Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

As regards place of living, that includes the circumstance of residence in marshy regions, in water, in the sky, in arid deserts, and other places. These should be considered in respect of those animals that may be selected for food.

Those which are born in water, or in marshy regions, or those which move about in both water and marshy regions, and all those animals which subsist on heavy food, have been regarded as heavy.

Those animals which subsist on light food, those which are born in arid deserts, and which move about in arid deserts, are regarded as light. 883-35

Among parts of the body should be reckoned haunches, head, neck, and others. Heavier than the flesh of the haunch is the neck. Heavier than the neck is the flesh about the belly. Heavier than the belly is the head. And heavier than the head is the flesh of the feet.886

The testes, the skin, the male organ of generation, the hips, the two divisions of the heart, the liver, the anus, are heavier (in the order stated) than the flesh of other parts. The marrow that is within the bones is heavier than these all.337

By nature, Mudga (Phaseolus Mungo, Linn.) is light, and Lavas and Kapinjalas also are so. By nature, Masha ( Phaseolus radiatus, Roxb .) is heavy, and the flesh of the boar and the buffalo is so.*338

Of the constituent ingredients of the body beginning with blood, that which comes after should be known as heavier than that which precedes. f

From those animals that are not of active habits, those that are of active habits are distinguished (in point of lightness)4389 f The order oE enumeration of the Dhatus or upholding ingredients of the body is fluids, blood, flesh, fat, bone, marrow, vital seed, and Ojas. — T.

* Lava is the Perdix ckinensis. Kapinjala is the Francoline partridge.

+ The second line is complete by itself. It does not run into the next Verse. The original 'V^ishyante’ simply implies 'are distinguished.’ Chakrapani explains that this means that animals of active habits are lighter than those that are not of active habits. — T.

CHA RAKA-SA M HI TA.

p. 389

When there is community of species,- heaviness attaches to animals of the male sex, and lightness to those of the female sex.

In the same species, again, those that are large-sized are heavy ; while those that are otherwise are light.*810

Through the necessary operations (of admixture 'or cooking), of things that are heavy, lightness may be brought about ; the reverse of this may also be induced. For example, the cases may be quoted of Laja from paddy and Siddha-p in dika from flour of fried barley. t31t

When a little is taken of things that are heavy, that becomes light. When much is taken of things that are- light, that becomes heavy. In the matter of the heaviness or lightness of things, it has been already pointed out that measure is the cause. if342

Of things that are heavy a little should be taken. Of things that are light, as much may be taken as produces gratification. Things, in respect of their use (as food) depend upon measure. Measure, again, depends upon the digestive fire.§843

Strength, health, and period of life, and the life-winds, are all established on the digestive fire.

* The correct reading is. ‘Gauravam’ and not the locative form 'Gaurave.’ 'Linga' means-'Jati’ or species. Chakrapani observes that this remark about the heaviness of males and the lightness of females should be understood in respect of only quadrupeds and not of birds or fowl. He quotes Harita in support. Chutushpadeshu laghwistri vihageshu laghu pitman. Further, Striyagchatushpade grahyah pumdnso vihageshu cha.

It seems to be unaccountable why, when the Rishis declared the males of quadru¬ peds to be heavier than females, the practice among Hindus has always been to prefer male animals to female ones for slaughter. The Mahomedans slaughter both females and males although they prefer the former. Probably, in selecting the. male the Hindus were guided by the desire of preserving the species. Destruction of female animals may soon make the species extinct. — T.

t ‘Samskara’ implies the processes of admixture or cooking. What is stated here is this : by such processes things heavy may be made light, as laja from paddy. (Laja is fried paddy; frying is the Samskara here). So things light may be made heavy, as flour of fried barley may be converted into Siddha-pindikS.— T.

t The reference is to the lesson called “Mara^itiya” (vide p. 49 ante) where it has been said that articles of food depend upon their measure for their quality of heaviness or lightness as food. — T.

§ ‘Tripti’ is gratification. One should eat ‘tripti-matram,’ that is, to that point which produces ‘gratification’ without bringing about satiety or inability to act or move about. — T.

39°

CHA RA KA-SAMHITA.

With AnupSnas as fuel, that fire blazes up. Without them, it becomes extinguished.*344