An English Translation of the Sushruta Samhita (Bhishagratna ed.)

deranged blood and Kapham over the root of the tongue is called Adhijihva, which should be given up as soon as suppuration sets in. Valaya :— A circular or ring-shaped raised swelling obstructing or closing up the upper end of the oesophagus (structure of oesophagus) is called Valaya. It cannot be cured and hence should be given up. It is due to the deranged action of the Kapham in the locality. Valatsa : —The disease in which the unusually aggravated Vayu and Kapham give rise to a swelling in the throat, which is extremely painful and causes a difficulty of respiration, ultimately producing symptoms of complete asphyxia is called Valasa by learned physicians and is very difficult to cure. 55 — 58.

Eka-vrinda and Vrinda*:— The disease in

which a circular, raised, heavy and slightly soft swelling appears In the throat attended with Itching, a slightly burning sensation and a slight suppuration is called Eka-vrinda. The disease is due to the effect of vitiated blood and Kapham. The disease in which a round elevated swelling attended with high fever and a slightly burning sensation is formed in the throat through the aggravated condition of the blood and Pittam is called Vrinda. A piercing pain in the swelling points to its Vataja origin. 59—60.

^atagChni : — The disease in which, through the
concerted action of the deranged Vayu, Pittam and
Kapham, a hard throat obstructing Varti fjagged mem-
brane; edged like a Sataghni-f and densely beset with
fleshy excrescences is formed along the inner lining of

* The diseases of the throat are 17 in number. Taking Vrinda as a separate disease they amount to 18 ; but Vrinda, affecting similar place and being similar in appearance with but a slight distinction of symptoms, is only a particular state of Eka-vrinda, and not a separate disease.

t Sataghni is a kind of weapon uged in ancient warf?ire,

iro THE SUSHRUTA SAMHITA [Chap. XVI.

that pipe is denominated as Sataghni. Various kinds
of pains, (characteristics of each of the deranged Vayu,
Pittam and Kapham) are present in this type which
should be necessarily considered as irremediable. 6i.

GilStyu : — The disease in which the aggravated
Kapham and blood give rise to a hard and slightly
painful (D. R extremely painfull glandular swelling
in the thrviat to the siz^ of the stone of the Amalaka
fruit is called Gilayu. A sensation as if a morsel or
bolus of food is stuck in the throat is experienced which
by its very nature is a surgical case. 62.

Gala-vidradhi: — Thediseascin whichan exten-
sive swelling occurs along the whole inner lining of the
throat, owing to the concerted action of the deranged
Vayu, Pittam and Kapham is called Gala-vidradhi which
exhibits all the features present in a Vidradhi of the
Sanipatika type. Galaugha : — The disease in which a
large swelling occurs in the throat so as to completely
obstruct the passage of any solid or liquid food and also
that of Udana-vayu (choking the pharynx, larynx and
the mouth of the esophagus), attended with a high fever
is called Galaugha, the origin of which should be as-
cribed to the action of the deranged blood and Kapham.
Svaraghna: -The disease in which the patient faints
owing to the choking of the larynx by the deranged
Kapham which is marked by stertorous breathing, hoarse-
ness, dryness and paralysed condition of the throat is
called Svaraghna which has its origin in the deranged
Vayu. 63—65.

IVIanSatana : — The disease in which a pendent,
spreading and extremely painful swelling appears in
the throat which gradually obstructs the pipe is called
Mansatana. It invariably proves fatal and is caused
by the deranged Vdyu, Pittam ^nd Kapham 6()

Chap. XVI.] NIDANA STHANAM. til

Vidari : -The disease In which a copper-coloured
swelling occurs in the throat, marked by a pricking and
burning sensation, and the flesh of the throat gets
putrefied and sloughs off (and emits a fetid smell) is
called Vidari. The disease is of a Pittaja origin and is
found to attack that side of the throat on which the
patient is in the habit of lying. 6^.

The disease in the entire cavity: —

Cases which are found to invade the entire cavity of
the mouth (without being restricted to any particular
part thereof) may be either due to Vataja, Pittaja,
Kaphaja or Raktaja type and are known by the general
name — Savra-Sara. (i"^.

