Caraka-Samhita Ebook: Caraka-Samhita Ebook, #2

By Srikanta Sena

This is vol. 2 of Caraka-Samhita Ebook. In total there are four books with the eight main parts of the Caraka-Samhita: Sutrasthanam (fundamentals, basic principles of Ayurveda); Nidanasthanam (diagnostics); Vimanasthanam (specific features and aspects of diseases etc.); Sarirasthanam (the study of the human body, procreation, pregnancy and birth); Indriyasthanam (signs of imminent death); Cikitsasthanam (therapeutics); Kalpasthanam (preparations for emesis and purgation) and Siddhisthanam (Pañcakarma therapies).

The Caraka Samhita is the oldest and best known classics of Ayurveda. It was written more than two thousand years ago by the physician and sage Caraka in the Sanskrit language as a textbook for the study of Ayurveda. To this day, the Caraka Samhita is the indispensable basic work for anyone who wants to apply Ayurveda as a physician, therapist or privately.

Vol. 1 comprises the main sections "The Vedic Culture", "Sutrasthanam (Fundamentals, Fundamental Principles of Ayurveda)" and "Nidanasthanam (Diagnostics)".

Vol. 2 consists of the main sections Vimanasthanam (Specific features of diseases, doshas etc.), Sarirasthanam (the study of the human body) and Indriyasthanam (Signs of approaching death).

Vol. 3 contains Cikitsasthanam (therapeutics). In 33 chapters, diagnosis, prognosis, symptoms and therapies of major physical and mental disorders are covered.

Vol. 4 contains knowledge on preparations for emesis and purgation in the main section Kalpasthanam and knowledge on panca karma therapies in the main section Siddhisthanam.

Each volume contains an appendix with

• a list of references,
• a guide to the pronunciation of Sanskrit,
• a list of plants,
• a Sanskrit glossary with ayurvedic terms and names of persons mentioned in the book,
• and a list of tables.

In Book 3 there is also a list of remedies, preparations and dietary preparations mentioned and described in the chapters of the Cikitsasthanam.

So far only vol. 1 and vol. 2 are available in english language. The other volumes will follow soon.

Use this digital version of the Caraka-Samhita to delve into Ayurvedic knowledge in a relaxed way on your ebook reader, to study Ayurveda or simply as a handy reference book.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Srikanta Sena
• Release date: Aug 27, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223930730

Srikanta Sena

Srikanta Sena has been intensively involved with Vedic knowledge, Vedic Indian culture, Sanskrit and Ayurveda for over thirty years. He is the author of several books on Ayurveda. He has been practising Bhakti-Yoga for many years and creates audio and video compositions with mantra chants and recitations of Vedic literature (e.g. Sri Isopanisad) and instructional videos (e.g. the ayurvedic science of substances, Ayurvedic cooking, Shilajit - the black gold of the Himalayas, cooking with tea lights, etc.).

Book preview

Caraka-Samhita Ebook

A comprehensive compendium

of the famous Ayurveda textbook

Vol. 2

IV. Vimānasthānam

(Specific features and principles)

V. Śārīrasthānam

(Study of the human body, procreation etc.)

VI. Indriyasthānam

(Signs and symptoms of imminent death)

SRIKANTA SENA

The information in this work is not intended to replace a physician. The material is intended for education and self-help, better health care as well as health maintenance. The author and publisher are in no way responsible for any medical claims related to the material presented here.

