Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

The wind becoming provoked, and upon the digestive fire becom¬ ing weakened, the wind drives the urine and sweat into the region of the stools. Causing the stools to be liquefied by means of the urine and the sweat, it then generates diarrhcea.f 12

The symptoms of this disease are as follow :

The person afflicted with this ailment repeatedly (or copiously) evacuates stools that are slimy, tinged with mucus, depressing in their effects, dry, liquid, accompanied by pains, possessed of the scent of fish or meat, and characterised by slight noise, and that obstruct the passing of the urine.j *3

* From those verses it would appear that in ancient times, sacrifices were performed without actually killing the animals devoted with the aid of mantras. The ‘Mah3bhSrata’ affords evidence of only corn or seeds having been in remote times offered in sacrifices per¬ formed in honour of the deties. Goats and sheep then came to be killed. When these become scarce, kine were substituted.

This opinion does not tally with that of Western scholars who think the Hindus were a beef-eating race from the beginning of history, their scythian ancestors also having been so.

That beef as food is heavy and the source of diverse disease became apparent to the Hindus in the hot plains of India. Hence the Rishis declare it to be unclean and pros¬ cribed its use. At any rate, that diarrhoea and other ailments of the kind are due to heavy food, was understood by the Rishis. — T.

t By ‘purishalayam’ is meant the intestines or the region of stools. Diarrhoea is, ac¬ cording to the Rishi, caused by the liquefying of the stools through the action of the urine and the sweat propelled by the provoked wind. — T.

X The reading of the Calcutta and the Bombay editions differs slightly from that of Gangadhara which we adopt. At the outset, the former have ‘Vit-jalam.’ There can be no doubt that the correct reading is ‘Vijjalam’ which, as explained by Gangadhara means

CHARAKA-SAMH1TA.

p. 1541

The provoked wind courses transversely as also in an obstructed manner, causing both sound and pain, within the stomach.

When this is so, the disease is called ‘AmatisSra’ born of wind.* 14

Or, in consequence of the provocation of the wind, one frequently evacuates mature and hard stools, in small quantities, with noise, griping pain in the intestines, froth, slime, and cutting pains in the rectum.

The other symptoms are horripilation, frequent and hard breath¬ ing, dryness of mouth, pains in the waist, thighs, the lower part of the spine, knees, back, and sides. There is also prolapsus ant. (This is called ‘PakkStisara.’)

In consequence of the stools being rendered hard by the wind, some name this disease as ‘Anugrathita/f 15

Of one in whose constitution the bile predominates, who indulges largely in food that is sour, saline, pungent, alkaline, of heating virtues, and keen, who constantly exposes himself to the heat of fire or the sun, or the hot winds, and who nurses anger and malice in a predominant measure, the bile becomes provoked.j ,6

In consequence of its liquidity, the (provoked) bile, quenches the digestive fire, and reaching the region of stools, liquefies the stools owing to its owa liquid character, its heating virtues, and its mobility, and causes diarrhoea. § r7

The symptoms of this disease are as follow :

The person afflicted evacuates stools that are yellow in colour.

‘pichcehilam’ or slimy. Instead of ‘Isachcchavdam,’ meaning ‘acompanied by slight noise,’ the former read ‘sasavdamsavdam va,’ meaning ‘accompanied or unaccompanied by noise.’ Gangadhara gives some more adjectives than the Bombay and the Calcutta editions. — T.

* ‘Antah-koshte’ is explained by Gangadhara as ‘Koshtavyantare,’ i. e., ‘within the stomach. — T.

t Gangadhara reads ‘Pakkam v5.’ The particle ‘vH’ is omitted in the other editions. There can be no doubt that the ‘va,1 meaning ‘or,’ is correct. — T.

X ‘Praitatah’ means constantly. This verse sets forth the causes which usually provoke the bile, Indulgence in food and drink of the kind stated, exposure to heat, and giving way to wrath and malice, provoke the bile of one who is constitutionally billious. — T.

§ The region of stools is, probably, the ‘pakkagaya.’ — T.

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or green, or blue, or dark, tinged with blood-bile, and of exceedingly foetid smell..

Thirst, burning of the skin, perspiration, swoons, ‘£ula’ pains, abscesses, and inflammation and suppuration of the rectum, are manifested.

Even these are the indications of diarrhoea born of (excited) bile. 18-19

Of one in whose constitution the phlegm predominates, who indulges in food that is heavy, sweet, cooling, and oily, who stuffs his stomach with liquid diet, and who passes a life of mental inactivity, sleep at daytime, and idleness, the phlegm becomes provoked. 20

The phlegm thus provoked, in consequence of its own nature, extinguishes the digestive of the person who indulges in food that is heavy, sweet, cooling, and oily, and reaching the region of stools owing to its aquatic character, drenches the stools and causes diarrhoea.! 21

The symptoms of this disease are as follow :