Boils, Carbuncles, and Furuncles

Boils, Carbuncles, and Furuncles - I

In several previous articles I emphasized the importance of bodily health. Health, as the Telugu adage goes is the “greatest wealth”. Without it a human being is at the mercy of doctors, nurses, family members, and even moneylenders. With good health one can accomplish a lot; more over health is one of the prerequisites for undertaking the arduous spiritual journey or any other serious mundane pursuit. We’ll be able to control and guide gently the mind to pursue any field of enquiry with good physical health. Be it art, singing, science, or advanced technology – we cannot attempt and complete any decent task without a sound body and its close companion “the sharp agile mind”. 

In this post we turn our attention to the skin, the major organ. Like indoor plants the skin needs proper moisture and moderate exposure to sunlight (vitamin D). Indoors, moisture can be controlled with open windows during spring and summer times. Moisture can also be supplemented with room or house (large) humidifiers during the prolonged dry winter months. The elasticity of skin (suppleness) can be maintained with a simple weekly oil bath. Our mothers and grandmothers used to give children oil bath every Sunday. It also included shampooing of hair with soapnut or shika-kayi (Senegalia rugata) powder. In northern India I witnessed oil bath with mustard oil during winters; at the roadside municipal water taps truck drivers used to vigorously rub mustard oil all over the body and stand in the winter sun. Then an invigorating quick cold-water bath would follow. Though a bit irritating to the eyes mustard oil makes skin very smooth. For some reason such oil baths protect the skin from minor cuts, excessive dryness, and even boils. Our skin gets a bit of oily layer due to the hair (follicles) – this happens naturally during sweating. Excessive soap usage disturbs the skin’s natural defenses.

There is quite a bit of rudimentary knowledge about these skin afflictions (boils, carbuncles, and furuncles, సెగగడ్డ, फोड़ा) on the Internet. They talk about injury to the skin, bacterial (Staph) infection, and the formation of subcutaneous boils, etc. But for the afflicted person (the patient), cure and proper management is paramount. And the remedies must be accessible and affordable to all. So, here I review some of the time tested home remedies. In the early stages when the boil is red, pressing the area with a simple hot pack helps a lot. Warm corn (salt, rice) filled cloth bags or microwave heated wet towels can work as efficient hot packs.

Often skin troubles are ignored, mishandled, or over medicated. Ignoring a boil will not help solve the problem. It can grow in size and become painful. Later the subcutaneous infection will collect pus and slowly becomes unbearable and irritating to the touch. In some instances a simple piercing with clean sterilized tool (scalpel, pin) can help to drain the fluid. Rubbing the piercing tool with (isopropyl) alcohol-dipped swab is sufficient; or, the scalpel can be gently heated in a flame to make it sterile. It is advisable to leave the wound open for natural drainage and let the skin heal naturally. Eventually the ruptured local skin will heal fully and the opening gets closed without any bump, discoloration, or scar. Occasionally some boils may leave a darker patch, a little disconcerting cosmetically but harmless. In complicated situations the uninitiated patient may seek the help of a qualified nurse or physician; skin wounds even small ones can sometimes (though rare) lead to major autoimmune disorders – therefore, one should be very careful in dealing with skin.

