A History of Indian Medical Literature v1.c20.s3.9

v1.c20.s3.9

Many questions may be raised concerning Drḍhabala’s contributions to the Carakasamhitā. Nothing is known with certainty about the state of Caraka’s work in Drḍhabala’s times. The latter’s remarks convey the impression that Caraka’s revision of the Agniveśatantra had got lost in the course of the ages. 302 The view that Caraka, for some reason, did not complete his work, as supposed by some scholars, 303 is less probable. Drḍhabala himself declares (Ci.30.289–290) that seventeen chapters of the Cikitsāsthāna, and the whole of the Kalpa- and Siddhisthāna of Caraka’s revision of Agniveśa’s work were not available to him (nāsādyante). 304 This pronouncement implies that he was acquainted with the original extent of the work and that he took it for granted that it was not left unfinished by Caraka. The colophons of the chapters we owe to Drḍhabala confirm this view. Some statements found in chapters written by Caraka may be seen as supporting evidence, albeit that one cannot exclude the possibility of Drḍhabala having made these additions; the Kalpasthāna, for instance, is referred to twice (Sū.4.4; 305 Ci.21.53), the Siddhisthāna is mentioned several times. 306 The table of contents in the last chapter of the Sūtrasthāna may, however, well be due to Drḍhabala. 307