Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

* Some texts read this verse differently. The sense, however, remains unaffected. — T.

t ‘Exclaims in a broken voice that his death is near,’ that is, who often says, in an unnatural and hollow voice that he will die or not live. ‘Sounds that do not exist,’ that is, ‘imaginary sounds.’ — T.

J ‘Sidati is explained by Chakrapani as equivalent to ‘majjati’ or sinks. Gangadhara lakes it as meaning ‘dissolves.’ This is evidently wrong. — T.

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

90 7

That man whose bile, following the heat of the body, goes up to the temples and increases there in intensity, is said to be afflicted by the disease called ‘Sankhaka’ which kills him in three nights. lS That man from whose mouth, blood, mixed with froth, comes out frequently, and whose abdomen is afflicted with deep-seated pains, should be avoided by the physician. z9

That patient in whom these symptoms are noticed, vis., loss of strength and flesh, excessive aggravation of the disease under which he is suffering, and disgust for food, does not live for more than three days,* 20

( Here are two verses.)

When death is near of human beings, even these symptoms manifest themselves. Indeed, other symptoms also, resembling these, may be seen, 21

Verily, all these symptoms become observable, although all of them do not appear in all men who are about to die. Hence, an observant physician should study all these symptoms properly.22 Thus ends the ninth Lesson, called ‘ Y asya-gyaviyam,’ in the Division called ‘Indriya,’ of the treatise of Agnivega as revised by Charaka.

LESSON X.

We shall now expound the Lesson called ‘Sadyomaraniyam.’ Thus said the illustrious son of Atri.f 1

I shall now, O Agnivega, speak of the symptoms of those per¬ sons who cast off their life-breaths immediately. Verily, when afflicted by these symptoms, death becomes inevitable. 2

That man in whose chest is located a violent form of globular

* Gangadhara reads ‘trill pakshan’ for ‘trin-ahSn.’ The latter seems to be the correct reading. Here ‘arishtas,’ that is, such symptoms as indicate the near approach of death, are being expounded. When death is indicated after three fortnights, such indication is not a violent ‘arishta.’ — T.

t In this Lesson the Rishi will expound those symptoms which indicate the immediate .proximity of death. By ‘sadyah’ or immediate, some understand three days, and some seven days. It does not, as used here, imply instantaneousness. — T,

p. 908

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

Vatashthila, and who is exceedingly afflicted by thirst, casts off his life-breaths soon.* * * § 3

When the wind moves in the body in such a way as to slacken the compactness of the calves (of the legs) and bend the nose (on the right or the left side), it deprives the man very soon of his life. 4

That man whose eyebrows fall down from their usual place, and who feels a burning sensation within his body, is sOon carried off if he happens to be afflicted by any disease which causes hiccup. 5

Of one whose blood and flesh have decreased, the wind', moving upwards and bending the tendons of the neck, soon takes away the life-breaths.f 6

If the wind suddenly enters the rectum and the navel and then afflicts the groins of a patient who has become emaciated (through loss of blood and flesh), it succeeds in taking away his life-breaths soon.j 7

If the wind slackening the ends of the ribs seizes the chest of a patient whose body has been paralyzed and whose eyes have expanded, it takes away his life-breaths soon.§ 8

If the wind, becoming powerful, seizes both the chest and the rectum simultaneously of especially a person who has become weak, it succeeds in taking away his life-breaths soon. 9

If the wind, becoming powerful, seizes both the groins and the rectum simultaneously of a person and makes the breath asthmatic, it succeeds in carrying him off soon. IO

* The word ‘Vatashthila’ is compounded of ‘vata,’ meaning wind, and ‘ashthila’, meaning a globular or round pebble or stone. Hence ‘Vatashthila’ means a globular swelling below the navel, produced by vitiated wind. In this disease, an entire stoppage occurs of wind, urine, and stools. Though generated below the navel, that is, in the abdomen, it sometimes travels upwards. — T.

t The correct reading is ‘samayamya’ (in the second line) and not (as occurs in Gangadhara’s edition) ‘same yasya.’ The fact is, by reading ‘same yasya’ the verse ■becomes ungrammatical. The sense is, if a patient loses blood and flesh, and if the wind moves in an upward direction in his body, and if, while so moving, it bends the tendons ■of the nape of the neck, death comes soon. — T.

t ‘Antarena’ is explained by Chakrapani as equivalent to ‘madhyam.’ Gangadhara wrongly takes it as implying ‘vina’ or without. Indeed, by taking the word as implying ‘without,’ the verse would be unmeaning, for the sense then would be, — ‘if the wind, without entering the rectum and the navel, suddenly seizes the groins of a weak patient, &c.’ — T.