Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

These should be examined and attended to by the physician desirous of ascertaining what the remnant is of the patient’s period of life. The examination should be by the help of direct perception, inference, and the instructions of the wise.2

Verily, amongst these objects of examination, some do not appertain to the person (the measure of whose life is to be ascertain¬ ed) and some appertain to that person.

CHA RAKA -SAMHITA.

p. 873

Amongst these, those that do not appertain to the person himself, should be examined by the aid of the instructions of the Wise as also by reason (or inference).

As regards, again, those that appertain to the person himself, these should be ascertained by a careful observation of what is normal and what abnormal.*3

The normal condition (or Nature, or Constitution) of a person is considered under six aspects, viz.,

1. That which depends upon the class to which he belongs ;

2. That which depends upon the family or lineage to which he belongs ;

3. That which follows from his habitat (or country) ;

4. That which follows from the age (such as Krita, Treta, Dwapara, and Kali) in which he lives, or the season of the year (such as spring, &c.) ;

5. That which follows from the years the person counts (such as infancy, boyhood, youth, manhood, &c.) ;

6. That which is dependant upon the person’s Soul.

The constitutions of men, as dependant upon these, cause the differ¬ entiating characteristics between man and man.f4

* Amongst those objects that do not appertain to the person himself the measure of whose life is to be ascertained, are such as relate to the messenger despatched for fetching the physician, the omens observed by the physician on his way to the house of the person to be examined, changes in the normal condition of the relatives of such person, &c. The changes adverted to are often regarded as indicators of grave results. Amongst others, the changes observed in the wife are regarded as very significant. The breaking of parti¬ cular ornaments, excessive cheerlessness, &c., are taken as indications of widowhood and, therefore, of the death, within a brief space of time, of her husband. — T.

+ ‘ Jati-prasakta’ — i. e., as adhering to or dependant upon the ‘Jati’ of a person; ‘ Jati’ means the class, such as Brahmana, or ICshatriya, or Vaigya, or’Sudra, to which a person belongs.

‘ Kula-prasakta’ implies that which arises from the peculiar characteristics of the ‘Kula’ or lineage of a person.

‘ Deganupatini’ means that which follows the habitat of the person : that is, the country in which he resides. The constitution of one who is born and who lives in a cold climate is different from that of one born and living in a hot climate.

Some texts read ‘ daganupatini’, meaning ‘depending upon the ‘daga’ or condition in respect of prosperity or adversity, health or disease, &c., of the person. This can scarcely be the correct reading, for ‘dega’ and ‘lcala’ always come together in such connections. Besides, ‘dega’ determines the constitution more effectively than ‘Daga.

p. 874

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

Deyiation from normality (z. e., from Natui'e or natural consti¬ tution) is of three kinds, viz.,

1. That which appertains to indications ;

2. That which appertains to what is indicated ; and

3. That which is dependant on Accidents (or Omens).

Amongst these, the first is that which has for its cause indica¬ tions actually arising in the body. It should be stated that there are some indications which are inherent to the body, and others which appear or occur at particular occasions. These, when they arise, produce abnormal conditions of particular kinds. *5

The second is that which has for its determinants all those symptoms which have been laid down in the lessons bearing upon Nidana.f6

The third is that which follows the exposition of accidents or omens.

It is that which physicians regard as determinants of the rem¬ nant of one’s period of life notwithstanding the fact of their not having indications appearing in the body.

Then, again, inasmuch as these indicate the decrease of the period of life, they are also regarded as the likes of the symptoms of approaching death.

‘ Kalanupatini’ implies what follows ‘Kala.’ The Commentators take ‘Kala’ as refering to the great divisions of time, viz., the epochs or large periods, such as, Krita, Treta, Dwapara, and Kali. It has been observed, in a previous Division of this work, that con¬ stitutions differ in the different ages. Men lived 400 years in the Krita, 300 in the Treta, and 200 in the Dwapara, ages ; while the limit, in this the Kali age, is too years. Kala also means the seasons, such as, spring, summer, &c. Constitutions are affected by the seasons.

‘ Pratyatmaniyata’ is that which is governed by the ‘atman’ or self. Each individual Self, in consequence of the acts that determine its birth, becomes encased in a body having a particular constitution.