A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c43.s29.136

v3.c43.s29.136

Śārṅgadhara enumerates twenty-five varieties of fever, whereas Mādhava distinguishes eight of them. This number of twenty-five is obtained by counting separately the five irregular fevers (viṣamajvara), which Mādhava considers to be included in saṃnipātajvara, and by subdividing Mādhava’s āgantujvara into thirteen varieties. The latter group consists of (a) fevers caused by abhicāra, grahāveśa and śāpa, (b) four traumatic (ghātaja) fevers, brought about by śrama, cheda, kṣata, and dāha, (c) six abhiṣaṅga fevers, arising from kāma, bhīti, śuc, roṣa, viṣa, and auṣadhagandha. The majority of these varieties are also found in the Mādhavanidāna, but the four members of the ghātaja group are absent there. A closely related classification of the āgantujvaras occurs, however, in Vāgbhaṭa’s works, which were obviously Śārṅgadhara’s source of inspiration. The fevers called caturthakaviparyaya, vātabalāsaka and pralepaka, instead of the six of Mādhava, are not mentioned. Seven types of diarrhoea (atisāra) are listed, instead of the six of Mādhava; a variety caused by fear (bhaya), also recognized as a separate entity in the Carakasaṃhitā and in Vāgbhaṭa’s works, has been added. A fifth type of grahaṇī, brought about by āma, is added to the four doṣaja types of Mādhava; according to the commentator Āḍhamalla, it is caused by āmavāta, while Kāśirāma mentions āma. This suggests that it may be identical with saṃgrahagrahaṇī, described in some supplementary verses of the Mādhavanidāna. 1067 Ajīrṇa is divided into four varieties, whereas Mādhava mentions that some authorities recognize six types; Śārṅgadhara’s fourth type, called viṣājīrṇa, unknown under that name in earlier treatises, may be closely related to the rasaśeṣa form of ajīrṇa, recognized by Mādhava in agreement with the Suśrutasaṃhitā. Three doṣaja types of alasa are said to exist, which are unknown in the classical saṃhitās and the Mādhavanidāna, where this disorder is regarded as one single entity. Daṇḍakālasaka is said to be related to vilambikā, although being a separate entity; this disorder, mentioned in the classical saṃhitās, is not described in the Mādhavanidāna. 1068 The classification of haemorrhoids (arśāṃsi) differs slightly from that of Suśruta and Mādhava, but agrees with that of Vāgbhaṭa. The group of twenty kinds of parasites (kṛmi) 1069 is expanded by the addition of snāyuka (dracontiasis), described for the first time in Vṛnda’s Siddhayoga, and by the description of worms living in ulcers. Kṣaya (i.e., rājayakṣman) is divided into five types, according to whether it is caused by one of the three doṣas, by all three together, or by uraḥkṣata; the last type of this series is absent from Vāgbhaṭa’s works; uraḥkṣata is a separate disorder in the Mādhavanidāna; it is not described as such by Śārṅgadhara. Six causes of śoṣa are listed instead of the seven of the Suśrutasaṃhitā and the Mādhavanidāna; śoṣa brought about by uraḥkṣata is absent. The group of digestive fire (agnivikāra) has been increased by the addition of bhasmaka, not yet mentioned in the Bṛhattrayī and the Mādhavanidāna. 1070 Seven types of vomiting (chardi) are mentioned, whereas Caraka, Suśruta, Vāgbhaṭa and Mādhava refer to only five types; Śārṅgadhara’s sixth (caused by ghṛṇā, disgust) and seventh types (caused by pregnancy) are, however, included in the fifth one (the āgantu type) of the other treatises.