© 2023 Atmarama Verlag,

Karl-Heinz Degenhardt

Haunestr. 4

36179 Bebra

Germany

www.arogyam.de

Contents

Introduction

On the history of the Caraka-Saṃhitā

On the structure of the Caraka-Saṃhitā

Vimānasthānam

1. Effect of rasas on doṣas etc.

1.1 Properties and effects of Oil, Honey and Ghee

1.2 Properties and effects of Pippalī, Salt and Alkali

1.3 Sātmya

2. Specific characteristics of diseases

2.1 Two types of doṣas

2.2 Primary and secondary diseases

3. Agni and body constitutions

3.1 Four types of Agni

3.2 Doṣas and constitutions

3.3 Therapies for the vātala constitution

3.4 Therapies for the pittala constitution

3.5 Therapies for the śleṣmala constitution

4. Specific characteristics of patients

5. Four groups of parasites

5.1 Malaja kṛmi

5.2 Śonitaja kṛmi

5.3 Śleṣmaja kṛmi

5.4 Purīṣaja kṛmi

5.5 Therapy in brief

5.6 Preparatory treatment

5.7 Āsthāpana therapy

5.8 Emesis, purgation und anuvāsana

5.9 Recipes

6. Epidemics

6.1 Causative factors of epidemics

Unwholesome condition of Air

Unwholesome condition of Water

Unwholesome condition of Land

Unwholesome condition of Seasons

6.2 General therapeutic measures

6.3 Causes of abnormality of the four factors air, etc.

7. The Four Ages

7.1 Satya-Yuga

7.2 Treta-Yuga

7.3 Dvāpara-Yuga

7.4 Kali-Yuga

The lord of kali-yuga

Parikṣit Mahārāja cursed by a brāhmaṇa boy

7.6 Quotations from Mahābhārata and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

8. Normal life span and premature death

Daiva and puruṣakāra

Quotations from the Mahābhārata

9. Pramāṇas – Three sources of knowledge

9.1 Examination of the patient by the three pramāṇas

10. The study of Ayurveda

10.1 Characteristics of the disciple

10.2 Characteristics of the teacher

10.3 The behaviour of the disciple

10.4 The Initiation of the disciple

10.5 The first instructions

10.6 Academic debates

Sandhāyasaṃbhāṣā

Vigṛhyasaṃbhāṣā

Three categories of opponents

Two kinds of audience

The procedure of saṃbhāṣā

Terms which determine the course of a debate

10.7 The contest between Kolahala und Yamunācārya

11. Ten factors for determining a therapy

11.1 Kāraṇa

11.2 Karaṇa

11.3 Kāryayoni

11.4 Kārya

11.5 Kāryaphala

11.6 Anubandha

11.7 Deśa

11.7.1 Prakṛti

11.7.2 Vikṛti (Morbidity)

11.7.3 Sāra (state of dhātus)

11.7.4 Saṃhanana (compactness)

11.7.5 Pramāṇa (proportion and measurements)

11.7.6 Sātmya (suitability)

11.7.7 Sattva (mental strength)

11.7.8 Āhāraśakti (capacity of ingestion and digestion)

11.7.9 Śleṣmala vyāyāmaśakti (capacity for exercise)

11.7.10 Vayas (age)

11.8 Kāla (seasons and stage of the disease)

11.9 Pravṛtti (initiation of the therapy)

11.10 Upāya (Excellence of physician etc. and correct therapy)

11.11 Object of examination

12. Drugs for pañcakarma

12.1 Drugs used in vamana (emesis)

12.2 Drugs used in virecana (purgation)

12.1 Drugs for āsthāpana (non-unctuous enema)

Drugs with madhura rasa

Drugs with amla rasa

Drugs with lavaṇa rasa

Drugs with kaṭuka rasa

Drugs with tiktaka rasa

Drugs with kaṣāya rasa

Selection of drugs

12.1 Drugs for anuvāsana (unctuous enema)

12.1 Drugs for śirovirecana (head purification)

Śārīrasthānam

1. Puruṣa and the twenty-four elements

2. The causes of miseries

2.1 Five factors that cause suffering

2.2 The fourfold usage of the senses

2.3 The special importance of the sense of touch

2.4 Cause and effect of happiness and distress

2.5 Threefold division of sufferings

2.6 The measure of happiness and suffering

2.7 Conclusion

3. Mokṣa – the end of all sufferings

3.1 Individual and universe

3.2 Pravṛtti and nivṛtti

Pravṛtti – the material urge

Yoga and spiritual emancipation

Developing a good memory

Means for attaining mokṣa

Liberation through meditation on brahman

Two kinds of mokṣa

4. About the development of the embryo

4.1 Questions about the development of the embryo

Causes for the formation of twins etc.

Causes of genetic sex abnormalities

Symptoms of conception and sex of the foetus

Similarity of the child to a parent etc.

