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

Oshadhis ' Medical plants and cereals sprout during the rains and are enfeebled in their properties. Water becomes muddy or turbid and the earth is covered over with fresh deposits of washed off or silted mud. The sky becomes overcast with clouds, and the wind, charged with an excess of humidity, dulls the appetite and organisms of beings. Hence the food of beings which principally consists of tender and new-grown vegetables of feeble potency, considerably vitiated by the turbid water partaken of as drink during the season, proves acid in its digestive reaction, and germinates exce-ssive bile in the human system. In autumn the skv becomes cloudless, the mire is dried

Chap. VI. ] SUTRASTHA'NAM. ^g

up, and the bile originated and accumulated during the rains, is liquefied by the , rays of the sun and gives rise to bilious diseases*

Plants and vegetables (Oshadhis) tlmt grow or sprout during the rainy season, are matured in course of time and ripen in their virtues and potency in the season of Hemanta. The water becomes clear, cool and heavy in this season. The sun's rays become feeble and mild ; and the winds moistened with frost and snow, make the human system a little numb and heavy. Hence water and vegetables partaken of in Hemanta are divested of their properties of acid reaction after being assimilated in the human system, but they give rise to an accumulation of phlegm in the body owing to their heaviness, sliminess, and cooling and oily character. In spring, the phlegm thus accumulated in the body is hquefied and ushers in diseases due to a deranged state of that bodily humour, t

The said plants and vegetables, in their turn, lose their sap, moisture and nutritive element in summer, and become dry and extremely light. In the same manner water becomes drought-making [produces a state of parchedness in the organism — Ruksha] in its virtue,, and considerably loses its natural coolness and

* This should be regarded as the excited, aggravated or agitated state of bile (Pitta) in the parlance of Ayurveda.

i This is called the excited or agitated state of phlegm (Kafa).

50 thp: sushruta samhita. [ chap. vi.

nutritive properties. The sun's rays dry up the natural moisture of the human system, and accordingly water and vegetables largely partaken of in summer, give rise to an accumulation of wind in the system owing to their lightness, dryness, or expansive and drought-making properties. Subsequently wind thus accumulated in the summer, is agitated by the rains and cold winds in the '^Cr^V^rt of the rainy season (V^^vrii) when the ground is flooded witii water and thus gives rise to diseases \v^hich are incidental to a deranged state of the bodily wind.*

The fundamental bodily humours such as, wind, bile, etc. augmented and accumulated during the rains, Hemanta and summer, should be checked as soon as they become aggravated (manifest themselves) in autumn, spring, or in the forepart of the rainy season (Pravrit;.

Diseases which owe their origin to a deranged state of bile, phlegm and wind, are respectivel}'- ameliorated in Hemanta, summer, and autumn by natural causes, [such as the variations of atmospheric or earthly temperature, rainfall, etc.]. Thus far we have discussed the accumulation, excitation and pacification or alleviation of the deranged bodily humours.

Likewise the features, which specifically mark the different seasons of the year are observed to

* This is called the excited state of wind (Vayu).

Chap. VI. ] SUTRASTHANAM. ^ i

• characterise the different parts of a complete day and night, [or in other words] .traits peculiar to spring time exhibit themselves in the morning ; the noon is marked by all the characteristics of summer r, the evening by those of the rainy season ; the midnight by those of autumn ; and the hours before dawn by those of

Ilpmiinta And similarly, like the seasons of the year, the diffeieftypkiLs'of the day and night arc -/x«.rked b"^ variations of heat, cold, etc. [or in other words] the deranged bodily humours such as wind, bile, etc.

naturally and spontaneously accumulate, aggravate, or subside during the different parts of the day as they do in the different seasons of the year [represented by those parts of the day and night as stated above].

Water and vegetables retain their natural properties when the seasons are natural, and do not exhibit contrary features, and they then tend to increase the appetite, vitality, strength, and power of the human system. Contrary or unnatural seasons are but the consequences of sin committed by a whole community and portend the workings of a malign destiny. A season, exhibiting unnatural or contrary features, affects or reverses the natural properties of water and vegetables peculiar to it, which, drunk or partaken of, cause dreadful epidemics in the country. The best safeguard lies in not using such defiled water and vegetables when an epidemic breaks out in the country.

52 THESUSHRUTA SAMHITA, [ Chap. vi.