan, Pakistan, Iran, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Turkestan, Siberia, Java, Bali, Borneo, Sumatra, Johore, Labua, Japan, Fertile Crescent, middle east, East and West Indies (mostly one or two species each). These are indicative of plant migration in India vis-a-vis Indian past contacts with other world directly or indirectly.

Significance
Ancient scripts are the means of reaching out to our historical past and human practices. It is, therefore, essential to pass this part of our rich culture, our heritage to our future generation. Plant invasion, plant dispersal and natural instinct of identifying medicine have always gone simultaneously in past and may continue so even in future. We must be aware of these for the sake of biodiversity management and conservation. The present biodiversity is the result of these natural forces and past human activities concerned with contemporaneous utilities. Our age is one of information explosion and hence we should also derive it from such ancient scripts for our welfare. Such scripts act as a mirror.

CONCLUSION
International Union for Conservation of Nature And Natural Resources (IUCN, 2002) defines 'Alien Invasive Species' as an alien species which becomes established, in natural or semi-natural ecosystems or habitat, an agent of change, and threatens native biological diversity (Raghubanshi et al., 2005). However, this is not always a fact. Local people carry on bio-prospecting and absorb potential valuable exotic plant species. The exotic species, numbering 60 of the present account, are renderedas an integral part of Indian system of medicine.