A History of Indian Medical Literature v1.c16.s2.17

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