Causes of foetal malformations

Transmigration of the soul

4.2 Factors of procreation and growth

4.3 Stages of foetal development

The process of conception

Development during the first three months

Modifications of the mahābhūtas in the embryo

Bicardial stage

Signs of pregnancy

Factors that harm the foetus

Development from the fourth month until delivery

Causes of deformities in the foetus

4.4 Nine questions about the foetus

Views on the formation of the organs of a foetus

Posture of the foetus in uterus

Nourishment of the foetus

Diseases of foetus caused by supernatural beings

Timely and premature death

5. Different types of psyche

5.1 Sattvika types of psyche

5.2 Rājasika types of psyche

5.3 Tāmasika types of psyche

6. Detailed knowledge of the body

6.1 Maintaining the equilibrium of the dhātus

6.2 Attributes of the dhātus and effect of the guṇas

6.3 Measures for the increase of dhātus

6.4 Factors responsible for the growth of the body

6.5 Factors that promote the increase of strength

6.6 Factors responsible for transformation of food

6.7 Two categories of body components

6.8 Concluding remark

7. Enumeration of body parts

Six layers of skin

Main parts of the body

Number of bones

The senses

The seat of consciousness

Seats of the Life Force

Internal organs

56 pratyaṅgas (subsections)

Enumeration of other body parts

Añjali pramāṇa

Dominance of the mahābhūtas in the body parts

8. Procreation, pregnancy and birth

8.1 Procreation

Preparing for the act of procreation

The consummation of coitus

How a woman gets a son according to her imagination

Vedic rite for procreating a child of certain qualities

Factors that determine the mentality of the offspring

8.2 Pregnancy

Changing the sex of the embryo to male

Measures for the preservation of the foetus

Factors that harm the foetus

Unwholesome behaviour during pregnancy

The indirect cause of acquired diseases

Treatment of diseases of pregnant women

Miscarriage caused by āma

Upaviṣṭaka and nāgodara

Treatment of udāvarta in the 8th month

Causes and symptoms of foetal death

Treatment of a woman with dead foetus

Monthly regimen for a pregnant woman

8.3 The birth

The maternity home

Signs of impending delivery

Measures after onset of labour

Removal of placenta

Care of the newborn baby

Separation of the umblical cord

Vedic birth-rites

Measures for the protection of the newborn child

Post-partum care of the mother

The name giving ceremony

Ascertaining the lifespan of the child

Selection of a suitable wet-nurse

Excellent and abnormal breast milk

Treatment of vitiated breast-milk

Lactation promoting measures

Breastfeeding the baby

Cleanliness of bed, apparel etc.

Assuring the child's well-being

Treatment of paediatric diseases

Indriyasthānam

1. Ascertaining the patient's residual life span

2. Changes in voice and complexion

3. Fatal signs relating to body odour and taste

4. Signs of death to be recognised by touch

5. Changes in the sensory perception

6. Changes in chāyā and prabhā

7. Prodromes indicating imminent death

8. Disease symptoms indicating imminent death

9. Other body signs indicating imminent death

10. Dreams indicating imminent death

11. Symptoms indicating immediate death

12. Symptoms in the process of destruction of the body

13. Omens indicating imminent death or recovery

Bad omens associated with the messenger

Bad omens on the way to the patient

Bad omens in the patient's house

Good omens associated with the messenger

Good omens on the way to the patient

Favourable signs in dreams of the patient

Appendice

Bibliography

Guide to Sanskrit pronunciation

List of Plants

Sanskrit glossaries

Persons and groups of persons

Sanskrit words, ayurvedic terms

A

B - E

G - J

K - L

M - O

P - R

S

T - U

V – Y

List of Tables

Introduction

The term Āyurveda is composed of the two Sanskrit words veda (knowledge; science) and āyus (life; lifespan, duration of life). Āyurveda is the ancient science of life or of healthy, long life. Āyurveda – like the Vedas themselves – is indeed eternal, which is why no date can be fixed for its appearance.

