Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

the undertaking is, it should be supported by the enlightened por¬ tion of our countrymen. The diffusion of the intellectual treasures of ancient India is fraught with important consequences to the people of India. Their indifference, therefore, to it, is inexpli¬ cable. The British Gevernment of India, with that liberality which has always marked its attitude towards ancient Indian learning, sympathises with every project like mine. The English translation of the Mahabharata has, in this spirit, been substan¬ tially aided by it, and I have no doubt that it will extend a helping hand to the English translation of Charaka. Already the Govern¬ ment of Bengal has very kindly accepted the recommendation of Sir Alfred Croft, the Director of Public Instruction, Bengal, to subscribe for 65 copies of the work. This comes up to Rs. 2,080. The other local Governments, I am sure, will act with equal liberality. My best thanks are due to Sir Alfred Croft, who has always taken a warm interest in my work. . Among officials be¬ longing to other Departments, I must express my heart-felt thanks to the Hon’ble Mr. Cotton, Mr. F. H. Skrine, Mr. H. A. D. Phillips, and Dr. G. A Grierson, C. I. E., for the kindness they have always shown me by noticing every fasciculus as it has come out.

I take this opportunity of heartily thanking the editors of Indian Journals, European and native, for the encouragement they have always afforded me in the prosecution of my difficult task. With¬ out their active sympathy and valuable support I could never have been able to accomplish what I have succeeded in accomplishing. The editors of many Medical Journals of Europe and America also, by noticing every fasciculus, have laid me under equal obligations. I should avail myself of this opportunity for also thanking those Oriental scholars and eminent medical men of Europe and America who have sympathised with me in my difficulties and encouraged me from time to time with kindly words. Whatever those difficulties, I have every hope of conquering them with support so powerful and so universal as I have been fortunate enough to receive.

200, Cornwallis’ Street, Calcutta : January if, 1896. J

Avinash Chandra Kaviratna.

p. 403

When they hear of anybody’s illness, they run towards his neighbourhood, and in the hearing of that person’s friends loudly proclaim their own skill and accomplishments as physicians.*

These men frequently proclaim the shortcomings of the person whose treatment they take up.t

They wish to win over the friends of the ailing person by doing what would gladden them, by stories and conversation, and various small services.

They proclaim their own disposition to be pleased with a very little remuneration.

Obtaining a case for treatment, they constantly keep their eye on all things, desirous of concealing their ignorance by dexterity. J

Unable to alleviate the disease, they accuse the patient as unequipt with desirable necessaries, as disposed to transgress the directions of the physician, and as having no control over his ncli nations.

Beholding that the last stage has come, they fly away, leaving the patient’s presence and repairing to some other place. Happen¬ ing to be present in assemblies of ignorant or common men, they

* ‘Abhitah paripatanti’ implies that they proceed quickly to the neighbourhood of the person that is lying ill. — T.

‘Samfravane’ means ‘in the hearing-,’ i.e., of the friends and relatives of the afflicted person, or of such persons as are sure to carry the intelligence to the friends and relatives of the patient. — T.

t In most texts, the reading is vicious. The correct reading is given by Gangadhara. It is Techa yasya pratikarma kurvanti &c. The passage does not mean that they proclaim the faults of the physician whom they displace. The fact is, as pointed out by Gangadhara, unable to relieve the patient and fully assured of their incapacity to afford relief, they proclaim the shortcomings of the patient in the hope that their ill-success would be ascribed to those short¬ comings. Those shortcomings have reference to either the inattention of the patient to the directions of the physician or to his stinginess in not spending money freely for good medicines, &c. — T.

+ They keep their eye on all things, i.e., are attentive to what is going on in the house, in order to avail of that knowledge for hiding their incompe.ence by dexterity. — T.

p. 52

4X0

CIIA RAKA-SAMHITA.

proclaim their own skill in treating disease, betraying their ignorance the while.*

Manifesting their own ignorance, they censure the knowledge and wisdom of physicians that are truly wise.

Beholding an assembly of men that are learned and wise, they avoid it from a distance, like travellers avoiding a wilderness where there is cause of fear.10