Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

If anybody be ever cured, by these physicians, of any light disease,, that cure is always referred to by them in cases where the treatment that effected the cure is inapplicable or where an altogether different kind of treatment is required.f

They do not desire to consult any one (in respect of anything connected with the medical scriptures). Nor do they desire to be consulted by any one.

They fear any one who wishes to consult them as one fears death itself. No one knows who their preceptor is, or who their disciple, or who their fellow-student.11

( Here are some verses. )

Those men who, wearing the garb of physicians, seek to gratify afflicted persons like fowlers seeking to capture birds in the woods by having recourse to their nets or springes,12 — those men who are unendued with scriptures, experience, (knowledge of) curative operations, time, measure, and place, should be avoided. They walk on the earth like the followers (messengers) of Death.13

A wise patient should always avoid those foolish men with a show of learning who, for earning their sustenance, pretend to the honor of being physicians. They are like snakes subsisting on air.J1'*

* They imagine that they are eloquently expatiating on their own skill ; but all the while they express nothing but their own ignorance. — T.

The reading I adopt is that of Gangadhara. For ‘Sutravayava’ Gangadhara correctly reads 'Kshudravayave ’, i.e., in some disease of a light nature. 'Upayuktah' is restored to health or cured. Tam refers either to the person cured or to the treatment that has effected the cure.’— T.

I Quacks, though they can never have extensive practice, yet manage to keep up appearances. Hence, they are like snakes subsisting on air, for ostensible income they have not.— J.

CHA R A KA -SA MHITA.

4ir

Salutations of reverence are ever due to able physicians who are conversant with the scriptures, possessed of cleverness, endued with purity of behaviour and heart, skilled in treatment of disease, of practised hand, and with souls under complete control.15

( Here is a verse containing a summary . )

In this Lesson on- the ten substrata of the Life-breaths occurs an abstract of the aphorisms (laid down in the previous Lessonswhich comprise what is called Sutrasthdna or the place of aphorisms). In it the two kinds of physicians also have beenspoken of, and the ten substrata of the Life-breaths.1

Thus ends the twenty-ninth Lesson, called ‘That on the Terr substrata of the Life-breaths, in Agnive9a’s work as revised by Charaka.

LESSON XXX.

After this, we shall expound the Lesson called ‘That about the ten (great) ducts in the heart.’ Thus said the illustrious soa of Atri.1*

To the heart are attached ten great ducts. They produce mighty consequences. Mahat and Artha are said to be the synonymes of the heart by the wisest

The body consisting of the six limbs, knowledge, the senses, the five objects of the senses, the Soul as invested with attributes, the mind and thoughts, are all established in the Heart.!j;

* The name of this Lesson is 'Arthe-daga miiliyam' . The heart hasmany names ; among these, one is ‘Artha’. The first verse of the Lessonbegins 'Arthe daga maha mulah &c’. Adopting the first compound of this Verse, the Lesson is named ' That about the ten great ductslin. the heart.’ The distinction between arteries and nerves was not, probably, known to the Rishis ; hence ducts is the correct word instead of arteries. — T.

f ‘ Mahamulah ’ literally implies ‘those which have the Mahat or the heart for their roots. These ducts are So called because they arise from the heart or have the heart for their roots. ‘Mahaphalah’ means ‘those whiclv produce mighty consequences.’ These ducts convey the Ojas or pure blood from the heart away to every part of the body and keep a creature alive, as said in' verse 6 below. — T. .

f The correct reading is 'Shadangamangam, ' meaning the whole body with

4T2

CHAR AKA -SA MHITA.

Since' the heart is the refuge of these existent objects, therefore is it regarded by persons who speculate on the meanings of things as the top beam of the wooden or bamboo frame-work of a thatch.4

One gets swoons or loss of consciousness from wounds inflicted on the heart, and death from the bursting or piercing of that organ.

That which is the well-known consciousness of Touch is that which is called Dhari (or Life); that is situate in the heart.5

The heart is the seat (or receptacle) of the foremost Ojas. It is also the seat of supreme Brahman. For these reasons the heart is called Mahat (Great) and Artha (precious possession), by physicians.8

Because the heart or Mahat is the root of the ten ducts, there¬ fore these are called Makamulci (having the Great for their root). These bear the Ojas and run into every part of the body.7

All embodied creatures, vivified by the Ojas, move about or act. Without it, the life of all creatures becomes extinct.8

The Ojas operates in the first place as the essence of concep¬ tion. It is the juice springing from that juice which produces conception. Before all other things it penetrates into the growing heart (of the foetus)}