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The Compendium of Caraka 5.3

English (machine translation) 5.3

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English

5.3.1

Now we shall explain the section on signs [of death] entitled That Which Is to Be Palpated.

5.3.2

Thus spoke the venerable Ātreya:

5.3.3

In complexion, in voice, in smell, and in taste, the sign of those about to die / has been correctly stated individually; learn it also in touch:

5.3.4

Wishing to know the remainder of the measure of the patient's life primarily through touch, one should touch his entire body with a healthy hand, or have it palpated by another.

5.3.4_1

As he palpates the patient's body, these phenomena are to be recognized in various places: namely—lack of pulsation in body regions that pulsate constantly, coldness in those that are constantly warm, hardness in soft parts, roughness in smooth parts, absence of what is present, loosening, dislocation, and displacement of joints; loss of flesh and blood, hardness, continuous sweating, or stiffness; and whatever other such sign of touch there may be that is extremely abnormal and without cause. Thus the sign of tangible phenomena has been stated in brief.

5.3.5

We shall explain it in detail: If, when palpated individually, his foot, shank, thigh, buttock, abdomen, flank, back, spine, hand, neck, palate, lip, or forehead is sweaty, cold, stiff, hard, or devoid of flesh and blood, one should know: 'This man has lost his life-breath; he will die before long.'

5.3.5_1

If, when palpated individually, his ankles, knees, groins, anus, testicles, penis, navel, shoulders, breasts, collarbones, ribs, jaws, nose, ears, eyes, brows, temples, and so forth are loosened, displaced, dislodged from their places, or fallen away, one should know: 'This man has lost his life-breath; he will die before long.'

5.3.6

Likewise, one should observe his expiration, carotids, teeth, eyelashes, eyes, head-hair, body-hair, abdomen, nails, and fingers.

5.3.6_1

And if his expiration is excessively long or excessively short, one should know him to have lost his life-breath.

5.3.6_2

If, when palpated, his two carotids do not pulsate, one should know him to have lost his life-breath. If his teeth are scattered, white, and have developed tartar, one should know him to have lost his life-breath. If his eyelashes are matted, one should know him to have lost his life-breath. And if his eyes are devoid of their normal state and accompanied by abnormality—excessively bulging, excessively sunken, excessively crooked, excessively asymmetrical, excessively detached from their bonds, excessively watering, constantly open, constantly closed, excessively blinking, having wandering gaze, having distorted gaze, having impaired vision, having disjointed vision, mongoose-blind, pigeon-blind, the color of a firebrand, or inundated with any one of the abnormal colors such as black, yellow, blue, dark grey, copper, green, turmeric-colored, or white—then one should know him to have lost his life-breath.

5.3.6_3

Then one should pull his head-hair and body-hair; if, when pulled, his head-hair and body-hair pluck out without him feeling it, one should know him to have lost his life-breath. If veins become visible on his abdomen, and are dark grey, copper, blue, turmeric-colored, or white, one should know him to have lost his life-breath.

5.3.6_4

If his nails are devoid of flesh and blood and have the color of a ripe jambu fruit, one should know him to have lost his life-breath.

5.3.6_5

Then one should pull his fingers; if his fingers do not crack when pulled, one should know him to have lost his life-breath.

5.3.7

Here is the summary verse:

5.3.7_1

Touching these many tangible entities, he who understands them
in a patient does not succumb to confusion regarding knowledge of lifespan.

5.3.7_2

Thus, in the treatise composed by Agniveśa and redacted by Caraka, in the section on prognostic signs, the third chapter entitled "Prognostic Signs Relating to Palpation" [is concluded].

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