Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

Eyes that are equal (in size), with gaze directly falling on the object to which it is turned, (in other words, not purblind), with their white and dark portions clearly defined, endued with strength and brilliancy, and possessed of well-formed lids and lashes and outer corners ;

Nose straight, with nostrils wide enough for large pufifs of breath with a spine that is long, and with the tip slightly curved ;

* Gangadhara reads ‘arddhavyanjanasampannam’ which he explains as equivalent to semicircular. The correct reading is given by Chakrapani. It is ‘urddhavyanjam,’ meaning ‘possessed of three vertical lines.’ In many foreheads only two such lines are seen, rising upwards from the point where the brows meet.— T.

p. 862

CHARAKA-SAMHITA .

Mouth that is large, straight, (and well-placed teeth)

Tongue that is endued with both length and breadth, that is smooth, thin, no way deformed, and possessed of a pink (reddish) colour ;

Palate that is smooth, that is endued with development (in other words, that is proportionately concave), that is possessed of heat, and that is red in colour ;

Voice that is loud, strong, not rough, and resounding, that seems to rise from the depths of the body, and that is deep ;

Lips that are neither thick, nor thin ; that are endued with proper breadth, that cover the mouth properly, and that are red in colour ;

Cheek-bones large ;

Neck not long ;

Chest that is broad and well-developed ;

Shoulder-joint and back-bone that are well-covered with flesh ;

Breasts that are separated from each other by a wide space ;

Flanks that are symmetrical with the shoulders, and compact ;

Arms that are well-rounded, developed, and long ;

Thighs that are of the same kind ;

Fingers that are also of the same kind ;

Hands and feet that are large and well-developed ;

Nails that are strong, curved, glossy, coppery, elevated, and con¬ vex like a tortoise shell ;

Navel that has lines circling from left to right, and edges ele¬ vated with the centre sunk ;

Waist that is thrice the distance between the navel and the chest, that is even, and that is not endued with flesh ;

Buttocks that are well-rounded, compact, fleshy, neither very elevated, nor very depressed ;

Thighs that are gradually tapering and well-developed ;

Calves that are neither fleshy nor void of flesh, that end in ankles like those of the deer, that have nerves and bones and joints well-covered ;

* It should be noticed that in- examining a child immediately after the ceremony of naming is over, the physician cannot possibly see any teeth. Probably, the well-placed teeth are mentioned as a sign to be looked for when the child has got them. T.

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

p. 863

Heels that are neither very fleshy nor void of flesh ;

Feet that are of the kind already indicated, and that are con¬ vex like a tortoise shell ;

Wind, urine, stools, and anus, as also sleep, waking hours, motions, smiles, cries, and sucking (of the mother’s breast), that are all conformable to nature ;

All else, unmentioned here, that are not unnatural ;

These are favourable symptoms.

The reverse of these are unfavourable.

The indications of longevity are thus set forth.*102

After this we shall lay down instructions for the examination of nurses.

Then the physician should say, — Fetch a nurse that should be of the same caste (with the mother), possessed of youth, humble in disposition, having no disease, without any defect of limb, unaddicted to the vices known as ‘Vyasanas,’j- good-looking, not disposed to speak ill of others, born in the same country, not mean (in disposition), not mean in actions, well-born, fond of children, pos¬ sessing healthy and living children of her own, mother of male children, having a copious measure of milk, never heedless, undis¬ posed to lie down on and sleep in improper place and time, never sleeping in unclean places, not associating with men and women of classes below her own, dexterous in serving, pure (in mind and body), averse to everything impure, and endued with wealth of breasts' and milk (well-developed breasts and copious milk).i°3

* I am not sure that I have rendered this long passage correctly. The Commentators- (both Chakrapani and Gangadhara) have not explained many of the doubtful words. Some portions of the body seem to have been repeated. ‘Sakthi’ and ‘Uru’ are generally under¬ stood to imply the same part, viz., the thigh. Yet the former occurs after ‘arms,’ and the latter much below, after ‘buttocks.’ Tne measure of the ‘Kati’ (by which the waist is understood) has been stated in a very round-about way. Compare the whole of this passage with the measurements given in ‘Vimana-sthana,’ ante. — T.