First let us look at the remedies, i.e., home remedies that have been thoroughly time (hundreds of years in Ayurvedic and herbal medicine) tested. One need not go into the exact scientific mechanism underlying such methods. For the individual all that matters is efficient, cost effective cure. In the Ayurvedic system boils are often associated with “hotness of the body” or some imbalance. Children develop such skin troubles in the tropics during the sweltering hot high humid climate (i.e., summer) months. This imbalance in the body can be corrected with plenty of nutritious fluids like buttermilk, lemon juice, grape juice, or orange juice. Sherbets, particularly with basil seeds also aid in cooling the body. Adults with blood glucose issues have to be careful with store bought juices – it’s because most commercial juices contain excessive sweeteners (ex: corn syrup, sugar, etc.). Better to stick with home made juice, sherbet, or diluted buttermilk. A simple freshly made lemonade from lime (or lemon) juice with a bit of salt and a pinch of sugar is very helpful in controlling summer thirst. Or, coconut water without all the added ingredients like bisulfite is also a nourishing drink with minerals. We can also prepare a very inexpensive mango drink at home; we used to gently burn raw mango over stove (hot coals) and squeeze the pulp into a glass. Diluted with sufficient chilled water it yields a tasty tangy mango drink for summer time. There was a time in India when many grandmothers, aunts, or maidservants used to be repositories of vast herbal and Ayurvedic remedies (medical knowledge). Once our maid suggested a simple trick for the skin problems: Prepare a soup with small red onions (shallots), a bit of jaggery, and a piece of green pepper. The onion soup can work wonders – it will soothe the body, lessen the imbalance, and cool the body. Even raw onion pieces taken with cooked rice or wheat roti have a beneficial effect on the body. Onions, cucumbers, radish, and fresh tomatoes are used as “salad” in North India; particularly chilled freshly cut salads are a routine during summer months in Delhi. Even in the coastal Andhra some wise people used to grow cucumbers (the vine that grows on pergola or on flat horizontal woven nets or trellis) for a respite during the hot summer months. In fact I tasted the English cucumber first in our rich landlord’s garden. We would enjoy freshly plucked cucumbers with salt and red pepper powder, sitting in the cool shade of a gazebo. Nothing like an organically grown cucumber or a vine ripened tomato!

Often skin care is neglected either due to lack of resources or lack of rudimentary knowledge. Simple things like coconut oil, sesame seed oil, olive oil, mustard oil, or ghee (even butter) do wonders for human skin. At least once a week it is worthwhile to massage the whole body with oil and wash it with besan (the soft Bengal gram dal powder). 

 

(To be Continued) Copyright 2025 by the author

Disorder (Poem)

Dis(order)

Everywhere
I 
Go or drive
Everywhere I 
Wearily walk
Or
Leisurely stroll
Immersed in endless thoughts
Or
Silent quietude 
Trying to watch
A flycatcher here
A bumblebee there
Or, a winter black butterfly
Feasting 
On Arka (Calotropis) flowers
Then
I am shocked with
The spectacle of outrageous
Dirt, debris, irritating air
Pollution (AQI*) all around following me
It’s there in many Indian cities
At all places without exception
Even the
The outlaying village suburbs
Suffer too; they
Are not spared either.
Yet -
I did not notice
This much of manmade disorder
In my youth
Nor the menacing troupes
Of 
Mosquitoes with bloody thirst
In the hot tropical southern states

 
When I return
To the cold Northern Latitudes
The air is clean
The skies – with an eye piercing bluish dome
Here too
During my walks 
I
Am pained by the careless
Wayside trash on the roadside
Empty
Marlborough packets, Red Bull cans,
Cigarette butts, Fiji water bottles,
Tiny bottles of spirit

Soon spring will 
Bring a plethora
Of 
Roadside cleaners,
Rotary Club volunteers
Or
Local school children
Meticulously collecting the 
Wayside trash.
My eyes do not perceive
Disorder
In nature, in the interior woods
Or
On the banks of desolate streams,
Waterfalls, or the meandering creeks
Of the now abandoned Erie Canal

The backyard is strewn 
With fallen stumps
Decaying tree branches
Heaps of last season’s autumn
Foliage with pinecones, hawthorn berries
They’ll soon become nutritious
Compost for future ground cover
Or, silky moss
Bringing out wild geraniums, trout lilies,
And bloodroot blooms
…
After decades of 
Hard working 
Environmentally conscious citizens’
Contributions
Now
The communities 
Try to bequeath
Clean water, pure oxygen-rich air,
And 
Fecund fertile topsoil filled ground
To
The innocent, yet to be born
Future generations.

What an invaluable treasure
This healthy ambience
Of
Verdant gorgeous nature?
Not everything in the world
Need be touched by modern man
Nor it needs to be accounted
By penny pinching bean counters 

Copyright 2025 by the author

*Air Quality Index

Pious Prayers (Poem)

Pious Prayers

Aren’t these pious prayers?
Not earnest enough?
The little sparrow
Had to crawl underneath the car
For a lick of freshly made cool water
Below the a/c compressor

Yesterday early morning
A thirsty crow was
Tapping the skylights,
The translucent convex domes
For cool condensed mist drops
A tiny few at most!

