History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c89.320

v7.c89.320

It is worthy of note that even scientific works like the Carakasaṁhitā ask the physician to notice the condition of the patient, of the messenger, and the actions of the physician and inauspicious omens They are described in Indriyasthāna chap. 12 A few notable verses may be cited here. 'That patient would only live for a month on whose head arises only powder (dandruff or the like) resembling the powder of dry cowdung and that slides down (from the head); that patient will not live even for a fortnight whose chest dries up when he takes a bath and anoints his body with sandalwood paste while all other limbs are yet wet' (verse 12) 'Those messengers from a patient who come to a physician when the latter is offering oblations into fire or is offering pindas to his pitṛs, will kill the patient (i. e. indicate the approaching death of the patient, verse 16); a woman who is in a pitiable state, terrified, hurried, troubled, dirty and unchaste, three persons (coming together), deformed persons, impotent persons-these are messengers of those who are about to die' (verses 21-22); 'a physician should not go (to see a patient) on being called by a messenger when the physician sees, while the messenger is describing the condition of the patient, an inauspicious omen or a sorrowing man or a corpse or the decoration meant for the dead', verses 67-70 dilate on the signs of an auspicious messenger and verses 71-79 set out auspicious omens such as the sight of curds, whole grains, brāhmaṇas, bulls, king, jewels, jar full of water, white horse &c. The physician is however advised not to declare an inauspicious omen even when he sees it that would give a shock or cause pain to the patient or even to anyone else (verse 63).