An English Translation of the Sushruta Samhita, Vol. I: Sutrasthanam — trans. Kaviraj Kunja Lal Bhishagratna (1907)

It has been demonstrated before that the food of a man is digested only with the help of the digestive fire or heat (Pachakagni), which may be divided into four ditferent kinds (states). One of these kinds is due to it not being in any way affected by the deranged humours of the body, while the other three are respectively ascribed to the fact of their becoming so deranged. The digestive fire or heat becomes irregular or fitful (Vishamagni) through the action of the deranged Vayu, becomes keen, through the action of the deranged Pittam, and dull or sluggish, through the action of the deranged Kapham. The fourth kind (Sama) continues in a state unaffected by any of the morbid humoural constituents of the body owing to their maintaining the normal equilibrium.

Samargni and Vishamei'gni :— The digestive heat, which l\illy digests the ingested food at the proper time without the least irregularit}', thus reflecting the continuance of the bodily humours in their normal state, is called Samagni. The digestive heat which is irregular in its action, and which sometimes helps the process of complete digestion, and produces distension of the abdomen, colic pain, constipation of the bowels, dysentery, ascites, heaviness of the limbs.

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rumbling in the intestines, and loose motions (diarrha;a) at other times, is called Vishamagni.

Tikshna'gni :- -The digestive heat, which helps the digestion of even a heavy meal within an incredibly short space of time, is called " Keen " (Tikshnagni) and which becoming abnormally augmented begets an excessive or voracious appetite (Atyagni), helps a glutton to digest his frequent meals, and produces a parched throat, palate and lips, heat and other discomforts.

Wlanda'g'ni :— The digestive fire or heat which causes the tardy digestion even of a scanty meal, and produces heaviness of the abdomen and head, cough, difficult breathing, water-brash, nausea, and weariness of the limbs simultaneously with the taking thereof, is called dull or sluggish (Mandagni).

Metrical Texts :— The digestive fire of the Vishama kind brings on diseases characterised by the derangement of the Vayu. A keen (Tikshna) digestive fire brings on bilious (Pittcija) affections, while a sluggish (Manda) fire gives rise to diseases marked by a deranged state of the Kapham. Endeavours should be made to keep the digestive fire of the Sama type normal or regular appetite*; in an unimpaired state.

■" TIktc is a (lifk'iencc Ijclwccn "Agni" and "appclile." Ayni includo liile and pancrcalic sccrcliuns, and hence inchcales llie stale of ones digestion. Appetite, though not an iinening indicator of the ]:)r(jcess, is the eliecl of Agni.

Chap. XXXV. ] SUTRAStHANAM. 321

The one known as Vishama 'irregular) should be corrected by a diet consisting' of emollient, acid or saline substances. In a case of abnormally keen digestive fire, the medical treatment should consist in prescribing purgatives and a diet in the composition of which sweet, cooling, and fatty or albuminous matters largely enter. The same treatment should be adopted in (Atyagni) as marked in cases of voracious appetite, and a diet consisting of buffalo-milk, or its curd (Dadhi) and liquid buffalo- butter should be prescribed for the patient in addition. Emetics should be administered in a case of dull or sluggish digestion (Mandagni), and the patient should be restricted to a diet consisting of articles of a pungent, astringent or bitter taste.

IVIetrical Texts :— The fire, that burns within a person, is godly in its subtle essence, and possesses the divine attributes of atom-like invisibility, weightlessness, etc., and is the digestant of food. It takes up the lymph chyle of different tastes for the purpose of digestion, and is invisible owing to its extremely subtle essence. The three vital Vayus known as Prana, Apana and Samana, located in their own spheres within the organism, feed it and keep it burning.

The three stages of man may be roughly described as (i) infancy or childhood, (2) youth or middle age, and (y old age or dotage. Childhood extends up to the 41p. 322 sixteenth year of life, and children may be divided into three different classes, according as they are fed on milk, or on milk and boiled rice or on boiled rice alone. A child lives exclusively on milk up to the first year of its life, it is fed on milk and boiled rice (hard food) up to the second year, and is thenceforward nourished with boiled rice (hard food).

The middle age of a man extends from the sixteenth to the seventieth year of his life, and exhibits the traits of growth, youth, arrest of de^'elopment and decay.