Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

* ‘Whose breath has gone upward.’ — The breath is supposed by Hindu physicians to traverse through the whole body. When a man dies, the breath is seen to gradually come upward ; that is, it is withdrawn from the lower extremities to the navel ; then to the chest ; then to the throat ; then it is stopped. In certain diseased constitutions, the breath moves through only the upper half of the body. — T.

t It is curious to see how all the Bengali translators have mistaken the meaning of the words ‘vyabiddham spandyate’. It simply implies ‘staggering or reeling motion in walk¬ ing’ and has no reference to the trembling of the body. — T.

t Both Chakrapani and Gangadhara read the second half of the first line in the same way, viz., ‘yasya vrarate kampane’, meaning ‘whose eyes continually tremble.’ Some texts read ‘yasya manye chanatakampane’, implying ‘whose cheeks continually tremble.’ There can be no doubt that Chakrapani’s reading is correct. — T.

§ Some texts read ‘vyavrittamurdhajihvakshah,’ implying ‘one whose head, tongue, and eyes have fallen off.’ This can hardly be correct. ‘Vyavrittamukhajihvasya’ seams to be the true reading. — T.

IT ‘In consequence of any abnormality.’ This implies that the conditions noted should not be normal, but should be due to disease. — T.

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

90 r

That man whose flesh has been excessively reduced, whose bones are seen to be covered by the skin alone, who has become weak, and who does not take any food, lives for a month at the most.* 3°

( Here occurs a verse.)

That skilful person who possesses a knowledge of all the indi¬ cations called Arishtas (which prognosticate the near approach of death) succeeds in acquiring the appellation of “ one conversant with the Science of Life.”

Thus ends Lesson VII., called Pannarupiyam, in the Division called Indriya, of the treatise of Agnivega as revised by Charaka.

LESSON VIII.

We shall now expound the Lesson called 1 Avakgirasiyam’ in the Division called Indriya.

Thus said the illustrious son of Atri.f *

The physician should not entertain even the wish to undertake the treatment of that man the shadow of whose person (in water, in a mirror, or in the li^ht of the sun or the moon or a candle or lamp) appears to be inverted, or crooked, or entirely headless.} 2

That person whose eyelashes become matted together, and whose vision is weakened (on that account), should never be treat¬ ed with medicines by a physician possessed of wisdom. 3

That person suffering under dropsical swellings, whose eyelids, becoming swollen, do not come together (when he shuts them), or whose eyelids cling together (in consequence of sticky secretions), should be looked upon as a dead man. 4

* ‘Tagasthinyeva drigyate’ is the reading that occurs in many editions. There can be very little doubt that it is wrong. The correct reading is ‘tagasthishycva drifyate.’ The sense, of course, is this : one whose flesh has dried up, and who is only bone and skin, &c. — T.

t This Lesson is called ‘Avakprasiya’, implying that which relates to shadows which are either inverted or headless, &c. The fact is, the first verse only refers to such shadows. The entire Lesson, however, is called after the subject of the first verse. — T.

t ‘Avakgiras’ is head downwards and feet upwards ; i. e., inverted. ‘Vakra’ is crooked or curved. A crooked shadow probably means a shadow that is not straight whether such shadows are ever seen may well be doubted. — T.

p. 902

CHARAKA-SAMH1TA.

The physician should predict the near approach of death of that person in whose eyebrows or on whose head lines and circles, not seen before and not made (by means of the brush or the comb), appear.* * * § S

If it is an ailing person in whom such signs are seen, he lives for only three days. If, on the other hand, it is a healthy man in whom these are noticed, he lives, at the most, for six days. 6

That man who does not feel any pain when the hairs of his head are extracted with force, lives for only six days, be he in health or otherwise. 7

The physician possessed of wisdom should not take up the treatment of that person, since his death is near, whose hair, though unrubbed with oil, presents the appearance of having been rubbed with oil. 8

That ailing man the bridge of whose nose becomes thick, and appears to be swollen even when he is not suffering from dropsy, should be avoided by the physician possessed of knowledge. 9

That man whose tongue falls out or becomes contracted exceed¬ ingly, or whose nose becomes dried up, does not live. IO

That person whose face, ears, and lips, become, through disease, white, or dark, or exceedingly red, or blue, never succeeds in getting rid of that disease.f ii

He whose teeth, while he is afflicted by a disease, assume a bony whiteness of hue, or look like flowers, or become coated with filth, never succeeds in regaining health by shaking off that disease.! 12

The tongue that is paralysed, bereft of sensibility, heavy, cover¬ ed all over with prickles, dark-coloured, dry, or swollen, and that hangs out, is regarded as the tongue of a dead man.§ 13

* ‘Simanta’ is a line made by parting the hair with a brush or a comb.