ऊनन्त्रिंशोध्यायः
अथातो दशप्राणायतनीय मध्यायं व्याख्यास्यामः ॥ १ ॥ इति ह स्माह भगवानात्रेयः ॥ २ ॥
We shall now expound the chapter on “The Ten Resorts of Life”.
Thus said Lord Atreya. [ 1–2 ]
In the previous chapter, vitiation of dosha in the resorts of life is mentioned to cause most painful and acute diseases — cf. Sutra 28:7. This is in fact the concluding chapter of this section. In the last chapter of this section, the whole text will be summarised. The term ‘prana’ used here conveys the sense of vital parts of the body and not vital breath because the latter resides in the wheie body. Injury to and destruction of the ten resorts of life, however, leads to the various diseases and decay of the body.
The Ten Repositories of Life
दशैवायतनान्याहुः प्राणा येषु प्रतिष्ठिताः । शहौ मर्मत्रयं कण्ठो रक्तं शुक्रौजसी गुदम् ॥ ३ ॥ तानीन्द्रियाणि विज्ञानं चेतनाहेतुमामयान् । जानीते यः स वै विद्वान् प्राणाभिसर उच्यते ॥ ४ ॥
There are ten important resorts of life, viz. two temples, theree vital perts ( heart, bladder and head ), throat, blood, semen, ojas ( ? ) and the rectum. The wise physician who is well acquainted with these ten important resorts of life and other internal as well as external factors like senses, intelligence, soul, causes of diseases and their recovery and signs and symptoms of diseases is known as the saviour of life. [ 3-4] Qualities of physicians who are saviours of life are described in brief in Sutra 9 : 18.
The accetable physician
द्विविधास्तु खलु भिषजो भवन्त्यग्निवेश ! प्राणानामेकेऽभिसरा इन्तारो रोगाणां, रोगाणामेकेऽभिसरा हन्तारः प्राणानामिति ॥ ५ ॥
O; Agnivesa, some physicians save lives of the patients and distory thir diseases. Treatment by some others aggravates diseases and takes away the life of patients-thus, there are two types of physicians. [5]
Qualifications of a good physician
एवंवादिनं भगवन्तमात्रेयमग्निवेश उवाच – भगवंस्ते कथमस्माभिर्वेदितव्या भवेयुरिति ॥ ६ ॥
भगवानुवाच – य इमे कुलीनाः पर्यवदातश्रुताः परिदृष्टकर्माणो दक्षाः शुचयो जितहस्ता जितात्मानः सर्वोपकरणवन्तः सर्वेन्द्रियोपपन्नाः प्रकृतिज्ञाः प्रतिपत्तिज्ञाश्च ते ज्ञेयाः प्राणानामभिसरा हन्तारो रोगाणां; तथाविधा हि केवले शरीरक्षाने शरीराभिनिर्वृत्तिशाने प्रकृतिविकारज्ञाने च निःसंशयाः, सुखसाध्यकृच्छ्रसाध्ययाप्य प्रत्याख्येयानां च रोगाणां समुत्थानपूर्वरूपलिङ्गवेदनोपशय विशेषज्ञाने व्यपगतसंदेहाः, त्रिविधस्यायुर्वेद सूत्रस्य ससंग्रहव्याकरणस्य सत्रिविधौषधप्रामस्य प्रवक्तारः, पञ्चत्रिंशतो मूलफलानां चतुर्णांच स्नेहानां पञ्चानां च लवणानामष्टानां च सूत्राणामटानां च क्षीराणां क्षीरत्वग्वृक्षाणां च षण्णां शिरोविरेचनादेश्च पञ्चकर्माश्रयस्यौषधगणस्याष्टाविंशतेश्च यवागूनां द्वात्रिंशतश्चूर्णप्रदेहानां पण्णां च विरेचनशतानां पञ्चानां च कपायशतानां प्रयोक्तारः, स्वस्थवृत्तविहितभोजनपाननियमस्थानचङ्क्रमणशयनासन मात्राद्रव्याञ्जनघूमनावनाभ्यञ्जन परिमार्जन वेगाविधारणविधारणव्यायामसात्म्येन्द्रियपरीक्षोपक्रमणसद्वृत्तकुशलाः, चतुष्पादोपगृहीते च भेषजे षोडशकले सविनिश्चये सत्रिपर्येषणे सवातकलाकलझाने व्यपगतसन्देहाः, चतुर्विधस्य च स्नेहस्य चतुर्विंशन्युपनयस्योपकल्पनीयस्य चतुःषष्टिपर्यन्तस्य च व्यवस्थापयितारः, बहुविधविधानयुक्तानां च स्नेहास्वेद्यवम्यविरेच्यविविधौषधोपचाराणां च कुशलाः, शिरोरोगादेर्दोषांशविकल्पजस्य च व्याधिसंग्रहस्य सक्षयपिडकाविद्रधेस्त्रयाणां च शोफानां बहुविधशोफानुबन्धानामष्टचत्वारिंशतश्च रोगाधिकरणानां