Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

+ Although the eight words given here are declared to be of the same meaning, yet there are differences between their senses, or at least in their use. Thus ‘Hetu’ is generally limited to the circumstances that precede. Of course, mere priority does not constitute ‘Hetu.’ There must be an aptitude in those circumstances to produce the change of condition called disease.

‘Nimitta’ implies such omens of a calamitous nature as are succeeded by disease.

‘Ayatana’ is confined to the seat of the disease.

‘Kartri’ indicates those active agents which bring about the effect or disease.

‘Karana’ is cause'as usually understood.

‘Hetu’, ‘Kartri’, ‘and Karana’ are regarded as identical.

‘Pratyaya’ implies accidents that come upon a person, like suffixes upon roots, and cause the change of condition called disease.

‘Samutthana’ is something which gives rise to something else. It is ‘hetu’ or ‘kartri’, or ‘karana’ viewed in a particular light.

‘Nidana is generally taken to be of much wider signification. It includes ‘purvarupa’ (symptoms of incubation), ‘rupa’ or ‘linga’ (actual symptoms of the disease), ‘upajaya’ (certainty derived from experimental prognosis), and ‘samprapti’ (ascertainment of the strength or otherwise of the disease).

The word ‘nidana’ is explained as ‘something by which disease is ascertained correctly.’

All these terms will be explained fully in course of this and the following Lessons.

$ The three general causes of disease, viz., ‘asatmasamyoga’, ‘prajnaparardha’, and ‘parinama’ have been fully explained in the previous divisions of the work.

CHA RAKA-SAMHITA.

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There are two other kinds of diseases, viz., those arising from the attribute of ‘Rajas’, and those from the attribute of ‘Tamas.’* 2

In this connection it should be stated that the words ‘Vyadhi’, ‘amaya’, ‘gada’, ‘atanka’, ‘yakshman’, ‘jwara’, ‘vikara’, and ‘roga’, are of the same import.f

The ascertainment of disease is to be had from ‘Nidana’, ‘Purva- >rupa’, ‘Linga’, ‘Upacaya’, and ‘Samprapti.’

Amongst these, ‘Nidana’ (Hetu) is the cause, as said at the outset.

‘Purvarupa’ implies those indications which manifest themselves before the appearance of the disease. (These are the symptoms of the period of incubation).

By ‘Linga’ is meant those symptoms which manifest themselves on the appearance of the disease.

In this connection it should be stated that ‘Linga’, ‘akriti’, ‘lakshana’, ‘chihna’, ‘samsthana’, ‘vyanjana’, and ‘rupa’, are words of the same import.j

In this connection, ‘upagaya’, again, is the prescribing, followed by happiness (or recovery) as the result, of medicines, diet, and prac-

* Physical ailments, as regards their nature, are of three kinds, viz. , ‘Agneya’, ‘Saumya,’ and ‘Vayavya’ ; in other words, these relate to bile, phlegm and wind.

The two other kinds of disease, viz., Rajasa and Tamasa’, are, of course, mental. — T.

t The etymology of these words is certainly instructive.

‘Vyadhi’ comes from the root ‘vyadh’, to beat or belabour. 'Disease, owing to the pain it causes, is regarded as ‘beating’ or ‘belabouring’ the person who is afflicted by it.

‘Amaya’ is from ‘am’ which means pain.

‘Gada’ is from ‘gad’, meaning inarticulate sounds Incapacity to speak clearly being one of the symptoms of disease, the word ‘Gada’ has come to be applied to it.

‘Atanka’ comes from the root ‘tank’ meaning distress or misery.

‘Yakshman’ is from ‘yaksh’ meaning to worship. Patients become generally disposed to worship the deities or honour them for obtaining relief as soon as possible.

. ‘Jwara’ is from ‘jwar’, implying heaviness of body.

‘Vikara’ is from ‘vi’ and ‘kri’, meaning the reverse of what is normal.

t ‘Linga’ comes from the root ‘Ligi’ to go. Hence, anything by which one can go to or proceed to an inference is called ‘Linga.’ It is a sign or symptom by which disease is to be inferred.

‘Akriti’ is literally, appearance, or manifestation.

‘Lakshana’ is from the root ‘laksha’ to see or observe. Hence, that by which anything else is seen is called ‘Lakshana.’

‘Chihna’ is, literally ‘a mark.’

‘Samsthana’ is from the prefix ‘sam’ and the root ‘stha’ which means to remain or stay ; hence, anything that remains or appears on the patient and resides in him as long as the

‘Vyanjana’ is something which expresses or indicates.

‘Rupa’ is form, — T,

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CHARAKA-SAMHITA

tices, that are contrary '"to cause and disease, or contrary, as regards their effects, to the same.* 4

* Samprapti, ‘ jati’, and 1 agati’ of disease, are words of the same importf 5

‘Samprapti’ is distinguished by these considerations, viz., number (or enumeration), predominance, kind (or order), solution of doubt, strength](or intensity), and Time. 6

By Number or (or enumeration) is meant such as these : Eight kinds of Fevers, Five kinds of tumours, Seven kinds of leprosy, and so on. 7

Predominance, again, applies to faults, and consists in judging which is the stronger or the strongest.

* ‘Hetu’, as already explained, is the cause of disease.

‘Upayoga’ is administering or prescribing.