An English Translation of the Sushruta Samhita, Vol. II — trans. Kaviraj Kunja Lal Bhishagratna (1911)

I50 THE SUSIIRUTA SAMHITA. Chap. IV.]

eyelids of a man of Sattvika-temperament before midnight. Persons with enfeebled Kapham and aggravated Vayu, or suffering from bodily and mental troubles, get little sleep, and if at all, their sleep is of the Vaikarika or delirious type {ie. much disturbed)*. 33-34.

Memorable Verses : — O Sus'ruta ! the heart is said to h?. the primary seat of consciousness (Chetana) in the animated beings. Sleep overcomes a man whenever the heart is enveloped in the illusive effects of Tamas. Sleep is the offspring of Tamas and it is the quality of Sattvam that brings on awakening. This is the fundamental law of Nature. The self-conscious individuality (Self), ensconced in the material frame of man which is composed of the five material elements, recollects through the agency of the mind (Manah), which abounds in the quality of Rajas, the renaissance of his by-gone existences, and wakens up in his psychic plane the pictures of good or evil deeds done by him therein. Dreams are but the embodiment of these recollections, The self or Jivatmat, though he sleeps not himself, is said to be sleeping, whenever the sense organs are overpowered by the illusive energy of Tamas. 35.

Day sleep is forbidden in all seasons of the year, except in summer and in the case of infants, old men, and persons enfeebled by sexual excesses, or in Kshatakshina diseases and in case of habitual tipplers. A sleep in the day may be enjoyed after the fatigue of a long journey, riding, or physical labour, or on an empty stomach. It may be allowed as well to men suffering from the loss of fat, Kapham or blood, to those of

* Such persons may get sleep only, when being tired and exhausted they case to think of thf-ir affairs,

G f. Charaka :— When the active self of a person, tired in body and rnind, loses tovich with his worldly affairs, sleep comes to him.

p. 151

scanty perspiration, or of dry or parched constitution ; and also to those who have been sufifering from indigestion and who may sleep for a Muhurta (48 minutes) in the day time. Those who have kept late hours in the night may sleep in the day for half the time they have watched in the night (and no more). Day sleep is the outcome of perverted nature and all the Doshas of the body are aggravated by a sleep in the day, bringing on many a troublesome complaints such as couL,h, asthma, catarrh,heaviness of the body, aching or lassitude in the limbs, fever, loss of appetite etc. On the other hand, the keeping of late hours in the night develops symptoms (Upadrava) which are peculiar to the deranged Vayu and Pittam, ^6.

lYIcmorable Verses:— Hence, one should not sleep in the day, nor keep late hours. Having known both these acts to be injurious, the wise should observe moderation in sleep. A conformity to the preceding rule of conduct is rewarded with health, good humour, strength, healthful complexion, virility and beauty, a frame which is neither too fat nor too thin, and a long life of a hundred years). A day sleep may not prove injurious to those who are habituated to it and conversely keeping late hours at night may not tell upon the health of those to whom it is customary, 37-39.

An aggravated condition of the bodily Vayu or Pittam, an aggrieved state of the mind, loss of vital fluid, and a hurt or an injury may bring on insomnia, the remedy being the adoption of measures antagonistic to those which destroy sleep. The following measures are useful in cases of sleeplessness -such as anointing the body, rubbing of oil on the head, soft massages of the body (with cleansing paste) and shampooing ; a diet consisting of cakes and pastiy made up of S'dli-rice andp. 152 wheat prepared with sugar or other derivatives of sugarcane, sweet or soothing articles with milk or meat juice or flesh of animals of the Biskira or Viles'aya class, and eating of grapes, sugar and sugar-cane at night, are beneficial (in such cases) ; so also a soft and pleasant bed, and easy and convenient seats and means of locomotion. Hence, a wise physician should advise those and similar other measures to allay insomnia. 40-41.

Excessive sleep should be remedied by emetics, Sans'odhana measures, fastings, bleeding, and works which tend to disturb the mental equanimity of man. Keeping up at night is beneficial to persons afflicted with obesity, poison or the deranged Kapham ; so also a nap in the day is beneficial to people troubled with hiccough, colic pain, dysentery, indigestion, or thirst. 42-43.

Somnolence or Drowsiness etc. :— In