Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

Adoption of measures that lead to leanness ; and Letting out blood by opening the veins. 9

As regards diet, it should be prescribed with discretion, agreeably to the patient’s constitution.!

Every other remedy that is hostile to the causes which produce the disease should also be applied. 10

( Here occurs a verse ).

Those varieties of Insanity which are born of the (excited) faults are curable.

A good physician should take up their treatment agreeably to those due methods which have been laid down above. 11

*/.«., fomentation or applying heat for inducing perspiration. — T. t Both ‘Avapidana’ and ‘Pradhamana’ are processes for inducing sneezing. The first implies inhalation by the patient himself ; the second, blowing into his nose particular substances by means of pipes or tubes. Both differ from ‘Nastahkarman’ in this ; in ‘Nastahkarman’ drugs are given for inhalation in order to produce certain effects on the'system with or without the aid of sneezing. — T.

I ‘Yathaswam’ implies ‘agreeably to the patient’s own body ;’ that is, as suited to his consttiution. The physician, in prescribing the patient’s diet, should be guided by consider¬ ations connected with the particular fault or faults that may be predominant, — T.

p. 994

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

That variety of Insanity is called Accidental which is character¬ ised by causes, incubatory indications, and pronounced symptoms, differing from those of the fault-born varieties.* 12

Some say that the evil acts of previous lives are the cause of this variety of Insanity {viz., that which is called Accidental).

But the illustrious Punarvasu of Atri’s race declared that fault of judgment is the cause. f r3

The truth is, this one (i. e., the person afflicted by Accidental Insa¬ nity) does evil by disregarding the deities , the Rishis, the Pitris, the Gandharvas, this Yakshas, the Rakshasas, the Pigashas, seniors, men of advanced years, the Siddhas, preceptors, and others deserving of worship ; or commits some other sinful acts of this kind.

The afflicting deities and others make such a person, already afflicted himself, Insane.J *4

Of one who is about to be afflicted with Accidental Insanity having for its cause the wrath of deities and others, the incubatory symptoms are these :

A disposition to injure the deities, kine, Brahmanas, and ascetics ;

* Some texts add ‘vedana and ‘upagaya’ after ‘linga’ and before ‘vigesha.’ ‘Vedana’ means ‘pains,’ and ‘upagaya’ has been fully explained in the first Lesson of this Division. — T.

t ‘Prajnaparadha,’ as explained previously, is fault of judgment, i. e., errors of the ■understanding. Almost all diseases are born of such errors. — T.

t ‘Rishis are men of extraordinary puissance acquired by rigid penances. ‘Pitris’ are the names of the deceased. They, too, are endued with great puissance. ‘Gandharvas’ are celestial beings fond of music and dancing, and superior to human beings in power. ‘Yakshas’ are an order of superhuman beings, under the rule of Kuvera, the Lord of every kind of treasure. They dwell on the heights of Himavat and Kailasa. They are followers of M ahadeva. It is curious to see how Sanskrit names are Anglicised through ignorance. The highest peak on the Simla hills is called ‘Jakko.’ This word is a corruption of ‘Yaksha.’ Formerly it was believed that this peak was the abode of ‘Yakshas.

‘Pigachas’ are an order of beings that are of ghostly and abominable practices. They feed on carrion, but are regarded as followers of Mahadeva.

‘Rakshasas’ are fierce and powerful beings capable of going everywhere at will and hold¬ ing every good thing in abomination. They can assume any form they please. They are haters of the deities and oppressors of human beings. They destroy human sacrifices which men perform in honour of the deities.

‘Siddhas’ are beings who are crowned with success of penances. They possess super¬ human powers.

The fact is, as the following aphorisms will explain. Insane persons are regarded as under the sway of the deities, &c., according to to the disposition they manifest. They who are fierce., &c., are supposed to be under the sway of ‘Rakshasas.’ They whose acts are abomi¬ nable, are supposed'to be under the sway of ‘Pigachas.’ They who are fond of music and dancing, are regarded as under the sway of ‘Gandharvas,’ &c. — T.

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

p. 995

A wrathful temperament ;

Cherishing cruel purposes and intentions ;*

Absence of contentment ;

Morbidness of ‘ojas,’ complexion, lustre, strength, and flesh ;f

Admonitions and rebukes administered, in dreams, by the deities and others ;

Instigations, by those beings, to particular acts (in dreams).

After the appearance of these incubatory indications, the disease sets in.

It should be stated here that the following are the several acts, with regard to persons who are about to be afflicted with Insanity, of the several orders of superhuman beings who bring about Insanity. They are these :

The deities generate Insanity by directing their gaze (to the persons with whom they are offended).

Seniors, and persons of advanced age, and ‘Siddhas,’ and 'Rishis1 cause it by denouncing curses.