Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

Sneezing,, loud notes- of sorrow, tripping, falling down, loud cries of rage or brawling, affrays and free fights, prohibiting, cen¬ sures or abuse, sticking of the cloth worn or of the head-dress and of the upper garments to any hook or nail or any other substance, breaking or tearing of the umbrella or the pair of shoes worn, orthe sight of such mishap to anybody else’s umbrella or shoes, sight of one plunged into distress on account of a death, the fall of a sacred tree, or of a flagstaff or of a banner, or of a vessel full of water, talk upon a dead man, or upon a mishap- that has overtaken a person; clouding of the atmosphere by dust or ashes raised by the wind, crossing of the path by a cat, a dog, or a snake, cries of fierce and wicked animals and birds against the direction1 lighted by the sun, sight of beds, seats, and coveyances upturned, — all these have been declared by the wise to be inauspicious omens.-]- 25-29

* The grammatical construction of the last verse (numbered 23) seems to be this r. ‘Tatpurvamabhitah dutanam vyahritam vakyam.’ The ‘tat’ here has reference to ‘yatr in the previous line.-

‘Vakyakaie’ ought to be taken separately.

Gangadhara reads ‘tatha’ as the first word of verse 21. This is incorrect. It should be ‘yatha.’- In verse 20, inauspicious indications are spoken of in general terms. In 21 and 22 these are specified. — T.

t ‘Avakshuta’ or ‘kshavatu’ is sneezing. It is regarded as an evil omen.' If one hap¬ pens to sneeze just as another pe'rson is on the point of starting on a journey, the latter gives' lip the journey either completely or postpones it by a few' minutes. ‘Utkrushta’, mean¬ ing the loud' notes of sorrow, is another unfavorable omen, just as all sounds of cheerful¬ ness or religion (such as the chanting of Vedic hymns), are auspicious prognostications. ‘Skhalanam’ is tripping or sliding ; ‘patanam’, falling. The physician may trip or fall down himself, or may see another person tripping or falling down. A fall is sometimes regarded as an evil omen. The story of William the Conqueror may be recalled to the' reader’s mind. ‘Akro$a’ means cries of rage or challenges directed to others present or absent. ‘Pratishedha’ implies prohibition. Somebody is intent upon doing something. ' Somebody else is loudly forbidding him to do it. The physician hears it. It is the custom to take prohibitions as applying to one’s own self. Hence the physician takes it as direct¬ ed to himself. It is otherwise called ‘Narankita.’ The Hebrews called it ‘the daughter of an echo or voice.’ ‘Asanga’ is attachment or sticking. The physician’s own garments.

p. 920

CHARAKA -SAM HIT A.

Seeing or hearing these on his way to the house of the patient, the physician possessed of wisdom should refrain from going thither. Thus has the subject been expounded of the deathindicating omens on the way which are always condemned by physicians. The following should be known to be the condition of the house occupied by a patient whose death is near. 3Q-31

When the physician enters the house of a patient that is about to die, he beholds the following, viz., a jar or vessel full of water, fire, earth, seeds, fruits, ghee , a bull, a Brahman, jewels, and images of deities, coming out of the house. Entering the house he sees vessels for the keep of fire broken or the fire itself without a blaze. 32-33

The inmates of the house of a patient that is on the point of death are seen to use things that are torn, or pierced, or burnt, or broken, or crushed, or weak. 34