In desperation the neighborhood crows

Are nibbling the Staghorn sumac cone

Fruit drupes even in the summer -

Normally reserved for the hard winters

The stream, near the cataract
That too has dried up
Hardly there is a trickle

You see flow only after persistent drizzles
In the lean summer months
Now you see no current –
And
I miss the music of our
Backyard falls, its meditative murmurings
A soothing
Hushed lovers’ conversation in the night

My great grand father would
Have performed yagnas – on command he could 
Call the benevolent Indra – Prajnanya
My maternal grand father too 
Was a simple, self effacing reader of the
Vedas – that perennial fountain of dharma (धर्म)
No, not the misinterpreted phrase “dhamma/damma”
Found in modern dictionaries or eastern religious treatises 
Outlined in a foreign European tongue - English

Dharma as instructed in the three Vedas
The original mode of human conduct -
It is meant to uplift one and all beings (souls)
And gently guide them towards
Real enlightenment; that was
Way before the modern Maslow!

Now, with a few Sanskrit phrases
I can utter, say a bit haltingly
Prayers to the thirty three crores (of) gods
For a simple cool summer shower
I need them for my Gardenia flowers,
Lawn, sacred Basil (Tulasi),
And Okras

The local farmers too need them
For sweet corn and vegetable crops
The deer, birds, and playful squirrels
Rabbits too need them
A respite from the hot dry wind
Won’t you bless us with
A silky carpet of Jasmines and Dianthus
Govinda?
Your name itself is – Narayana
You seem to float on
A veritable ocean of fresh water

(Dedicated to all the weary drought stricken people walking miles for a pitcher of fresh water across continents. This poem was originally penned in northeast US during a long dry spell in summer. It resonates and finds relevance in the very dry arid regions of Rajasthan, south India, and even the coastal Andhra. And many other dry regions all over the world.) Copyright 2025 by the author

Winter Vacation (Poem)

Winter Vacation

Upon our return from
India
We discovered

Not three inches
Not six inches
Not one or two feet
No, it was four and (a) half feet
Yea, it had to be several feet
Of hard crusty snow -
A mix of freezing rain
And frigid snow
Like multilayered chocolate cake
With interspersed frostings
Hard unbreakable icy frostings
But all white in color;
Crystals of pure water

What is the point of 
Studying hydrogen bond 
In a dry lecture hall?
You learn it 
It gets into your bones
Into the sinews
When the age worn
Hands struggle to break
With steel garden pointed shovel
The ice boulders
And wearily lift the heavy
Loads of Crusty Snow

Lord Siva must have smiled
On this devotee
I have to seek pardon
From Ganga mai
For hitting Her hard
With cruel metallic blows

But what could I do
I had to make way
At least for the minivan
Everything got stuck -
No groceries, no milk
No doctor’s visit
Everything frozen, totally standstill
Surrounded by icy walls

In that little space
Call it driveway
Or car park
We’re trapped for almost
Three full days

Yet
I have no hard feelings 
About the celestial downpour
Of pure white angel dust
It is really white pure snow
No acid rain here
Just pure yech-two-o

You can drink it directly
And you can use it
For indoor plants, for misting
Or in the steam iron

In between shoveling
I stood silently
Wondering 
Will this mountain of snow
Ever be finished?
That’s like asking the philosophical 
Question: “Will this mound of 
Accumulated karma ever dissolve away?”

Copyright by the author 2025

 

Muscle Ache, Stiff Joints, and Backache

Muscle Ache, Stiff Joints, and Backache

Health is the most important wealth! I start with the Telugu adage captured by my ancestors "ఆరోగ్యము మహా భాగ్యము".  This statement holds a lot of truth – but sadly it comes into focus during bone-fracturing falls, memory loss, or other permanent impairment of the body. Usually I do not indulge in these health matters here in my blogs; over the years I must have written half a dozen articles spread over hundreds of other topics (blogs). But I come to this topic to share worthwhile inexpensive yet valuable practices (home remedies, they call it alternate therapy here in US); and  share the valuable sound practical knowledge acquired over many years and honed through trial and error.  One must care for the body, as it is the only veritable vehicle we have to advance in life. Some are lucky to walk upright with strong bones. Many fall prey to a sudden slip, hip fracture, or other serious internal injuries (head trauma, brain hemorrhage, etc.). A lot, in deed many falls can be prevented if we are utterly careful and watch our body’s internal balance. Certainly a good hearing (coupled with visual acuity) helps too (there are tiny weights in the inner ear). Even with the best care, diligence, and sound habits accidents do happen. That is life and we must accept it as part of our daily activity.