What is life and what does science mean in relation to life according to Vedic understanding? The great teacher and knower of Āyurveda, Punarvasu Ātreya, defines life in the Caraka-Saṃhitā by means of the following synonyms: cetanānuvritti (continuance of consciousness), nityaga (constant flow), jīvita ( animation), anubandha (union of body, mind and soul) and dhāri (preservation of the body). Āyurveda is the science through which āyus (life) is understood. Āyurveda includes perfect knowledge of the body, diagnostics, therapeutics, pharmacology, etc., and, in addition, extensive philosophical knowledge of the spiritual situation of the living being in relation to material nature, the causes of suffering and the ultimate liberation or attainment of permanent happiness. The science of life is therefore not limited to the prevention and elimination of diseases, as is often assumed due to insufficient information.

What life is and what real knowledge is, is thoroughly analysed and explained in the Vedas and numerous scriptures in their succession. Āyurveda is based on this knowledge and is part of it, therefore it is necessary to know at least the most important aspects of the knowledge of the Vedas and the Vedic culture in order to understand Āyurveda properly. This aspiration is fulfilled in the best possible way with this comprehensive compendium of the Caraka-Saṃhitā.

The four Vedas Yajur, Sama, Ṛg and Atharva – Āyurveda is considered a branch of the Atharva Veda – are original treatises of knowledge and contain the history of creation, chronologies of eminent personalities from the beginning through the present to the annihilation of the universe, hymns for the worship of deities, prescriptions for sacrifices (yajñas), knowledge of mathematics, architecture, music, astrology and astronomy, etc. Apart from knowledge about matter, its manipulation and beneficial use, the Vedas and successor scriptures contain spiritual knowledge, knowledge about the self, about the purpose and goal of human life, about the position of the gods, the personality of God, the spiritual realm and the relationship of living beings to the Supreme.

Brahmā, the first living being in the universe entrusted with creation by the Supreme Lord, was the first to receive Vedic knowledge directly from Kṛṣṇa. He taught it to his sons, who in turn revealed it to their disciples, and so on. This knowledge was first recorded – in Sanskrit – at the end of the dvāpara-yuga, about five thousand years ago, by Dvaipāyana Vyāsa, an incarnation of the Supreme Lord. Before that, it was transmitted orally – not because there was no writing, but because the great ṛṣis (sages) possessed excellent memory and intelligence and could memorise what they had once heard without difficulty, there was no need for them to look up anything they had heard before. With the onset of the kali-yuga, the present age, the age of strife and hypocrisy, intelligence, memory, strength, life span, etc., are diminishing, therefore it became necessary to record the Vedic knowledge in writing for the benefit of all people.

Knowing the Absolute Truth is the highest goal and perfection for a living being in the human form of life. All knowledge is basically revealed only to gradually enlighten the living being with divine knowledge, to reawaken the divine consciousness. Āyurveda can also be seen in this light. In the Bhagavad-gītā, the Supreme Lord Himself describes the process of knowledge, of enlightenment. Various statements of the Caraka-Saṃhitā that relate to spiritual aspects of Āyurveda will be elucidated in this book through quotations from the Bhagavad-gītā and other Vedic scriptures. In the Gītā (15. 15) the Lord says: sarvasya cāhaṃ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṃ ca vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo vedānta-kṛd veda-vid eva cāham – "I dwell in the heart of everyone, from me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. The aim of all the Vedas is to know Me. Verily, I am the author of the Vedānta and I am the knower of the Vedas."

Basically, it is wrong to speak of spiritual and material aspects of Āyurveda. Āyurveda is particularly concerned with the knowledge of the maintenance and promotion of health as a prerequisite for attaining the sublime goal of perfection and can therefore be regarded as medicine in a higher sense. The knowledge of the constituents of the body, the living being in the body, the connection of the living being with the body, the causes of disease, the functions of the elements of the body, the effects of substances, etc., has not been gradually acquired through centuries or millennia of research, experiment and speculation, but is revealed, eternal knowledge and is thus free from the four defects or shortcomings of human research.

