Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

Overwhelmed by the excessive wrath of his father-in-law, he; deprived of splendour, with the other deities and the celestial Rishis (in his company), threw himself upon the mercy of the great Rishi. 6 . The Lord of creatures {viz., Daksha), convinced that Chandramas’s mind had been purified (by a conviction of his offence accompanied by repentance), showed him grace. After this, Soma was treated by the celestial physicians, viz., the twin Agwins. 7

Freed from calamity, Chandra once more shone with brilliance, and increasing in energy, obtained from the Acwins a purified life.f & Wrath, ‘Yakshma,’ Fever, Disease, and also Woe, as it is called, are words having the same meaning.

And as this disease appeared first in the person of the king, there¬ fore has it come to be known as ‘Raja-yakshma’ {viz., the royal disease, or, rather, the king of diseases).! 9

This disease, forcibly dispelled from the body of Chandramas by the Agwins, came to the world of men.

Obtaining four kinds of causes it enters into the bodies of human, beings. 1°

Exertions in which strength beyond the ordinary measure is put

* The celestial Rishi, Daksha, is regarded as one of the Prajapatis or Lords of the creation. In the Puranas, he is represented as one of those will-begotten sons of Brahman that married for propagating offspring, the other sons of Brahman betaking themselves to penances in a state of celebacy. — T.

t ‘Sattwa’ here means life or existence.— T.

t Chandramas or the deity of the moon is regarded as the king not only of the stars but also of the twice-born orders. He is called ‘Dvvijapati’ or lord of the regenerate ones.-T.

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

23 7

■forth, suppression of the urgings of nature, waste (of semen and blood and other constituent elements of the body), are causes of phthisis. The fourth is inharmonious food and drink. 11

Inconsequence of fighting, of loud recitation, of bearing heavy weights, of travelling great distances, of jumping, of swimming, and the rest, of falls from high places, of wounds (received), and of other acts of rashness, 12

Verily, in consequence of such exertions in which strength beyond the ordinary measure is put forth, the chest is hurt, and the wind becoming provoked, excites the other two faults (viz., bile and phlegm) and moves in the body. T3

Thus excited, the wind, when seated in the head, produces head¬ ache ; when seated in the throat, it produces a tickling sensation there, as also cough, hoarseness of voice, and disgust for food. 14

When seated in the flanks, it produces pains in those parts of the body.

When seated in the anal canal, it produces watery motions.

When seated in the joints, it produces yawns and fever.

And when seated in the chest, it producos diseases of the chest. *5 £ In consequence of (repeated) coughing, one’s chest becomes torn. The chest being thus torn, one becomes afflicted by pains in that organ, with the result that one emits phlegm (mucus) mixed with blood. 16

Thus phthisis born of rashness becomes characterised by these one and ten .indications. For this reason one possessed of wisdom, should never indulge in acts of rashness.* l7

When, in consequence of modesty, or sense of abomination, or fear, a person suppresses the urgings, that have become pronounced, of wind, urine, and stools, 18 then, owing to such suppression of these urgings, the wind, becoming provoked, excites the phlegm and the bile, and causes the following diseases in the upper, the transverse (middle), and the lower parts of the body. 19

Catarrh in the nose, cough, hoarseness of voice, disgust for food, pains in the flanks, headache, fever, pains in the shoulders, langour of the body, repeated vomiting, and watery motions, by these one and ten symptoms, which are characterised by the excite-

* The one and ten indications are mentioned in verses 14 to 16.— T.

p. 1238

CHARAKA-SAMH1 TA.

ment of all the three faults, that severe disease called phthisis is known. 2°-21

Through excessive waste induced by malice, anxiety, terror, apprehension, wrath, and grief, as also through excessive indulgence in sexual congress and fasts, the vital seed and the ‘Ojas’ become wasted. 22

In consequence of the waste of oily matters, the wind, becoming excited, causes the two other faults to be excited, and induces these one and ten body-wasting symptoms, viz., catarrh in the nose, fever, cough, langour of the body, headache, asthma, watery motions, disgust for food, pains in the flanks, loss of voice, and pains in the shoulders.* 23-24

When that severe disease called Phthisis has become developed, it puts forth the one and ten symptoms mentioned above.

In consequence of the waste it induces, it takes away life itself. 25

Of a person who takes diverse kinds of food and drink that are inharmonious, the wind and other faults produce many severe dis¬ eases each of which is characterised by hostile symptoms. f 26