Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

The Hindu belief is that some diseases are due to the acts of previous lives. These have no remedies in Medical Science. Only propitiatory rites and cere¬ monies, that is, sacrifice, worship of the gods, etc., can destroy those acts, and with them their effects, viz., the diseases due to them. Treatment, as has been explained by the Rishi before, is of two kinds, viz., that which depends upon science and drugs, and that which depends upon acts of piety and especial rites for propitiating the deities. Then, again, decrepitude and death may not be due to especial causes. They are generally brought about by Time. It is the nature of the physical organism that it should decay and perish in time.— T

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CHARAKA SAMHITA

heat and cold that are all untimely, are called false Correlation of touch. *128

In consequence of beholding objects that are possessed of great effulgence, or objects that are very minute, or of never exercising the eye at all for vision, the power of vision becomes destroyed.129

The sight of objects that are hateful, or terrible, or repulsive, or of objects at a great distance and seen with straining eyes, or of objects that are of a dark hue, is regarded as false correlation in respect of vision. f13°

Excessive indulgence in any of the tastes, or a total abstention from all the tastes, or indulgence, while taking things that are from habit suitable to the physical organism, in tastes that do not at all agree with them, or a very sparing indulgence in tastes, impairs the organ of taste.J131

Indulgence in scents that are very mild or very keen, or a total abstention from all scents, is destructive of the organ of scent.132

* ‘ Akalenagatah sneha-samsparcah ’ implies, I think, contact with oily sub¬ stances at unseasonable hours, such as rubbing the body with oil at night time or after meals. — T.

t By ‘ rupanam tamashanancha ’ is meant all kinds of dark objects, i. e., objects of a deep black hue. It is well-known that by continually looking at dnrk-coloured objects, one loses one’s power of vision. Long-continued residence in perfect darkness impairs or destroys the sight. This was well-known to cruel tyrants and their as cruel agents. In Sir Walter Scott’s Count Robert of Paris, an example is given of the Emperor Alexius having immured a competitor for the throne into a subterranean dungeon from which light had been very care¬ fully excluded, caused him to believe that_ he had become blind. The story speaks of the man’s restoration to sight as having been effected easily. In this, Sir Walter Scott was in error. One who loses his vision by long-continued residence :in darkness, regains it very slowly and through a careful regulation of light. A sudden exposure to strong light may permanently impair the vision. — T.

I ‘ Okasatmya ’ implies all things which, through practice or habit, become assimilable to, or accordant with, the system. Thus in the case of inveterate opium-eaters, even large quantities of opium, which are sure to kill others, become' assimilable or non-injurious. The word is applied also to things which are assimilable in the ordinary way. “ Indulgence, " while taking things that are from habit suitable to the physical organism, in tastes that do not at all agree with them ” may be illustrated by the use of mustard oil with opium, or chillies with tamarind or hog-plums. — T.

CHARAKA SAMHITA.

p. 683

The contact of scent with the organ of scents, omitted by putrified objects or objects that are poisonous, or of scents that are disagreeable or repulsive, or of scents that do not belong to the season, is regarded as false correlation in respect of the power of scent.*133

Even this are the three kinds of contact with the senses of objects not in accordance with them. Each is probocative of the faults (viz., wind, bile, and phlegm). That should be known as Unaccordant which does not accord with the humau organism. f134