Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

If one, after taking Oils, feels thirsty before they are digested, one should be made to throw them out (by the administration of some emetic). If by this method the whole quantity be not ejected, one should then drink cold water and eat dry food and once more seek to throw out (with or without the aid of an emetic). « »

* In Verses 62-64, the softness and hardness of stools refer to softness and hard¬ ness after administration of Oils. — T.

t By the word ‘ Grahani ’ Hindu physicians understand a certain duct in the abdomen. It lies, says Susruta, between the ‘ amacaya ’ and the ‘pakkafaya.’ When this duct is affected with sores and white flux is discharged, the disease is also called by the same name. — T.

+ What is said here is this : if a man whose digestion is very strong takes Oils, these are quickly digested. The digestive fire, in consequence of this, becomes more power¬ ful than before and one feels very thirsty. When this happens, one should not take heavy food, but only cool water is the remedy. Unless one takes cool water at such a time, one is sure to burn in pain. The analogy of the snake is very doubtful. Whether the snake, when confined within a hole or a straw basket, actually burns with its virulent poison or not, is more than one can say. — T.

p. 148

CI1A RA KA -SA MHITA .

One should not take Ghee when one’s bile only has been ex-> cited, especially when one’s bile, as existing with undigested food, has been excited. Ghee taken under such circumstances would spread over the whole body and bring about death itself. 70

Stupefaction, nausea, epistasis or suppression of urine, fever, partial paralysis, coma, all the varieties of skin-disease, itches, phlorosis, anaemia, and jaundice, inflammation, hemorrhoids, thirst, cramps in the abdomen, diseases of the Grahani, shrivelling of the skin, stoppage of speech, sharp pains, and diseases of the stomach, arise from improper administration of Oils. 71-73

In these diseases brought about by improper administration of Oils, the remedies laid down are vomiting by administering emetics, the production of perspiration (by vapours), abstention from food till the Oils taken are digested. Indeed, in the case of each disease, its weakness or violence shouldbejudged, and vomiting should be resorted to by the application of proper emetics. The administration of vinous spirits also, that are manufactured from butter-milk, the use of dry food and drinks, of ( the eight kinds of animal) urine, and: pf decoction ofthe three fruits (OT£t.,Terminalia chebula.or Chebulic myrobalans, Terminalia bellerica, and Phyllanthus emblica), are also resorted to. 7 3-71

If a person takes Oils unseasonably, or those that are unsuitable to his constitution, or in measure that exceeds what is proper, or repeatedly, he is sure to fall into distress in consequence of such improper adminstration of Oils.7s

One who, after having taken Oils, wishes to take a purgative, should wait for three days, eating during that period food that is oily, liquid, and warm, and that is mixed with the juice of meat.*76

* This Verse is read and interpreted differently by Kaviraj Gangadhar in his edition. Instead of ‘ Praskandanam yastuh ’ he reads ‘ Praskandano-jantuh ’ He takes > Prakandanah ” to imply ‘snehapanat-prachalitah san,’ which he further explains as ‘ snehapanam-vihaya.’ There can be no doubt that he is in error. In this Verse, the author speaks of ‘ Praskandanam’ as in the next of ‘ Prachcchardanam.’ That ‘ praskandanam,’ therefore, implies a purgative as ‘ prachcchardanam ’ an emetic, seems to be very plain. Chakrapanidatta adopts the reading ‘ Praskanduham yastuh,’ and ‘ snehavat ’ in the second line instead uf ‘snehancha’ as Gangadhar

Cli A RA KA-SA MU / TA,

p. 149

One who, after having taken Oils, wishes to take an emetic, should wait for one day after having eaten the same kind of food ( as is mentioned in the last Verse ) during that day.

When Oils are administered of an unmixed kind, the conduct to be observed by the patient should be like that of one who has taken a purgative.77

In respect of persons unto whom Oils are repulsive, of persons that are accustomed to take Oils, of them that pass soft stools, of them that are of delicate constitutions ( so as to be unable to bear a heavy strain of any kind), and of them that are habituated- to the use of alcoholic drink, Oils mixed with other substances should be prescribed.78

The broth of Lavas, of Tittiris, of peacocks, of ducks and geese, of pork, of fowl (cocks and hens), of beef, of goats, of sheep, and of fish, is beneficial if mixed with Oils.79

Yava (a), Kola ( b ), Kulattha (c), the different kinds of Oil, with molasses and sugar, Dadima ( d '), curds and black pepper, long pepper, and dry ginger, these in brief are the articles that may be mixed with the several kinds of broth named above.f80