Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

The reader will find many wise and weighty observations in this Part. These are incapable of being condensed in a few sentences. Even a cursory perusal will show that the Rishis thoroughly under diseases discussed here. Lesson III on ‘Gulma’ or abdominal tumours is concluded in this Part. The varieties of this disease, its causes, incubatory symptoms, developed indica¬ tions, and instructions about its treatment, have been fully set forth.

Lesson IV, on the ‘Nidan’ or causes of ,Prameha’ or ‘Gonorrhoea is most instructive.

There are, in all) twenty varieties of ‘Prameha.’ Of these, ten are born of excited phlegm, six of excited bile, and four of excited wind.

The causes which excite the phlegm, those that excite the bile, and those that excite the wind, and produce the different varieties of ‘Prameha,’ have been set forth with a minuteness that proves how well this disease was studied by the Rishis.

Those causes are such as can be easily avoided by every care¬ ful man or woman.

The distinctive characteristics of each variety of ‘Prameha’ have also been set forth fully, so that the diagnosis of the disease may not be at all difficult.

‘Prameha’ caused by the excitement of all the faults has also been explained. The especial symptoms have been laid down.

The characteristics of the curable and the incurable varieties also have been shown.

Lesson V treats of ‘Kushtha’ or skin-diseases.

‘Kushtha’ is of seven varieties, or of eighteen, or innumerable.

All these varieties, with their causes, have been explained.

The whole Lesson contains instructions on hygiene that are fraught with great wisdom and that have a high practical value.

Lesson VI treats of ‘phthisis.’

The four principal causes have been set forth of this grave dis¬ ease. These are acts of rashness, suppression of the urgings of nature, loss or waste of the ingredients, and food consisting of inharmonious ingredients.

The causes that lead to waste have been set forth in detail.

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

p. 955

By exposure to causes which generate the disease, it increases in Intensity, while the opposite course of action alleviates it.

All this about phlegm-born ‘Gulma.’ *3

That Gulma which is born of the union of the causes and the symptoms of the three several faults, is called by experts ‘Sannnipatika1 (or born of all the three faults).

This ‘sannipatika’ or ‘nichaya’ Gulma is incurable in consequence of the contrariety of remedies prescribable for its treatment* 14

As regards blood-born ‘Gulma,’ only women can have it, and not men, because of the distinguishing characteristic which women have of menstrual blood accumulating in the uterus. *5

In consequence of their state of dependence, of ignorance, and of the obligation of attending to domestic concerns, women are forced to suppress the urgings of stools and urine and the rest even when these are pronounced.

Owing to this cause, as also through indulgence in wind-exciting articles and practices at a time when conception has just set in, or abortion has taken place, or delivery has occurred, or during the con¬ tinuance of the menstrual flow, the wind becomes quickly excited.f 15 The wind, becoming excited, enters the mouth of the genital organ, and stops up the menstrual flow.

* What is stated in the first part of the aphorism is this : ‘sannipatika’ or ‘nichaya’ Gulma means that Gulma which is generated by all the three faults excited together.

When there is a ‘sannipata’ or union of the ‘hetus’ or causes that excite each of the three faults or all of them simultaneously, and when the Gulma generated by the united causes discovers the symptoms, in a state of union, of each simple variety of Gulma, viz., the windborn, the bile-born, and the phlegm-born, such Gulma is called ‘sannipatika’, or ‘nichaya’, that is, born of all the faults.

The power of the Sanskrit language is abundantly'illustrated by the compound ‘Tridoshahetu-linga-sannipata.’ It is impossible to render it in any other language with equal brevity.

‘Pratisiddhopakrama,’ or, as some texts read, ‘viruddhopakrama,’ means, literally, ‘hostile treatment.’ The sense is this : if any course of treatment is adopted for alleviating a particular fault, another fault may thereby be more excited than already. Thus the difficulty of apply¬ ing remedies makes this variety of Gulma incurable. — T.

t Women are in a state of dependence. They cannot act freely. Their liberty is restrained by considerations of modesty and social opinion. They have frequently, in conse¬ quence of this, to check hunger and the urgings of stools and urine.

‘Vaisaradya’ is knowledge or experience. The reverse of it is ignorance.

‘Upachara’ is service. Women have to attend to domestic concerns of every kind. They have to keep the premises clear, attend to cooking, and distribute the food to all the members of the hou sehold. In consequence of the engrossing nature of their work, they are simply forced to suppress the urgings of appetite, of stools, of urine, and the rest. — T,

p. 121

CHARAKA-SAMH1TA

§56

The menstrual blood, thus stopped month after month, increases (or inflates) the womb. *7