Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

f In Verses 5r. and 52, reference is made to ‘ Ahitam nidraprasangam,’ i.e. ‘Atiyoga-yukta-nidra’ or that sleep which islin excess of what is proper. In the next Verse, reference is made to the causes that destroy * Samayoganidra- or the proper sleep of a healthy man. For Sattwa and Tamas vide note in next page. — T.

J As said in the previous note, reference is made here to the- loss of the- proper sleep of a healthy man. By action is meant some important act that fully engrosses the atten¬ tion. By ‘ Kala’ ’is meant old age, for old men are seen to sleep less than younger persons. ‘ Vikarah’ would include all diseases. ‘ Prakriti’ is- explained as ‘ Swabhavah’ or the nature of a person. There are persons whose'nature is SHch that they sleep less than others. By ‘ Vayu’ is meant the wind in an excited state. The Commentator Gangadhara points out that Susruta also assigns the same reasons for the loss of a healthy xhan’s sleep. The mention of excited wind, after reference to disease, is due to Jhe especial hostility of wind to sleep. — T.

CHA RAKA-SAMHITA.

p. 243

Sleep arises from Tamas, from phlegm also, from the weari¬ ness of both mind and body, from hurts and wounds ; it is induced also by disease ; it arises also from the very nature of Night.64

Amongst these, that sleep which arises from the nature of Night is called the Nurse of all creatures. The sleep that arises from Tamas is regarded as the root of evil.

The sleep that arises from the other causes is regarded as due to Disease.*66

Here occur some verses containing a Summary.

Those men that are censurable, those two among them that are censurable in especial, the faults for which the censurable ones are censured, the causes of those faults, the medicines that should be ad¬ ministered to the two censurable persons,1 the persons unto whom at what time sleep is beneficial, and those unto whom at what time sleep is not beneficial, the medicines for excessive sleep and sleepless¬ ness, the causes from which sleep arises,2 what sleep is of what kind or character, have all been expounded by Punarvasu in this Lesson called Ashtaninditiya.3

Thus ends the twenty-first Lesson called Ashtaninditiya in the treatise of Agnive5a as revised by Charaka.

LESSON XXII.

We shall next expound the Lesson called Langhana-Vringhaniya. Thus said the illustrious son of Atri.f1

* There are three attributes of man viz. , Sattwa (Goodness), Rajas. (Passion), and Tamas (Darkness). The first induces thoughts of Godhead ; the second leads to action the third is the root of sleep and inactivity and ignorance, &c. Weariness of mind and body induces sleep at unseasonable hours. The sleep induced by phlegm, that induced by weariness of mind and body, and that induced by hurts and wounds, are all regarded as due to disease. That sleep only which is induced by the nature of Night is the Nurse of living creatures, being very beneficial in its effects. — T.

t The words 1 Langhana’ and ‘ Vring-hana' have been clearly explained in course of the Lesspn. — T.

p. 244

CH A RAN A - SMA III TA,

The son of Atri, urging them to attend, addressed his six foremost of disciples having Agnive$a as their first and all of whom were endued with penances and Vedic study, saying, — He is a true physician who knows the time when the administration should be resorted to of the courses of treatment called Langhana, Vring-hana, Rukshana, Snehana, Swedana, and Stambhana, Even this (was what he said) .**-*

Unto the illustrious son of Atri who had said so, Agnivetja said, — O illustrious one, what is Langhana, and who are they that should be subjected to this treatment? What, is Vring-hana and who should be subjected to it ? What again, is Rukshana and who are they that should undergo it?4 Similarly, what are Snehana and Swedana and Stambhana, and who are the persons unto whom these should be administered ? O preceptor, it behoveth thee to tell us this !5 It behoveth thee also to expound what the indications are of every one of these courses of" treatment as applied judiciously, insufficiently, and excessively.f6

Hearing these words of Agnivega, the preceptor said, — Any' thing that lightens or attenuates (the aggravated humours and altered constituents) in the body has been said to be a Langhana. That which promotes nutrition and bulk of the body is known as Vring-hana. That which brings about dryness, and roughness and paleness is said to be1 Rukshana. That which leads to secretions of oily matter, softness of the body, and increase of impurities, is said to be Snehana. Anything that produces perspiration and des¬ troys stiffness and heaviness and sensation of cold is said to be Swedana. That which constipates or stops the motion of such constituents of the body as are liquid, restless, and endued with motion, is said to be Stamhhana.7-9