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A History of Indian Medical Literature v1.c16.s2: Contributions of Caraka

A History of Indian Medical Literature v1.c16.s2

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Contents

Contributions of Caraka

v1.c16.s2.1

The determination of Caraka’s contributions to the Agniveśatantra depends on one’s views concerning the dates of Agniveśa and Caraka, the type of relationship between their works, etc. In spite of the almost unsurmountable problems, some scholars made serious attempts at identifying features and elements that may be due to Caraka.

v1.c16.s2.2

P.V. Sharma79 expressed the opinion that Agniveśa’s treatise, written in sūtra style, was enlarged with Caraka’s annotations (bhāṣya).80 In his view,81 the Agniveśatantra may have resembled the Bhelasaṃhitā. He is inclined to attribute to Caraka passages in prose and verse that are composed in a mature style.82

v1.c16.s2.3

P.V. Sharma83 and Sūramcandra84 claim that Caraka made Agniveśa’s tantra into a saṃhitā consisting of sūtra, bhāṣya and saṃgraha. The activities of such a reviser (saṃskartar) are outlined by Dṛḍhabala (Si.12.36cd–37ab).

v1.c16.s2.4

Some regard the verses, introduced by bhavati cātra,85 bhavataś cātra,86 or bhavanti cātra,87 as deriving from Caraka, while others consider them forming part of the original Agniveśatantra.88 This type of stanza is often found towards the end of a chapter, preceding verses, introduced by tatra ślokaḥ, ślokau or ślokāḥ, which give a summary of the contents.89 The latter type is usually regarded a forming part of Caraka’s text.90

v1.c16.s2.5

Cakrapāṇidatta, undoubtedly preceded by earlier commentators, distinguished a type of statement, called pratisaṃskartṛsūtra, thought to derive from the pen of a reviser (pratisaṃskartar), who, though not mentioned by name, is probably Caraka.91

v1.c16.s2.6

Apart from the pratisaṃskartṛsūtra, Cakra distinguished three other types, called guru-,92 śiṣya-93 and ekīyasūtra94 respectively.95

v1.c16.s2.7

More specific contributions of Caraka are, according to P.V. Sharma: the elaboration of the discussions among groups of sages;96 yukti as a pramāṇa; yuktivyapāśraya methods of treatment; the importance of parīkṣā and jñāna;97 the description of the descent of āyurveda (Sū.1);98 various types of sveda (Sū.14);99 the importance of saṃśamana and saṃśodhana (Sū.22 and 23);100 the description of new diseases;101 the description of the eight branches of āyurveda (Sū.30);102 the introduction of articles of food growing in the northwestern regions of India.103

v1.c16.s2.8

The concepts related to those of Sāṃkhya, Nyāya and Vaiśeṣika are generally assumed to belong to Caraka’s contributions.104

v1.c16.s2.9

False attributions to Caraka

v1.c16.s2.10

Caraka became a revered authority to whom in later times much was attributed that is completely absent from the treatise going under his name.

v1.c16.s2.11

Caraka's name is associated with nāḍījñāna-vidhi¹⁰⁵ and Toḍara's Āyurvedasaukhya.¹⁰⁶

v1.c16.s2.12

A number of texts regard Caraka as an authority on rasaśāstra. Raghunātha Paṇḍita's Cikitsāmañjarī contains a series of rasayogas said to belong to the domain of Caraka.¹⁰⁷ Iatrochemical formulae attributed to Caraka in other treatises are: a śivaguṭikā,¹⁰⁸ somanātharasa,¹⁰⁹ and varuṇādyalauha.¹¹⁰

v1.c16.s2.13

Recipes ascribed to Caraka which contain ingredients added to the materia medica in post-classical times are also found. An example is kuṅkumādicūrṇa.¹¹¹

v1.c16.s2.14

Toḍara's Āyurvedasaukhya attributes part of the description of the kalās, found in the Suśrutasaṃhitā, to Caraka.¹¹²

v1.c16.s2.15

The text of the Carakasamhitā

v1.c16.s2.16

P. Cordier is one of the early scholars who noticed that the text of the Carakasamhitā must have been subject to considerable variations, as is obvious from quotations found in commentaries.¹¹³

