Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

The ‘Sandhi’-or joint is that hour which connects two days. Thus the. ‘sandhi’ of the 8th lunar day would mean the last half hour of that day and the first half hour of the next or the 9th day. — T.

+ ‘Adhyayana’ ordinarily means reading or reciting. It is, however, limited to the Vedas, though etymologically it admits of a wider import. Whether the word be taken as implying the recitation of the Vedas or the study of any branch of secular knowledge, there are certain rules which require to be observed. Thus if the roar of the clouds be heard, or an elephant be seen to pass by, the recitation of the Vedas should immediately be discontinued. Even grammar cannot be studied for days together if an elephant is seen to pass by the school.— T.

+ ‘Brahmacharyya’ means the observance of sexual continence by young men during the period of pupillage or residence with their preceptors. Similar observance by others also is called by the same name. Those who never indulge in sexual congress save with their wedded wives in the proper season, are regarded as observing ‘Brabmath’aryya.’---T.

99S

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

of negligence in respect of dress, speech, &c., to the vicinage of a sacred tree or the temple of a deity ;*

At such times when one remains impure after having eaten flesh, honey, sesame, treacle, and wine ;f

At such times when one remains in a state of nudity ;

When one goes, during the hours of night, to such spots in towns and cities where four roads meet ;

When one goes, during such hours, to gardens and pleasure-groves and crematoria ;

At such times when one insults and humiliates Brahmanas and seniors and deities, and “yatiV and Others that are deserving of reverence ;

At such times when defects occur in the recitation of religious treatises ;{ or

At the commencement of unrighteous acts .

Thus has been explained the times or occasions when the deities and others afflict human beings. 18

There are three objects for the attainment of which the super¬ human beings spoken of cause Insanity.

These are i. the desire to kill or wound, 2. the desire for pleasure, and 3. the desire for obtaining respectful worship.

These objects of those Insanity-causing beings may be ascertained from the particular indications of the conduct of the Insane.

* By ‘chaitya’ is meant a large tree of either the Ficus religiosa or the Ficus Indica variety standing in a conspicuous part of a village, generally at a point where four roads meet. These trees are regarded sacred. Under them are generally placed stones representing the tutelary deities of the village. These trees, again, are looked upon as the abodes of Yakskas and Pitris, &c. Hence, one should, while approaching them, be clean, properly dressed, &c. He should restrain his speech, that is, abstain from uttering impure or disgusting language — T.

t One should, after eating and drinking these things, wash one’s mouth and face and hands. If one does not wash oneself after taking these, one remains impure. It is at such times that one becomes liable to be possessed by Pitris, &c. — T.

t The Mahabharata, the Kamayana, the Bhagavata, and other sacred works are caused to be recited in the houses of well-to-do persons. The reciters are learned Brahmans. Gener¬ ally, for preventing mistakes, two Brahmanas sit on both sides of the reciter. They are called •dharaka’ or checkers. Rules are laid down, governing these recitations. The reciters and the ‘dharakas’ should be clean, properly dressed, &c. They should have the symbols of Vishnu before them. They should sit on separate seats, &c. When any of the numerous rules is violated or disregarded, ‘vyatikrama’ or defect is supposed to take place. Those defects detract from the merits which the recitation produces. — T,

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

p. 999

Amongst these three objects, the desire to kill or wound becomes manifest when the person who becomes insane enters a blazing fire, or drowns himself in water, or leaps down into holes and pits, or strikes himself with weapons and clubs and brick-bats and his own closed fists, or does other acts for destroying himself.

Those cases of insanity in which the insane person seeks to de¬ stroy his own life should be known as incurable. l9 The other two varieties are curable.

The methods for curing them are the following :

Mantras (sacred texts) ;

Medicines ;

Gems (of particular kinds which are believed to have, great potency) ;

Auspicious acts (such as feeding Brahmanas), giving alms to the poor, &c.) ;

Offerings to the deities in sacrifices ;

Ordinary offerings to the deities (such as grain and sweets and flowers) ;

Performance of the Roma (by pouring libations of clarified butter,. &c., on the sacred fire) ;

Observance of vows (relating to fasts, abstention from particular kinds of food, wearing beards, &c..) ;

Expiatory rites and ceremonies ;