Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

* The text does not seem to be correct or, at least, complete. What the Rishi wishes to. say is that there are some indications which inhere to the body, that is, belong to it as the head, the nose, the eyes, belong to it. There are others which arise or appear at particular occasions. When the question is the ascertainment of the remnant of one’s period of life, indications of both these kinds help the physician in his conclusion. — T.

t These are, of course, the symptoms of disease. ‘Lakshya-nimitta vikriti,’ meaning ‘that abnormality which has reference to what is indicated,’ is concerned with diseases which, it is well known, are ascertained by observation of the symptoms laid down in the Division called ‘Nidana.’

CHARAKA-SAMHITA. , 875

The wise declare these as capable of assisting at the ascertain¬ ment of the period, that is undisclosed by the first and the second period of abnormality, of life. 7

In treating of the subject of abnormality (vikriti), we shall ex¬ pound the indications, relating to the body, of persons whose deaths are near.

In this connection the first topic is that which relates to com¬ plexion (or Varna). 8

As regards this, the following are the complexions of the body which are normal, viz., dark, intermediate between dark and fair, and fair. 9

All else also that are seen to be conformable to (the complexions of) the ancestral lines of persons, should be regarded as their nor¬ mal complexions ; and those complexions as well, however much they may differ from usual ones that are regarded so by experts in complexion.* 10

Dark-blue, coppery, and yellow mixed with white, are regarded as abnormal complexions. Those complexions also which arise immediately before the appearance of the abnormal complexions, are taken as abnormal. 11

Thus have complexions, both normal and abnormal, been expounded.

Here it should be stated that if the normal complexion be seen in half the body and the abnormal in the other half of the body, that is, if both the normal and the abnormal complexions appear together, separated from one another by well-defined lines, one on the left side and the other on the right side, or one on the front and the other on the back, or one on the lower part and another on the upper part, or one internal and the other external, this should be known as an indication of the near approach of death. 12

Similarly, a difference of colours within the mouth is regarded as an indication of death being near. x3

* I am not sure that I have correctly understood this passage. Gangadhara’s comment is unintelligible. He seems to think that all other colours which agree with the actual colours of existent objects are implied by this passage. This would be absurd, for no colour then would be abnormal. ‘Anuka’ means, in this connection, race or ancestry. ‘Anyatha vapi nirdishtamanan’ may be taken to mean ‘other colours differing from the normal but regarded as normal.’ — T.

Ill

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

p. 876

The appearance of grief and joy, of dryness and oiliness, is ex¬ pounded after the manner of the difference of colours.* 14

So also the appearance of any one of these, viz., Piplava(a), Vyanga(^), Tflakalaka(r), and Pidaka(rf), on the face of a patient, is regarded as a baneful symptom. 15

The appearance of any of those colours which have been laid -down as abnormal, on the nails, the eyes, or the face, in the urine in the stools, on the hands, the feet, or the lips, while the patient suffers from loss of strength, complexion, and (power of) the senses is regarded as a symptom of the decrease of his period of life.

Any other colour, that is abnormal, that was not seen before, 'that appears suddenly, and that is due to no apparent cause, in a patient that is becoming weak day by day, is a symptom indica¬ ting the near approach of death.

Thus has been explained the topic of complexions. 16

The topic of voice.

These voices are called normal (or natural), viz., those which resemble the voices of swans, cranes, ‘dundubhi.’j- the rattle of carwheels, sparrows, crow, pigeon, and ‘jharjharas’.J

All -other voices which are seen to be conformable to (the voices of) the ancestral lines of persons should be regarded as their normal voices ; and those voices as well, however much they may differ from normal ones, that are regarded so by experts in voice.1?

The following voices, when observed in patients, are regarded as abnormal, viz., that which resembles the voice of the parrot, that which is very low, that which is totally choked in the utter-

* ‘Glani’ and ‘harsha, rendered ‘grief and joy’, may be taken as standing for the effects also of grief and joy. The sense is that if there are pains in half the body and the total absence of pain in the other half, it is to be taken, like differences of colour, as an indica¬ tion of the approach of death. a. Freckles.

t. Brown spots on the face. c. Pigmentary nsevi or moles.

■a. Pimples.