Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

‘Vishama-9arira-nyashat’ refers to the placing of the body in improper attitudes. It includes the practices of Hatha yoga when these are not slowly or gradually undertaken. There are certain urgings that require to be sup¬ pressed, such as those of the passions. Indulgence in wrath or envy shorten life. It dries up vigour. Duryodhana, in consequence of envy of his cousins, is described in the Mahabharata, as getting weaker and weaker day by day.

‘Ahara-vivarjjana’ refers to either complete fast or abstention from nutritive food.— T.

* The question asked by Agnive9a arises incidentally from the last answer of the Rishi. The matter, though not directly connected with the subject treated, viz., the destruction of cities and towns, is disposed of here incidentally by way of parenthesis, as it were ; or, it may even be taken as remotely connected with the subject. Fevers do sometimes depopulate cities and towns. The question, therefore, of the treatment of fevers may be taken as having some¬ thing to do with the principal subject. — T.

CHA RA KA-SAMHITA.

p. 489

Verily, fever has its origin in (the faults of) the ama£aya. Generally, the medicines for all diseases of the ama^aya are Pachanas, or emetics, or Apatarpanas, or £ atnanas .

Warm drink is (administered) for promoting the digestion (of undigested humours)

Hence, physicians administer this in large quantities to men in fever.54*

The warm water thus administered, when drunk, causes the wind to move in its natural directions, and excites the fire in the stomach.

It is, again, quickly digested. It dries up the phlegm.

Even a small quantity of it, when drunk, is calculated to quench the patient’s thirst.

Even if endued with such virtues, it should not be prescribed in a fever in which the bile has been greatly excited, or in a fever existing with burning (of the skin), delusion, delirium, and diarrhoea. Through administration of warm water, burning (of the skin), delusions, delirium, and diarrhoea increase.

By cold water these are allayed.55

Here occurs a verse.

Those that are ceversant with medicines allay all diseases born of heat by (applying) cooling (drinks and treatment).

As regards, however, those diseases that are born of cold, warm water is their effective remedy.56!

* ‘Kayasamuthanam’ implies the symptoms of the disease as manifested in the body. These symptoms help the physician in judging as to whether the fever is due to cold or heat. 'Pachanas’ are medicines which digest all undigested food, without increasing the appetite. ‘Amacjaya’ is that part of the stomach where the food passes immediately after deglutition. Etymologically, it means the region of raw (undigested) food. ‘Apatarpanas’ are medicines which dry up humours. Sometimes, fasts go under this name. They are the reverse of Santarpanas. ‘Camanas’ are sedatives or soothing medicines. — T.

t ‘Vishagjitam’ implies a medicine. Etymologically, it means something that has been subdued by the physician to his own purposes. Hence, any efficacious drug. Products of nature are subjected to different processes and reduced by physicians into agents for serving the objects they have in view. — T.

p. 490

CHAR AKA - SA MHITA.

After the same manner, of diseases of other kinds, the medicines to be prescribed should be of virtues contrary to their causes.57

So, of all diseases generated by Apatarpana, there is no alleviation without Purana ; as of diseases generated by Purana , there is no alleviation without ApatarpanaP.*

Apatarpana is of three kinds ; (i) Langhana, (2) LanghanaPachana , and (3) DoshdvasechanaP t

Of these, Langhana is prescribable for faults slightly provoked. A fault slightly provoked and of little strength becomes dried up through the increase of the (digestive) fire and of the wind brought about by Langhana, even as a piece of shallow water is dried up by heat and wind.60 4

A fault that is provoked a little more than what would be called slight and that possesses middling strength, is dried up by (the administration of) both Langhana and Pachana, even as a quantity of water that is not large is dried up by the wind and the hot rays of the sun as also by (clouds of) dust and ashes falling upon it.61§ f For the meaning of the word Langhana vide Lesson XXII. of Sutrasthanam. "The four kinds of corrective processes {viz, administration of emetics, of purgatives, of errhines or cerebral purgatives, and dry enemata, as also bearing thirst and wind and the heat of the sun, drinking the medicines called Pachana, fasts and physical exercise, — these are all included under Langhana.” — P. 245, Sutrasthanum — T.

* ‘Apatarpana’ as explained above, is a course of treatment that dries up humours. It is fully expanded in the following aphorisms. ‘Purana’ is another name for ‘Santarpana’ or indulgence in food and practices that are of a soothing and nutritive effect on the system. — T.

{ ‘Alpavaladosthanam’ is the correct reading.