Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

The physician should regard that man as ripe (for death) who has got a violent pain in his neck, a swollen tongue, and inflamma¬ tion (with suppuration) of the bubonic glands, the mouth, and the thrpat.il H

Of one who is bound in the chains of the Destroyer, these three set in, vis., great delusions, excessive delirium, and excessive pain in the bone-joints. I} rS

.death. It is only when the disappearance is not due to adequate reason that it is regarded as a sure prognostication of death. — T,

* ‘Mattwa’ is a person under intoxication. If a man, without being intoxicated, trembles and swoons and moves unsteadily and stutters like one that is intoxicated, his death is regarded to be near. — T.

t ‘Qushyatah’ is ‘of one who is being wasted or emaciated’, of course, under the effects of some of the diseases that are known to bring emaciation, such as consumption or phthisis. If the arms and legs and face of such a man become emaciated while the rest of his body is not so, he dies within a month. — T.

t The first line is incorrectly read in many editions. The correct reading is ‘vastigirshe’, meaning ‘upper part of the pubic region.’

‘Valendukutila’ implies ‘curved as the young moon.’ Of course, lunar crescents are meant. — T.

§ Variola or Small pox of this species is regarded as fatal. If the pimples appear and ripen after sometime and then disappear, the disease does not prove fatal. When the pimples disappear soon after manifesting themselves, it is then that the disease ends in death.' — T.

IT The bubonic plague which is just now devastating Bombay and the other parts of India seems to he identifiable with this disease mentioned or indicated in this verse. At least, some of the symptoms seem to be identical. — T.

ft The correct reading of the second half of the first line is ‘parvabhedagcha darunah.’— T.,

p. 913

That man is driven by Time (on his way to the regions of Yama) who, in fits of senselessness, tears his hair, and who, although very weak, takes copious food like one in health.* * * § 16

The man who is driven by Time (on his way to the regions of Yama) becomes stupefied and placing his hands and fingers before his eyes, searches for them ; or, unconscious of time, remains in wonderment, with eyes unwinking and upturned ; of searches his bed, or seat, or his own body, or wooden furniture (in the room) or the walls, for something that is not there.f 17-i8

One who, becoming stupefied, laughs at something that does not provoke laughter, or who licks his lips, and whose feet and hands and breath have become cold, does not live. J9

He whose mind is about to be eclipsed by the Great Darkness, calls for kinsmen and others that are even near to him and al¬ though his eyes are upon them, does not, as a matter of fact, see them.! 20

The physician possessed of intelligence should not administer medicines to a patient in whose organism he sees an absence of cor* relation, or an excess of correlation, In respect of ether and the rest, simultaneously^ 21

* Chakrapani reads ‘parigrihnati’ for ‘pratigrihnati’, and explains it as governing ‘aharam’ in the objective case.

In the second line for ‘avalah’ some texts read ‘vachanam.’ If this reading be accept¬ ed, the meaning will be ‘who talks and takes food like a healthy man.’ Gangadhara-, upon what authority it does not appear, reads ‘parangrihnati &c.’ meaning ‘who seizes others with violence or great force.’ — T.

t In the first line of 17, some texts read ‘anguliyakam.’ Chakrapani notices the reading ‘angulikarau.’

‘Kalandha’ is, literally, ‘blind to orjunconscious of time’, that is, without knowing whether it is night or day, or, if day, whether Jt is morning, noon, or night.

In the first line of 18, some texts read ‘vasanat’ for ‘asanat.’ The former means dress or garments ; the latter, a seat.

‘Kashtat’ comes abruptly. Probably, the'wooden furniture in the sick room is meant.

‘Kinchit asat’ means ‘something’that is not there’ or ‘something non-existing.’ When these signs of a stupefied or’vacant mind are seen, it should be held that death is near. — T.

t It is frequently seen that men who 'are about to die lose their power of vision. Kinsmen and others standing in close adjacence to the sick bed, become invisible to the dying ones. The latter'call after themjbyjname, thinking they are absent. — T.

§ In Sutrasthana it has been explained that there are four kinds of ‘Yoga’ or correla¬ tion between the senses and the external objects. The senses are five, viz., the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and touch. The external objects are five, viz., earth, water, fire, air.

p. 914

CHARAKA-SAMH1TA,

Through the excessive excitement of faults, and loss of strength of mind, the Self very soon abdicates its abode called the body. 22 Towards the end of one’s period of life, strength of complexion, of voice, and of digestive fire, as also strength of speech, of the senses, and of the mind, decreases, and continuous sleep or entire sleeplessness comes over the man. 23

Those men who have an aversion to physicians, drugs, drinks, food, superiors, and friends, should be known as already brought under the control of Yama* 24