Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

In the second portion of the aphorism what is said is this : through diverse causes, Dhatus called ‘Prasada,’ that is those which spring from the juice of food, sometimes become attenuated and sometimes overgrown. The juice of food newly taken generates a harmony among the DhSms so attenuated or so overgrown. The result of this is health. The means by which this is achieved is the growth and attenuation of Dhatus, — growth in the case of attenuated Dhatus and attenuation in the case of overgrown ones. Such growth and attenuation have food for their root, i.e., they are ‘aharamula.’ — T.

+ ‘Kittancha malanameva this is elliptical. The meaning is this : when those Dhatus called ‘Prasada’ decrease or increase, it is ‘rasa’ or the juice of food that

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p. 394

CHA RAKA -SA MHI TA.

As regards the latter Dhatus, viz., Malas, which have the virtue of being excreted, when they increase beyond their normal measure, being treated alternately by regiihen of cooling and warm properties, they regain their position of restoratives of the elements of the body to harmony.6

Of the Dhatus of both classes, viz, those called Malas and those called Prasddas, the passages of motion are the ducts (of the body.

Those ducts, agreeably to their order, nourish the Dhatus, each its particular one.

Thus, the body has, for the source of its growth, food that is swallowed, drunk, licked, and chewed.

Diseases arise in the body.*7

As regards the body, particular administrations (of regimen), wholesome or unwholesome, become productive of good or evil ' consequences.8

Unto the illustrious son of Atri who said so, Agnivega said these words.

It is seen, O illustrious one, that men who take even such food as has been called wholesome, catch disease, and that others, after taking food that has been called unwholesome, do not catch any disease.

When such is the case, how can good and bad results (on the physical system) be attributed to the operation of food that is wholesome or that is otherwise ?8

Unto him the illustrious son of Atri answered (as follows).

restores, them to harmony. Similarly, when the Dhatus called 'Malas' decrease or increase, it is ‘Kitta’ that restores them to harmony. The case of increase is especially noticed below, for there it is said that when they increase beyond their normal measure, they are decreased by being treated alternately with regimen of cooling and warm properties ; ije., when the increase is due to the taking of food possessed of cooling properties, warm regimen is prescribed, and vice versa,. — T.

* The ‘ayana mukhani,’ or passages of motion, of both classes of Dhatus, are the ducts of the body. It is through those ducts that they course upwards or down¬ wards or transversely. Those ducts, again, nourish the Dhatus, each its own, so that the blood-ducts nourish blood j those that appertain to the marrow, nourish the marrow j &c. — T.

CHA RA KA-SA M HIT A.

p. 395

© Agnive^a, as regards those persons who take food that is beneficial, they never catch such diseases as arise from food. Then, again, all fear of catching diseases cannot be transgressed by only confining oneself to good food.

For there are other sources of disease than the taking of food that is.‘not beneficial.

They are as follow : the perverse course of time, faults in respect of the understanding, as also such sound, touch, colour, taste, and smell as are not in harmony with the physical system.

These sources of disease bring evil on even a person that properly enjoys the different tastes.19

It is for this that men who take even beneficial food are seen to be assailed by disease.

From several causes, the transgression committed by those tvho' take food that is the reverse of beneficial, does not becomeinjurious immediately.

All kinds of food, again, that are not beneficial, are not equally injurious.

Nor is the injury in every case of equal strength.

All bodies, again, are not equally liable to disease.

The unwholesome food that one takes, in consequence of excessive correlation with place, time, use, potency, and measure,, becomes more unwholesome.11

The injury, again, (that is produced by unwholesome food), if. it arises from the operation of more than one cause, or if treated in a way that is the reverse of what is laid down for its cure, or if it affects some deep-seated part of the body, or if it is generated in some part that is regarded as the seat of life, or if it afflicts some vital limb, gains in strength, leads to much pain, and produces (evil) results very soon.12

Those bodies which are very fat, or which are very lean, or which are made up of flesh, blood and bones that are either undeve¬ loped or of measure less than normal, or which are destitute of strength, or which are supported by such kinds of food as are not agreeable to them, or which depend upon a very small measurep. 396 of food, or which are endued with very little vitality, are incapable of resisting diseases.13

These bodies which are the reverse of those described above are capable of resisting diseases.