As the body advances in years it seems most of the muscle aches and stiff joint problems happen due to lack of warm-up exercise or movement. Added to this we have the effect of seasons; severe cold wintry mornings may make physical flexibility a bit hard in early in the day (morning times). During extreme hot summers too the body may experience dehydration leading to stiffness in calf muscles. Proper nutrition (with minerals and vitamins) and sufficient fluid intake (water, sugar free juice, buttermilk, coconut water, and fruits) will help a lot. Warming up exercises, yoga, or gentle stretching in the morning makes the body supple and strong. We do not need these things in the youthful days but we can learn one or two things watching the kitten or pet dogs. The four-legged (quadruped) animals do stretching while strutting around the house; invariably they gently stretch after a nap or long sleep.

Faith

We need faith in several activities of life. (భక్తిః కిం న కరోత్వహో వనచరో! భక్తావితం సాయతే) When a mother (parent) puts a honey-dipped finger in a baby’s mouth, the baby starts chewing the sweet syrup automatically. Let’s put aside all other explanations like instinct, evolution, or biology for a moment. Through such an act the mother can gently put medicine (cough syrup, antibiotic, etc.) into the baby; both mother and baby have trust in each other’s gestures. It will lead to better health outcome – though the baby does not know the details like medicine’s name, chemical formula, etc. 

For recovering from chronic knee pain or backache problems we really need such strong unshakable faith; faith in our physician, faith in Ayurvedic medicine, Yogic asanas, or a guru initiated japa (tapas). No progress can be made without faith or trust in our doctor or mentor. Doctor shopping or rapid changing of physicians may not lead to fast cure. In spiritual matters also many people keep changing gurus –many great preceptors often discourage such aimless roaming. A patient also benefits from the “placebo effect.”

My experience with a recent episode of ‘stiff back’ (severe backache) may provide some valuable tips. While gardening often I had to pick heavy pots for rearranging. One morning I hurt my back in such a routine harmless activity. I should have used proper leverage or tools. In most situations we can avoid lifting heavy weights. One can also seek help from others to move heavy pots, soil bags, etc. But such wisdom often dawns on us after a mishap! That’s why it is called hindsight or looking in the rearview mirror, sort of after-the-fact analysis.

Immediately after the sprain, I had to curtail my movements. It was pretty bad – getting from bed or bending to pick up things became almost impossible. Then I tried every trick (home remedy) in my book. I took long baths in hot water in tub with aromatic salts. The famed Federal Reserve Chairman (A. G.) used to spend four hours daily in hot water tub due to a severe back injury. When a crisis hits you, you have to throw everything at the problem; they say here (in America) you’ve to throw everything in sight including the kitchen sink! I did exactly like that to get rid of this horrible backache. Daily I used to oil massage followed by fomentation with wet towel. We have three Ayurvedic oils: Maha-Narayana Tailam, Dharasana Tel, and Puttur Tailam. I also used Dharasana Lep (Paste) three or four times. Of course there are over-the-counter pain medicines like Tylenol or Ibuprofen. I tried them too but very moderately, just one or two tablets per day. People who are on blood thinners and other medicines must be careful with these pain medications. 

Still the pain did not go away. I resorted to sleeping on the floor with a firm carpet. Sleeping on a hard wooden floor is also a good idea. Then I resorted to doing gentle Yoga (asanas). I rely on Iyengar’s book for advice on Yoga. Mostly I tried doing Paschimottana, Sarvanga, Bhujanga, and Dhanura-asana. Initially I lost the flexibility but gradually I was able to do these stretching poses; always I adhere to the firm dictum, “never push the limit forcibly”. Nowadays there are free Zoom sessions of Yoga on the Internet. I think it took about two weeks for complete recovery. Just to be on the safe side I did see my doctor. He suggested over the counter pain medication and some patience for full recovery. 