चत्वारिंशदुत्तरस्य च नानात्मजस्य व्याधिशतस्य तथा विगर्हितातिस्थूलातिकृशानां सहेतुलक्षणोपक्रमाणां स्वप्नस्य च हिताहितस्यास्वप्नातिस्वमस्य च सहेतूपक्रमस्य पण्णां च लङ्घनादीनामुपक्रमाणां संतर्पणापतर्पणजानां च रोगाणां सरूप्रशमनानां शोणितजानां च व्याधीनां मदमूर्च्छायसंन्यासानां च सकारणरूपौपधोपचाराणां कुशलाः, कुशलाश्चाहारविधिविनिश्चयस्य प्रकृत्या हिताहितानामाहारविकाराणामव्यसंग्रहस्यासवानां च चतुरशीतेद्र्व्यगुणकर्मविनिश्चयस्य रसानुरससंश्रयस्य सविकल्पवैरोधिकस्य द्वादशवर्गाश्रयस्य सगुणप्रभावस्य सानुपानगुणस्य नवविधस्यार्थसंग्रहस्याहारगतेश्च हिताहितोपयोगविशेषात्मकस्य च शुभाशुभविशेषस्य धात्वाश्रयाणां च रोगाणां सौषधसंग्र हाणां दशानां च प्राणायतनान यं च वक्ष्याम्यर्थदशमहामूलीये त्रिंशत्तमाध्याये तत्र च कृत्स्नस्य तन्त्रोद्देशलक्षणस्य तन्त्रस्य च ग्रहणधारणविज्ञान प्रयोगकर्मकार्यकालकर्तृकरणकुशलाः, कुशलाश्च स्मृतिमतिशास्त्र युक्तिज्ञानस्यात्मनः शीलगुणैरविसंवादनेन च संपादनेन सर्वप्राणिषु चेतसो मैत्रस्य मातापितृभ्रातृबन्धुवत्, एवंयुक्ता भवन्त्यग्निवेश ! प्राणानामभिसरा हन्तारो रोगाणामिति ॥ ७ ॥ चान्नपानस्य Agnivesa enquired from
Lord Atreya, “How to recognise them ( two types of physicians ) ? Lord Atreya replied”, Physicians who are born in noble families, who are well read, who have practical experience, who are skillful, pure, whose medicinal prescriptions and surgical operations are infallible who are self-controlled, who have all equipment and are endowed with healthy sense organs, who are acquainted with natural manifestations and those who have presence of mind are saviours of life and destroyers of diseases. Such physicians are well acquainted with the anatomy and physiology of the entire body, manifestation and growth of the body and origin and evolution of the universe. They evince no doubt about the etiology, premonitory signs and symptoms, actual signs and symptoms as well as managements of diseases which are easily curable, curable with difficulty palliable and incurable.
They are well versed with the following.
1. Three principles of the science of life (viz. etiology, symptomatology and management of good and bad health ).
2. Statements in brief about fundamental principles and their elaboration;
3. Three sources of drugs;
4. Thirty five roots and fruits; of salt, eight types of wine, plants whose latex and bark are useful; four types of fat; five types eight types of milk and six
5. Various types of drugs used in five elimination therapies; viz. errhines etc;
6. Twenty eight types of gruel;
7. Thirty two types of powders and ointments;
8. Six hundred types of purgatives;
9. Five hundred types of decoction;
10. Knowledge of the factors responsible for the maintenance of positive health including diets, drug, regimen, residence, movement, sleep, rest, quantity, drugs, collyrium, smoking, inhalation, unction, washing, non-suppression of somatic urges, suppression of psychic urges, physical exercise, wholesomeness for examining the sense organs; 11. Knowledge of the four aspects of therapeutics having sixteen factors;
12. Determination of the nature of diseases;
13. Three pursuits of life;
14. Various action of vayu;
15. Four types of unctuous substances prepared according to twenty four methods with drugs of various tastes permutation and combination of which are of sixty four types;
