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

Sometimes a town or a city is depopulated by a curse, anger, sin, or by a monster or a demoness conjured up by a spell or incantation. Sometimes the pollens of poisonous flowers or grasses, etc., wafted by the winds, invade a town or a village, and produce a sort of epidemic cough, asthma, catarrh, or fever, irrespective of all constitutional n^^nii-vit^^c kDr'^dei'Un^::! bodily humours agitateS'l^/Lkll^^, fTowns and villages are known to have been depopulated through malignant astral influences, or through houses^ wives*, beds, seats, carriages, riding animals, gems and precious stones assuming inauspicious features.

Prophylactic measures:— In such cases migration to a healthy or unaffected locality, performances of rites of pacification and atonement, (wearing of prophylactic gems and drugs), recitations of mantras, libations of clarified butter cast into the sacrificial fire, offerings to the gods, celebration of sacrificial ceremonies, obeisance with clasped palms to the gods, practice of penances, sell-control and charity, kindness, spiritual initiation; obedience to one's elders and preceptors, and devotion to the gods and the Bramhanas, and observance of such like rules of conduct may prove beneficial to the affected community.

* Marriages with girls of prohibited description have been known as well to have ushered in an epidemic which devastated a whole town or a country.

Chap. VI. ] SUTRASTHANAM. 53

The characteristic features of the seasons Avhich c|o not exhibit unnatural traits (Metrical texts) -Cold winds from the north blow in the season of Hemanta. The quarters of the sky are enveloped in smoke and assume a dusky aspect. The sun is hid in the frost, and lakes and pools are frozen or lie covered over with flakes, or thin layers of ice. Cro\^'s, rhinoceroses, buffaloes, lambs and elephants become excited and sprightly in this part of the year ; and the Lodhra, Priyangu, and Punnaga trees begin to blossom.

Winter exhibits the same features as above, only in a greater degree of intensity ; and the quarters of the sky are agitated by strong gales of wind and showers of rain.

In spring, when the summits of the mount Malaya are besmeared red with the moist foot-prints of the brides of the Siddhas and the Vidyadharas, and are perfumed in contact with the sweet-scented sandal forests, the lively south- wind is roused up from his lair and winnows gladness to damsels burning with desires, and kindles up the flame of love and appeases the amorous anger of the beloved pairs by turning their fancies to themes of love. The quarters of the sky are cleared up and look joyful. The woods are decked with the full-blown flowers of the Kinshuka, lotus,

54 THE SUSHRUTA SAMHITA. [Chap. VI.

Vakula, mango and Ashoka trees. The bee hums and the notes of the Cuckoo are heard to reverberate through the skies. The south wind fans this king of the seasons, and the forests are hung with the festoons of tender and sprouting leaves in his honour.

The sun's rays become stronger and more intense in summer. Unhealthy winds blow from the south-east. The earth is heated ; the rivers run narrow and shallow in their beds ; the quarters of the sky glare with a blazing light, the birds Chakravakas with their mates roam about in quest of cool ponds and reservoirs of water ; herds of deer are tormented and overwhelmed with thirst ; trees, plants and creepers are scorched by the intense heat, and withered leaves drop off from the trees which alone serve to make the identification of their parents possible.

In the forepart of the rainy season (Pravrit', packs of detached clouds, spangled with lightning and driven before the gales of the west-wind, come thundering over and envelop the skies. The Earth is robed in green with luxurious growth of corn, enlivened here and there by the dark crimson of the cochineal insects (Indragopa), and Kadamva, Nipa, Kutaja, and the Ketaki trees begin to flower.

During the rainy season, the rivers overflow their banks, tumbling down the trees which grow on them. Ponds and lakes are decked with the full-blown Kumud

Chap. VI. ] SUTRASTHANAM.

p. 55

and Nilotpala flowers. The earth is covered with firofuse vegetation. All distinction between dry lands and resers^oirs of water becomes impossible, and the sun and the planets are enveloped in dark clouds that shower torrents of rain but do not roar.