I dedicate this little write-up to my mother. She used to massage Karpura-Tailam for temporary relief from the chronic pain. We could have utilized the local Puttur Raju physical therapy for better long lasting results, alas. I wish I had better counsel and knowledge then. Mother did get the X-ray diagnosis and other modern medicine intervention; sadly it did not cure her ailment. This article is timely I think not the least due to a recent tragedy in the news. Copyright 2024 by the author

The Blind Spot (Poem)

The Blind Spot

It 

Opened my inner eyes suddenly

The little blind 

Winged creature

Was stuck

In

Some unknown surroundings

We don’t know

How it came inside

It had occurred once

Before too

But what a marvelous

Creature it is!

It could save itself

From all the walls,

The steep inclined

Ceiling, the hanging

Fan and domed lights

‘Cause it can see (feel) 

Without Eyes

The stealth bomber

Is

Only half-a-century old

Here, this little mammal

(Thanks to million years

Of evolution)

Can avoid collisions

With the walls and

Other hanging objects 

And

Find its way out -

Of an open window

Or door

Often we think

We’re blessed 

With

The Five Senses

And a few more

Like intuition or prescience 

Internal signals

And then cry helplessly

When we lose

A bit of hearing,

Sight, smell, or touch

But all along

We've been groping in the 

Dark – really.

We can’t see the infrared

Though we do feel the

Sun’s warmth thro’ skin

We can’t hear the infra sound

Of the chronological time

We are prisoned in the

Now or past incarnations’

Dense fog

Then why?

Why?

This crust of ‘useless pride’

Whatever we gained thru’

Evolution and brain -

Did it make us lose?

Some senses too

Better be

Light and live

Live

Lightly with a feather touch;

With least perturbation

To

The ambient surroundings

And creatures  

Copyright 2024 by the author

The Final Resolution of "nagu momu" Song

The Final Resolution of “Nagu Momu” Song

Carnatic singers, music critics, and Carnatic enthusiasts (including this author) have long been puzzled by this unique Tyagaraja composition. Its true meaning and import remained hidden till date. The song was composed more than two centuries back; sadly we do not have among our midst people who are experts in multiple fields (polymath) of music, Hindu scriptures, the Puranas, and Vedas. At best today we have intellectuals with a smattering of Sanskrit, Telugu, but they lack the erudition and impartiality of a great seer like Adi Sankara, or the catholicity of thought - to borrow a word from the Anglicized vocabulary. Certainly the revered Paramacharya could get to the root of issue in such puzzling matters; he always had an uncanny insight, perhaps a blessing of Devi Kamakshi. Actually the saint was an embodiment of Kamakshi.

Before proceeding any further, I must pay my dues (debt) to a number of people and books: Foremost, to my parents and in-laws for instructing and transferring faithfully the centuries (rather millennia) old Hindu traditions and scriptural knowledge. I owe a large debt to all my teachers and college lecturers. Some names I can recall readily like N. G. Sastri, Sanskrit Sastri, Bulusu Venkateswarlu, Rama Raju, but there are many more in the list. They taught me language skills in Telugu, Sanskrit, and English; taught me for a pittance pay yet with full vigor and devotion. Most importantly they trained me to think fearlessly, freely, and explore imagination to the fullest, rather the farthest. I got trained to question everything (all biases, even the most subtle hidden). Yet my teachers and elders helped me retain the sensitivity to appreciate the delicate petals of lotus, the celestial aroma of parijata, and the fine arts – all at the same time. 

Now let us dive into this moving devotional song. In my previous articles (blogs here and elsewhere) I gave word-to-word meaning in detail. But paraphrasing will not suffice for such a glorious kirtana. We have to enquire about its heart, the gist, and its essence. Here, we will confine to the explanation of the second stanza. Briefly it states thus: “It seems Garuda (khaga-raju = king of sky movers) followed You, as per your instruction (dictum, suggestion). Then he (the celestial bird) did not get deterred, he did not mind the enormous (light-years) distance between the Earth and the vast Cosmos. Or, perhaps he did get deterred or discouraged momentarily. O Lord, You being the ruler of the entire Universe, to whom shall I complain? Tell me. Please do not be angry with me. Do not ignore me and my pleadings. I cannot bear it any more. Please help me and guide me.”

