Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

In consequence of the total absence of physical exertion, of sleep at day time, as also’ of excessive indulgence in food and drink that are sweet, or very oily, or slimy, or in consequence of excessive indulgence in curds, milk, and the flesh of animals living in water or in marshy regions, the phlegm becomes provoked and affects the ducts of the body. Upon this, the wind becomes obstructed and affects the provoked phlegm itself internally and externally, and induces disease of the stomach. 27-28

The symptoms of this disease are as follow :

A sensation of heaviness in the stomach, f disgust for food, indi¬ gestion, langour of the limbs, numbness of the body.J swelling of the hands, the feet, the testicles, and the thighs ; nausea, sleep, cough,

* The Calcutta and the Bombay editions read ‘dahySt, dushayate, &c.’ GangSdhara correctly reads ‘dahyate, duyate, &c.’ The last word is ‘kshiprapakam’— I omit it in the translation. — T.

f ‘Gaurava’ is explained by GangSdhara as implying heaviness of the body. I think, a sensation of heaviness in the stomach is intended by it.— T.

+ ‘Supti’ is numbness of the body, that is, complete or partial loss of the sense of touch.— T.

CHARAKA-SAMHITA,

p. 1238

and asthmatic breathing ; whiteness of hue of the nail's, the eyes, the face, the skin, the urine, and the stools.-

The outer surface of the stomach (and abdomen)' becomes over¬ spread with white lines and veins.

The stomach becomes heavy, moist (on the outer surface), immo¬ bile, and hard.

When these symptoms appear, the disease should be known as; ‘^leshmodara’ (disease of the stomach born of phlegm). 29

In consequence of a person that is of weak digestive fire taking food and drink that are improper (unsuitable to him), or that consist of hostile or inharmonious ingredients, or that are heavy,

Or, of women (clandestinely)- mixing, with one’s food and drink such things as menstrual blood, or hair, or stools or urine, or bones, or nails, &c.,*

Or of mild poisons introduced into- system, all the- three faults,. i. e„ the wind, bile, and the phlegm, become provoked and begin to accumulate slowly in the stomach.

Acting there, they beget in human beings disease of the stomach. 3°-3i

The symptoms of this disease are as follow :

The indications of every one of the three diseases mentioned above (viz., the wind-born variety, the bile-born one, and the phlegmborn one), are all present.

The colours also that appear in those diseases on the nail's and other parts of the body, manifest themselves in this.

The outer surface of the stomach becomes overspread with lines and veins of diverse hues.

By these symptoms the disease should be known as one born of all the faults. 32

* Wicked women in this country practise diverse arts and do many things for what i» known as ‘Vagikarana’ or bringing another, generally, of course, husbands and lovers, to subjestion. — T.

• CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

*339

Tn consequence of the violent movement of the stomach, of a person who has gorged himself with an excessive measure of food and drink, caused by journeys on vehicles and improper exertions and exercises,

Of excessive indulgence in sexual congress, of carrying of heavy burdens, of long journeys performed on foot, of exertions in vomiting, or of waste and emaciation due to disease, the spleen, which is. lbcated on the- left side, falls away from its place and becomes; enlargedOr, the- blood, generated in profusion by juices, &c., resulting from, the food which one takes,, enlarges the spleen. 33-34'

Thus one’s spleen, becoming hard and like a ball of stone, enlarges; and assumes the form of a tortoise.

If neglected, it gradually displacing the abdomen, the stomach,, and the seat of the digestive fire, cause disease of the stomach.* 35

The symptoms of this disease are as follow :

Weakness, disgust for food, indigestion, suppression of stools and urine, a sensation of the patient’s entering a dark chamber, thirst, langour of the body, vomiting, swoons, - prostration of all the limbs, cough, asthmatic breathing, mild or slight fever, epistasis, loss of the digessive fire, „ emaciation, tastelessness of the mouth, pains in the joints, and ‘£ula’ pains in the stomach caused by the provoked wind.

Further, outer surface of the stomach and abdomen becomes red or colourless, or overspread with lines that are blue, or green, or yellow.

The liver also, which is in the right side of the stomach, produces similar consequences (under similar circumstances).

In consequence of the causes, the symptoms, and the remedies

* All the editions read ‘Pariksbipan’ which means displacing or throwing put. The idea of the enlarged spleen displacing the abdomen, the stomach, and the seat of the digestive fire is not at all clear. Plence ‘parikshipana’ is, in all probability, a misreading. Besides, the distinction between ‘Jethara’ and the seat of the digestive fire, is not clear. — T.

p. 1340