Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

In consequence of the body being lax and exceedingly soft,

* ‘ Vija-swabhavat’ implies heridity ; i.e., some are very corpulent because their

234 Cl/A RA KA-SAMIIirA.

and of the heaviness of the fat, an (untimely) attack of decrepitude takes place.

In consequence of attenuation of the vital seed and all the ducts being covered with fat, the corpulent man experiences a difficulty in sexual congress.

The weakness the corpulent man feels is owing to the inhar¬ monious condition of the constituent elements of his body.

The foetid smell that issues out of his body is due to the fault of fat, to the nature of fat itself, and the excess of perspiration (which fat induces).

In consequence of the fat, which predominates in the corpu¬ lent man, existing in contact with phlegm and, therefore, of its attribute of emitting secretions, and, lastly, in consequence of the corpulent man's inability to bear or go through physical exercises of any kind, there is excess of perspiration in him.

In consequence of his digestive fire being very strong and of there being excess of wind in the bowels (and every other viscus), there is excess of hunger in him, as also excess of thirst.6

{Here occur verses.)

In consequence of the ducts being all covered with fat, the wind, in especial, wandering through the bowels, stirs up the diges¬ tive fire and causing it to burn fiercely consumes whatever food is taken. For this reason the corpulent man very speedily digests the food he takes, and desires to take food at very short intervals. If delay occurs in giving him food when he feels hungry, diverse diseases occur.2 These two in especial, viz., fire and the wind, cause diverse afflictions (in his system). These two consume the corpulent man, even as a forest-conflagration consumes a forest.3

When the fat suddenly increases to a great extent, wind and th'e others (viz,, bile and phlegm), causing many dreadful diseases, quickly destroy life.4 f ‘ Kala-vyatikramat’ is explained by Chakrapanidatta as ‘ Bhpjana-kalatikramat.’ This is, I think, correct. KavirajaGangadhara is for taking the expression as implying * Vayasah kaladhikyat’ or old age. This would be far-fetched. — T.

CH A RA KA -SA MHITA.

p. 235

When in consequence of a person’s fat and flesh having in¬ creased greatly, his buttocks, belly, and breasts become so flaccid as to tremble or oscillate (while he walks), when, in fact, his growth has been such as to be pronounced abnormal, and when his power for exertion has become very much weakened, he is then said to be excessively corpulent or obese.5

Thus have the faults, the causes, and the appearance or form of a person in whose body fat predominates over the other consti¬ tuent ingredients, have been indicated.

After this, the faults are being laid down that attach to exce.s,. sive leanness or emaciation.*®

The habitual use of dry food and drink, fasts, insufficiency of food, excessive administration of purgatives and emetics, grief, suppression of the urgings of nature and sleep, habitual use of dry unguents and indulgence in baths without rubbing oil on the body, natural waste, or the waste that follows disease and excessive wrath, — these make a man lean or emaciated.f 7-8

A man that is emaciated cannot bear physical exercise, or eating that goes beyond the point of gratification, or hunger, or thirst, or medicines that are necessary. Like these, the emaciated man cannot bear also cold or heat or sexual congress.9

Spleen, consumption, phthisis, asthma, abdominal tumours, piles, and other abdominal diseases, as also those diseases that affect the Grahani, assail the emaciated man.10

That man is called excessively emaciated or lean whose buttocks and abdomen and neck have dried up and become wasted, whose body is covered all over with a net of swollen nerves, whose skin and bones have become dry, and the joints of whose body have become swollen.11

* ‘ Vachyam,’ Chakrapanidatta explains, implies either ‘ abhidheyam,’ or * ninditam’ or ‘ avadyam.’ I adopt the latter meaning. — T.

t In Verse 7, instead of ‘ Veganidravinigrahah’ some texts read ‘ nidravegavinigraha.’ If the latter reading be adopted, the meaning will be ‘ suppression of the urging of sleep. * Udvartana’ is the rubbing of unguents on the body. By ‘ ruksha-snana’ is meant a bath without rubbing the body previously with oil.— T.

charakasamhitA.

He that is very corpulent, and he that is very emaciated, both these are to be regarded as always diseased.

They should, therefore, be always subjected to treatment (by administration of medicines and diet) that is calculated to reduce bulk and promote nutrition and growth.12

Among the two, viz., excessive corpulency and excessive emaciation, the latter is rather tolerable ; for though the corpulent and the emaciated are equally situated, yet if disease assails both of them, it is sure to afflict the corpulent man more than the emaciated one.*13

That man the measure of whose growth is proportionate and whose limbs are symmetrical, is never, in consequence of the firmness or strength of his senses, overwhelmed by the force which diseases, (when they afflict him) putforth.f14