For many years, the second stanza did not make sense to me. Then I was ignorant of the Puranas and other Hindu scriptures. Though we read some excerpts of Mahabharatam (Telugu), Ramayana (Molla), and Srimad Bhagavatam (Potana) we (I mean our generation, our classmates) are still not fully conversant with all the numerous intricate details. But due to sheer luck I got a copy of Andhra Maha-bharatamu, the Telugu translation by Tikkana (courtesy I L N). Here in this book we find an interesting dialogue between Garuda (son of Vinati) and a group of rishis assembled on the Himalayan hills. The fearless celestial bird narrated when asked to explain about Lord Narayana and His “essential concept” (tatva).

[Once during the production of ‘Amrita’ a fight erupted between Devas and Asuras. In the fight Devas got extremely tired and exhausted. They sought Brahma’s help. The lotus-born Deva (Brahma, the Creator) immediately went into deep meditation and prayed to Lord Vishnu using all His epithets (qualities). Then momentarily Vishnu came flying on Garuda’s wings and vanquished all the Asuras and vanished from the scene right away. It is impossible even for Brahma to know the essential quality of Lord Vishnu. In that context Brahma elaborated an incident that involves Garuda’s first encounter with Lord Vishnu. (This story is retold by Bhishma to Yudhistara in Mahabharata, Anusasanika Chapter, pp. 32 - 36)].

Garuda Tells About the Grandeur of Narayana

Once on the snow covered mountains (Himalayas) there was a meeting of rishis and Siddhas. Garuda came and paid respects to the assembled munis. During the ensued conversation rishis requested Garuda to enlighten them about Vishnu. “Garuda, you are dear to Lord Vishnu and being his vehicle you are close to Lord Narayana.  Also you are a great devotee of the Lord. Could you tell us about the great Lord and His methods?” 

Garuda continued saying, “It is difficult to understand Vishnu. Even many sages, Devas, and Gandharvas do not comprehend Him. Once I vanquished Lord Indra and secured ‘amrita’ for helping my mother. My mother was a slave then and I got her released from slavery with the ‘amrita’ from heaven. When I was bringing ‘amrita’ to the earth I heard a voice in the sky with these words: “Well done! I admire you. Will give you a boon. Soon you will be my vehicle.” Innocently I (i.e., Garuda) replied back thus: “First reveal yourself to me. Tell me who you are and then give me boons.” Lord Vishnu answered, “You’ll know when the time comes.” And that was the end of it.

Then I went back to my father (Kasyapa) and told him about what has happened. My father instructed me to seek Lord Narayana in the northern mountains near Badarika forest and serve Narayana with devotion. How lucky I am to be His devotee. Later I flew to the Himalayas in search of Vishnu. There I found draped in golden-hued dress adorned with His weapons (conch shell, Sudarsana chakra, Mace, and Lotus). The Lord asked me to follow Him through the vast space of limitless sky. I flew through tens of thousands of miles, passing through intense hot interiors of stars, and alternating between brilliant light and utter total darkness. Soon I got tired. Suddenly I felt lost in the vast limitless space devoid of light. I lost sight of Lord Narayana. I cried for help in utter distress. But how could I be helpless? When the whole vast universe is enveloped with Lord Narayana, how can I be far from Him? Soon I heard soothing words telling me thus: “Do not worry. I am in front of you. You will soon be free of hunger and thirst. You’ll regain strength.” Suddenly my weariness vanished and soon I was flying smoothly. And then after all the wanderings and endless flight suddenly I found myself back in Badarika, exactly where I had started. Lord Vishnu made sure I returned safely to the same mountain range. 

Garuda concluded with these words. “We will find Narayana in our own hearts when we approach Him with a pure sattvik state of mind. No amount of penance, fasting helps except a strong desire to reach Him – the quest with utter humility.” All the assembled rishis were very happy to learn about Narayana, that too directly from His own carrier, Garuda. (Garuda is the name of a modern airline!) So, the aforesaid narration gives context and explains the great composition. I bow in reverence to the great composer, Tyagaraju expressing umpteen thanks. Copyright 2024 by the author

Explanation by Dr. Balamuralikrishna

Nagu momu song in Dr. Balamuralikrishna's Voice