The defects are: 1. the conditioned living being in the material world possesses imperfect senses (karaṇāpāṭava); 2. he is subject to delusion, illusion (pramāda); 3. he commits mistakes (bhrama); and 4. he has a tendency to cheat (vipralipsā).[1] These four shortcomings are at the root of many fundamental misconceptions or errors that are widespread in the modern world and are drilled into people from the beginning of their lives, but which are incompatible with Āyurveda – for example: Believing that humanity is the most highly evolved form of life; believing that only on earth is there intelligent life; the Darwinian theory of evolution; claiming that the further back in history one goes, the more primitive, unintelligent, uncivilised humanity was; equating technical progress with civilisation; regarding matter as the origin of life; regarding consciousness as a symptom of chemical reactions in the brain. We are subject to many other errors related to the above. Vedic knowledge refutes these misconceptions through three sources of knowledge acquisition described in the Caraka-Saṃhitā in the context of proof of reincarnation and in the section on therapeutics.

On the history of the Caraka-Saṃhitā

Due to the four shortcomings, it is not possible to acquire perfect knowledge of a thing by perception and inference alone. The Vedic way of acquiring knowledge, therefore, is to receive perfect knowledge from authorised teachers (ācāryas). This is also how Āyurveda was revealed to mankind. Prajāpati Dakṣa received this Veda from Brahmā, the two devas (demigods) called Aśvinī-kumāra received the knowledge from Prajāpati. Indra, the king of the celestial planets and lord of rain, thunder and lightning, received it from the Aśvinīs, two great physicians of the demigods.

The sage Bharadvāja received it from Indra, Punarvasu Ātreya and other sages received it from Bharadvāja. Agniveśa, a disciple of Ātreya, is the next in the chain. He was the first to present a written compendium on Āyurveda – known as the Agniveśa-tantra – which was later expanded and revised by the physician and philosopher Caraka a few centuries before our era and gained fame under the name Caraka-Saṃhitā.[1a] Caraka's edition was then revised again by Dṛḍhabala in the 4th century CE. He reconstructed the last third – Siddhi- and Kalpasthānam and 17 chapters of the Cikitsasthānam – which had been damaged for some reason, using relevant material from various treatises. Agniveśa-tantra unfortunately no longer exists and it is not possible to determine exactly when in history it was composed.

The Caraka-Saṃhitā has been studied and commented on by many scholars over the centuries since its publication. Two of the most important of them are Bhaṭṭāra Hariścandra (5th-6th century CE) and Cakrapāṇidatta (11th century) with their works Caraka-nyāsa and Āyurveda-dīpikā respectively. In the 11th century, the Caraka-Saṃhitā was translated into Persian and Arabic, and at the end of the 19th century into English for the first time. In 1949, an English edition was published by Shree Gulabkumar. Thereafter, two more editions with original verses and English translation of the text have been published in recent times – one with an extensive appendix of the flora and fauna of the Caraka-Saṃhitā, anatomical, therapeutic, pathological terms etc. by Prof. Priyavrat Sharma and the other by R.K. Sharma and B. Dash. The latter edition also contains Cakrapāṇis commentaries. Apart from translations in various Indian languages and in English, there are hardly any translations in other languages, although this work is frequently mentioned in many writings and essays today in relation to Āyurveda and medicine in general.

There are two other major works on Ayurveda – Aṣṭāṅga-hṛdayam and Suśruta-Saṃhitā – and three smaller classical works – Sarṅgadhara-Saṃhitā, Madhava-nidānam and Bhāvaprakāśa. The Suśruta-Saṃhitā is believed to have originated in the same period as the Caraka-Saṃhitā. Aṣṭāṅga-hṛdayam appeared between 500 and 600 CE, Bhāvaprakāśa in the 14th century CE, Sarṅgadhara-Saṃhitā in the 15th century A.D. and Madhava-nidānam around 700 A.D. The three great classics of Āyurveda differ from each other in their emphasis on various medical aspects, the scope of knowledge and the type of knowledge imparted. The Suśruta-Saṃhitā also includes surgical knowledge, which was important for treating the effects of wars (wounds caused by weapons, etc.), among other things. In contrast to Suśruta-Saṃhitā and Aṣṭāṅga-hṛdayam, the Caraka-Saṃhitā imparts basic spiritual knowledge of Sāṅkhya philosophy and also contains concepts of yoga philosophy. In the Caraka-Saṃhitā, Āyurveda is explained most comprehensively and therefore it is considered the most important work on the science of life.

