Education in Ancient India c16.s2: Convocation Address to Medical Graduates

Education in Ancient India c16.s2

Language: English

c16.s2.t1 English Rendering — 2 parts

Convocation Address to Medical Graduates

c16.s2.1

We get a very good specimen of the convocation address to medical students in Charakasamhitā Vimānasthāna, 8, 6-8. Important passages from it are given below, along with an English rendering.

अनुज्ञातेन प्रविचरता [ त्वया ] पूर्वं गुर्वर्थोपान्वाहरणे यथाशक्ति प्रयत्नितव्यम्। कर्मसिद्धिमर्थसिद्धिं यशोलाभं प्रेत्य च स्वर्गमिच्छता त्वया गोब्राह्मणादौ कृत्वा सवेप्राणभृतां शर्माशासितव्यम्। अहरहरत्तिष्ठता चोपविशता च सर्वात्मना चातुरामारोग्ये प्रयत्नितव्यम्। जीवहेतोरपि चातुरेभ्यो नाभिद्रोग्धव्यम्। मनसापि च परस्त्रियो नाभिममनीयास्तथा च सर्वमेव परस्वम्। निभृतवेशपरिच्छदेन भवितव्यम्। अशौण्डेनापापेनापापसहायेन च श्लक्ष्णशुक्लधर्म्मशार्म्यधन्यसत्यहितमितवचसा देशकालविचारिणा स्मृतिमता ज्ञानोत्थापनकरणसंपत्सु नित्यं यत्नवता च न कदाचित्…………… अनपवादप्रतिकाराणां मुमूर्षूणां च तथैवासन्निकृतेश्वराणां स्त्रीणामनभ्यक्षाणां वौषधमनुविधातव्यम्। न च कदाचित्स्त्रीदत्तममिषमादातव्यमननुज्ञातं भर्त्राथवाध्यक्षेण। आतुरकुलं…………………चानुप्रविश्य वाङमनोबुद्धीन्द्रियाणि न क्वचित्प्रणिधातव्यानि अन्यत्रातुरादातुरोपकारार्थादातुरगेष्वन्येषु वा भावेषु। न चातुरकुलप्रवृत्तयो बहिनिश्शारयितव्याः। हसितं चायुःप्रमाणमातुरस्य न वर्णयितव्यं जानतापि तत्र यत्रोद्यमानमातुरस्याप्यपघाताय संपद्यते।

c16.s2.3

विज्ञानवतापि च नात्यर्थमात्मनो ज्ञाने विकत्थितव्यम्। आप्तदपि हि विकत्थ्यमानादत्यर्थमुद्विजन्त्येके। न चैव हस्ति सुतरामायुर्वेदस्य पारम्। तस्मादप्रमत्तः शश्वदभियोगमिच्छन् गच्छेत्।…… कृत्स्नो हि लोको बुद्धिमतामाचार्यः। शत्रुश्चाबुद्धिमतामेव। अतश्चाभिसमीक्ष्य बुद्धिमताऽमिश्रस्यापि यद्यस्थौ…पौष्टिकं…लौक्यमुपदेष्टा। वचः श्रोतव्यमनुविधातव्यं चेति।

English Rendering

c16.s2.t1.1

"When, on getting permission, you begin to practise, you ought to make an effort to offer an adèquate honorarium to your teacher. You should aim at the welfare of Brahmanas, cows and all other beings with a view to win practice, prosperity and fame here and heaven hereafter. Every day you should continuously and whole-heartedly try to promote the health of patients. Even if your own life is in danger, you should not neglect your patients. You should not entertain an evil thought about the wealth or wives of others. Your dress should be modest, not foppish. Avoid drinking, do not commit a sin, nor help one who is committing it. Your speech should be smooth, polished, truthful and to the point. Taking all facts into consideration, you should make a deliberate endeavour to increase the stock of your knowledge and instruments. Do not give medicine to those whose disease is definitely ascertained to be incurable, or to those who are about to die, or to women, if their husbands or guardians are not present. Do not accept any fees from ladies without the assent of their husbands or guardians. When you enter a patient's room, all your attention should be centred on the patient, his expression, movements and medicines, to the exclusion of everything else. You must treat as strictly confidential all information about the patient and his family. Where there is a danger of the patient or any of his relatives receiving a shock, you should not divulge the impending death of the patient even when you are aware of it.

c16.s2.t1.2

Though well grounded in your line, you should not praise your knowledge much; for some people get disgusted even with their friends and relatives if they are given to boasting. One can never get a mastery of the entire medical science; unelated, one should therefore pass one's time in making a constant effort to learn something more. A wise man will indeed gather something from every quarter; a fool only thinks otherwise, and shows jealousy. Taking all things into consideration, a wise physician should listen to and derive benefit from the discoveries or observations even of an enemy, if they are calculated to promote one's fame and prosperity in this world.

Linked texts (1)

Carakasaṃhitā — Agniveśa (Āyurveda) & Caraka, Sanskrit