v1.c16.s2.17

The text of the Carakasamhitā presents a number of problems which deserve serious attention. A critical edition, highly desirable, does not exist so far.¹¹⁴ References and quotations in commentaries testify that once several recensions were known which differed in their readings. Commentators also express their views on the genuineness or spuriousness of particular verses or groups of verses.¹¹⁵ Later works quoting Caraka contain verses which deviate from the edited text¹¹⁶ or are not found there at all.¹¹⁷ Some verses belonging to the text of the Carakasamhitā as accepted by Cakrapāṇidatta are attributed to other authorities by later authors.¹¹⁸ The text of many editions incorporates numerous verses, placed between brackets, which are probably interpolations.¹¹⁹

v1.c16.s2.18

Other passages regarded as interpolations are, for example, Sū.17.41-44, 25.48-49, Vi.3.39-40, Vi.7.8-30.¹²⁰

v1.c16.s2.19.1

P.V. Sharma proposed a number of emendations of Yādavaśarman's text of the Carakasamhitā.¹²¹ His corrections relate to: Sū.1.57 (sāttvika instead of mānasa); 1.115a (vamane 'śmantakakṣīram instead of vamane 'śmantakaṃ vidyāt); 1.122a (the edited version is not correct); 3.15 (sakuṣṭhā instead of sakuṣṭhāt);¹²² 4.14 (yaṣṭika should be ṣaṣṭika; cf. 4.16);¹²³ 5.12 (śāliṣaṣṭikamudgāṃś ca instead of ṣaṣṭikāñ chālimudgāṃś ca); 10.4 (upakrānta is preferable to anuṣṭhita); 13.72ab (these pādas ought to be deleted, because they are also found at Ci.15.202ab);¹²⁴ 14.72 (snehasamiddhasya is preferable to snehasamṛddhasya); 18.36 (upakrānta instead of anukrānta); 21.12 (rūkṣam udvartanam instead of rūkṣasyodvartanam; snānābhyāsaḥ instead of snānasyābhyāsaḥ); 21.32 (rūkṣam udvartanam instead of snigdham udvartanam);¹²⁵ 21.50 (āsīnaṃ pracalāyitam instead of āsīnapracalāyitam);¹²⁶ 22.8 (kṛtākṛtīkṛtānām is preferable to kṛtākṛtivṛttānām); 22.41 (tadauṣadhānāṃ rogāṇām instead of tadauṣadhānāṃ dhātūnām);¹²⁷ 25.38 (sthāvarasnehānām instead of sthāvarajātānāṃ snehānām); 25.39 (ālukam kandānāṃ should precede nikucaṃ phalānām); 25.40 (lāmajjakosīre is preferable to lāmajja kośīram and nir vṛttiḥ puṣṭikaraṇānām to nivṛttiḥ puṣṭikaraṇānām; the second niḥsaṃśayakaraṇānām should be replaced by nirbhayakaraṇām); 26.3 (Hiraṇyākṣa Kuśika should be substituted for Hiraṇyākṣa Kauśika); 26.43(4) (mohayati instead of mohayanti); 26.84 (sarṣapatailabhrṣṭān instead of sarṣapatailabhrṣṭān);

