Indian Medicine (Medicin), translated by C. G. Kashikar c8.34

c8.34

The present condition of the whole Suśruta is indeed borne out⁴ by the commentaries, especially the Bhānumatī of Cakradatta (11th cen.) and the Nibandhasaṃgraha of Dallana (12th cen.). Jaiyyaṭa (Jaijjaṭa) is usually considered as their oldest predecessor⁵. On the basis of his commentary Candraṭa, son of Tiṣaṭa (cf. § 3) undertook a revision (Pāṭhaśuddhi) of the text of Suśruta⁶. We can also gather from Dallana (e. g. on Su. 3.2.48-49) that Jaiyyaṭa read differently in many places and in general great discrepancies existed in the MSS. According to Hoernle many original readings can still be restored from Bhānumatī. The text-critical problems are often very difficult. Thus from Su. 1.1.39 and 1.4.5 one can draw the conclusion that originally there were 120 adhyāyas in five sthānas and that the last part (Uttarasthāna) is a later addition. The AHr also consists of 120 adhyāyas if the Uttarasthāna is reckoned. Even the AS has such a sixth part. The absence of opium among therapeutic substances, of pulse-feeling in medical examination and of small pox in special diseases speaks for the high antiquity of our work. The medicaments are mostly of vegetable kind and a few references to quicksilver remedies¹ are probably interpolations. The language mixed with prose and poetry is not so old as in Bower MS and reminds us much more of Varāhamihira ( 6th century ) but can also have been modernised.