Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

The first division of Charaka’s work, called Sutrasthana, or place of aphorisms, has been completed. Of all the divisions, this is unquestionably the most difficult. Charaka himself calls it the very head of the compilation. Besides giving a mass of information, its last Lesson contains a summary of all that occurs in the subsequent divisions. No summary, however skilfully framed, can afford an adequate idea of the real contents of Charaka’s compilation. The object of the Rishi in presenting such a summary seems to be to guard the compilation from inter¬ polations, like. the abstract occurring in the Anukramamka, of the Maliabharata. It is very probable that the summary was drawn up by Charaka and not by Agnvefa, even as the Anukramanika was drawn up by somebody who first reduced the Mahabharata into writing.

It is a matter of great regret that Charaka’s work is not read by practitioners of the Hindu system of medicine with that care with which it deserves to be read. Various abridgments; by other authors of celebrity occur. Preceptors of reputation,, accordingly, instead of lecturing regularly on Charaka, cause their pupils to master the contents of those abridgments. For this and other reasons, Charaka’s text has in many places become vitiatedThe belief is general in this country that whoever tampers with the scriptures left behind by the Rishis, inflicts a wound on thevery bodies of the Rishis, for their bodies now exist in the form, of those scriptures. One, therefore, that tampers with such texts,, is held to be guilty of Brahmani9ide. This belief has powerfully operated to protect the scriptures from those extensive interpola¬ tions which would otherwise have been inevitable in consequence of the invention of printing not having been known in thiscountry. That interpolations occur may at first sight create surprise. But when one takes into account the circumstance that the invention of printing was unknown in India, one becomes sur¬ prised at the really small extent to which interoolations have

[ H. 1 occurred in the handing down of scriptures by means of amenuenses alone. The constructive Brahmanicide to which we have referred has, indeed, powerfully operated towards this end.

In consequence of the small attention paid to Charaka’s com¬ pilation by practitioners of the Hindu system of medicine, the diffi¬ culty has become great of interpreting many portions of the work. The meanings not having been handed down by authorised teachers from generation to generation, no attempt to interpret Charaka can be successful throughout. Whenever difficulties arise, only two methods present themselves. One is to depend on one’s own unaided intelligence ; the other is to consult brethren of the profession. The latter of the two ways should always be adopted by every cautious man. Accordingly, in rendering the Sutrasthdna, the work had to be frequently suspended, pending the result of references made to practitioners of admitted scholarship. This explains the delay that has occurred in completing this most difficult of all the divisions of the work. The succeeding divi¬ sions are comparatively easy. It is hoped that they will not give so much trouble.