Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna
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The translator’s English as printed (Avinash Chandra Kaviratna). The original-language text is not held; names are romanised as the translator printed them.
Thus ends the second Lesson, called ‘Raktapitta-nidana,’ in the Division called Nidana, of the treatise of Agnivega, as revised by Charaka.
LESSON III.
We shall, after this, explain the causes of ‘Gulina1 or abdominal tumours.
In verse 24 what he means to lay down Is this : although several causes have been laid down which make a curable disease incurable, yet incurability is only of one kind, the two other distinctions, as regards the result of treatment, being curable and suppressible. Having said this in the first line of 24, in the second line he proceeds to say that he will (in the verses that follow) lay down the indications presaging the incurability of blood-bile. — T.
* In aphorism 2 have been set forth the causes of blood-bile ; in 3 and 4 the origin and reasons of its designation ; in 5 its incubatory symptoms ; in 6 its supervening symptoms j in 7 the two paths or the outlets through which it escapes ; in & its- curability ; in 9 its suppressibility ; and in 10 its incurability. In 1 1 (which is evidently an interpolation) has been
CHAR A K A-S AM HIT A.
95*
Thus said the illustrious son of Atri. 1 There are verily five kinds of ‘Gulina’
They are i. wind-born, 2. bile-born, 3. phlegm-born, 4. that which is bom of all the faults in a combined state, and 5. that which is born of blood. 2
Unto the illustrious son of Atri who said so, Agniveca said, — O holy one, we wish to know what the differentiating characteristics are of these five varieties of ‘Gulma.’ Even a physician that is endued with a knowledge of medicines is unable to alleviate diseases if he has no knowledge of their characteristics. 3
Unto him answered the illustrious son of Atri, — O Agnivega, the especial knowledge of the different varieties of ‘Gulma’, as, indeed, of other diseases, arises from (a knowledge of) causes, incubatory indi¬ cations, developed symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. Listen now to the causes, and the rest of the different varieties of ‘Gulma* as I expound them for you.
When a person in whose constitution the wind predominates, takes such food as is cold or as excites the wind, at a time when he is afflicted by one or other of these wasting diseases and causes, viz., fever, emetics, purgatives, and diarrhoea, or • drinks emetics and purgatives both of which abound with oily matter, or throws out the contents of the stomach without feeling a pro¬ nounced urging for it, or suppresses the urgings that are pronounced of the downward wind and stools and urine, or takes food in excess, or drinks to excess new water,* or travels in a vehicle that moves the bodily organs and limbs with great violence, or indulges to excess in sexual congress, physical exercises, wines and alcoholic drinks, and grief, or sustains wounds, or indulges in food of inharmonious ingredients, or uses uneven beds and seats, or frequently laid down the circumstances under which the disease first arose ; in 12 has been laid down the course of treatment. From 13 downwards the same things are repeated in verse, includ¬ ing the characteristics of the disease when it is united with excited wind and phlegm, and certain observations on curability and incurability, &c. — T.
* That is, water discharged from the clouds in the beginning of the rainy season. — T.
p. 952
CHARAKA-SAMH1TA
takes long walks, or goes through other exercises of the kind, his wind becomes excit¬ ed in consequence of such baneful practices. 5
The wind, thus excited, enters the principal ducts.* In conse¬ quence of its dryness, it becomes hard ; and having stopped up the great Mucts, it remains in a globular and condensed form. It then generates ‘gula’ or pain in the thorax, the rectum, the sides, and the navel, and causes diverse other kinds of particular pains all of which are regarded as wind-born. Having assumed a globular and con¬ densed form, the excited wind causes also diverse kinds of knots in in the system. Owing to its assuming a globular and condensed form, it comes to be called by the name of ‘Gulma.’f 6
That condensed wind sometimes increases in volume ; sometimes decreases ; sometimes it produces very great pain ; and sometimes the pain it causes is not great, there being no fixed time for the increase or decrease of pain.
These results are due to the mobility of the wind.
In consequence, again, of the mobility of the wind, the patient feels a sensation like that of the crawling of ants through his nerves and arteries.
Further, he feels throbbing, or cutting, or thrilling pains ; a sensa¬ tion of distension or contraction ; absence of sensibility (to touch), and horripilation. These appear and disappear.
The patient also feels as if he is- pierced with numberless needles or spikes.
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