16. Various methos of preparation of drugs and therepies for oleation, fomentation, emesis and purgation;
17. Diseases of head etc;
18. Summary of diseases caused by permutation and combination of various doshas.
19. Ailments like ojahksaya, carbuncle and obscess;
20. Three types of oedema and other diseases having swelling in one or the other part of the body;
21. Forty eight types of diseases;
22. One hundred forty-types of diseases of nanatmaja variety (diseases caused specifically by one dosha);
23. Etiology, signs, symptoms and management of despisable individuals who are either very carpulent or emaciated;
24. Useful and harmful nature of sleep, sleeplessness and excessive sleep alongwith their etiology and management.
25. Six therapeutic measures like lightening therapy;
26. Signs, symptoms and treatment of diseases due to overnourishment; and
27. Under nourishment.
Diseases caused by the vitiation of blood, viz. intoxication, fainting and syncope along with their etiology, signs and symptoms and treatment by medicines and regimen;
28. Rules of dietetics, food preparations which are wholesome and unwholesome by nature;
29. The diets and regimen which are foremost in nature amongst their class;
30. Forty types of alcoholic preparation;
31. Determination of dravya ( matter ) guna ( quality ), karman (action ), primary and secondary tastes;
32. Various types of incompatible food ingredients;
33. Ingredients of food and drinks classified into twelve groups alongwith their properties;
34. Properties of post-prandial drinks;
35. Nine factors required to be examined for determining the properties of food;
36. Digestive and metabolic processes;
37. Good and ill effects of wholesome and unwholesome food; 38. Diseases caused by the vitiation of various tissue elements alongwith their treatment in brief.
39. Ten resorts of life and other things which will be explained in the 30th chapter.
They understand the eight sections of Ayurveda (science of life) in their entirety alongwith the scope of the science. They have the power of grasping, retention and understanding of the text. They apply their knowledge so acquired for the treatment of diseases with a view to bringing the dhatus to their normal state after determining the stage of the disease, their own ability and the properties of the drugs employed. They are imbued with memory; intelligence theoritical and practical knowledge. They narture cordial feelings exactly like the mother, father, brother and kint towards all creatures. Patients having such qualities give life to patients and cure their diseases. [ 6-7]
A bad physician
अतो विपरीता रोगाणामभिसरा हन्तारः प्राणानां, भिषकछद्मप्रतिच्छन्नाः कण्टकभूता लोकस्य प्रतिरूपकसधर्माणो राक्षां प्रमादाचरन्ति राष्ट्राणि ॥ ८ ॥
Opposite to this are the pseudo-physicians who instead of taking away the diseases, take away the life itself. Like throns, they torture the people. These traitors in the garb of physicians move around the world due to the lack of vigilance on the part of the rulers. [ 8 ]
Identification of a bad physician
तेषामिदं विशेषविज्ञानं भवति — अत्यर्थे वैद्यवेशेन श्लाघमाना विशिखान्तरमनुचरन्ति कर्मलोभात्, श्रुत्वा च कस्यचिदातुर्यमभितः परिपतन्ति, संश्रवणे चास्यात्मनो वैद्यगुणानुष्वैर्वदन्ति, यश्चास्य वैद्यः प्रतिकर्म करोति तस्य च दोषान्मुहुर्महुरुषाहरन्ति, आतुरमित्राणि च प्रहर्षणोपजा पोपसेवादिभिरिच्छन्त्यात्मीकर्तुं स्वल्पेच्छुतां चात्मनः ख्यापयन्ति, कर्म चासाद्य मुहुर्मुहुरवलोकयन्ति दाक्ष्येणाशानमात्मनः प्रच्छादयितुकामाः, व्याधि चापावर्तयितुमशक्नुवतो व्याधितमेवानुपकरणमपरिचारकमनात्मवन्तमुपदिशन्ति, अन्तगतं चैनमभिसमीक्ष्यान्यमाश्र यन्ति देशमपदेशमात्मनः कृत्वा, प्राकृतजनसन्निपाते चात्मनः कौशलमकुशलवद्वर्णयन्ति, अधीरवच्च धैर्यमपवदन्ति धीराणां, विद्वज्जनसन्निपातं ( चाभिसमीक्ष्य ) प्रतिभयमिव कान्तारमध्वगाः परिहरन्ति दूरात्, यश्चैषां कश्चित् सूत्रावयवो भवत्युपयुक्तस्तमप्रकृते प्रकृतान्तरे वा सततमुदाहरन्ति, न चानुयोगमिच्छन्त्यनुयोक्तुं वा, मृत्योरिव चानुयोगादुद्विजन्ते, न चैषामाचार्यः शिष्य: सब्रह्मचारी वैवादिको वा कश्चित् प्रज्ञायत इति ॥ ९ ॥
