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

The mobile Oshadhis or animals are divided into four classes such as the viviparous, the oviparous, the sweat-begotten, and those that are born of decomposed vegetable matter. Man and other mammals belong to the first group ; birds, snakes, and reptiles belong to the second ; ants, worms, etc. belong to the third ; while frogs and Indragopas belong to the fourth. For medicinal purposes, bark, leaves, flowers, fruits, roots, bulbs, the expressed juice, and milky or resinous secretions of plants, etc.* are .obtained from the vegetable world. The

* The use of oil expressed oui of diutjs and seeds, as well as of iheir ashes or alkaline preparations are likewise indicated.

Chap. I.] SUTRASTHAWAM. I-^

skin, nails, wool, blood, flesh, fat., marrow, bones, are procured from the animal world.

JMetals and minerals such as gold, silver, gems, and Manahshila i Realgar), as well as pearls, clay and Kapalas (bones^, etc. should be included in the list of the earthy substances. *

Gale, windfall, sunshine, shade, moonshine, darkness, heat, cold, rain, day, night, fortnight, month,

» seasons, and solstices, etc. should be deemed as the works of eternal time, which, by virtue of their natural effects, contribute to the accumulation, augmentation, pacification or diminution of the deranged bodilv humours (such as, wind, etc. .

Authoritative verses on the subject : — Physicians should look upon these four factors of ffood, conduct, earth and time , as the accumulators, aggravators and pacifiers of the deranged bodilv humours and of the diseases resulting therefrom in man. Diseases due to causes which are extraneous to the bodv ma\' affect the mind or the body. When it would affect the body in the shape of any traumatic disease (such as an inflammation due to a blow or a sword cut >, it "should be treated medicinally like the rest of the physical maladies, while the remedy should consist in the enjovmentof

* Oxide of Iron, sand, yellow sulphurale of arsenic (Orpiment), sail, Gairika (ferruginous earth), Rasdnjana (antimony) should be regarded as appertaining to the class of earthy substances.

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pleasurable sound?, touch, sights, taste or smell where the mind would be found to be the seat of the distemper.

Thus I have briefly dealt with the Purusha, Disease, Medicine, Appliances and the Specific Time. The term Purusha should be interpreted to include within its meaning the combination of its five material components, and all things resulting therefrom, such as the limbs and members of the body, as well as the skin, the flesh, the blood, the veins and the nerves, etc. The term Disease signifies all distempers incidental to the several or combined actions of the three deranged bodily humours and blood. The term Medicine signifies drugs and their virtues, tastes, potency, inherent efficacy Prabhava and reactionary properties Vipaka . Appliances (kriya denotes such processes as, surgical operations, injections, emulsive measures, lubrications, etc. The term Time signifies all opportune moments for medical appliances.

Authoritative verses on the subject : —The primary principle of the Science of medicine has thus been briefly stated and will be fully dealt with in the'following one hundred and twenty chapters distributed among the fi-\e main sub-divisions or Sthanas of the present work. These hundred and twenty chapters will be found to be elaborately discussed according to the specific import or significance of their denominations under the sub-heads of Sutra- Sthanam

Chap. I.] SUTRASTHANAM.

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(Definitive Aphorisms or Fundamental principles, Nidanam ^Etiology", Sharira-Sthanam (Anatomy and Physiology , Chikitsa-Sthanam (Therapeutics) and Kalpa-Sthanam (Toxicology . Subjects other than the preceding ones will be discussed in the closing chapters of the book by wa}- of an Appendix (Uttara-Tantranv.

Authoritative verse on the subject : — The man who reads this Eternal Science of Medicine ( Ayurveda-Shastram ) discoursed by the selforigined Brahma and propagated by the King of Kasi, becomes noted for his piety, is honoured by the kings on earth, and attains to the region of Indra (the lord of the celestials) after death.

Thus ends the first chapter of the Sutra-SthSnam in the Sushrula Samhitd which deals with the origin of the Ayurveda.

CHAPTER II.

Now we shall discuss the Chapter which deals with the rites of formal initiation of a pupil into the science of Medicine (Shishyopanayaniyamadhya'yam).