In the Vataja type the entire cavity of the mouth
is studded with vesicles attended with a pricking
sensation in their inside. In the Pittaja type a large
number of small yellow or red-coloured vesicles attended
with a burning sensation crops up on the entire (mucous
membrane lining the cavity of the mouth. In the Kaphaja
variety a similar crop of slightly painful, itching vesicles
of the same colour as the skin (is found on the entire
inner surface of the mouth.) The blood-origined Kaktaja
type is nothing but a modification of the Pittaja one
(giving rise to similar symptoms) ; it is also by others
called Mukha-patka. 69-72.

Thus ends the sixteenth Chapter of the Nidana Sthanam in the Sus'ruta Samhita which treats of the Nidanam of the diseases of the mouth.

Here ends the Nidana Sthanam.

Susruta S Amhit a

SARIRA STHANAM.

(Section on Anatomy). -.o:

Chaptee L

Now we shall discourse on the Sdriram which treats of the science of Being in general (Sarva-Bhuta

Chintsi ^gfriram). i.

The latent (lit : unmanifest) supreme nature (Prakriti) is the progenitor of all created things. She is self- begotten and connotes the three fundamental or primary virtues of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. She is imaged or embodied in the eightfold categories of Avyakta (un- manifest), Mahdn (intellection), Ahamkdra (Egoism) and the five Tanmdtras or elementals (proper sensibles) and is the sole and primary factor in working out the evo- lution of the universe. The one absolute and original nature is the fundamental stone house of materials out of which the bodies of all self-conscious (Karma-Purusha) working agents (agents who come into being through the dynamical energy of their acts or Karmas) have been evolved in the same manner as all water, whether con- fined in a tank or a reservoir, or coursing free through the channels of streams and of mighty rivers, have been welled up from the one and shoreless primordial ocean. 2.

Out of that latent unmanifest (Avyakta) or original nature (impregnated by the atoms or elemental units of

ri4 THE SUSHRUTA SAMHITA. [Chap. I.

consciousness or Purushas) Intellection or Mahdn has
been evolved, and out of Mahdn egoism. This Mahan or
intellection should be likewise considered as partaking
of the three fundamental attributes (Sattva, Rajas, and
Tamas) of the latent (Avyakta) or original nature.*
Ahamkara or egoism in its turn may be grouped under
three subheads as the Vaikdrika Taijasa (operative) or
Rdjasika, and Bhutadi (illusive or Tamasika). 3.

The eleven organs of cognition, communication or sense perception have emanated from the co-operation of the aforesaid Vaikarika Ahamkara with the Taijasa or Rajasa. They are the ears, skin, eyes, tongue, nose, speech, hands, genitals, anus, feet and the mind (Manah). Of these foregoing organs the first five are intellectual or sense organs (Vuddhi-Indriya) ; the next five being operative (Karma-Indriya\ The mind (Manah) par- takes of the character of both the intellectual and operative organs alike. 4-5.

The five Tanmatras or elementals (or the five proper sensibles of hearing, touch, sight, taste, and smell) charac- terised by the Nescience, etc. have been evolved out of the Bhutddi etc. (or Tamasa Ahamkara) concerted with the Taijasa Ahamkdra through the instrumentality of the Vaikarikam. The gross or perceptible modifications of these five Tanmatras are sound, touch, taste, sight and smell. From the combination of the aforesaid five Tanmdtras (Bhutadi) taken one at a time, have succes- sively emanated the five gross matters of space such as

* Sattva, Rajas and Tamas :— Adhesion, cohesion and disintegration in the Physical plane ; affection, love and hate in the moral ; emancipa. tion, spiritual affinity and sin in the Psychic.

Simply phenomenal or the simple outcome of the phenomenal evolution without being by othet specific attributes of matter and hence Skttvika or iUuminatiDg or quasi-spiritual.

Chap, i.] SARIRA STHaNAM. 11$

ether, air, heat, (fire,) fluid (water), and earth (solid).
These twenty four categories combinedly form what is
technically known as the twenty four elements
(Tattvas). Thus we have discoursed on the twenty four
fundamental principles (Chaturvins'ati-tattvam). 6.

