Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

One who frequently sleeps and cries and laughs, who takes pleasure in dancing and singing and instrumental music and reading and conversation, and food and drink and bathing and garlands and the scent of incense, whose eyes are red, who speaks ill of the twiceborn ones and physicians, and who gives out secrets, should be regarded as afflicted with Insanity caused by the action ofYakshas. 22

One who is sleepless, who has repugnance for food and drinkr who goes without sustenance, who is endued with immeasurable

* The original is extremely terse. I have tried to give as literal a version as possible. The sense seems to be this : there are certain forms of Insanity in which the food, move¬ ments, and deportment of the person conform to the curses denounced, or the incantations performed, or the will-force directed by superiors, seniors, &c. , of course, the nature of the eurse denounced should be known. Thus, a superior or a senior curses one, saying, — Be thou a Rakshasa ! — Forthwith, the food, movements, and deportment of the person become like those of a Rakshasa. Or, a superior or a senior performs certain incantations with the desire of reducing a person to sheer idiocy. Forthwith, the food, &c. Of that person resem¬ ble those of an idiot. Or, a superior or a senior directs his will-force with the purpose of making a man swerve from the path of rectitude. Forthwith the kind of change desired comes over the man. In all these instances, the Insanity should be regarded as caused by the curse, or the incantations, or the will-force of superiors and seniors, he, — T.

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

p. 1265

strength, and who is fond of weapons, blood, flesh, and red garlands, and who rebukes others furiously, should be regarded as afflicted with Insanity caused by the action of Rakshasas, 23

One who is fond of loud laughter, who always speaks untruths, who expresses hate and contempt for the deities, learned Brahmanas, and physicians, who utters hymns and Vedic mantras and quotes illustrations from the Scriptures, and who afflicts his own body with wooden sticks and other appliances, should be known as suffering from Insanity caused by the action of Brahma-Rakshasas. 24

One who is of a troubled mind, who dances and sings and laughs at places (or occasions) unsuited to those acts, who talks both cohe¬ rently and incoherently, who takes a pleasure in ascending dangerous heights and hill-tops and walking along filthy paths and treading upon dirty rags and heaps of grass or straw, whose complexion is not uniform (that is, who has discoloured patches on his body), and whose voice is dry and harsh, who remains naked, who runs hither and thither restlessly, who is incapable of remaining in one spot, who always speaks of his own griefs, and whose memory is lost, should be known as afflicted with Insanity caused by the action of Pi?Schas.* 25

In this connection it should be stated that a person whose prac¬ tices are pure and who is conversant with penances and the study of the Vedas, is generally assailed by the deities on the first or the thirteenth day of the lighted fortnight. 26

One who cleans oneself by baths, whose practices are pure, and who is fond of solitude, who is well-versed in the Scriptures on piety and duty, as also the Vedas and poetry, is generally assailed by Rishis on the sixth or the ninth day of the lighted fortnight. 27

One who serves with devotion the deities and his parents and preceptors and seniors and those who are crowned with success of penances, and professors (of different branches of learning), is gener¬ ally assailed by Pitris on the tenth day of the dark fortnight or the day of the new moon. 28

One who is fond of hymns, songs, and instrumental music, who takes delight in associating with other peoples’ wives and using

Gangadhara reads this differently. I think his text is correct.— T.

p. 1266

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

perfumes and floral' wreaths, and who practises purity of conduct, vs generally assailed by Gandharvas on the twelfth or the fourteenth lunar day. 29

One who is endued with a good rnindj' as also with, complexion and beauty of person and pride of deportment and courage, who uses floral garlands and fragrant unguents, who is possessed of humour, and who is loud-speeched, is generally assailed by Yakshas- on the seventh or the eleventh day of the lighted fortnight. 3°

One who takes pleasure in the study of the Vedas, in the practice of penances, of religious observances, of fasts, and of vows, and in the worship of the deities, ascetics, and seniors, who has fallen away from purity, who may or may not be a Brâhmana (by birth) but who is an utterer of Brahma (Vedic texts), who regards himself to be a person of great courage, and who delights to pass his time in the temples of deities and to sport in (holy) waters, is generally assailed by Bfahma-Rakshasas on the fifth day of the lighted fortnight or on the day of the full moon. 31