Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

Professor A. V. Williams Jackson., Columbia College , New York, U. S. A. — I must congratulate you, with true appreciation of your efforts. I should very much like to make a little note, in one of our papers, of the : praiseworthy work you are doing. Be assured, Sir, of my hearty thanks and approbation and ol my deep interest in India and antique lore.

Mons A. Birth., Paris Your efforts to place within reach of ithe readers of ancient literature a work of so interesting a nature both to :the Oriental scholars and to the men of medicine, are very praiseworthy, find I shall be happy to bring the work to the notice of the French public, or, at least, of those who take an interest in these researches.

Mons. B. St. Hilaire , Paris : — I praise you on your undertaking and wish you all success. The work is of interest to all learned men and: to medical men and the commentaries written on it prove its value and utility.

I will put in a notice in the Journal des Savants as soon as I can , and shall be happy to do you justice.

Professor H. Jacobi, Bonn University , Germany : — The work you have undertaken will interest Sanskritists as well as medical men who care, for the History of their science. I shall not- fail to draw the attention .of some eminent physicians whom I know personally, to the ancient work of Charaka.

Herr. R. G-arbe, Prinzenstram Keningsburg, Germany The English translation of Charaka Samhita is perhaps, at least from an historical point of view, the most important work of the medicinal literature of your country. * .

ABSTRACT OF CONTENTS.

The contents of this Part are extremely interesting. The Fourth Lesson, called ‘ Mahati-Garbhavakranti ’ ends in page 764 of this Part.

The five auspicious incidents connected with Conception (or the appearance of the embryo in the womb), and the three inauspicious in¬ cidents connected with it, are referred to in page 763.

The physician who understands these eight , auspicious and inauspi¬ cious incidents of Conception; is regarded tas possessed of great learning and skill.

Lesson V commences in page 764. It is called ‘ Purushavichayam,' meaning ‘ an examination of Purusha.’

The Rishi shows the similarity between the external universe and Purusha. In fact, the human body is shown to be an epitome of the universe. It is in every respect a microcosm. Everything existing in the macrocosm is shown to exist in this microcosm. . The points of similarity are certainly very interesting.

The original cause from which ‘ Purusha’ springs, viz., ‘ Pravritti or an inclination for acts, is then explained.

The way of ‘ Nivrirti ’ or cessasion of desire and acts, is also ex¬ pounded.

It is ‘ Nivritti,’ that leads to Emancipation. As long as there are acts, there must be life or re-birth. If the acts are good, a happy life, if they are otherwise, an unhappy life, will be the consequence. Acts are never destroyed until their fruits are e.njoyed or endured.

The practices which lead to the acquisition of a Pure Mind, or that Understanding which is true, and which leads to Emancipation, and, lastly, Emancipation, are also explained by the Rishi.

The course of discipline, which one desirous of achieving Emancipation must go through, is set out in full. It deserves study. It constitutes the highest training for the human mind. It cannot be said that there were not men in ancient India who observed this course of conduct with diligence and sincerity. To this day there are many men who ostensibly conform to it for the sake of the worldly advantages 5 it brings, for such men conimand 'tKp 'respect of the people and live upon' them. The bane of India is that everything noble has deteriorated fritb what .is, ignoble and insincere. The true has degenerated into the false.

Then commences Lesson VI, called ‘ Carira-Vichayam,’ meaning an anatomical examination of the body.

Observations, extremely interesting, occur on * dhatus ’ or the cons¬ tituent ingredients of the body. Their increase and decrease, and the methods to be adopted for neutralising the effects of such increase and decrease, form the other topics of the preliminary portion of this Lesson.

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July 25th, 1901. J

CHARAKA SAMHITA

76 3

Only this purpose has (by what has been said) been indicated agreeably to what was premised.*

By this, the capacity (will arise) of apprehension of the topics connected with Conception : also the application of all those cir¬ cumstances and incidents which produce Conception : and the extirpation of those circumstances and incidents which are des¬ tructive of Conception. 3 6