v1.c16.s2.19.2

27.4 (vetrāgramṛtā- instead of vegāgramṛtā-); 27.25 (sa svāduḥ is preferable to tat svāduḥ); 127 27.55 (jaṅgalacāriṇaḥ instead of jāṅgalacāriṇaḥ); 27.92 (kālākhyam instead of kālāyam); 129 27.101 (-nālikāsuryaḥ instead of -nālikāsūryaḥ); 27.122 (sārṣapaṃ śākam is odd among the group of kandaśākas); 130 27.128 (vātapitte praśasyate is better than vātapitte ca śasyate); 27.163 (madhurāny anupākīni instead of madhurāny amlapākīni); 27.216 (varuṇālaye instead of varuṇālayam); 28.4 (prasādākhyāḥ malākhyāś ca instead of malākhyāḥ prasādākhyāś ca); Ni.3.10 (sabubhukṣasya instead of abubhukṣasya); 131 Ni.4.14 (ikṣvālīrasasaṃkāśa should be read instead of śāṇḍekṣurasasaṃkāśa); 132 Vi.3.45 (tīvrādharmarucer instead of tīvrādharmārucer); 4.5 (jñānasamudayena instead of jñānasamudāyena); 5.8 (arocakavipākau instead of arocakavipākau); 5.26 (a-nnavahānāṃ instead of annavāhānāṃ); 133 7.17 trirātraṃ instead of trivāram); 134 8.11 (mādhukībhir instead of mādhukībhir); 8.169 (śikharadaśanāḥ is preferable to śikharadaśanāḥ); 135 Śā.1.¹⁴³ (vratacaryopavāsaś ca instead of vratacaryopavāsau ca); 136 Śā.5.4 (ṣaḍdhātavaḥ samuditaḥ loka iti śabdam labhante instead of puruṣa iti śabdam labhante); 8.3 (strīpuṃsayor avyāpannaśukraṣoṇitagarbhāśayoḥ should be replaced by strīpuṃsayor avyāpannaśukraṣoṇitagarbhāśayoḥ); 137 8.24 (viśamāsana should replace viśamāśana); 8.47 (kṣemaka instead of kṣaumaka; kaṇakaṇikendhana instead of kaṇakakaṇṭakendhana;

v1.c16.s2.19.3

138 I.2.19 (kaścid evāsya vairasyam instead of kaścid evāsyavairasyam); 5.17 (piban instead of pibet); I.5.34 (pādavarmaṇoḥ instead of pādacarmaṇoḥ); 11.21 (āhvayantaḥ is preferable to āhvayams tam); 12.19 (varma vīcyutam is preferable to carma vicyutam); Ci.11.36b (āmalakeṣv api is better than āmalakīṣv api); 139 12.15 (aṣṭabhāgena instead of akṣabhāgena); 140 22.8ab (sāndrībhūtaṃ taṃ kuryāt prabhūtamadhusarkarāḥ instead of sāndrībhūtaṃ ca kuryāt prabhūtamadhusarkaram); 141 3.54cd (saptāhaṃ vā daśāhaṃ vā dvādaśāhaṃ suduḥsahaḥ is preferable to daśāhaṃ dvādaśāhaṃ vā saptāhaṃ vā suduḥsahaḥ); 142 5.77c (śūlānāhaharāḥ instead of śūlānāhaharī); 6.26 (surāhvaṃ instead of surāhvāṃ); 143 6.40 (savalkāṃ instead of sakalkām); 7.111 (sailā instead of śailā); 7.120 (rajas instead of payas); 7.123 (pakvasurā is to be replaced by śakrasurā); 144 7.¹⁴⁰ (ardhapalāṃśaṃ is more correct than ardhadalāṃśam); 8.58 (śleṣṇāśayastham is preferable to āmāśayastham); 145 9.22 (-pāṇiḥ instead of vāṇiḥ); 146 13.48 (anudakaprāptam udaram is better than anudakam aprāptam udaram); 13.88-89ab (the correct order is 88ab, 89ab, 88cd); 13.119cd-124ab (iti paṭolādicūrṇam should be inserted after the formula); 14.43 (iṣṭakasya should be replaced by dīpyakasya); 14.228-229 (iti picchābastiḥ should come after 228); 14.243 (śītoṣṇāni ca yajayan instead of yojayet); 14.252 (saśārkarāḥ instead of saśarkarāḥ); 14.253ab (dvāvidhyam instead of dvividhaṃ); 14.253cd (peyāś ca instead of peyāś ca);

