Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

He is regarded as a physician that is conversant with the Tastes, all articles (of food and drink), the faults, and diseases, in respect of their potency (or virtues), and that knows (the virtues of) place and time as also the body (i. e., the elements that make it up and their respective functions).8'

of hair, &C., and merits, such as savduriness, &c. ‘Na niyata,’ i.e., ‘kadâchit upalabhate, kadachinneti,’ or, as put above, ‘is not always perceived.’ It should be stated here that according to Hindu ideas, the presence of a single hair in food makes it impure. Persons eating quickly can seldom detect such faults. — T.

* What is meant by the digestion not becoming equable is this : the food that is eaten at the outset, mingles with that which is eaten hours after, for the eating goes on for hours together. Hence, the entire quantity of food taken is never equally digested.— T.

f What is implied by the statement that one knows what is suitable to oneself is that no instruction is needed on the subject. — T.

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p. 462

charakasamhitA.

In this Lesson, called Rasa-Vimanam, have been declared the following, viz., the object of the science called Vimilnam ; the tastes, articles (of food and drink), faults, and diseases, in respect of their potencies ; those articles that should not be taken in large measures ; the three kinds of Satmya or suitability ; the eight (considerations in respect of the ordinances about food and drink) ; and the beneficial character of those considerations about food and drink.1-2*

Thus ends the first lesson, called Rasa-Vimanam, in the place of Vimanam, in the treatise of Agnive£a as revised by Ckaraka.

LESSON II.

We shall now expound the Lesson on the Vimanam of the three divisions relating to the Kukshi or stomach. Thus said the illustri¬ ous son of Atri.1

A person, while eating, should, for achieving the end of food, (mentally) divide his stomach into three compartments.

They are as follows ; one of these compartments should be for solid food and its modifications j another for liquid food ; and the last for (the free play of) wind, bile, and phlegm. 2t

* The object of the science of Vimanam is explained in aphorisms 2 to 5 of this lesson ; the tastes, &c., in respect of their potenciss are declared in aphorisms 6 to 1 1 ; articles that should not be taken in large measures are declared in aphorisms 12 to 14 ; the three kinds of SStmya are declared in aphorism 15 ; the eight considerations in respect of the ordinances about food and drink are set forth in aphorisms 16 to 24 ; the beneficial character of those considerations is set forth in aphorisms to end of the lesson.— A f The genetive ‘ &h3xasya,’ Chakrapani explains, means 1 Hhara-nimittam,’ i. e., for (achieving) the end of food, viz, , good digestion and health.

* Avaka^a ' here means space or room or compartment. It is the same as ‘ aka^a.’ The ' ang^as ’ or parts need not be equal, observes Chakrapani. By the word ‘ murta ’ is meant that which has form ; hence, solid. It is con¬ tradistinguished from ‘ drava ’ or liquid, which has no form of its own, for it takes the form of the vessel in which it is kept for the time being.

The division of the stomach into three compartments, is, as observed by Chakrapani, an instance of ‘ Adhyaropa ’ or imaginary division. The case

CHAR AKA- S A M HIT A

p. 463

A person. that takes food according to such measure is never afflicted1 with those baneful consequences that arise from; foodi taken; not according to measure.8*

It should! be- noted: that one is not able to attain- to- all the bene>- ficial consequences of food (or eating) by observing (only the proper measure of food (in eating). This is so. because of the especial results of the eight considferations appertaining to the ordinances,, with- their limitations, relating to food,, such as. Prakriti (nature) and the rest.4t

Iln. this- matter,, verify,, the- results of proper and' improper measure have been- lafd- dbwn- (in this lesson), guided by the consideration, called Ra9i (quantum of food) :6J since propriety of measure and impropriety of measure arenothing more than the ordinances,, with their exceptions, in respect of the Ra9i; (quantum) of food. Of these (two), the propriety of. measure has been; already explained by the remarks on the divisionof the stomach, into, compartments.8

This (vis, the property of measure) we shall again expound in detail.

of astronomers dividing, the ecliptic, which is the Earth’s orbit round' the sun;, into twelve parts or signs, is an instance of Adhyaropa. The Commentator further observes that though the stomach is not the part of body which is the seat of wind or bile or phlegm, yet what is meant by a portion of it being left empty for the free play of these, is that the food and drink taken generate wind,, bile, and phlegm. These must,, in the first instance, have free space in the stomach before they reach their especial seats Or abodes, in the physical organism. — T.

* Food not according to measure implies food, that is either inadequate or excessive, i. e., less or more than the proper measure, — 7Y