Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

* The strength of the patient should be ascertained from his power of exertion or motion, ‘Vyayama’ here means exertion or motion, and not physical exercise. The state of his mind should be ascertained from freedom from error as regards the different objects of the senses. Thus, if upon seeing a cow the patient recognises it as a cow, his mind may be said to be in a good order. Absence of mistakes as regards objects of the senses is the best criterion of a healthy mind. ‘Vijnana’ or knowledge is to be judged by 'vyavasaya' which, in this connection, implies concentration of attention. The kind of

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CHA RA KA -SA M HI TA.

Here are some verses.

By Instruction (obtained) from the wise, by acts of Observing, as also by Inference, a physician of wisdom should ascertain (diagnose) disease.1® knowledge here referred to is that which depends upon comparison or the process of reasoning. Whether the patient has this faculty or not is to be judged from his ability to concentrate attention. Images may arise in his mind, but these may fly off as soon as they arise. That which is called the Representative faculty in the Hamiltonian school, is 'vyavasaya' as used here by the Rishi. ‘Abhidroha’, as explained by Chakrapani, means ‘para-pidartha-privittih’, i. e., the desire to give pain to others. Probably, ‘violence’ is the sense in which it is used here. Grief is expressed by ‘dainya’, i. e., cheerlessness. Chakrapani takes ‘dainya’ to imply weeping, &c.

Joy is expressed by exhilaration. ‘Amoda’ is taken by Chakrapani as meaning dancing, singing and laughter, &c.

‘Priti’, which I have rendered ‘satisfaction’, is expressed by ‘Tosha’ which Chakrapani takes as implying brightness of facial expression.

The correct reading is ‘Avasthanam’ and not ‘Asthanam’. It implies reso¬ luteness of mind, or fixity of determination. ‘Avibhrama’ is absence of roving from one purpose to another.

‘Qraddha’, as explained by Chakrapani, means here desire or liking. This, of course, is to be known by the purposes entertained by the patient.

‘Medha’ is Intelligence. It is to be judged by the power of apprehending or seizing ideas.

Consciousness is to be judged by the power of recognizing. It is said that when Sir Walter Scott returned home from his last tour in Italy, he could not at first recognise his relatives and friends. At last, when his beloved friend and steward, William Laidlaw, stood beside his bed, Sir Walter’s face brightened up and he said, — “Is that you, Willie ? I feel that I have noo come hame.” The test of recognition is, perhaps, the best test of an unclouded consciousness. The habits of a patient are to be judged from his practices.

Aversion to particular men or things is to be judged by the prohibitions uttered by the patient respecting the entrance of those men or the appearance of those things before him.

The hypocrisy of a patient is to be judged from a comparison of his future acts with present conduct. Onei may preserve a courteous exterior towards another and sometimes after even take his life.

‘Bhakti’ is food. It is to be ascertained from the country of the patient’s residence. Thus, in Bengal, the staple food is rice ; in the North-Western Provinces, wheat, &c.

‘Vyadhisamutthana’ implies aggravation of a disease.

'CHA RAKA-SA M HI TA

50i

The physician conversant with his science, reflecting, in all manner of ways, upon everything* as far as possible, should then come to a conclusion about the diagnosis ( of the disease before him ) and the treatment '( that should be followed ),18

The physician that is conversant with both diagnosis and treat¬ ment, is never at a loss to achieve success. The man that is not ignorant attains to the fruits that are born of non-ignorance.14*

The physician of knowlegde who fails to enter the inner body of the patient with the ( aid of the ) lamp of knowledge and understanding, can never treat diseases.18

( Here are two verses containing a summary. )

The three means of acquiring knowledge of the features of all diseases, the matters about which the Inspired lay down instruc¬ tions, those matters which are apprehended by Observation, as also those which are to be known by Inference and the manner in which they are to be known, — all these things the ascetic of high intelligence, (zw., Punarvasu ) has declared in this Vimanam about the three means of ascertaining diseases.1"^

Thus ends the Vimanam about the three means of ascertaining diseases, in the treatise of Aginveja as revised by Charaka.

•Gudhalingam vyadhim’ implies such diseases as those of the chest or of the abdomen, &c. It is by marking what things are agreeable and what not, as regards food, &c., that such ailments can be known.

In ascertaining which of the faults has been excited in what measure, atten¬ tion should be paid to the kind of baneful practices in which the patient had indulged.

Whether the period of life has run out is to be ascertained from the ap¬ pearance of these indications which go by the name of Arishta.