Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

t Gangadhara reads the second line as ‘te cha tebhyah &c.’ This seems to be wrong. ‘Na cha tebhyah &c.’ is much better — T t ‘Nimitta’ implies ‘causes.’ Taken in a restricted sense, it may mean the indirect agencies such as the wrath of the deities, &c., which produce the disease.

‘Kriya’ implies treatment. ‘Sutras’ are aphorisms. Only the ‘Sutras’ relating to treat¬ ment have been laid down. Elaborate instructions will be laid down in the Division called ‘Chikitsa.’ — T.

§ ‘ApasmSra’ is derived from the prefix ‘Apa’ and the root ‘Smri.’ ‘Smri’ means to

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CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

’ Thus said the illustrious son of Atri. 1

Verily, there are four varieties of ‘Apasmara’ viz., i. wind-born, 2. bile-born, 3. phlegm-born, and 4. that born of all the three faults. ?

These appear quickly in persons that are of the following descriptions :

Persons whose minds have been afflicted by ‘Rajas’ (Passion) and ‘Tamas’ (Darkness) ;

Persons in whom the faults, excessively accumulated and become inharmonious, have begun to course upwards ;*

Persons, who take, in combinations opposed to rules of harmony, such food and drink as are filthy, or mixed with what is vitiated or impure ;f

Persons who practise the injunctions of the ‘Tantras’ in a manner that is opposed to ordained methods iremember or recollect. ‘Apa’ signifies absence or loss. Thus ‘Apasmara,’ literally, implies ■that disease in which the memory or recollection is lost or confused. The characteristic ■feature of Epilepsy is, of course, fits of total unconsciousness. — T.

* ‘Udbhranta’ is explained by the commentators as ‘having an upward course.’ It is the ibrain that is particularly affected. This result is, according to Hindu physicians, due to the 1 upward course of the excited faults.

‘Vishama’ is iuharmonious. As long as the faults are in a state of harmony, there is no

■ disease. The inharmoniousness of the faults, occasioned by the increase or predominance of *one over the other, is the cause of disease.

‘Vahu’ does not imply strength of number but of measure or degree. Hence, it signifies .excess of excitement or accumulation. — T.

+ ‘Samala’ is ‘with filth.’ ‘Vikritopahita’ is combined with what is vitiated.’ An article ■of food may be itself pure and good ; yet it may be combined with some other thing that is ■vitiated. As an example : potatoes, radishes, cauliflowers, etc., are frequently cooked with ‘Bhetki’ fish that is slightly rotten. No doubt, this adds to the flavour, but then it certainly ■becomes injurious.

‘Aguchi’ is impure, that is, mixed with hair, bones, etc.

‘Vaishamyayuktena upayogavidhina’ implies dressed or cooked according to methods that ■make the cooked product consist of inharmonious ingredients. Food that is ‘samala,’ ‘vikri- -topahita,’ and ‘aguchi,’ is made more deleterious by ‘vaishamyayukta upayogavidhi.’— T.

4 In the ‘Tantras’ instructions are laid down about, for example, ‘Hatha-yoga,’ Those ■instructions should be rigidly obeyed by neophytes. By attempting to reach the goal by a

■ different path, one becomes liable to various diseases, particularly Insanity and:fits of Epil¬ epsy. The translator knows two or three men who having set themselves to the practice ‘Pranayama’ or the. regulation of breath, became afflicted with severe diseases by simply dis¬ obeying the idj unctions of their pceceptors, that is, by proceeding beyond the limits set by the latter. In every case,, having held the breath too long, they were unable .to exhale .it

.easily. — T.

CHAR AKA -SAM HIT A.

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Persons who practise abnormal attitudes and movements of the body ; and

Persons whose bodies are exceedingly lean.

The faults, becoming excited, of the persons described above, viz., those whose minds are assailed by ‘Rajas’ (Passion) and ‘Tamas’ (Darkness), and the rest, seize the heart, whic h is the foremost seat of the inner self, as also the seats of the senses, a nd locate themselves there.

While located there and stirred by the impulses of lust, wrath, fear, cupidity, heedlessness, joy, grief, and anxiety, they overwhelm the heart and the seats of the senses.

The result of this is that the person becomes subject to a fit of Epilepsy.* 3

‘Apasmara’ (Epilepsy), again, it is said, is a temporary introgression into darkness, accompanied by hideous contortions, owing to the drowning of memory, understanding, and mind.j- 4

These are the incubatory symptoms of Epilepsy, viz.,

Contraction of the eye-brows ;

Constant crookedness of the eyes ;

Hearing imaginary voices ;

Discharge of saliva and nasal mucus ;

Absence of all desire for food t

Disgust for food ;

Inability to digest the food taken ;

A sensation of pressure on the chest (like to what happens in nightmare) ;

A rumbling noise in the abdomen ;

Weakness of the body ;

Relaxation of the limbs ;

Heedlessness and stupefaction ;

The vision of Darkness ;

* This explanation is certainly fanciful. It has no basis in Science. The faults, becom¬ ing excited, locate themselves in the heart and the nerves which are the seats of the senses. They, of course, lie in a quiescent state there, till stirred by the impulses of lust and wrath, &c. When stirred, they overwhelm or powerfully afflict the heart and those nerves. The result of this is a fit of Epilepsy. All this is purely imaginary. — T.