Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

The supervening symptoms of those that are afflicted with Prameha are thirst, fever with diarrhoea, burning of the body, weakness, disgust for food, and indigestion.

Rotting of the flesh, pimples and other eruptions of the kind on the body, inflammation of the eye at the edge of the cornea, deepseated abscesses, and abscesses of other kinds, also manifest them¬ selves in connection with Prameha. 49

Amongst the several varieties of Prameha those that are curable should be treated by administering, as each case may deserve, cor¬ rectives and alleviatives. 5°

( Here occur some verses ).

Like a bird which prefers a tree of small stature (to a high one), the disease called Prameha soon assails a person who greedily takes to food and drink and who is reluctant to bathe and walk or saunter.* 51

Death, approaching in the form of Prameha, speedily carries off one who has little activity or energy, who is obese and oleaginous, and who takes large quantities of food. 52

That man who takes such food as conduces to the harmony of the body, and who engages in diverse kinds of acts, enjoys happiness.! 53

( Here are some verses containing a summary).

The causes relating to the distinctions of ‘Hetu’ (or Nidana), as also of the disease in general, and of the different varieties of Prameha,

* The preference of birds for trees of small stature seems to be fanciful. At any rate, there is no doubt that Prameha assails those men quickly who are greedy in respect of food and drink, and who lead sedentary lives, bathing rarely and seldom taking physical exercise of any kind.

‘Chankramana’ is sauntering, that is, walking about without purpose, for only the sake of the exercise it involves.— T.

f ‘Engages in diverse kinds of acts,’ that is, leads a life of activity. ‘Enjoys happiness,’ that is, the happiness of health. Such a man is never assailed by Prameha.— T.

CHARAKA-SAMHITA,

97 * the connection between the faults (viz., wind, bile and phlegm), and the particular ‘dhatus’ or ingredients of the body, the diverse symptoms that are manifested, that from which are the ten phlegm-born varieties of Prameha, and the six bile-born ones, the manner in which the wind, when it becomes endued with might, generates the four varieties of Prameha, the distinctions about curability and incurability, the incubatory indications, and the supervening symptoms, have all been explained in this Lesson on the Nidana of Prameha, together with the aphorisms about treatment.* I-3 Thus ends Lesson IV, called ‘Prameha-Nidana,’ in the treatise of Agnivega as revised by Charaka.

LESSON V.

We shall now expound the Nidana of ‘Kushtha’ or Skin-diseases.

Thus said the illustrious son of Atri. i

Of all kinds of skin-diseases, seven things, whose nature becomes vitiated, are the causes. 2

They are as follow :

The three faults, viz., wind, bile, and phlegm, vitiated in conse¬ quence of provocation.

The four ingredients of the body, viz., skin, flesh, blood, and ‘Lasika’ (or the watery substance between the skin and the flesh). These are the ‘dushyas’ which become vitiated owing to the assault upon them of the ‘doshas.’

These are the seven elements which, when they happen to be in such a state, become the originating causes of all skin-diseases.

* The causes relating to the distinctions of ‘Hetu’ as also of the disease in general are laid down in aphorisms 3 and 4 ; the causes of the different varieties of ‘Prameha’ are laid down in aphorisms 5 and 6. The connection between the faults and the ‘dhatus’ is explained in aphorism 7 ; in the latter part of the same aphorism occur the diverse symptoms that are manifested. That from which are the ten phlegm-born varieties is explained in 8 and the following aphorisms.

As regards the rest, it is not necessary to say anything. — T.

p. 123

ClIARAKArSAMHITA.

9f?

From jthese originating causes the diverse varieties of skin-disease that arise burn the whole body.

There is no variety of skin-di$ease that arises from the proypcation of only one fault.* * * § 3

Of skin-diseases, though their nature is the same, yet in conse¬ quence of distinctions with respect to the measure of the ‘doshas,’ intensity, combination, and seat, there are distinctions in respect of the pain they inflict, their .colour, form, name, effects, and treatment-t't

Leprosy is of seven varieties, or eighteen, or of innumerable varieties.! 5

The modifications of the measure in which the faults are excited determine all the modifications (or varieties) of the disease other than incurability.

Beholding the unlimited number that results in counting the varieties of the disease that are determined by the modifications of the measure in which the faults may be excited, we shall here expound only seven varieties of the disease. § 6

In this matter, although in all varieties of Leprosy the three faults are excited and the skin and three others ( vis ., flesh, blood, and ‘Lasika’) are vitiated, yet in consequence of the wind predominating in it, a Special variety of the disease arises, called ‘Kapala.’ 7