A History of Indian Medical Literature v1.c13.73

v1.c13.73

Chapter eight, on rājayakṣman, 220 deals with the following subjects: the mythic origin of yakṣman, 221 which befell the moon-god (Indu, Candra, Candramas, Śaśin, Soma), due to his attachment to Rohiṇī, 222 one of the twenty-eight daughters of Prajāpati, and his neglect of the other ones; Prajāpati, full of wrath, afflicted him with the disease, from which he was cured by the Aśvins (8.3–10); 223 the names of the disease, which, ousted (from the heavenly world) by the Aśvins, came down to the world of human beings (8.11–12); the four causes of rājayakṣman: exertion beyond one's capacity, suppression of natural urges, wasting (kṣaya) (of bodily constituents), and irregular diet (viṣamāśana) (8.13); 224 a description of the way in which these four causes give rise to one form of the disease each; the eleven symptoms of these four forms 225 (8.14–32); 226 the prodromes (8.33–38ab); 227 the way in which the symptoms arise; a series of eleven symptoms is mentioned, 228 followed by a series of six symptoms; 229 irrespective of the number of symptoms present, a strong patient should be accepted for treatment, a weak patient rejected (8.38cd–47); 230 pratiśyāya is described, one of the prodromes of (rāja)yakṣman (8.48–50); 231 coughing with expectoration of rasa (8.51), one of the symptoms of rājayakṣman (8.43); a type of fever occurring in the disease (8.52); 232 svarabheda (impairment of the voice), one of the symptoms; 233 this disorder is of various types: caused by vāta, pitta, kapha, blood, the strain of coughing (kāsavega), and pīnasa (chronic rhinitis) (8.53–55); śūla (piercing pain) in the sides of the chest (pārśva) and in the head (śiras), which are symptoms²³⁴ (8.56); spitting of blood, one of the eleven symptoms²³⁵ (8.57); the way in which blood accumulates in the āmāśaya, gets excited (utkliṣṭa), and comes out by way of the throat (8.58); śvāsa (shortness of breath) and atisāra (diarrhoea), which are found among the symptoms²³⁶ (8.59); aruci (loss of appetite), one of the symptoms;²³⁷ five varieties are mentioned: caused by vāta, pitta, kapha, all three doṣas,²³⁸ and disgust (8.60–61); chardi (vomiting), ²³⁹ a disorder brought about by arocaka (loss of appetite), the strain of coughing (kāsavega), excitement (utkleśa)²⁴⁰ of the doṣas, and fear (8.62).