Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

T The argument here is this : Time is said (byjthose whose opinion is here adverted to) to be equal in respect of its action towards all creatures. The Rishi answers— it is very true that time is impartial in this respect, •ait., that all men die, there being none who does not die. But then this is an instance of taking the word ‘time’ in a sense different from that which is attached to it in such connection, since 1 time ’ is a word applied to the period or measure of one’s life.— T:

8b 2 tifARAKA SAMfflTA.

different results in different circumstances, that tliefe is sUch ri thing as consideration of timeliness and untimeliness. As an example of this it is said among men: —

This is the time of this disease j

This is the time of (taking) this food ;

This is the time of (administering) this medicine;

This is the time of (adopting) this treatment ; and

This is the time of thelctife of this disease.

Similarly, it is said, this is not the time for this, &c.

It is also said, the deity (of the clouds) is pouring rain in time ; the deity (of the clouds) is p oh ring rain untimely ; this Cold has appeared in time; this cold is Untimely ; this heat is in time ; this heat is Untimely ; these flowers and fruits ate timely ; these ftowers and fruits are untirriely-.

Hence-, both exist, viz., death id ti'm'e arid Untimely death'. In this matter, neither the one, rtor the other, is exclusively true. If there be no such thing as unthriely death, then the period of life, of Cvery ereatUre-, would rriri the allotted coU'rse.33

Verily, if thete wefe hot untimely death, the knowledge of What is beneficial (to the body) and what riot s'o; wohld theh bb absolutely useless.

Then direct Perception, Irifefenfce, and the Instructions of the Wise-, which aria regarded as authorities in every science arid by Which acts that leftghfcri life arid those that shorten life ate deterhnined, would lose their authority (as sanctions for particular Courses of conduct); Hence the assertion that thete is no Un¬ timely death is regarded by the Rishis as a mere form of speech Without sense.34

Verily, in this age, (viz.;. Kali), a hundred years is the measure of life.

The causes Upon which this depends afe COristitutioiial exc'eU lence as derived frdrh parents-, wealth of soUl (as dependent oil the unexhausted acts of previous lives); and recourse to assimilable food and drink and other practices.36 *

* ‘ Prakriti-guna ’ is, lit., ‘ qualities of nature or birth,’ implying, of course, the constitutional excellence that one derives from One’s parents. ‘AtmasampAt ’ means ‘ wealth of soul,’ that is, excellence of the unexhausted acts of previous lives. Acts, good and bad, are never exhausted without their fruits;

CâARAKA SAMHITA. 803

( Here occur some verses containing a summary.)

That which the body in reality is, the manner in which it is supported, the manner in which it becomes afflicted by diseases, the manner in which it meets with afflictions and destruction, the dfiatus which compose it, the means by which these are increased and decreased, the medicines that should be used for strengthening them when they are weakened or attenuated, those things which nourish the body, those which increase strength, those things which transform food and drink into their final forms {vis., blood, bones, &c., and excretia, &c.), the respective func¬ tions of those agents, those dkatus which go by the name of mala (or Impurities) and those which go by the name of Prasada (or Pure elements), the nine questions (asked by Agnive§a), and the solutions of those questions, have all been duly expounded in this Lesson, called Carira-vichaya, of the Division called Carira, by the great Rishi.1- *

Thus ends the sixth Lesson, called Carira-vichaya, in the Division called Carira, of Agnivega’s work as revised by Charaka„

LESSON VII.

After this we shall expound the Lesson called “Carira-sankhya” In the Division called "Carira” of this treatise. Thus said the illustrious son of Atri.1*

Agnivega asked the illustrious son of Atri about “garirasankhya” with a view to acquire the knowledge of the numbers and measures of the entire body, dividing the whole into the several parts of which it is made up.2f in the form of Weal and woe being enjoyed and endured, if one has a large stock of good acts to one’s credit, one is said to have ‘ atma-sampat.’ ‘ Satmasevana’ includes the enjoyment of good sights and sounds, good air (z.e., of healthy stations), good beds and robes, besides good food and drink. — T.