v1.c16.s2.19.4

15.35 (sthalaṃ nimnam ivodakam is preferable to sthalān nimnād ivodakam); 15.89 (kolāmla instead of kolāmbu); 15.97 (cānalam instead of cālanam); 15.205 (sa ghṛtaṃ instead of saghṛtaṃ); 15, colophon (grahaṇīdoṣacikitsitam is more correct than grahaṇīcikitsitam); 17.69 (śuṣkam vṛkṣam ivānalaḥ instead of śuṣkam kakṣam); 17.145–146 (iti manaḥśilādighṛtam should be read after 17.145); 18.60 (lehyād is preferable to lihyād); 147 18.87 (nīlī vāraṇapippalī instead of nīlīsārāṇi pippalī); 18.101 (the second jīvaka should be replaced by vṛddhika); 18.¹⁵⁹ (śṛte instead of śṛtair); 148 19.34 (amlasnehādhyāyaḥ instead of amlasnehādyaḥ); 149 19.113 (līḍhvā instead of pītvā); 150 21.86 (kalkitair instead of tvakkalkair); 22.11 (22.11 and 12 should be read together because both deal with vā-tikatṛṣṇā); 22.19 (tṛṣyati is preferable to tṛṣyate); 22.42 (pakvāmaloṣṭaje jale instead of pakvaloṣṭam eva ca jale); 151 22.49 (lehyam instead of leham); 22.51 (prapibet instead of tṛṣitaḥ); 23.9 (kṛkalāsakaḥ instead of sakṛkaṇṭakaḥ); 23.15 (jāngamam instead of jaṅgamam); 23.42 (viṣādhmānam is preferable to viṣadhānam); 23.84 (vicarcikām instead of visūcikām); 23.91 (vijaye instead of vijayo); 152 23.135 (gādhasamīpaditam ūrdhvam instead of gūdhasampāḍitam vṛttam); 153 23.143 (prāṇaharārditaḥ is preferable to dūṣīviṣārditaḥ); 23.¹⁵¹ (daṣṭo ’sādhyena instead of daṣṭo ’sādhyas tu); 154 23.188 (khadirāriṣṭakauṭajam mūlam ambhasā instead of khadirāriṣṭam kauṭajam mūlam ambhasā);

v1.c16.s2.19.5

23.231 (ikṣurako instead of ikṣuraso); 23.234 (naraś instead of garaś); 23.245 (śvetabhaṇḍyaśvakhurakau instead of śvetabhaṇḍāśvakhurakau); 24.71 (made cottamake ’dhikām instead of madhye cottamamadhyayoḥ); 155 24.77 (rājasamāpānam instead of rājasamāpannam); 24.159 (hemapuṣpakuṭaṇṇatam is preferable to hemapattraṃ kuṭaṇṇatam); 24.¹⁶² (vyajanānām is more correct than vyañjanānām); 25.41 (śodhanaropaṇīyau instead of śodhanau ropaṇīyau); 25.55 (lekhanam instead of lepanam); 25.109 ((kāṭhinyam instead of śaithilyam); 156 26.17 (sa mūtravaryo ’nilasaṅgam asyan instead of sa mūtravarco ’nilasaṅgam āsu); 157 26.74 (katakādīkānām instead of kanakādīkānām); 26.96 (kaulatthayūṣaiś is preferable to kaulatthadhānyaiś); 158 26.127 (asravaṇam instead of aśravaṇam; pūtisravaṇam instead of pūtiśravaṇam); 26.128 (snighasruṭiḥ instead of snigdhaśruṭiḥ); 26.132–133 (iti khālityaroganidānam should come after 26.132); 26.144 (the second pibet should be replaced by tataḥ); 159 26.181 (śaṅkhayo instead of śeṣayo); 26.187ab (iti śirorogacikitsā should come after 26.180); 26.261 (śaśvetamaricāḥ instead of syur alpamaricāḥ); 26.264 (sāhacarād bhṛṅgarājāc ca instead of sahacarād bhṛṅgarājāc ca); 27.29 (śalmalam instead of śālmalīm); 160 28.10 (antrāṇi instead of antrasthaḥ); 161 28.41 (bhugnā jihvā instead of dīnā jihmā); 28.49cd–50ab (correct reading: vivṛtāsyatvam athavā kuryāt saṃvṛtavaktratām/ hanugraham ca saṃsthabhya hanum stabdham avedanam); 28.53cd–54 (the correct order is: 54cd, 53cd, 54ab);

