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

Further cliassification of the mobile and the immobile :- The animated world may be divided into four subdivisions, such as the Svedaja (born of sweat or heat and moisture ?'. e. abiogenous' , the Andaja ( egg-born or oviparous ), the Udbhijja (vegetable) and the Jarayuja (placental or viviparous j. The Purusha or the subjective personalit}' (man) is the greatest of them all, because all other forms of life are made to minister to his wants on Earth.

Disease : Sts Definition :— The Purusha

(man) is the receptacle of any particular disease, and that which proves a source of torment or pain to him, is denominated as a disease.* There are four different types of disease such as, Traumatic or of extraneous origin (Agantuka), Bodily (Sharira), jNfenla] (Manasa) and Natural (Svabhavika). A disease clue to an extraneous blow or hurt is called Agantuka. Diseases due to irregularities in food or drink, or incidental to a deranged state of the blood, or of the bodily humours acting either singh' or in concert, are called Sharira. Excessive anger, grief, fear, joy, despondency, envy, miser};, ])ride, greed, lust, desire, malice, etc. are other fundamental material principles, it is not improper to classify all under the head of hot or cold, a third factor being non-existent. Hence the world (^Trf) is possessed of the twofold virtues, hot and cold.

* A disease may be defined as something whicli affiicts the Purusha (self-conscious personality), or those things or incidents which combine to afflict the Purusha are usually interpreted to connote that meaning.

Chap. I. ] SUTRASTHANAM. 1 1

included within the category of^ mental (Manasa) distempers ; whereas hm7.ger, thirst, decrepitude, imbecility, death, sleep, etc. are called the natural (Svabhavika) derangements of the body. The Mind and the Bodv are the seats of the abovesaid distempers according as they are restricted to either of them, or affect both of them in unison. *

Samshodhanam (Cleansing), and Samshamanam (Pacification of the deranged or agitated bodih' humours giving rise to the disease^ and the regimen of diet and conduct are the four fectors which should be duly emplo3"ed in order to successfully cope with a disease.!

Food is the principal factor which materially contributes to the strength, complexion and vitality (Ojah) of animated beings. Food consists of six different tastes

* The Self or Ihe feevitma of a person is above all human concerns and, as such, can never be affected by any disease.

t Cleansing (Samshodhanam) is of two kinds, viz. External and Internal. External purification consists in employing such measures as surgical operations, cauterisation of the affected part or organ, external use of alkaline preparations and medicated plasters, the internal one including such measures as exhibition of purgatives and emetics, application of intestinal enemas (Asthapanam) and blood-letting. Diet comprises four different factors such as, food, drink, lambative, etc., which, for the purposes of the Ayurveda, are again grouped under three different heads, such as the pacifier of the deranged bodily humours (Dosha-prashamanam), therapeutical (VyMhi-prashamanam) and health-giving (Svastha=Vrittikara). Achara (conduct) appertains to three different factors, such as the body, the speech, and the mental acts. The abovesaid measures, duly employed, arc potent enough to combat all sorts of bodily distempers, if the special exigencies of each case arc carefully taken into consideration.

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(Rasa) '[which capnot exist independently of the substances] in which they are inherent. These substances which are called the (3shadhis may be di^■ided into two classes such as the mobile and the immobile. The immobile Oshadhis in their turn, admit of being grouped under four sub-heads such as, the ^'"anaspatis, the Vrikshas. the Virudhas and the Oshadhis proper.

Those trees which bear fruit without blossoming are called the Vanaspatis such as, the Plaksha and the Oudumvura). Those that bear both fruits and flowers are called the \'rikshas. Shrubs and creepers that trail on the ground are called Virudhas, whereas those plants which die with the ripening of their fruits, are called Oshadhis proper such as cereals .