Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

* ‘ Sapraja stri ’ means a woman who has children. The second question of AgniveQa (in verse 4) is this : Why does a woman, who has already given birth to children (z. e., who is not sterile), conceive after a considerable lapse of time, (the usual conditions of conception, vis., health ■and sexual congress, not being, of course, absent all the while) ? The last question (in verse 4) does not relate to abortions alone, as the answer coming later on will show. . What Agnivesa really asks is this : Why does a conception, once originated, disappear ? The disappearance of which Agnive^a speaks may be due to actual abortion, or to the appearance of the menstrual flow and the womb losing its swelling condition and returning to its normal state. — T.

t 1 Sampat’ is, literally, wealth. What is meant by ‘wealth of semen’ is the faultless character of the semen or vital seed injected into the uterus. By ‘ wealth of blood ’ is meant the faultless character of the menstrual blood. ‘ Wealth of Soul ’ has reference to favourable destiny •due to good acts in the Soul’s previous state of existence. The theory of the Hindu Shastras is that as soon as an ovum comes out into the uterus it is penetrated by a bodiless Soul or Self that was wandering in vast space. ‘ Wealth of womb or uterus ’ implies the faultless character of the uterus into which the semen is injected. ‘ Wealth of time ’ indicates an auspicious conjunction of planets and lunar asterisms. — T.

p. 698

CHARAKA SAMHITA.

Through disease or defect of the (mother’s) organs of gener¬ ation, through mental grief, through faults of the semen, of the menstrual flow, and of (the mother’s) food and movements, through absence of timeliness, and through loss of strength, even a woman who has given birth to children (sometimes) conceives after a considerable lapse of time.*8

Gangadhara takes 1 hitaih arthaih (samjuktS.) upacharah * as grammati¬ cally connected with ‘ matuh ’ understood. This is certainly erroneous. ‘ Upacharah ’ is grammatically connected with the genetive ‘ yasya ’ having reference to ‘ garbha 1 in the second line. Hence, ‘ upachara ’ should be taken as implying ‘ surroundings,’ in the sense of the sustenance and motions of the foetus. No doubt, these depend on the regimen and acts of the mother or woman conceiving.

In the question (verse 4) occur the words ‘ sukhancha jayate.’ In the answer also (verse 5) occur the words ‘ sukhancha sanjayate.’ The mean¬ ing is ‘ grow or develop with ease,’ i. e., without accidents of any kind ; some of the vernacular translators have taken the words as implying ‘ comes out easily.’ This is erroneous.

What is meant by the foetus attaining to happiness is its growth in health, viz., the absence of diseases and defects, etc. — T.

* ‘ Yoni ’ means the female organs of generation ; it includes the uterus, the fallopean tubes, and the ovaries. ‘ Yani-pradosha ’ would imply the diverse kinds of the diseases of the ‘ yoni.’ Charaka lays down twenty different kinds of such diseases.

Mental sorrow stands in the way of conception. This fact, it seems, was well understood by the Rishis.

‘ Akalayoga,’ meaning the absence of timeliness. This has reference to the time of sexual union. If it is untimely, that is, if it does not imme¬ diately precede or follow the menses, it does not prove fruitful. Then, again, there is some reference (in the words) to particular planetary com¬ binations and lunations.

Dr. GRIFFITH EVANS, M. D., Brynkynall, Bangor North Wales. ...The book is exceedingly interesting, and instructive for those who are fund of tracing the origin, growth and development of medical science, also illustrates some ancient social customs of India.

PROFESSOR MAX MULLER I have no doubt you ought to publish an English translation of Charaka. The book is of great importance. I shall be very glad to help you in any" way you may wish — Writing again in November 1893. he says — * * * I am surprised that your excellent and most useful translation has not attracted more attention * ^ * Our Regius Professor of Medicine, Sir Henry Edward, was much interested in it.

SIR MONIER WILLIAMS, K. C. I. E. : — I have received your kind gift of the successive parts of the Charaka and Susrata Samhitas. I regard them as a valuable addition to my library. No doubt, an English translation would be very interesting.

Dr. REINHOLD ROST, C. L. E. late Librarian to the India Office — * * * Your excellent translation * * * a most valuable and praiseworthy workwhich will not fail to make ancient Hindu Medicine better understood and appreciated in the West * * * 1 shall draw the attention of Oriental scholars to vour difficult and meritorious work * * * Many important additions to our Sanskrit dictibnaries will be gleaned from your translation.