Ātreya Muni is the central figure in the Caraka-Saṃhitā. The entire work consists of dialogues between Ātreya and his disciple Agniveśa and discussions on various topics of Āyurveda between different ṛṣis (sages) presided over by Ātreya. The four Vedas Ṛg, Yajur, Atharva and Sāma and scriptures in their succession are called śruti (that which is received by hearing) and smṛti (that which is remembered) because they were transmitted orally from teacher to disciple before Śrīla Vyāsadeva recorded them in writing. From them we learn that charity (dāna), renunciation (tapas), religious sacrifice (yajña), truthfulness (satya), non-violence (ahiṃsa) and sexual abstinence (brahmacarya) lead to perfect well-being.

Punarvasu Ātreya and all ācāryas (teachers of Vedic knowledge) or āptas, as they are also called, are renunciate, peaceful, truthful etc. and they are free from attachment, selfishness, greed, deceit, lust, envy and other qualities arising from rajas (passion) and tamas (ignorance). They possess wisdom, practically realised knowledge and a pure mind and intellect. Is it not better to recognise such people as authorities of knowledge instead of following the mental speculators who rely only on their defective senses, their instruments of extended sense perception (microscopes, telescopes, etc.) and their limited minds in acquiring knowledge and who, on top of that, are not free from the influence of the modes of passion and ignorance and disseminate only conditional knowledge which is not conducive to the happiness of human beings and other living beings but only serves their vanity and bank account and that of some profiteers? In any case, when it comes to the acquisition of knowledge, those who possess sufficient intelligence should carefully examine which source of knowledge and which teacher they place their trust in and not blindly accept knowledge.

On the structure of the Caraka-Saṃhitā

The Caraka-Saṃhitā is divided into eight sthānas (main parts): Sūtra-, Nidāna-, Vimāna-, Śarīra-, Indriya-, Cikitsā-, Kalpa- and Siddhisthānam. Sūtrasthānam comprises thirty adhyāyas (chapters) and is practically a summary of the entire work. Nidāna-, Vimāna- and Śārīrasthāna have eight adhyāyas each and deal with diagnostics, specific aspects and detailed knowledge of the body and its inhabitant respectively. Indriyasthānam consists of twelve adhyāyas and deals with the signs of imminent death, Cikitsāsthānam has thirty chapters on therapeutics, Kalpasthānam and Siddhisthānam have twelve chapters each and deal with pharmacology (preparations for emesis and purgation) and pañcakarma therapies. All the verses in each chapter are numbered in the original, as is the general practice in Vedic literature.

In contrast to the two-volume hardback edition of Ayurveda -Lehrbuch, Caraka-Samhita Compendium, the ebook version consists of four books. Book 1 contains Part I: The Vedic Culture and Philosophy, Part II: Sūtrasthānam and Part III: Nidānasthānam. Book 2 consists of the main sections Vimāna-, Śarīra- and Indriyasthānam. Book 3 contains Cikitsāsthānam, the largest section of the Caraka Samhita and Book 4 contains Kalpasthānam and Siddhisthānam.

Most pharmaceutical preparations, e.g. in the Cikitsa section, are named. Drugs in prescriptions are not always fully enumerated. This work is a detailed compendium of the Caraka-Saṃhitā with not too scanty explanations of spiritual aspects of Āyurveda and Vedic culture, which one will not find in any other Ayurvedic book to this extent.

In order to facilitate access for readers unfamiliar with Vedic knowledge and to avoid interrupting the flow of the text by frequently explaining things that Caraka could assume his readers knew and that will certainly be familiar to some readers of this book, the compilation of the actual text of the Caraka-Saṃhitā is preceded by a brief introduction to the most important elements of Vedic culture and philosophy, comprising seven chapters. The chapters are: 1. The Vedic Scriptures, 2. Three instances of knowledge, 3. The Vedic social system, 4. Vedic cosmology, 5. The navel of the world,[2] 6. The mother of all living beings,[3] 7. Penances and renunciation.

Sanskrit terms other than proper names (names of plant species, persons, etc.) are displayed with normal font-style in headings and, with a few exceptions, in italics font-style throughout the text. Readers who know few or no Sanskrit terms at all will