An English Translation of the Sushruta Samhita, Vol. III: Uttara-tantra — trans. Kaviraj Kunja Lal Bhishagratna (1916)

Specific traits of Timira : — All external objects are viewed as cloudy, moving, crooked and redcoloured in the Viftaja type (of Timira), while in the Pittaja type they appear to be invested with the different colours of the spectrum or of the rain-bow, of the glowworm, of the flash of lightning, or of the feathers of the pea-cock, or with a dark blue tint bordering on black ; while in a case of Kaphaja Timira, a thick white coat like that of a pack of white clouds or a deep white chowri (Châmara) seems to intervene in everything which look white and oily and dull and appear hazy and cloudy in a fine day, or as if laid under a sheet of water. In a case of the Raktaja type of Timira, all objects appear red or envoloped in gloom, and they assume a greyish, blackish or variegated colour. In a case of Safrmipâika Timira, the outer world looks vareigated and confused, appears as doubled or trebled to the vision (of the patient), and stars and planets, either defective or supplied with additional limbs, seem to float about in the vision.’ 7-1 1.

, Pari rn lay i : — The quarters of the heaven look yellow and appear to the sight as if resplendent with the light of the rising sun, and trees seem as if sparkling with the tangles of fire-flies in a case of Parimâyi,p. 28 the: sushruta samhitX.

[ Chap. VII.

which should be ascribed to the action of the deranged Pitta in concert with the vitiated blood. 12.

The different.colours of the pupil in cases Of Linga-niisa S — Now we shalf describe the colours of the pupil in the six different types of Linga-nds'a. The pupil assumes a reddish ( Aruna) colour in the Vâaja type of the disease ; looks blue or bluish yellow in the Pittaja, white in the Kaphaja and bloodred in the blood-origined one, while it assumes a variegated hue in the Sfitnnipdtika type of Linga-ndsa. A circular patch (Mandala) tinged with a shade of bluish or bluish yellow colour and looking like fire or a piece of thick grass, is formed on the pupil owing to the diseased and aggravated condition of the blood (with pitta) in a case of Parimlatyi. In this case the patient is sometimes permitted to catch faint glimpses of the external objects owing to the spontaneous and occasional filtering away of the deranged Doshas obstructing the vision. 13-15*

Specific Traits of Linga-n^sa The

circular patch (over the pupil) in a case of Vsftaja Lingands'a is red-coloured, and is moving and rough to the touch, while that in a case of Pittaja Linga-nasa is bluish or yellow or coloured like bell-metal. The circular patch in a case of Kaphaj a Linga-nds'a is thick, oily and as white as a conch-shell, a Kunda flower or the moon — resembling a white drop of water on the moving lotus leaf and moving away to and fro when the eye is rubbed. The circular patch over the pupil in a case of Raktaja (blood-origined) Linga-ndsa is red-coloured like a coral or a (red) lotus-petal. A Sfifauipitika type of the disease is marked by a variegated colour of the Drishti (pupil) and by the specific symptoms of the different Doshas. 16.

The total number of diseases peculiar to the Drishti

Chap. VII. ]

UTTARA-TANTARAM.

p. 29

is twelve. The six types of Linga-nAsa (Drishti) have been described above. The six other forms of the disease, peculiar to the Drishti (pupil) are named as Pilta-vidagdha-Drishti, Sleshma-vidagdha-Drishti, Dhtima-darsin, Hrasva-Jâtya, Nakulândhyatd and Gambhirikd. 17.

The disease in which the region of the Drishti (pupil) assumes a yellowish colour, and all external objects appear yellow to the sight owing to the presence of the vitaited (and augmented) Pitta in the region of the Drishti is called Pitta-Vidagdha-Drishti. It is due to an accumulation of the deranged Dosha (Pitta) in the third Patala (coat) of the eye, and the patient cannot see anything in the day, but can see only in the night. 18.

The external objects appear white to the sight when it is affected by the accumulation of the deranged Kapha. The deranged Dosha (Kapha), in this case, is simultaneously divided over all the three Patalas (coats) of the eye. In consequence of this the patient is attacked with nocturnal blindness, being able to see only in the daytime owing to the (melting and) decrease of the deranged Kapha through the heat of the sun. This is known as Sleshma-vidagdha-Drishti. 19.

The external objects appear dusky or smoke-coloured when the sight is affected through grief, (high and protracted) fever, over-straining or excessive physical exercise, or injury to the head, etc. The affection of vision thus engendered is called Dhuma-Drishti (smoky sight). 20.

The disease in which small things can be viewed only with the greatest difficulty (even) in the daytime, but can be viewed (easily and clearly) in the night owing to the subsidence of the deranged pitta through the

3o

THE SUSHRUTA SAMHITX.

t Chap. Vll