Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

When it goes into the urine, that poison causes diseases of the urine.. When it goes into the stools,- it. causes diseases of the abdomen. When combined with ‘Rasa' and the rest, it produces diverse diseases born of ‘Rasa’ and the rest. 48

When the digestive fire becomes unequal (as regards its force or energy), it unequally cooks the food taken and produces inequality between the ‘dhatus.’*

If, when its force or energy is great, it does not get sufficient fuel (in the shape of food and drink), it consumes the ‘dhatus/ 49

The fire, which is normal, of a person who eats judiciously, equally cooking the food that is eaten, causes harmony of the ‘dhatus.’*

The fire that is weak simply scorches the food taken. Such food (instead of contributing to the growth or harmony of the ‘dhatus’) issues out of the body in an upward or a downward course. 5°

The scorched food, mature or immature, that finds a downward outlet, is called ‘Grahani-disease.’

* That is, destroys that harmony between the ‘dh5tus’ upon which rests health. ‘DhStus’ include wind, bile, and phlegm,— T.

CHAR A K ASA MBIT A.

?4'i8

Whatever food a person afflicted with ‘Grahani-disease’ takesbecomes very generally scorched (without being digested). 5i

The scorched food is ejected by the person in a liquid^ form' either frequently or at intervals. Afflicted' with thirst, disgust for food, tastelessness of the mouth, copious salivation, and that variety of asthma which is called ‘Tamaka,’ the' person gets swelling in the hands and the feet, with pains in the bones and the joints, vomiting,, fever, and eructations with the smell of blood and characterised by a bitter and acrid taste 52-53

The premonitory symptoms of ‘Grahani-disease’ are, —

Thirst, sloth, loss of stength; scorching (without digestion) of the' food that is eaten, or digestion after a long time and heaviness of the body. 54

The' duct called ‘Grahani’ is the seat of the digestive fire, and because- ft takes the food that is eaten, therefore is it called ‘Grahani.’ (taker).

It is' placed above the (region of the) navel. According to the strength (or weakness) of the (digestive) fire, it becomes extended or contracted. 55

It holds the food in its undigested state. After' digestion', it letsout the digested food through its* lower opening.

When the digestive fire is weak, the ‘Grahani’ becomes vitiated, ft then discharges only undigested food (called Ama): 55

From (excited) wind*, (excited) bile-, and (excited) phlegm,, as also’ from the three excited* together, springs disease of the ‘Grahani.’

Listen now to the causes, the symptoms, and the treatment of that disease, expounded, under separate heads, 57

From food that is astringent in taste, or pungent, or bitter, or that fs excessively dry (unoily), or cold or that is scanty (inadequate),, or that is taken at improper time,* from total abstention from food, from walking long distances, from suppression of the urgings of

* ‘PramritS.’ is, it seems, the correct reading, and not ‘Pramita’ Which would- imply a1 repetition. 'Pramrita Qana’ would imply ‘atitalcjUabhojanani.’ — T.

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

r45!9'

nature, from' sexual congress, the wind, becoming, excited^ wraps up' the digestive fire and causes different ailments;.

The food (taken by one exposed to such influences) is digested with difficulty. This results in. acidity and pungency. 58-59

' Dryness of the throat and of the mouth, hunger and thirst, sight of darkness (i. ft, weakness of vision),, noise in the ears, constant pains, in the flanks, the' thighs, the groins, and the neck, loose motions and vomiting with pains like to those caused by needles, pains in the chest, emaciation,, weakness, tastelessness of the mouth, cutting pains, in the anus, and a longing for food and drink of all tastes, eheerlessness of the mind, — these are the symptoms of ‘Grahani-disease’ caused by excited wind.

In this disease, when the food taken is being digested) or after it has been digested, there is- flatulence of the stomach. As soon as something is eaten, the patient feels ease;

The patient thinks that he has. got wind-born abdominal tumour,, or disease of the chest, or enlargement of the spleen. 60-62

Afflicted with asthma and cough through excitement of the wind, the person repeatedly, and with great pain, evacuates stools that are sometimes watery, sometimes dry, sometimes scanty,, sometimes con¬ sisting of undigested matter, and frothy, the down ward wind making loud noise at the time. 63

The bile becomes excited in consequence of food that Is pungent, or that is difficult of digestion, or that causes a burning sensation in the stomach, or that consists of alkaline ashes, and the like. It then covers the digestive fire and extinguishes It, like hot water extin¬ guishing a blazing fire.* 64

The person whose digestive fire has been extinguished by bile assumes a yellow complexion and evacuates liquid stools that consist of undigested matter and are of blue and yellow colour.