Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

* What the Rishi intends to lay down is this : all the seven Moshas.’ and ‘dushyas1 must combine before any variety of skin-disease can be generated. — T.

t It has been said that' all varieties of ‘Kushtha’ or skin-disease are caused by the vitiation of the seven ‘doshas’ and ‘dushyas.’ One may, from this, argue that when there is similarity or uniformity in respect of cause, all the varieties of the disease should be of the same ‘prakriti’ or nature. To guard against this error, the Rishi lays down that the originating causes differ in respect of the particular measure of the excitement of the ^doshas,’ the measure of intensity, &c.

Thus in one variety, the wind may be more provoked than the bile and the phlegm. In another, the bile may be more provoked than the others. These differences lead to differ¬ ences in the measure of pain which the varieties of the disease inflict, the colour which the eruptions assume, &c. — T.

t Taking into consideration the degrees in which the faults are excited, the seats of the disease, the measure of intensity of the pain, &c., the disease is regarded as either of seven, or of eighteen, or, indeed, of innumerable varieties. — T.

§ I giye the sense only of the first portion of the aphorism without reproducing the pleo¬ nasms occuring in it. The limitation involved in ‘other than incurability’ means this : many varieties of the disease are incurable. Incurability, therefore, is a common incident charac¬ terising many varieties. If curability and incurability be considered, there would then be only two varieties of the disease. — T.

cHAraka-samhit A.

9>3

When; the bile predominates, th’e variety is caffed ‘Audumvara.’ 8 When it is the phlegm that predominates, the variety Is called ‘Mandate.’ 9

When the wind and the bile both predominate, the variety is called ‘Rishyajihbham.’ 10

When the bile and the phlegm predominate, the variety is named ‘Pundarika.’ 11

When the phlegm and the wind predominate, the variety is known by the narft'e of ‘Sidhma-.’ 12

When all the faults are excited in an intense degree, the variety is called ‘Kakanaka.’ r3

Thus does Leprosy come to be classed under seven heads. H These seven varieties, again, become many in consequence of the diverse degrees of Intensity of the nature of the disease as determined by the measure in which the faults are excited: is

We shall here expound, in brief, the causes of all the varieties of Leprosy.

Of one' who indulges In cooling and heating operations in a man¬ ner that is contrary to what the faults require,* or who indulges in practices in respect of ‘Santarpana’ and ‘Apafarpana’ in a contrary way,f of one who always takes In excessive measure such articles as honey, thin treacle, fish, radishes, and Solanmn nigrum , or wbo eats before the food test taken has been digested, or who takes fish of the variety called ‘chilichima’ (a species of sprat) along with milk, or who takes food in which such rice predominates as is obtained from the species of paddy known as ‘Hayanaka,’ ‘Yavaka,’ ‘Chinaka,’ ‘Koddalaka,’ and ‘Koradushaka,’ mixed with milk, curds, whay, jujubes, and such pulses as Dolichos biflorus and

* ‘Mala’ here is used as a substitute for ‘dosha’ or fault. What is said here is this : when the bile is excited, cooling operations are necessary. If, however, one, at such a time, indulges' in heating operations instead of cooling ones, one proceeds in a contrary way. So when one’s wind or phlegm is excited, one requires heating operations. If, however, one at such a time indulges in cooling operations, one acts in a contrary way.— T.

+ For ‘Santarpana’ and ‘Apatarpana,’ vide Lesson XXIII, ante, Sutrasthana. The former means indulgence in oily and nourishing food and drink and such practices as promote corpulence, &c. The latter means fasts and other practices by which over-growth or the evils of th'e; former may- be got -rid of— T.

p. 974

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

Phaseolus radiatus, linseeds, safflower, the fruits of Grewia Asiatica , and oils, of one who, after taking the above articles in an excessive mea¬ sure, indulges largely in sexual congress, physical exercisesj'&nd exposure to the heat of the sun or of fire, of one who is afflicted by fear, toil, and grief of one who suddenly plunges into cold water, of one who takes food which produces a burning sensation in the stomach, at a time when the food last taken has not been digested, of one who checks the urgings of vomiting, after the appearance of these symptoms, Leprosy manifests itself. r7

The pains, colour, sites, intensity, and names by which the several varieties of Leprosy are distinguished, are as follow :