Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

As regards the property of heaviness, the Sweet taste is the foremost ; the Astringent taste is middling ; and the Bitter taste is inferior.11

As regards the property of lightness, the Bitter taste is the foremost ; the Pungent taste is middling ; and the Sour taste is f Piper longum, Linn. ; syn. Chavica Roxburghii.

g. Dry ginger.

h. Terminalia Chebula, Relz.

* The repetition ‘objects and objects’ simply means different objects. — T

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CHAR AKA -SA \1 HI TA .

inferior. Some are of opinion that the Saline taste is the most in¬ ferior in respect of all things that are light.*1 2

It has been said that the Saline taste is inferior as regards the property of heaviness. It is inferior also as regards the property of lightness/}"

After this, the indications are being laid down of the tastes as they appear upon assimilation.13

Of the Pungent, the Bitter, and the Astringent, the change, upon assimilation, is generally Pungent. The Sour taste changes into the Sour. The Sweet and the Saline change into the Sweet.14

The Sweet, the Saline, and the Sour are the three tastes that have the property of oiliness. Hence, they are regarded as very beneficial in causing evacuations of wind, urine, and faeces.15

The Pungent, the Bitter, and the Astringent are the three tastes that have the property of dryness. Hence, these are seen to be productive of pain in the matter of expelling wind, faeces, urine, and semen.13

• The Pungent taste, in respect of its after effects, is destructive of the semen ; leads to retention of faeces and urine, and to increase of wind.

The Sweet tate, in respect of its after effects, leads to easy and copious discharges of urine and stools, and increases phlegm and semen.17

* The phraseology of these Verses is very terse. The first line of 12, literally rendered, runs thus : ‘above sour is pungent ; thence bitter, in consequence of lightness is regarded the first.’ Hence, to make the Verses easily intelligible, I expand them slightly. — T.

+ What is said here is this : as regards he aviness, the saline taste is inferior {vide 1 1 ) meaning that it is not so heavy as the two others mentioned in Verse II. In Verse 12, it is said that the saline taste is inferior to the others in lightness ; i.e., it is not so light as the others. Not being, again, so heavy as the others, it is inferior both in view of heaviness apd lightness. — T,

CM A RA KA-Sa MhlTA.

p. 319

The assimilation of the Sour taste leads to increase of the bile, evacuation of stools and urine, and destruction of semen.

Among them all, the assimilation of the Sweet taste produces the properties of heaviness, while those of the Pungent and the Sour tastes are otherwise.18

The inferiority, middling character, or superiority of the indi¬ cations of assimilation (of particular objects), is ascertained from the differences in respect of properties of those objects.19*

Some say that mild and keen, heavy and light, oily and dry, and hot and cooling, are the eight kinds of Energy which objects may have. Others are of opinion that objects have only two kinds of Energy, viz., cooling and hot.

That is called the Energy of an object in consequence of which the object acts or operates on the system.

An object which has no Energy can have no action (upon the system.)

Every action proceeds from Energy.90-21

'That is called the Taste of objects which is perceived as soon as the objects are brought into contact (with the tongue.)

That is called Assimilation which is ascertained from the completion of the action.

That is called Energy which is ascertained from the retention of the object within the body and its first contact with the tongue.f22

* As explained by Chakrapani, what is stated here is this : objects may be stweet, sweeter, or sweetest. The indications of assimilation, therefore, must be inferior, or middling, or superior, according to the measure or degree of sweetness. So, with respect to the other tastes. Different degrees would produce those indications in different measure. — T.

+ ‘Vipaka’ and ‘Virya’ are here defined. ‘Vipaka’ literally means cooking. The ‘vipaka’ of an object, therefore, indicates its cooking or digestion in the stomach. In¬ stead of digestion, which is a common word, I have adopted the word assimilation as more consistent with scientific dignity. ‘Adhivasa’ means, as explained by Chakrapani,

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Where uniformity is observed (between two objects) in respect of taste, energy, and assimilation, but a difference or distinction occurs in their operation or effect, such distinction is said to arise from what is called the potency of the objects.23*

Chitraka ( Plumbago Zeylanica, Linn.) is pungent in taste, and pungent in assimilation, and hot in energy. So is Danti (Baliospermum montanum ; syn. Groton polyandrum, Roxb.) But Danti operates as a purgative (while Chitiaka does not). This occurs through the potency of Danti.2 4f

Poison is said to destroy poison. This is due to potency (of the poison used to destroy another previously administered).