These are the distinct features of pseudo-physicians with too much of self-praise. They move about from one street to another in search of livelihood in the garb of physicians. Once they hear about somebody’s sickness, they would surround him and start enumerating their own qualities loudly so that the patient could listen to them. In case a physicians is already attending on him they try to find fault again and again with the attending physician. They win over the friends of the patient by pleasing manners, back-biting and flattering. They also propagate that they are interested in a nominal remuneration only. After they succeed in winning over the patient, they look at him again and again skillfully trying to cover their ignorance. If they are not able to alleviate the disease, they proclaim that the patient lacked in proper equipment, attendance and self control. As soon as the patient dies, they fly away to some other place in some other garb. In the congregation of ordinary men they proclaim their ability in self-contradicting tones. Like an impatient person they speak ill of the patience of of courageous individuals. In the event of their coming across a congregation of the wise, the immediately leave the place from the very distance as the travellers keep themselves away from the freightful forests. In cause they happen to have the smattering knowledge of some thrapeutic formulae, they will never hestate in quoting them without caring for the relevance to the topic. They do not relish any questions from others nor do they like to put an such questions to others. They get perturbed by the question as if attacked by death. Nobody would know anything about their preceptor, disciple, class mate or even their opponents. [9]
To add further:
भवन्ति चात्रभिषक्छद्म प्रविश्यैवं व्याधितांस्तर्कयन्ति ये । वीतंसमिव संश्रित्य वने शाकुन्तिका द्विजान् ॥ १० ॥ श्रुतदृष्टक्रियाकालमात्राज्ञानबहिष्कृताः वर्जनीया हि ते मृत्योश्चरन्त्यनुचरा भुवि ॥ ११ ॥ वृत्तिहेतोर्भिपड्यानपूर्णान् मूर्खविशारदान् । वर्जयेदातुरो विद्वान् सर्पास्ते पीतमारुताः ॥ १२ ॥ ये तु शास्त्रविदो दक्षाः शुचयः कर्मकोविदाः । जितहस्ता जितात्मानस्तेभ्यो नित्यं कृतं नमः ॥ १३ ॥
Pseudo-physicians in the garb of doctors try to catch the patients as the bird-catchers catch their prey in the net. They are for away from the textual knowledge, practical experience, knowledge about the time of administering the therapy and its doshage. They are like the messangers of the Death on the carth; hence they should be boycotted.
A wise patient should avoid such of the egoistic pseudophysicians, the worst among idiots who have taken to this profession only to earn their livelihood. they are as dangerous as snakes satiated with the wind. On the other hand, the real physicians well-versed in the science of medicine, wise, pious, skillful with infallible medical prescriptions and surgical operations and self-control, always deserve respect and honour. [10-13]
To sum up the contents :
तत्र लोकःदशप्राणायतनिके लोकस्थानार्थसंग्रहः । द्विविधा भिषजश्चोक्ताः प्राणस्यायतनानि च ॥ १४ ॥
Briefiy, in this chapter on “The Ten Resorts of Life” a summary of the Sutra section, two types of physicians and ten resorts of life are described. [ 14 ]
इत्यग्निवेशकृते तन्त्रे चरकप्रतिसंकृते लोकस्थाने दशप्राणायतनीयो नामोनत्रिंशोऽध्यायः ॥ २९ ॥
Thus ends the twenty-ninth chapter of the Sutra section on “The Ten Resorts of Life” of Agnivesas’ work as redacted by Charaka. [ 21 ]
