Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

h. Saraca Indica, Linn.

i. Picrorrhim kurroa , Royle.

* Ruru is a kind of deer. Gavaya, though classed by Hindu writers under the genus of deer, is, in reality, a kind of cow. It is very furious, and seeks to tear men and other creatures with its large horns. — T.

t These scraps of paper or bark are put into or enclosed in small drums of gold, or silver, or copper, or iron, and worn on the upper arm, or by a string round the waist or hanging from the neck.' — T.

t Vide notes ante.

j. Not procurable. The substitute is Guduchi, i. e., Tinospora cordifolia. — T.

k. Not procurable. The substitute is Vansalochana or bamboo manna. — T.

§ Putana was a female Rakshasi who was employed by King Kangsa for giving poisoned milk to Krishna born in Brindabana. Not knowing who Krishna was, she killed many children, till at last when she gave suck to Krishna, the latter sucked out her life-blood

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

8 69

If any disease comes to the child, then carefully examining it by the fivefold consideration of Nature, inducing causes, premonitory indications, developed symptoms, and treatment, and attending also to the especial circumstances connected with patient, drugs, place, and time, the physician should set himself to the treatment, using remedies consisting of those that are sweet, mild, light, agreeable to the scent, and cool, since these are well-suited to children.

It is by this meins that chiidren recover very soon.

When the child is ill, measures should be taken (promptly) for curing that illness. I23

As regards that child which is brought up in practices that are opposed to place, time, and constitution, the physician should cause those practices to be gradually altered and replaced by those that are really suitable.

Abandoning all injurious practices, it attains to wealth of strength, complexion, body and life.*I24

It is in this way that the child should be brought up till the attainment of youth and the acquisition of ability, for earning reli¬ gious merit and wealth. f and killed her immediately. The word is applied to a class of demons who are supposed to be peculiarly hostile to children.

* It is curious to see how every Bengali edition obstinately adheres to a vicious read¬ ing of aphorisms 123 and 124. The fact is, the words ‘ Dega-kalatmagunaviparyyayena vartamanah’ do not form a part of 123 ; they belong to 124. What is stated in 123 and 124 is this : when the child is ill, that should be done which would cure the illness. There are some children who happen to be brought up in practices that are opposed to the attri¬ butes of the ‘deca’ (the country of their birth), the ‘kala’ (the season that is going on), and ‘atma’ (the body or constitution). What should be done in their case ? Those practices, which are unhealthful, should be gradually altered, and replaced by healthful ones. By abandoning those baneful practices, the child will regain wealth of strength, com¬ plexion, &c. — T.

t ‘ Dharmarthakau9alagamanat’ does not mean acquisition of ‘ dharma’, ‘ artha’, and « kaujala’ as some Bengali translators have taken it to imply, but the meaning is acquisition of ‘ kaujala’ or dexterity or ability for earning ‘ dharma’ and ‘ artha.’ What is said here is that the boy should be brought up in the way directed till he attains to that development of all the faculties which forms the principal feature of the period called youth or majority. It is when this period is reached that one acquires the ability of earning both religious merit and wealth. Ordinarily, the attainment of majority is spoken of in the Hindu scrip¬ tures as ‘ Kutumvabharavahanakshamatwam’, i. e., attainment of the capacity to bear the burthens of the family including dependant relatives. The test of ‘ yauvana’ or youth, or majority, is the acquisition of this capacity. — T.

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

8/o

Thus has been expounded the subject of those rites and prac¬ tices which are productive of success unto those who are desirous of offspring.

By observing these acts according to the ordinances laid down, a person endued with honesty succeeds in obtaining the worship, in the measure he desires, of the world. *I25

( Here are two verses containing a Sifnunary ).

By duly observing, according to the ordinances (laid down), those acts fraught with grave import which have been declared (in the foregoing aphorisms) and which bestow success upon persons de¬ sirous of offspring, the man of knowledge and honesty attains the worship, in the measure he wishes, of the world.f 1

This Division is called ‘ £arira’ (that which relates to the Body) because it treats of the whole body in respect of all its aspects and in respect of its human and superhuman wealth. j2