v1.c16.s2.19.6

28.94 (praharṣo ’nṇam ca instead of harṣo ’nnapānam); 162 29.101 (śirāvedhāgnikarma ca instead of sirā bastyagnikarma ca); 163 28.202 (jñānasınṛtibalakṣayam instead of jñātvā sṃṛtibalakṣayam); 29.110 (padmakotpalayaṣṭyāhvaphenilāpadmavetasaḥ instead of padmavetasayaṣṭyāhvaphenilāpadmakotpalaiḥ); 29.113 (the correct name of the recipe is mahāpadmakam tailam); 29.140 (kṣirapiṣṭam umālepam instead of kṣirapiṣṭam umālepam); 29.151 (dhānyāmlapeṣitam instead of dhānyāmlasaṃyutam); 164 30.116 (pāṇḍure pradare instead of pāṇḍure ’sṛgdare); 165 30.236 (kuryur aṣṭavidham doṣam liṅgatas tān nibodha me instead of kuryur aṣṭavidham bhūyo doṣatas tān nibodha me); 30.250cd–251ab (proposed reading: anye ca vividhā rogā doṣaiḥ kṣīrasamāśritaiḥ/ kṣīre vātādibhir duṣṭe saṃbhavanti tadātmakāḥ); 30.261cd (kvātham ca nāgarāt instead of kvāthaṃ caiva sanāgaram); 30.293 (samyagyoge instead of samyagyogo); 166 30.305 (vyākhyātam etat kālasya savikalpam avekṣaṇam instead of vyākhyātam abalānāṃ savikalpānām avekṣaṇe); 167 30.310 (vardhante instead of varṣānte); Ka.12.37 (caika instead of caiva); 168 12.88 (bhavet tābhyāṃ instead of bhaved eko); 12.93 (praśrtau dvau instead of kuḍavau dvau; caturguṇapalaṃ instead of palaṃ caturguṇam); Si.1.41 (kṛtaḥ instead of sa yaḥ); 3.32 (paraṃ syāt instead of paraṃ syuḥ); 3.53 (drākṣarddhi- instead of drākṣādi-); 169 7.46 (śīrṣavirecanam instead of asya virecayet); 8.31 (pitte 'sre kaphe instead of pitte vā kaphe);

v1.c16.s2.19.7

9.16 (dhamanīḥ kaphavātābhyāṃ ruddhās instead of śvasanaṃ kaphavātābhyāṃ ruddham); 10.48 (mehe ca tv ekas triṃśac ca instead of mehe ca ekatriṃśac ca); 170 11.9 (kṛtavedhanam asty avātalam is preferable to kṛtavedhanam āha vātalam); 11.22 (govājino instead of gavādiṣu); 12.11 (aticaṅkramaṇāsane instead of avicaṅkramaṇāsane); 12.13(6) (gātrāvasādā instead of gātrāvasāda-); 12.16(1) rajovisarga- instead of rajovisarpa-) 12.18(15) (jānujaṅghā instead of jānūru); 171 12.31 (kṣāra instead of kṣīra); 12.41 (ṣaṭtriṃśatā instead of ṣaḍviṃśatā).

v1.c16.s2.20

¹²⁷ 27.25 (sa svāduḥ is preferable to tat svāduḥ);

v1.c16.s2.21

¹²⁹ 27.92 (kālākhyam instead of kālāyam);

v1.c16.s2.22

¹³⁰ 27.122 (sārṣapaṃ śākam is odd among the group of kandaśākas);

v1.c16.s2.23

¹³¹ Ni.3.10 (sabubhukṣasya instead of abubhukṣasya);

v1.c16.s2.24

¹³² Ni.4.14 (ikṣvālīrasasaṃkāśa should be read instead of śāṇḍekṣurasasaṃkāśa);

v1.c16.s2.25

¹³³ 5.26 (a-nnavahānāṃ instead of annavāhānāṃ);

v1.c16.s2.26

¹³⁴ 7.17 trirātraṃ instead of trivāram);

