Charak Samhita

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तत्रद्रव्याणिगुरुखरकठिनमन्दस्थिरविशदसान्द्रस्थूलगन्धगुणबहुलानि पार्थिवानि, तान्युपचयसङ्घातगौरवस्थैर्यकराणि; द्रवस्निग्धशीतमन्दमृदुपिच्छिलरसगुणबहुलान्याप्यानि, तान्युपक्लेदस्नेहबन्धविष्यन्दमार्दवप्रह्लादकराणि; उष्णतीक्ष्णसूक्ष्मलघुरूक्षविशदरूपगुणबहुलान्याग्नेयानि, तानि दाहपाकप्रभाप्रकाशवर्णकराणि; लघुशीतरूक्षखरविशदसूक्ष्मस्पर्शगुणबहुलानि वायव्यानि, तानि रौक्ष्यग्लानिविचारवैशद्यलाघवकराणि; मृदुलघुसूक्ष्मश्लक्ष्णशब्दगुणबहुलान्याकाशात्मकानि, तानि मार्दवसौषिर्यलाघवकराणि ||११||

sanskrit

[Properties and actions of panchamahabhuta] Dravyas (drugs) which have properties of guru (heavy), khara (coarse), kathina (hard), manda (slow), sthira (stable), vishada (non-slimy), sandra (solid), sthula (gross) possess the predominant gandha guna of parthiva (i.e., primarily made up of prithvi mahabhuta) exert actions like upachaya (development), sanghata (compactness), gaurava (heaviness) and sthairya (firmness). Those having properties of drava (liquid), snigdha (unctuous), sheeta (cold), manda (slow), mridu (soft), pichchila (slimy) and the predominant rasa is apya (i.e., constituting primarily of jala mahabhuta) exert actions like upakleda (moistening), sneha (unction), bandha (binding), vishyanda (oozing), mardava (softening) and pralhad (exhilaration). Dravyas with properties of ushna (hot), tikshna (sharp), sukshma (minute), laghu (light), ruksha (rough), vishada (non-slimy) and predominant rupa is agneya (i.e., constituting primarily of agni (agni mahabhuta)) produce daha (burning/heat), paka (digestion), prabha (luster), prakash (light) and varna (complexion). Dravyas having properties of laghu (light), sheeta (cold), ruksha (rough), khara (coarse), vishada (non-slimy), sukshma (minute) and the predominant sparsha is vayavya (i.e., primarily made up of vayu mahabhuta). They produce actions of raukshya (roughness), glani (depression), vichara (movement), vaishdya (non-sliminess) and laghava (lightness). Dravyas having predominance in the properties of mridu (soft), laghu (light), sukshma (minute), shlakshna (smooth)and the predominantly shabda are akashiya (constituted predominantly of akasha mahabhuta). They exert actions of softening, hollowing and making light.

english translation

tatradravyANigurukharakaThinamandasthiravizadasAndrasthUlagandhaguNabahulAni pArthivAni, tAnyupacayasaGghAtagauravasthairyakarANi; dravasnigdhazItamandamRdupicchilarasaguNabahulAnyApyAni, tAnyupakledasnehabandhaviSyandamArdavaprahlAdakarANi; uSNatIkSNasUkSmalaghurUkSavizadarUpaguNabahulAnyAgneyAni, tAni dAhapAkaprabhAprakAzavarNakarANi; laghuzItarUkSakharavizadasUkSmasparzaguNabahulAni vAyavyAni, tAni raukSyaglAnivicAravaizadyalAghavakarANi; mRdulaghusUkSmazlakSNazabdaguNabahulAnyAkAzAtmakAni, tAni mArdavasauSiryalAghavakarANi ||11||

hk transliteration

अनेनोपदेशेन नानौषधिभूतं जगति किञ्चिद्द्रव्यमुपलभ्यते तां तां युक्तिमर्थं च तं तमभिप्रेत्य ||१२||

sanskrit

[Existance of panchamahabhuta in universe] On this basis, there is no substance in the universe which cannot be used as a medicinal drug, on the condition that they are used with rational method and with a definite objective.

english translation

anenopadezena nAnauSadhibhUtaM jagati kiJciddravyamupalabhyate tAM tAM yuktimarthaM ca taM tamabhipretya ||12||

hk transliteration

न तु केवलं गुणप्रभावादेव द्रव्याणि कार्मुकाणि भवन्ति; द्रव्याणि हि द्रव्यप्रभावाद्गुणप्रभावाद्द्रव्यगुणप्रभावाच्च तस्मिंस्तस्मिन् काले तत्तदधिकरणमासाद्य तां तां च युक्तिमर्थं च तं तमभिप्रेत्य यत् कुर्वन्ति, तत् कर्म; येन कुर्विन्ति, तद्वीर्यं; यत्र कुर्वन्ति, तदधिकरणं; यदा कुर्वन्ति, स कालः; यथा कुर्वन्ति, स उपायः; यत् साधयन्ति, तत् फलम् ||१३||

sanskrit

[Description of drug action] The activity of drugs is not due to its properties only, but their own intrinsic composition, properties and both combined together in particular time, on reaching a particular locus, with a particular mechanism and objective are also involved in the mode of action of drug. What they perform is karma (action), by means of which they act is veerya (potency), where they act is adhikarana (locus of action), when they act is kala (time), how they act is upaya (mechanism) and what they achieve is phalam (result).

english translation

na tu kevalaM guNaprabhAvAdeva dravyANi kArmukANi bhavanti; dravyANi hi dravyaprabhAvAdguNaprabhAvAddravyaguNaprabhAvAcca tasmiMstasmin kAle tattadadhikaraNamAsAdya tAM tAM ca yuktimarthaM ca taM tamabhipretya yat kurvanti, tat karma; yena kurvinti, tadvIryaM; yatra kurvanti, tadadhikaraNaM; yadA kurvanti, sa kAlaH; yathA kurvanti, sa upAyaH; yat sAdhayanti, tat phalam ||13||

hk transliteration

भेदश्चैषां त्रिषष्टिविधविकल्पो द्रव्यदेशकालप्रभावाद्भवति, तमुपदेक्ष्यामः ||१४||

sanskrit

[Description of the concept of rasa: Combinations of rasa] There are sixty-three types of variations of rasas according to substance, place and time, that is mentioned in the following verses.

english translation

bhedazcaiSAM triSaSTividhavikalpo dravyadezakAlaprabhAvAdbhavati, tamupadekSyAmaH ||14||

hk transliteration

स्वादुरम्लादिभिर्योगं शेषैरम्लादयः पृथक्| यान्ति पञ्चदशैतानि द्रव्याणि द्विरसानि तु ||१५||

sanskrit

Combination of two rasas such as sweet with sour etc. and sour with others, lead to creation of fifteen combinations.

english translation

svAduramlAdibhiryogaM zeSairamlAdayaH pRthak| yAnti paJcadazaitAni dravyANi dvirasAni tu ||15||

hk transliteration