Hearing, touch, sight, taste and smell respectively form the subjects of the five intellectual (Vuddhi) organs of man, whereas the faculty of speech, handling, pleasure, ejections or evacutation, locomotion successively belong to the (remaining) five operative (Karma-Indriya) ones. The original nature (Avyakta), Mahan* (intellec- tion), Egoism (Aliamkara),the five sensibles (Tanmatras), and the five gross material principles in their nascent stage in evolution form what is included within the eight categories of Nature (Prakriti), the remaining sixteen categories being her modifications (Vikara), The objects of intellection (Mahan) and Egoism (Ahamkdrd) as well as of the sense organs of knowledge and actions are the material principles (Adibhautika) though they are spiri- tual in themselves and in their nature.

The tutelary god of intellection (Buddhi) is Brahma. The god Is'vara is the presiding deity of the sense of egoism (Ahamkdra) ; the moon god is that of the mind (Manah) ; the quarters of the heaven, of the ears ; the wind god is that of the skin ; the sun is that of the eyes ; the water is that of the taste ; the earth is that of the smell ; the fire is that of the speech ; Indra is that of the hands ; Vishnu is that of the legs ; Mitra is that of the anus and Prajapati is that of the organs of generations. 7.

* Mahan, Ahamkara and the five Tanmatras, though but modifications of the original Nature in themselves, have been included within the category of Nature (Prakriti) in asmuch as they form the immediately prior or antecedent conditions of the evolution of the phenomenal universe.

ri6 THE SUSHRUTA SAMHITA. [Chap. t.

All the aforesaid (twenty-four) categories or
elementals (Chaturvinsati-Tanmdtras) are devoid of
consciousness. Similarly the modifications of the
primal cause of Prakriti such as the Mahat etc. are
all bereft of consciousness in as much as the cause
itself, the Avyakta or the original nature is devoid of
it. The Purusha or the self-conscious subjectivity,
enters into the primal cause (Mula-Prakriti or original
Nature) and its necessary effect (the evolved out
phenomena) and makes them endued with his own
essence or self-consciousness. The preceptors and holy
sages explain the proposition by an analogy that as
the milk in the breast of a mother, though unconscious
in itself, originates and flows out for the growth and
sustenance of her child ; (as the semen in the organism
of an adult male though devoid of consciousness, flows
out during an act of sexual intercourse) ; so these
twenty-four primary material principles (elementals),
though unconscious in themselves, tend to contribute
towards the making of the self-conscious self or the
universal individual (the aggregate of limited or condi-
tional selves) for the purpose of working out his final
liberation or emancipation i.e., attainment of the stage of
pure consciousness or perfect knowledge. 8.

Now we shall describe the tracts which the Purusha
(subjective or self-conscious reality) and Prakriti or
nature (passive non-conscious eternity) pass in com-
mon as well as those wherein they differ from each
other. 9.

Traits of commonalty :—Both the Purusha
and Prakriti are eternal realities, both of them are un-
manifest, disembodied, without a beginning or origin,
eternal, without a second, all — pervading and omni*
present.

Chap. I.] SARIRA StHANAM. II?

Traits of diversity :— Of the Purusha and

the Prakriti, only the latter is non-conscious and
possesses the three fundamental qualities of Sattva,
Rajas and Tamas. Prakriti performs the function
of the seed or in otherwords she lies inherent as the
seed or the primary cause in the latter phenomenal
evolution of the Mahat etc. and contributes the maternal
element in the conception, development and birth of
the primordial cosmic matter (phenomenal universc\
fecundated by the Purusha (self-conscious subjectivity)
in its different stages of evolution. These stages are
called Mahat, Ahamkara etc. ; and Prakriti is not indif-
ferent, as the Purusha is to the pleasures and misery of
life. But the Purusha (units or atoms of consciousness),
devoid of the threefold virtues of Sattva etc. are non-
concerning hence non-producing and bereft of the seed-
attributes of lying inherent in all as the primary
cause of evolution. They are mere witnesses to the
joys and miseries of life, and do not participate in their
enjoyment though imprisoned in the human or-
ganism. 10