Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

Of course, from a literary stand-point, your translation is welcome anyhow, and should, as such, be encouraged. But unfortunately, the Europeans who appreciate ancient classical literature are comparatively few in number and your countrymen, who ought... well, you know they ought to do, and how much of it they leave undone.

Wishing you all success in your undertaking, which, whether you or somebody else carries it out, will have to be carried out in the course of time by somebody,

I remain, yours truly,

(Sd.) L. Salzek, m. d, jr- V') ^ -?• charaka-samhitA > V 121 again in a new form. From fruits seeds may be^fâfereedj'and from seeds fruits may be inferred.*26

There is again this argumentative inference (in respect of this matter) : one’s birth in the womb is due to a combination of the six constituents (viz., the five primal essences of earth, water, light, wind, and space, and the soul). The Soul only is related with next life. Acts result from the union of agent and means. Only acts that are done bear fruits. Acts not done have no fruits. There can be no sprout where there is no seed. The fruits that one enjoys and endures correspond with the acts that produce them, (so that good fruits are produced by good acts and bad fruits by bad). One kind of seed cannot produce another kind of fruit. This is arrived at by argumentative inference.27

Birth being thus established by the four kinds of prooff in¬ culcated above, the following is being laid down in respect of means for the acquisition of Righteousness. They are as follow.

One should set one’s mind on serving one’s preceptor with reverence; on the study of the Vedas and other Scriptures ; on the practice of vows and observances; on marrying a spouse ; on procreating children ; on supporting one’s servants ; on doing the duties of hospitality towards guests ; on making gifts ; on never coveting what belongs to others ; on penances ; on never doing any injury to others; on all stainless acts of body, speech, and mind ; on examination of the body, the senses, the mind, the objects of the senses (with which one comes into con¬ tact), of the understanding, and the Soul. Whatever other acts there are of this kind, which lead to heaven, which are approved by the good and righteous, and which aid the acquisition of the means of life, one should endeavour to accomplish. By acting in this way, one earns fame in this world and heaven after departing from this. Thus is the third aspiration which concerns itself with the next world explained.28

* The acts of a former life are, as it were, the seeds. The pleasures and pains of the next life are the fruits that spring from those seeds. — T.

t /. e., trustworthy testimony, direct coguisance, immediate inference, and argu¬ mentative inference. — T.

p. 16

CHAR AKA -SA MH1TA

There are three stays (of the body) ; three kinds of strength ; three kinds of causes of disease ; three kinds of disease ; three seats of disease ; three kinds of physicians ; and lastly three kinds ©f medicines.*29

The three stays ( of the body regarded as a column ) are eating, sleep, and restraint of the senses.j- In consequence of the three stays ( mentioned above ) supporting the body, the latter receives accession of strength and complexion and nourishment. As long as a man lives, he should attend to the causes that support life. Long life becomes his who does not indulge in practices that are injurious to the body. Instructions are being offerred in respect of causes that support and lengthen life.36

There are three kinds of strength, viz., that which is due to one’s nature, that which is due to a particular season ( of life or the year ) ; and that which is due to exertion ( such as physical exer¬ cise, the use of invigorating food and spices and liquors, &c). Natural strength implies that kind of strength which inheres to the very nature of one’s body and mind. By the second kind of strength is meant that strength which depends upon either a particular season of life (such as youth, manhood, &c.), or of the year (as spring, summer, &c), The third kind of strength is that due to the use of particular kinds of food and physical exercise,31

There are three causes of disease. They are excess of corre¬ lation, absence of correlation, and injudicious correlation in respect of perceptible Objects, of Acts, and of Time, A continuous gaze at objects of great power is an instance of excessive correlation, A total abstention from excercising the eye is absence or want of correlation. Injudicious correlation arises where the eye is direct¬ ed to objects that are very minute, that are in close adjacence, that are very remote, that provoke anger or terror or amazement or aversion, that are repulsive, and that are exceedingly ugly.38