v1.c16.s2.27

¹³⁵ 8.169 (śikharadaśanāḥ is preferable to śikharadaśanāḥ);

v1.c16.s2.28

¹³⁶ Śā.1.143 (vratacaryopavāsaś ca instead of vratacaryopavāsau ca);

v1.c16.s2.29

¹³⁷ 8.3 (strīpuṃsayor avyāpannaśukraṣoṇitagarbhāśayoḥ should be replaced by strīpuṃsayor avyāpannaśukraṣoṇitagarbhāśayoḥ);

v1.c16.s2.30

¹³⁸ 8.47 (kṣemaka instead of kṣaumaka; kaṇakaṇikendhana instead of kaṇakakaṇṭakendhana;

v1.c16.s2.31

¹³⁹ Ci.11.36b (āmalakeṣv api is better than āmalakīṣv api);

v1.c16.s2.32

¹⁴⁰ 12.15 (aṣṭabhāgena instead of akṣabhāgena);

v1.c16.s2.33

¹⁴¹ 22.8ab (sāndrībhūtaṃ taṃ kuryāt prabhūtamadhusarkarāḥ instead of sāndrībhūtaṃ ca kuryāt prabhūtamadhusarkaram);

v1.c16.s2.34

¹⁴² 3.54cd (saptāhaṃ vā daśāhaṃ vā dvādaśāhaṃ suduḥsahaḥ is preferable to daśāhaṃ dvādaśāhaṃ vā saptāhaṃ vā suduḥsahaḥ);

v1.c16.s2.35

¹⁴³ 6.26 (surāhvaṃ instead of surāhvāṃ);

v1.c16.s2.36

¹⁴⁴ 7.123 (pakvasurā is to be replaced by śakrasurā);

v1.c16.s2.37

¹⁴⁵ 7.140 (ardhapalāṃśaṃ is more correct than ardhadalāṃśam);

v1.c16.s2.38

¹⁴⁶ 9.22 (-pāṇiḥ instead of vāṇiḥ);

v1.c16.s2.39

¹⁴⁷ lehyād is preferable to lihyād

v1.c16.s2.40

¹⁴⁸ śṛte instead of śṛtair

v1.c16.s2.41

¹⁴⁹ amlasnehādhyāyaḥ instead of amlasnehādyaḥ

v1.c16.s2.42

¹⁵⁰ līḍhvā instead of pītvā

v1.c16.s2.43

¹⁵¹ lehyam instead of leham

v1.c16.s2.44

¹⁵² vijaye instead of vijayo

v1.c16.s2.45

¹⁵³ gādhasamīpaditam ūrdhvam instead of gūdhasampāḍitam vṛttam

v1.c16.s2.46

¹⁵⁴ daṣṭo ’sādhyena instead of daṣṭo ’sādhyas tu

v1.c16.s2.47

¹⁵⁵ made cottamake ’dhikām instead of madhye cottamamadhyayoḥ

v1.c16.s2.48

¹⁵⁶ kāṭhinyam instead of śaithilyam

v1.c16.s2.49

¹⁵⁷ sa mūtravaryo ’nilasaṅgam asyan instead of sa mūtravarco ’nilasaṅgam āsu

v1.c16.s2.50

¹⁵⁸ kaulatthayūṣaiś is preferable to kaulatthadhānyaiś

v1.c16.s2.51

¹⁵⁹ iti khālityaroganidānam should come after 26.132

v1.c16.s2.52

¹⁶⁰ śalmalam instead of śālmalīm

v1.c16.s2.53

¹⁶¹ antrāṇi instead of antrasthaḥ

v1.c16.s2.54

¹⁶² praharṣo ’nṇam ca instead of harṣo ’nnapānam

v1.c16.s2.55

¹⁶³ śirāvedhāgnikarma ca instead of sirā bastyagnikarma ca

v1.c16.s2.56

¹⁶⁴ dhānyāmlapeṣitam instead of dhānyāmlasaṃyutam

v1.c16.s2.57

¹⁶⁵ pāṇḍure pradare instead of pāṇḍure ’sṛgdare

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