अथातः प्रभाषणीयमध्यायं व्याख्यास्यामः, यथोवाच भगवान् धन्वन्तरिः । ॥ १ ॥
Now we shall discuss the Chapter which deals with General Explanations (Prabhasaniya adhyaya). 1
अधिगतमप्यध्ययनमप्रभाषितमर्थतः खरस्य चन्दनभार इव केवलं परिश्रमकरं भवति ॥२॥
The endeavours of a man who has studied the entire Ayurveda (sastra) but fails to make a clear exposition of the same, are vain like the efforts of an ass that carries a load of sandal wood (without ever being able to enjoy its pleasing scent). 2
भवति चात्र
यथा खरश्चन्दनभारवाही भारस्य वेत्ता न तु चन्दनस्य | एवं हि शास्त्राणि बहून्यधीत्य चार्थेषु मूढाः खरवद् वहन्ति । ॥ ३ ॥
Authoritative verse on the subject: A foolish person who has gone through a large number of books without gaining any real insight into the knowledge propounded therein, is like an ass laden with logs of sandal-wood, that labours under the weight which it carries without being able to appreciate its virtue. 3
तस्मात् सविंशमध्यायशतमनुपदपादश्लोकार्द्धश्लोकमनुवर्णयित व्यमनुश्रोतव्यञ्च । कस्मात् ? सूक्ष्मा हि द्रव्यरसगुणवीर्य्यविपाकदोषधातुमलाशयमर्म्मशिरास्नायुसन्ध्यस्थि-गर्भसम्भवद्रव्यसमूहविभागास्तथा साध्ययाप्यप्रत्याख्येयता प्रनष्टशल्योद्धरणव्रण-विनिश्चयभग्नविकल्पाः च विकाराणामेवमादयश्चान्ये विशेषाः सहस्रशो ये विचिन्त्यमाना विमलविपुलबुद्धेरपि बुद्धिमाकुलीकुर्युः, किं पुनरल्पबुद्धेः । तस्मादवश्यमनुपद – पादश्लोकार्द्धश्लोकमनुवर्णयितव्यमनुश्रोतव्यञ्च ।। ४ ।।
Hence the preceptor will clearly explain each sloka or a half or a quarter part thereof as contained in the present work, divided into a hundred and twenty chapters (as well as in the concluding portion of the Uttara-Tantra appended to it); and the student or the disciple shall attentively hear everything explained or discoursed on by the preceptor. Since it is extremely difficult to classify drugs, taste, virtue (Guna), potency (Virya), transformatory or reactionary effect (Vipaka), fundamental bodily principles (Dhatu ) bodily excrement (Mala), hollow viscera (Asaya ), vital parts (Marma), veins (Sira), nerves (Snayu), joints (Sandhi), bones (Asthi) and the fecundating principles of semen and ovum, and to extricate any foreign matter lodged in an ulcer), or to ascertain the nature and position of ulcers or fractures, or the palliative, curable or incurable nature of a disease, etc.; and since these subjects perplex even the profoundest intellects though a thousand times discusses and pondered over, not to speak of men of comparatively smaller intellectual capacity, hence it is imperatively obligatory on a pupil or a disciple to attentively hear the exposition of each sloka, or a half or a quarter part thereof, made by the preceptor (while studying the science of medicine). 4
अन्यशास्त्रोपपन्नानाञ्चार्थानामिहोपनीतानामर्थवशात् तेषां तद्विद्येभ्य एव व्याख्यानमनुश्रोतव्यम् ।
कस्मात् ? न होकस्मिन् शास्त्रे शक्यः सर्व्वशास्त्राणाम् अवरोधः कर्तुम् ॥५॥
For explanations of truths and principles quoted from other branches of (science or philosophy) and incidentally discussed in the present work, the student is referred to expositions made by the masters (of those sciences or philosophies), since it is impossible to deal with all branches of science, etc. in a single book (and within so short a compass). 5
भवन्ति चात्र । एकं शास्त्रमधीयानो न विद्याच्छास्त्रनिश्चयम् । तस्माद् बहुश्रुतः शास्त्रं विजानीयाच्चिकित्सकः ॥६॥
शास्त्रं गुरुमुखोद्गीर्णमादायोपास्य चासकृत् । यः कर्म्म कुरुते वैद्यः स वैद्योऽन्ये तु तस्कराः ॥७॥
Authoritative verses on the subject: By the study of a single Sastra, a man can never catch the true import of this (Science of Medicine). Therefore a physician should study as many allied branches of (science or philosophy) as possible. The physician who studies the Science of Medicine from the lips of his preceptor, and practises medicine after having acquired experience in his art by constant practice, is the true physician, while any other man dabbling in the art, should be looked upon as an impostor. 6-7
औपधेनवमौरभ्रं सौश्रुतं पौष्कलावतम् । शेषाणां शल्यतन्त्राणां मूलान्येतानि निर्द्दिशेत् ।।८।।
The Salya-Tantras (surgical works) written or propagated by Aupadhenava, Aurabhra, Susruta and Pauskalavata, are the bases of the works or Tantras written by others (Karavirya, Gopuraraksita, etc.). 8
इति सुश्रुतसंहितायां सूत्रस्थाने प्रभाषणीयो नाम चतुर्थोऽध्यायः ॥४॥
Thus ends fourth chapter of the Sutrasthana in the Susruta Samhita which deals with General Explanations.
