Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

5. This Lesson shows that the human form is an epitome of the universe. The observations, though rather fanciful, are very original.

6. This Lesson treats of the several elements of the body. A knowledge of these elements is highly necessary for a successful treatment of disease.

7. This Lesson treats of the diverse limbs of which the body consists. They are numbered and described.

8. This Lesson treats of the practices which a healthy couple should observe in order to produce good offspring. The instructions laid down all relate to the maintenance of health and of purity of behaviour. The use of mild aphrodi¬ siacs is also recommended. Directions are laid down in respect of food and dress, and the time of sexual union.

1. It has heen already said that a physician should depend upon the In¬ structions received from his preceptor, Observation, and Inference. Relying upon these three, he should well mark the following particulars of the patient to whose bed-side he is called, vie., complexion, voice, smell, taste, touch, eyes, nose, tongue, skin, strength, inclination or present disposition, habits, purity or impurity, practices, memory, features, and diverse other particulars. This Lesson treats of these various particulars beginning with 'varna’ or complexion, and ‘swara’ or voice.

2. In the vegetable kingdom, flowers manifest themselves first ; from them arise fruits. After the same manner, certain symptoms, called 'Arishta' appear. These are followed by death. ‘Arishtas’ are infallible indicators of dissolution. .Sometimes physicians mistake innocent symptoms for ‘Arishta’. This Lesson treats of ‘Arishtas’ in general.

iharaka-samhitA.

p. 431

The division called Chikitsa-sthana consists of thirty Lessons. They are—

1. Abhayamalakiya, 2. Pranakamiya, 3. Karaprachitika, and 4. Vedasamutthanam.

These four are classed under Rasayana.

3. This Lesson treats largely of how the state of the patient may be ascer¬ tained by touching his person. What particular facts are ascertainable by touch, and how those facts are evidence of the disease that is afflicting the patient or of the measure of such disease, form the subject of this Lesson.

4. This Lesson deals with the symptoms which the several senses or organs of perception manifest in a person whose death is near. Thus, for example, one that is on the point of death sees the welkin peopled with diverse objects and the Earth as perfectly empty. These delusions of the eye, and similar delusions of the other senses, form the topic of this Lesson.

5. This Lesson treats of the preliminary symptoms of incurable diseases. It takes up the diseases in the order in which they have been set forth in the division called Nidana.

6. This Lesson sets forth the kinds of bodies in which treatment does not produce any effects.

7. This Lesson treats of those patients who cannot see the images falling on the retina of other people, or in whose retina no image is formed of objects placed before them.

8. This Lesson treats of certain extraordinary symptoms that are sure fore¬ runners of death.

9. This Lesson also treats of similar symptoms that forebode death with certainty.

10. This Lesson treats of those symptoms that inevitably terminate in im¬ mediate death.

11. In this Lesson the Rishi treats of those symptoms which forebode the occurrence of death within at least a year.

12. This Lesson treats of certain indications which forebode the occurrence of death within a month or earlier. It should be noted that in naming these several Lessons, the name of that particular symptom with which the Lesson has been commenced has been adopted.

1 — 4. The first Lesson, ‘Abhayamalakiya’ treats in particular of the medi¬ cinal effects of Chebulic myrobalans and Phyllanthus Emblica. Medicine is of two kinds : those that are administered to healthy persons for strengthening their health, and those that are administered to the diseased for cure of their disease. Similarly, among non -medicines, there are two classes : 1. those that produce instantaneous death, and 2. those that are injurious toihealth although the effects are visible after sometime.

p. 432

CH iraka-samhitA.

5. Samyogafaramuliyam, 6. Asaktakshirakam, 7. Mashaparna, numbering the third, and 8. Pumanjatavaladikam.

These eight form two groups of Fours ; and are, in this com¬ putation, regarded as two.

Of these two groups of four, the first is classed under RasSyana, and the second under Vajikarana.61-55

Then come the sections on Jwara and Raktapitta numbered 9 and 10 respectively.

Those medicines that strengthen the health of the healthy are called Vrishya. They are also called Rasayana. The latter term is sometimes used to imply a certain class of medicines that are applied to diseased persons as well.