Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

Rakshas and Pigachas, beholding an opportunity, generally assail a person who is of weak mind, who is vile and wicked, who is under the government of his wife, and who is characterised by cupidity, on the second, or the third, or the eighth day of the moon.

‘Grahas’ (or super-human causes of calamitous afflictions) are innumerable. Only eight of them that are well known have thus been mentioned. 32

Amongst all these varieties of t.Insanity, that one in which a person uplifting his hands, and giving way to an accession of wrath, unconsciously strikes either himself or others, should be known to be incurable.*

So also one who is always in tears, from whose genital organ bloody discharges take place, whose tongue has sores (in consequence of his own bites), from whose nose also discharges take place of fetid matter, who regards all his vital parts as torn or pierced, who disregards the words of others, who always utters cries and groans, who cannot be kept under control, who is always afflicted with thirst, whose body emits a fetid smell, and who wishes to injure

* GangSdhara reads ‘nihjankam,’ meaning fearlessly, for ‘nihsanjam,’ meaning uiv eonsciously. — T.

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

12 67 others, should be regarded as one whose treatment should not be taken up.* 33

The physician, understanding that one whose Insanity is charac¬ terised by the desire of enjoyment, as also one whose Insanity is characterised by the desire of worship, has caught the disease through incantations or curses, should treat him agreeably to the ordinances (laid down) about mantras and medicines, along with suitable offerings and sacrifices.^ 34

Here, of the two varieties of Insanity, viz , Constitutional and Acci¬ dental, the ordinances in respect of treatment, we shall presently exrpound, in brief as well as in detail. 35

In Insanity caused by (excitement of) the wind, the physician capable of discrimination should, at the outset, administer oily drinks.

When the passage of the wind is obstructed (by bile and phlegm), mild correctives, mixed with oils, should be administered. 36

In Insanity caused by excited phlegm and bile, the patient should first be treated with oils and the usual methods for inducing perspiraration, and then emetics and purgatives should be administered (respectively).

After the system has been corrected (by these methods), light, digestible diet (such as manda , vilepi, peyti, &c.,) should be prescribed.J 37

After this, enemata of both dry and the oily varieties, as alsocerebral purgatives, should be administered, according to the fault that is excited.

* Many differences of reading occur in the printed texts. For ‘Durvarna,’ which is evidently incorrect, Gangadhara has ‘Durvagyah’. — T.

t Two classes of persons are indicated by the first word in this aphorism : 1. One whose insanity is characterised by ‘ratikama’ or the desire for enjoyment (particularly, sexual enjoyment) ; and 2. one whose insanity is characterised by the desire for worshipping the deities. Gangadhara explains the sense wrongly. He takes ‘ratikamonmadin’ to mean one whose insanity has been brought about by some superhuman being entering his body from desire of enjoyment. Yakshas and Rakshas, it is said, enter the persons of kings from a desire of enjoyment. This is certainly far-fetched. Possessed of superhuman puissance, these beings would not care for the enjoyments of man. — T.

t In insanity caused by excited phlegm, emetics, while in that caused by bile, purgatives, should be administered. In both cases, oils and the methods of causing perspiration should be prescribed. In both cases also, ‘samsarjjana’ Or light, digestible diet is prescribable.— T.

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CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

The same should be repeated frequently.* 38 When the chest, the senses, the head, and the stomach (including the intestines) have been cleared by emetics and the rest, the mind of the patient becomes clear and he regains consciousness and memory. 39

Of one whose system has been duly corrected by the administra¬ tion of emetics and the rest, if deviation be still noticeable from the correct standard of conduct, snuffs and collyria of keen virtues are beneficial. Chastisement that is capable of afflicting the mind, the understanding, and the body, is also beneficial. 4°

One who is susceptible of being taught should (instead of being struck or belaboured) be bound with strong cords of hemp without causing him pain, and confined in a dark chamber from which sticks or pieces of wood as also brickbats and stones have been removed.f 41 Chastisement, afrighting, presents, comforting, gladdening, terror¬ ising, and excitement of wonder, — these are means which, by causing the aberrations to be dispelled, bring back the mind to its normal state.! 42

The application of plasters, of unguents and emollients, the use of oils for rubbing the body with, inhalation of smoke, and drinking of (medicated) ghees , should be resorted to as these are capable of 'awakening the mind, the understanding, the memory, and con¬ sciousness. 43